HOW TO BLEACH YOUR HAIR LIKE A BOSS: PLATINUM BLONDE TIPS

SOOOO surprise I bleached my hair.

Well not really a surprise at all if you follow me on Instagram.

First of all, when it comes to hair I get bored. I can’t do waves every damn day, you know? I don’t want to be square when it comes to the hair. So the decision to go ICE BITCH BLONDE was easy. Justin Anderson ( the colorist ) & his team are some of the best in the game so I fully trusted them to take me from natural blonde to KHALEESI BLONDE. Anyway, I could have just done highlights but I’m sick of highlights- basically I wanted to shake it up. Shock Michael. I wanted a response- HA! It’s all fun. Especially when you can do it safe & sound with someone you trust.

Anyway, this post is to all the girls out there who are ::THINKING:: about going ice bitch blonde. The ones, who like me, have highlights but want to mix it up. I hope these are all the bleaching tips you will ever need. Feel free to show this to your stylist- I mean you never know, maybe they will pick up a tip or two.

When it comes to product, if I don’t like a product, I just don’t write about it. I’m picky ! I feel like I’m trying so many things all the time so when I find something I love, love, love I want to write about it. Sometimes I may even go overboard- like, it can be intense because when I love something I love it. And I love dpHue’s purple shampoo for bleached heads. Did you know they even have a blue shampoo for brunettes? I KNOW, COOL BEANS. But we are talking about icy blondes here- don’t want to get off track. So a standout product throughout this post is the purple shampoo. If you’re going to commit to going bleached blonde make sure you grab some. Purple shampoo on ice blonde hair will get you the right tone, you know? It kind of pulls the yellows/oranges out of the hair & let’s the coolness do its thing.

Now: you should know bleaching your hair can kind of hurt your scalp. In fact, I recommend ( highly ! recommend ) taking an Advil or two before you do it. Just trust me here. Also make sure you can go on your phone because 1.) you’re going to want to IG Story you changing up your hair & 2.) more importantly, you’re going to want a solid distraction. I got in the chair at the dpHue House at 12 & wasn’t out of the chair until 5 pm. I mean you even could listen to the podcast episode featuring Justin Anderson- just throwing that out there. It’s one of my favorite episodes & he goes deep. We do discuss hair but also business. There’s a lot of layers. Anyway, listen to it, you will like it.

Justin & I decided to go ON the root. Initially I wanted root- I like root. It brings out my bold, brown eyebrows. Roots are cool. But he convinced me I needed to have a rootless moment…so I listened to the expert here. And boy, am I glad I did. It was so fun to have no root for a bit. Now there’s a root & I like that too. Again, I like both- I want to always be mixing it up because I get bored.

My biggest thing with bleaching my hair is this: do your research on who’s touching your hair! This is so vital, man. If someone is putting bleach on your hair you want someone who knows what the fuck they’re doing. I would recommend talking to past clients, looking at their portfolio AKA a little thing we all call Instagram, asking questions, & taking it seriously. This is your hair- which is attached to your face. I don’t fuck around when it comes to my hair. I would rather spend money on skin & hair than a handbag or shoes any day. Is anyone else like this?

And bring a picture- get so specific with your hair stylist so everyone can manage expectations.

Purple shampoo, pick an experience stylist, take an Advil ( or two ), & make sure you have a picture of someone’s ice bitch blonde.

So yes, those are my specific tips.

Ok moving right along. I asked Val, who is on The Skinny Confidential team & manages the day-to-day operations, to talk about her bleaching tips too. She has worked on the team for a while & she dyes her hair a lot. Currently she’s bleached blonde too. Val is real into health & wellness and I like her vibe. I think you guys will very much appreciate her tricks/tips when it comes to bleach. With that:

Hey everyone – Val here! As Lauryn mentioned I’m very into holistic wellbeing from meditation & reiki healing to yoga & plant-based recipes ( you can see some of my concoctions in the Body Guide recipes being released later this month! ). I love taking care of myself & experimenting with new practices ( currently trying kundalini yoga ) so I can show up for others. If you have any interest in these topics let me know below and maybe I’ll be back.

I’ve been dying my hair platinum blonde for almost 2 years and there are definitely a few things I’ve learned along the way to keep my hair strong, healthy & shiny. Your haircare routine is just like your skincare routine. You may not think about it at first, but once you do it makes a HUGE difference. My hair is super soft I wish you could feel it!

