The only way to get extreme hair colour (i.e. bright red/pink/blue) is to bleach first. OK, maybe that is a bit obvious, but read on....is gets more complicated!

Basically, the bleaching will strip the hair of colour and sort of open up the layers of cuticles, making it super porous and receptive to hair dye.

Bleach colour and yellowness:

OK, so contrary to popular belief, just bleaching your hair does not usually make it white. More important, you shouldn’t bleach it until it is completely white!

Instead, the ideal shade to bleach to is a pale shade of yellow, after which you need to ‘tone’ or dye over. The chart on the right shows the different colours you hair will travel through. Don’t go any further than the pale yellow on the right (equivalent to the inside of a banana skin). Pretty much all of the semi permanent dye shades on hairbomb work very well over this shade.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

1) Make sure your hair is DIRRTY (the oils protect it).

2) Divide up your hair into 4 sections. Using a centre parting and ear to ear section.

3) Mix your bleach powder and developer (or if using a kit, follow the manufacturers specific instructions). The consistency should be like double cream and smooth.

e) Un-clip one of the sections – preferably the back section.  Using the tail end of the comb/tint brush, slice through a small section of hair at the root and divide. Using the tint brush, scoop a small section of the bleach mixture and paste the hair from about 2 cms to the end, and only in the direction of growth. Try to paste on both sides of each section for a more even coverage work as quickly (but carefully) as possible.

f) When you have finished the ends, return to the original section and again divide using tail comb. This can be a bit of a pain as the bleach already on the ends can make it difficult - be gentle as your hair is vulnerable. Try to make the partings as straight as possible as well as narrow (max ½ cm width) to avoid patchiness.  Swiftly work through from back to front, coating both sides of each uncovered root section.  

g) Once complete, unless otherwise stated on the manufacturer’s label, it can help to cover the hair with a shower cap to improve processing. But always check what the manufacturer recommends! Wrap a large section of clingfilm round your head in a circular motion in a ‘turban’ style. Check the strands of your hair every 5-10 minutes.

h) When your hair has reached the optimum colour (this will look whiter than it is with the bleach still in), rinse GENTLY using COLD WATER. Don’t scrub at your hair, but make sure all the bleach is removed from the hair, scalp, behind the ears and other overlooked spots.

i) If you are about to dye over the bleach with a semi-permanent colour or using a toner, do not use conditioner but pleeease try to let your hair dry naturally before dyeing.

j) If you are not planning to add further colour to your hair, slap on as much conditioner as you can, and a top seal coat! 

And so endeth the lesson, hair fans. Now go, create!