Dreaming of a dramatic hair color change, but stuck with dark, stubborn black hair? You are not alone! Transitioning from deep black to a lighter shade feels like a huge challenge. Many people want a vibrant new look, but they worry about damaging their hair or ending up with unexpected orange tones. Choosing the right bleach for black hair is tough because you need serious lifting power without frying your strands.
This process requires the right tools and knowledge. If you pick the wrong product, you might experience frustrating results or severe breakage. We understand these fears! This guide cuts through the confusion. By the end of this post, you will know exactly which bleach products work best for lifting black pigment safely and effectively.
Get ready to explore the secrets to achieving your dream shade, whether it’s platinum blonde or a soft caramel. Let’s dive into the best ways to bleach black hair successfully!
Top Hair Bleach Black Hair Recommendations
- Hair bleach kit with patented, ammonia-free hair bleach powder and cream developer with encapsulated oils
- Delivers up to 8 levels of dramatic hair color lift while maintaining curly hair texture integrity and curl pattern
- Simplified two-part system makes bleaching easy, for healthy-looking hair and curls that bounce back
- Violet Toning Care Conditioner that cools down harsh brass tones while replenishing the hair with moisture
- Provides 4x more hydration vs. untreated hair- expertly made for less damage on all curly types- lifts for visible, dramatic results on dark hair, black hair, and brown hair
- We’ve upgraded our look, without changing our essential formulas, to reflect our long-standing mission to deliver authentic, natural, and professional results through our full portfolio of products for every hair type.
- Clairol Professional BW2+ Dedusted, Extra Strength Lightening Powder with malic acid is your secret to quick and easy lightening.
- Our multi-use lightener can now be used for a range of both on and off-scalp applications including all-over head lightening, highlights and balayage.
- Providing up to 9 levels of lift, BW2+ lifts past the brass for bright, even results.
- Our non-pigmented powder mixes into a creamy consistency for easy application and provides clear visibility of lift during the lightening process.
- Lightening Hair Color System: This advanced hair lightening system provides crystal clear Platinum Blonde Hair results for weeks; Lighten any hair type and texture up to 8 levels. Ideal for dark brown hair to light brown hair
- Includes Purple Conditioner: This hair dye kit includes Anti-Brass Conditioner with purple pigments to reduce unwanted orange and yellow tones while providing reinforcing care for strong, no-brass hair color
- Hyper Platinum Hair Dye: Feria Hyper Platinum Blonde Hair Dye has been custom-blended by master colorists for the imaginative trendsetter, even the darkest of bases can achieve our purest platinum without compromising condition
- L'Oreal Paris Hair Color: We offer permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary hair dye plus root cover up, anti-brass toners and lightening systems. Cover gray hair, highlight, go bold with bright color or even try an ombre hair color
- L'Oreal Paris Innovation: We are a total beauty care company that combines the latest in technology with the highest in quality for the ultimate in hair color, hair care, hair style, skin care and cosmetics
- High-Power Solution for Vibrant Colors - This professional hair bleach and developer kit is formulated to lift up to 7 levels, making it an ideal hair lightener for dark hair and pre-lightener for bold, semi-permanent or pastel colors.
- 40 Volume Developer for Maximum Lift - This hair dye kit is intended to bleach black and medium and dark brown hair to achieve medium to very light blonde hair color for women and men.
- Dust-Free Hair Bleach Powder - Ensuring that hair lifts evenly, this is an ideal bleach powder for hair that is especially dark or needs be prepared for intense, vivid colors.
- Complete DIY Hair Lightening Kit - Comes with everything you need, including bleaching powder, developer, gloves, mixing tub, tint brush, and plastic cap, making it perfect for at-home hair transformations.
- The Manic Manifesto - Manic Panic's hair coloring products are always Cruelty Free and Vegan - tested on celebrities, not animals! This vegan hair color is also ammonia and PPD-free, gluten-free, phthalate-free, and PETA accredited.