Changing your hair is fun: it grows back, why not switch it up! I went from super dark brunette ( I’m Italian ) to bleach blonde. Yes, it can be done! I also have short hair. It’s above my shoulders & a few inches below my ears just so you can get an idea. I can’t even imagine having long hair anymore. This probably helps too.

I’m a minimalist and very low maintenance so even though this hair style seems like it takes a lot of energy I don’t really feel that it is. I spend less time on my hair as a blonde than I did as a brunette.

I spend a few minutes a day on my hair, if that. Usually I simply brush it. I rarely heat style my  hair and I only wash it once/twice a week. The only ‘high maintenance’ part of my platinum hair is the time spent dying it which for me is once every two months. This takes a couple of hours so I bring my laptop and work during this time. Easy. If you want a minimalist skincare routine I gotcha too.

Anyway, it’s safe to say I’ve picked up some tricks for being an efficient blonde that also applies to all hair types. Take care of your hair! It’s with you everyday, all day – just like your skin.

Here is my haircare routine & tips:

BLEACH BLONDE HAIR CARE ROUTINE

DAILY

The very first thing I learned to keep your hair strong is to brush it everyday. It’s obvious and simple but how many times have you skipped this and just thrown it up in a bun? I can’t be the only one. Now it’s literally my favorite part of my hair routine.

I discovered this scalp brush a few years ago which is the hair equivalent of a facial massager in my opinion. Seriously I’m obsessed with this brush. You get 4 of them for under $5. I keep one in my vanity, one in my shower, one in my car, you get the idea. This scalp brush is SO soothing. It’s the best mini head massage. I feel tension melting away and I always feel more relaxed after I brush my hair. Plus, brushing your hair distributes the natural oils from your scalp which keeps it healthy. Every morning and every night I’ll brush my hair/scalp until I get that ahhh feeling. You’ll know once you try it.

The second thing I do daily is use a nourishing hair oil. I’ve been using this marula oil for about a year and I’m still on my first bottle. I use a couple of drops before I head out for the day so everything is smooth and shiny. This oil is great because it’s clear so it doesn’t mess up your color, it has a handy dropper to easily distribute product AND it smells delicious! Sweet but not florally and deep but not musky.

ONCE A WEEK

In order to keep my hair hydrated I wash it only once or twice a week. The first time I wash it I’ll use a purple shampoo and conditioner. This is where my shower brush comes in handy. After lathering up I give myself a scalp massage which also helps to make sure that every single strand of hair gets coated with the purple pigment to work it’s magic.

If I wash my hair a second time I’ll use an ACV ( apple cider vinegar ) rinse. The rinse refreshes my scalp and makes my hair shiny. This works for every hair type! Are you ready for a real hack? Before I heard about dpHue I was using straight up ACV, water and essential oils. SO SIMPLE. dpHue is great because they’ve added some additional goodies into their formula to provide extra nourishment for your hair. If you’re a blonde on a budget you can use this simple at home version.

DIY ACV RINSE

+ 2 tbsp ACV
+ 1 cup water
+ 1-2 drops essential oils ( I love rose or lavender )

directions: Grab a squirt bottle and mix all the ingredients together. Experiment with the ratios to find what works best for your hair type. Dry hair likes less AVC and oily hair tends to like more. 

TWO TIMES A MONTH

If you want silky smooth hair, a deep conditioning treatment is a MUST. This isn’t just for bleach blondes. This works for everyone. Honestly, it took me a while to really get into this habit but once I did I really began to notice a difference. I like to habit stack so typically I do all my beauty pampering Sunday night, all at once, to keep it efficient. First, I’ll apply the hair mask. Next, I’ll shave my face and apply a face mask. After, I’ll remove my nail polish and shape my nails. Then I’ll do some dry brushing and by this point it’s time to rinse the masks so I’ll hop in the shower. Once that’s done I’ll apply some body oil and paint my nails. This usually is about 30 minutes. See, efficient!

I alternate between two different masks. The first is Olaplex. Olaplex is a hair repairing treatment that works to relink the broken bonds in your hair. This means it strengthens your hair from the inside out. Any hair color will benefit here. The second mask I use is the Pravana purple toning masque. If you’re a blonde I highly recommend this. It’s deeply conditioning and purple so it removes all the brassiness from my hair. My hair looks white blonde like I left the salon after using this.

