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I have been sitting in quarantine for too long with my roots taking over my head. I have dark brown hair with grey in the roots.
Here is what I did to get my hair lighter at home. My goal was to get to a level 9 or level 10 from a level 3 dark brown.
I used the Ion Bright White Creme Lightener with Sensitive Scalp 40 Volume Creme Developer on my regrowth, but not my actual roots.
The lightener says that it can give you 8 levels of lift in one process. You have to figure out your level currently and then determine how much lift you want. Here is a chart of colors. Figure out your number.
If you have lighter hair than I do, you can use a less strong developer like Sensitive Scalp 20 Volume Creme Developer or the Sensitive Scalp 30 Volume Creme Developer.
10 Volume Developer does not lift and is used for toning and depositing color only.
Since your head is warmer than the rest of your hair, the roots process more quickly than the rest of your head. You should not be adding bleach with 40 volume straight to your head.
Have you ever heard of hot roots? That is when your roots are lighter than your hair. This is not what you want when you are dying your hair at home.
I mixed the developer and the lightener and the Absolute Perfection Booster Step 1 (which is like Olaplex) in a Purple Hair Color Mixing Bowl with Hair Color Mixing Whisk. The whisk is key because you want the lightener to be full incorporated.
The Booster step 1 is a huge help to protect you hair while you are bleaching and lightening.
It is inexpensive so I bought a bunch of the little bottles and used it on every step. It repairs as you are lightening and helps to generate new bonds for stronger hair.
Then, I applied Purple Extra Wide Jumbo Tint Brush and using with Full-Size Foil Sheets. The foils prevent the lightener from getting on already lightened hair.
Once all the outgrowth is covered, I let my hair process for about an hour. Since my hair is so dark, I need to do it this much. I would check the color of the foils every 10 minutes to see what your hair looks like.
If you are going for a level 9, you have to wait for your hair to turn the color of the inside of a banana. You actually have to rub the color off to see the color under the lightener.
After your hair is done processing, rinse out the lightener with warm water not cold. It will shock your hair.
Then, I use the Absolute Perfection Color Sealer Step 2 after for a 10 minute treatment. Then, I wash out with warm water.
Next, I use the Sensitive Scalp 10 Volume Creme Developer with Bright White Creme Toners at a 1:1 ratio to tone your hair so that it is not so yellow. If you want added protection, you can add Absolute Perfection Booster Step 1 again. I did it because I want to take care of my hair.
I start at the roots and leave on for 10 minutes. Then, add the rest of it to the remainder of my hair. I leave it on for another 10 minutes making it a total of 20 minutes.
Then, I rinse with warm water and do another Absolute Perfection Color Sealer Step 2 after for a 10 minute treatment. Then, I wash out with warm water.
Then, I use purple shampoo for the entire head. Condition with Absolute Perfection Color Sealer Step 3.
You might need to do a second lightening process if you hair did not get to the color you wanted. You should give it a day or so to give your hair a break. Then, go back in with a lower volume and the lightener to push your hair to the level you want.
Let me know if you have questions. [email protected] is the best way!