- Lift 8 Levels & Tone in 1 Step: Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color PL3 is our most performing hair lightener kit. This hair bleach lightens up to 8 levels to deliver our coolest result with less brassiness
- Hair Lightener for Dark Hair: This hair dye kit features a cruelty-free bleach formula with charcoal and 5 fruit oils including Avocado, Olive, Coconut, Argan, and Shea for a bold and beautiful cool platinum result
- How To Use: Best for anyone with medium brown to darkest brown hair. For anyone who currently has color-treated hair, there are special considerations for the color result you can achieve. PL3 is also not recommended for heavily highlighted or relaxed hair
- Hair Bleach Kit: Contains creme developer, charcoal bleaching powder, lightening creme, anti-brass conditioner and gloves. Anti-brass deep blue conditioner with ultra potent pigments neutralizes even the warmest undertones to maintain a platinum finish
- Discover Your Shade: For bold and lasting shades for all hair textures, Garnier Nutrisse Hair Color is available in over 65 cruelty-free and vegan hair dye shades - formulated without animal-derived ingredients
- We’ve upgraded our look, without changing our essential formulas, to reflect our long-standing mission to deliver authentic, natural, and professional results through our full portfolio of products for every hair type.
- Clairol Professional BW2+ Dedusted, Extra Strength Lightening Powder with malic acid is your secret to quick and easy lightening.
- Our multi-use lightener can now be used for a range of both on and off-scalp applications including all-over head lightening, highlights and balayage.
- Providing up to 9 levels of lift, BW2+ lifts past the brass for bright, even results.
- Our non-pigmented powder mixes into a creamy consistency for easy application and provides clear visibility of lift during the lightening process.
- BLUE HAIR BROWN POWDER: Our hair bleach is a blue bleach that removes hair color quickly and evenly. Up to 8 levels of enhancement.
- CAUTION: Please conduct an allergy test before use. This product may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people. Avoid the mouth, nose, eyes and any areas with wounds when using.
- DIRECTIONS: Mix bleaching powder and color developer according to the desired ratio and apply evenly to each hair. Apply for 30-50 minutes, not more than 50 minutes. When hair color has faded to your desired color, rinse well with water.
- NOTE: Due to the different hair texture of each person, the hair color effect may vary, the specific effect is subject to the actual effect. This product only contains bleaching powder, does not contain developer, if you need developer, please purchase separately.
- Necessary Hair Dye Kit: 1 mixing bowl; 1 hair color brush; 1 hair dye comb-brush; 2 hairdressing clips. Great for salon hairdressing use and home personal use. Perfect and necessary accessories for DIY hair dye
- Reusable Use: All tools are convenient to use, easy to clean and reusable use. Helping your hair coloring experience easy, and gives you accurate and complete mixing of hair color. Hair dye is not in kit
- Mixing Bowl: Folding design, easy to store and carry. Made of high-quality silicone and has a handle for your convenience
- Hair dye Brushes: 2 different coloring brushes are suitable for any hairstyles such as short or long hair; curly or straight hair. Stiff bristles exceptional for root touch-ups, make sure smooth applications of dye color
- Hair Clips: Perfect hair clips for styling, can easily be used to pin up hair without slipping or damaging
The Ultimate Buying Guide for Bleaching Black Hair
Going from dark black hair to a lighter shade takes serious power! Bleaching black hair is a big change. You need the right products to do it safely and get the color you want. This guide helps you pick the best bleach kit.
1. Key Features to Look For
When shopping for hair bleach, look closely at what the package promises. Good bleach does more than just lift color; it also protects your hair.
- Lifting Power: This tells you how many levels lighter the bleach can make your hair. Black hair often needs a high lift (like 7 levels or more) to reach blonde or platinum.
- Conditioning Agents: Check the ingredients list. The best bleaches include things like bonding agents (like Olaplex or similar technologies) or nourishing oils. These keep your hair from feeling like straw afterward.
- Dust-Free Formula: Powder bleach can create fine dust that irritates your lungs and eyes. Look for dust-free or low-dust formulas for safer mixing.
- Developer Options: Developers come in different strengths (volumes: 10, 20, 30, 40). Beginners should stick to 20 or 30 volume. Higher volumes work faster but cause more damage.
2. Important Materials in Your Bleach Kit
Hair bleach usually has two main parts: the powder/cream and the developer (liquid).