USE WHEN NEEDED

One of the best parts of being blonde in my opinion is being able to dye your hair fun colors. There have been many times where I’ve walked into the office with a new hair color from purple roots to pink tips. I like to keep things playful. I’ve used hair chalk which is great for a weekend, to semi-permanent dyes that last about a month depending on the color. For October I’m going to use this dye for a light pink tint. If you try hair chalk or dye, avoid wearing white right away – the color tends to bleed. It will also get on your sheets and towels. I have a set designated for when I have colored hair.

My final tip for blonde hair is to avoid heat styling your hair. Embrace your natural texture! Before I had blonde hair I would constantly be blowdrying, straightening or curling my hair. SO much damage. Now I’ve switched heat for dye I guess. Most days I simply let my hair air dry and add some oil to it. This has also shortened my daily beauty time which is awesome – like I said I’m low maintenance.

IF I decide to heat style my hair I use this heat protector spray. First,, I let my hair dry naturally to about 70% then I’ll add the oil and heat spray. If you apply product straight out of the shower it won’t absorb into your hair as effectively because the water molecules are taking up all the space! Always let it dry a bit first then apply product.

ROOT TOUCH UP

I dye my hair around every 2 months. At the beginning I would bleach it at the root and get it done monthly to avoid branding. Your scalp will get tingly. For the most part I never had a problem here. I never took Advil but I could definitely see how it helps. However, I had one experience where I was almost in tears. It hurt so much that I decided it was time to stop that.

Now I get my roots touched up every two months and get it done as a dirty root ( you can google this to show your stylist ). This allows me to go longer between appointments and to avoid bleach on my scalp. As Lauryn said: go to a blonde expert. It matters. I’ve had some not so great experiences with switching stylists.

Ok – whew! I think I’ve covered all my blonde hair care tips. If you have any specific questions for me comment below and I’ll be sure to respond. Back to Lauryn & Justin!

& now let’s talk to the hair king himself…Justin Anderson & his dpHue team ( I already screenshotted all these tips- they’re FAB for bleaching your hair ).

PLATINUM BLONDE TIPS FROM JUSTIN ANDERSON

+ This isn’t for everyone!

+ Make sure to have a professional do it! I have seen so many DIY videos gone bad.

+ Usually I suggest to do this process in two sittings, a week apart. When you’re going from a natural dark shade to a platinum blonde your hair may need a break in between processes. Luckily I had my team with me the day we did Lauryn’s hair…so we were able to watch it super closely and speed up the process to get it all done in one day.

+ This isn’t a sustainable color. You can get it touched-up a few times, but after that you will need to give your hair a break.

+ Don’t wash your hair the few days leading up to the bleach and tone. The natural oils on your scalp will help lessen the irritation of the toner on the scalp.

+ The night before you go platinum I always tell my clients to sleep in Olaplex No.3 to strengthen their hair before having it bleached.

+ Platinum hair can turn brassy from environmental exposure + hard water. I suggest using the dpHUE Cool Blonde Shampoo + Conditioner once a week to neutralize yellow tones and keep blonde bright.

+ Over-shampooing can dull platinum hair & also dry it out. I suggest using the dpHUE ACV Hair Rinse a few times a week. Use it in place of your shampoo & conditioner. It will remove impurities and product buildup from your hair without removing the natural oils that keep your blonde shiny & vibrant. This will seriously be every platinum’s favorite product!

+ When you go platinum you are pulling all the pigment out of your hair, which causes hair to be more dry. I suggest using the dpHUE Argan Oil Therapy everyday on wet & dry hair. It will add moisture back into the hair without weighing it down. The clear, lightweight formula can be used throughout the day to tame frizz. Also — being clear is important. A tinted oil can change the color of your hair…so I would stick with a clear formula.

+ After you get it done don’t wash your hair for a few days to let the natural oils get back into your hair.

So yes, there you have it. How to bleach your hair like a boss. I’m confident these tips will be a resource for anyone who’s looking to go VERY blonde.

Have you guys ever bleached your hair?

Would you?

Are you thinking about?

Spill.

See you tomorrow, lauryn

+ READ NEXT: TIPS FOR THE PERFECT WAVE.

+ READ NEXT: HOW TO DO ‘THE SLEEP BUN.’

ICE BLONDE BITCH HAIR CARE