Bleaching dark hair is not easy. But it can be done very well. Provided you use the right products and the right technique. In this blog, we will show you how to do it. While maintaining hair integrity at the same time.
What you need to bleach very dark hair
In terms of product choice, here is what you need. Brilliant Blonde Bleach for Dark hair. Choosing a bleach which doesn't have good lifting power is the most commonly made mistake on dark hair. Use Ugly Duckling Premium Developer with Bond Protect. You will almost certainly need to use 2 strengths. We will explain why later in this blog. Then tone with 100V, 10.2 or Natural Ash Blonde 010A. Which one you choose will depend on the lift you need to achieve and the exact blonde reflect you are aiming to achieve. Brilliant Blonde purple toning mask and haircare for use during and after the bleaching process. Brilliant Blondexx shampoo and mask with Bond Protect. Use these to maintain the hair after lifting it up to blonde.
Why dark hair needs special bleach
Apart from the fact that lifting dark hair means removing a lot of pigments, the density and texture of dark hair also make it harder to lighten. Typically dark hair is African, Hispanic or Asian in origin. And not only is it darker than European hair, it is actually thicker and coarser. This means that you need particularly good bleach and developer combination. You also need to make a good mix with your developer, so that you can saturate and penetrate properly. You should plan on using foils and some indirect heat as well to help you retain heat and lift properly.
Step One: Make the Right Bleach Choice
If you are looking to lift very dark hair, we would recommend that you use Ugly Duckling Color’s Brilliant Blonde Bleach. It is the only bleach that has been specifically developed for lifting dark hair. And it can lift up to 8 levels safely and effectively. In other words, you can use this bleach to take hair from dark brown to level 10 blonde in one sitting. No other bleach on the market does that. What sets apart Brilliant Blonde Bleach from the others? It has very powerful lift: of up to 8 levels. Meaning it can take dark hair level 10 blonde in one session. It saturates the hair well. This is particularly important for thick, dark hair. Its blue dust-free powder neutralizes hair as it lifts. It is easy to mix and apply, making it a fail-safe product which is ideal for all colorists. It is strong enough even to be used as a color remover. In other words, it works on hair that has actually been colored darker.
Step Two: The Correct Strength & Type of Developer
To start with, we would suggest you use Ugly Duckling's Premium Developer with Bond Protect. It offers ultra-safe lifting for bleaching and blonding. Now, which developer strength should you use? If you are working with dark hair, and if you are looking to bleach the whole head, you will need not one but 2 developer strengths: 20 as well as 30 Vol. The reason is that you need to use 30 Vol for the bulk of the lifting, and use 20 Vol for the root area and for your second bleach application. And for dark hair you will need 2 bleach applications. We will take you through the entire bleaching process now for a full head bleach.
The Correct Bleaching Process for a Full Head Bleach
A typical process for anyone looking to bleach an entire head of dark hair would go as follows: Start off by using 30 Vol on the lengths, staying one inch away from the root area. Let it process using foil and also some indirect heat. That will help it lift faster. After you have done the lengths, if the color is still not level 9 (which it may not be) you will need to rinse and do a second application. For the second application, use 20 Vol. Not 30 Vol. This time once again, stay away from the root area. Once the entire head (apart from the root area) has been lifted to a clean, consistent level 10 pale yellow (believe it or not, this is possible), rinse. Now do the root. Make a fresh mix with 20 Vol and apply that. Process until it is the same color as the rest of the now lightened lengths. Then rinse again. Why do the root area separately? That is because it gives you more control over the result. Root and lengths process at different times. So doing them separately gives you the best possible chance of a really perfect result. You will notice that professionals who are good at blonding do it in this way.
The Correct Bleaching Process for a Root Application
Now let's suppose you are doing a root application only. In other words, your client's lengths are already light, and it's just the dark root area that you need to lift. In this case just use 20 Vol Premium Developer with your Brilliant Blonde Bleach, and apply to the root area. Even on very dark hair, 20 Vol should be enough. If it does not go all the way to pale yellow, then rinse and make one more application, again using 20 Vol developer.
We are giving some before and after shots of a successful root application on very dark root regrowth. Before: Ultra dark roots, light lengths. After: roots successfully lifted with Brilliant Blonde, and the whole head toned with Intense Pearl Blonde 100V.
Mixing Bleach with Developer: Some Tips
When bleaching, you need to have a nice wet mix. Especially for a client with dark, coarse, resistant hair. Having a fairly wet mix allows you to apply more easily, and to apply a lot of product, and to saturate the hair really well so that it is literally drenched in the bleach mixture. Remember that the moment a bleach mixture turns dry, it stops working. That is why for your developer mixes, we recommend that you use 1 part bleach to 2 parts developer. Once you have poured both developer and bleach into your bowl, keep stirring with a whisk or your plastic brush until you have a really smooth and equal consistency.
Applying Your Bleach Mixture: Some Tips
When applying, segment properly. Start at the part of the hair which is darkest or thickest. Generally, that will be the back of the hair. Be very generous with product. The hair needs to get soaked in bleach. On your first application on the lengths, wrap up your segments in foil. This will keep heat in, which is key. Once the hair is ready to process, you can use gentle indirect heat. This will help as well.
When to Rinse Your Bleach
You need to get your hair to a very consistent level 9/level 10 pale yellow color. Don't under-process your bleach and rinse too soon. That is the worst mistake you can make. Rinse hair when it gets to this level after bleaching. Don't rinse too soon.
The Toner Step
Now we come to the toner. No bleach job is complete without the perfect toner. Ugly Duckling Color has a wide selection of toners that neutralize brassiness and deliver precise blonde hues. Some of them also have very good lift. Which means that even after you lift with bleach, you lift once again with the toner. Perfect for some dark hair clients who want to go blonde. Here are some toner choices we recommend: Intense Pearl Blonde 100V Toner, 10.2 Extra Light Cool Platinum Blonde, Natural Ash Blonde 010A Toner. Our toners are best used with 20 Vol developer. The mix is marked on the product and varies by toner. Follow the mix instructions and apply quickly, always starting on the parts of the hair which are the yellowest or brassiest. Don’t be surprised if toners turn blue or grey as they process. That is normal, and proof that the toners are doing their job. Toners contain a lot of blue pigments. Don’t over process your toner. Rinse when you see the color result you want. Otherwise you may end up with blue hair.
Post-bleach care: Purple mask and shampoo
How to Use Brilliant Blonde Purple Mask and Shampoo. Purple toning products really have their place when it comes to the entire process of bleaching dark hair. Pro-tip: when making your bleach mix, pour in Ugly Duckling's Brilliant Blonde shampoo into the mix. This will help you remove yellow tones from the hair and produce a more finished result at the end of the bleaching process. Then, apply purple shampoo and mask after you have finished toning in place of your usual shampoo. Both of these applications will help get your hair to the nice, finished blonde look. Both products also contain a lot of conditioning agents.
Full Head Bleach & Hair Botox - Step by Step - Complete Video (Tutorial)
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Bleaching dark hair requires a careful combination of a strong lift, appropriate developer strengths, time management, and post-bleach toning and conditioning. By choosing products designed for high lift and using the right technique, you can achieve a bright blonde result while preserving hair integrity.
Practical recommendations
- Use a bleach designed for dark hair with high lifting power (up to 8 levels) and a bond-protecting developer.
- Plan two bleach applications with different developer strengths (30 Vol for the bulk, 20 Vol for roots).
- Seal the process with a strong toner and a purple mask/shampoo routine to neutralize brassiness.
- Monitor lift carefully and rinse at pale yellow levels (level 9-10) to avoid over-processing.