- The Lightener (Powder or Cream): This contains the lifting agents, usually persulfates (like potassium persulfate). Quality matters here. Cheaper powders might lift unevenly or require more processing time.
- The Developer (Hydrogen Peroxide): This activates the lightener. Always use the developer that comes with the kit unless you are a professional. The ratio of powder to developer must be exact for best results.
- Toner (Often Sold Separately): After bleaching, your hair will look yellow or orange. You need a toner to neutralize these warm tones and achieve a true blonde or ash color.
3. Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
The quality of your bleach dramatically affects your final hair health.
Factors That Improve Quality:
- Inclusion of Bond Builders: These ingredients repair the bonds inside the hair shaft while the bleach breaks them down. This drastically reduces breakage.
- Creamier Consistency: A thick, creamy bleach mixture spreads easily and stays wet longer, leading to even lifting.
- Reputable Brands: Well-known professional hair care brands usually use higher-grade ingredients.
Factors That Reduce Quality:
- Very Low Price Point: Extremely cheap kits often lack protective agents and use harsh chemicals that strip moisture quickly.
- Fast Processing Time (Too Fast): If a product claims to lift 8 levels in 15 minutes, it is very harsh on your hair. Slower, controlled lifting is safer.
- Weak or Old Developer: If the developer has been sitting too long or is low quality, it won’t activate the powder properly. You might end up with patchy results.
4. User Experience and Use Cases
How you use the bleach changes your experience.
Use Case 1: Total Transformation (Black to Light Blonde)
If your hair is dyed black, you will likely need two or even three separate bleaching sessions spaced weeks apart. This is a long process. The user experience here should focus on patience and deep conditioning treatments between sessions. You must use a lower volume developer (20 or 30) for longer times rather than a high volume (40) all at once.
Use Case 2: Highlights or Balayage
For highlights, you only apply bleach to certain sections. Users often prefer a thicker, non-drip formula here so the product stays exactly where they put it. Good control over the mixture is key for these detailed jobs.
General User Experience Tips:
Always perform a strand test first! This small test shows you how fast your hair lifts and how much damage it sustains. Never skip this step when going from black hair.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Bleaching Black Hair
Q: Can I bleach my naturally black hair at home?
A: Yes, you can. However, very dark, virgin black hair needs strong products. Be prepared for a long process, perhaps taking multiple sessions.
Q: How many times do I need to bleach black hair to get platinum blonde?
A: Usually, natural black hair lifts to an orange or yellow stage first. You might need two or three sessions, spaced at least two weeks apart, to reach a pale yellow base needed for platinum.
Q: Will bleach ruin my hair if it’s already dyed black?
A: Yes, it can cause damage. Chemical dyes are harder to lift than natural pigment. If your black dye has metallic salts, the bleach reaction can turn your hair green! Use caution and strand test.
Q: What volume developer should I use on black hair?
A: For safety, start with 20 Volume developer. If your hair is very resistant, move up to 30 Volume. Never use 40 Volume unless you are a professional stylist.
Q: How long should I leave the bleach on my black hair?
A: Never leave bleach on for more than 50 minutes in one session. Watch the strand test closely. If your hair feels gummy or breaks easily, rinse it out immediately.
Q: What is a strand test and why is it important?
A: A strand test is mixing a tiny bit of bleach and applying it to one hidden piece of hair. It shows you the final color and how much damage your hair can handle.
Q: Why does my black hair turn bright orange after bleaching?
A: Black hair contains a lot of red and orange pigment. Bleach lifts these warm tones first. This is normal! You need to apply a toner afterward to cancel out the orange.
Q: Should I wash my hair before bleaching?
A: No. Do not wash your hair for one or two days before bleaching. Natural oils on your scalp help protect it from the harsh chemicals.
Q: What products do I need besides the bleach kit?
A: You need gloves, a plastic bowl, a tint brush, plastic clips, and most importantly, a high-quality toner and a deep conditioning mask for aftercare.
Q: How do I stop my hair from breaking during the process?
A: Use products containing bond builders (like those with maleic acid or bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate). Also, always wait several weeks between bleaching sessions to let your hair recover.