I’ve been having my hair bleached platinum blonde for years. My natural color is medium brown. The problem is I recently moved, and the hairdresser who I was seeing moved away from here after I’d been seeing her for 9 months. She referred me to another hairdresser here, but the new colorist isn’t getting my roots light enough.
The hairdresser whom I saw before I moved used 20 volume bleach and left it on for 65 minutes. This always seemed to work well. Then after I moved, my new hair colorist used Kevin Murphy 40 volume bleach and left it on for about 20 minutes. This also worked well.
Before my hair colorist left, she talked with the new colorist she referred me to and gave her the bleaching directions. New colorist left the 40 volume bleach on for 20 minutes (same length of time), so I can’t figure out why my newly-bleached roots look too gold? My new colorist has no idea. She did put a plastic cap over it, as had my previous colorists.
The only solution I can think of would be to leave the bleach on for a bit longer. But how long? If we leave the bleach on too long, could it damage my hair? I just want to get my roots light enough for platinum blonde, without any gold. The new colorist had never used 40 volume bleach before, and it made me a bit nervous, as well. But the previous colorist did a great job, and I’m told that Kevin Murphy products are excellent.
Since 20 volume bleach for 65 minutes lightened my hair well, would 40 volume bleach left on for 30 minutes do the same thing? (I’m not sure if that’s equivalent?) My latest colorist has tried 40 volume bleach for 20 min., then for 23 minutes, and my roots still turned out too gold. I’m not sure how long to try next time?
I just want my roots light enough, but I’m also worried about possible damage. Back when my old colorist used 20 volume bleach, she said that the bleach deactivates after an hour or so, so leaving it on a bit longer wouldn’t damage my hair. But is it the same with 40 volume bleach? My old colorist never used 40 volume, either.
Thanks so much for any advice!
Topic starter
Posted : January 17, 2019 2:54 am
firstly, 40 volume is very high and dangerous to use near the scalp. It is not usually recommended for bleaching roots as you can get nasty chemical burns.
Are both most recent colorists using the same bleach powder? That can have a huge effect on color as all powders are different compositions and work differently with different hair types. I wouldnt recommend using 40 vol for 30 minutes as it is highly likely that it will damage your hair.
I would try to go back to the 20vol for longer time.
Posted : January 17, 2019 10:27 am
Yeah, it's often more about the bleach powder than the peroxide volume.
I'm extremely concerned about a hairdresser using 40vol on the scalp though. That's very worrying. I wouldn't personally go back to someone that used 40vol.
Posted : January 17, 2019 8:54 pm
Thanks for your replies!
The colorist I was seeing for years back home never used 40 volume, either. And my latest colorist was wary about applying 40 volume to the scalp. We only used 40 volume because that’s what the previous colorist had used. Thanks for warning me not to try using 40 volume for 30 minutes; you probably saved my hair from breaking off.
What exactly is bleach powder? I guess I vaguely know that my colorists mix up the bleach with powder, but I don’t know the details. I know that since I moved, my colorists have used Kevin Murphy bleach products. I’m guessing that Kevin Murphy also makes the bleach powder? I’ll have to ask.
Thanks so much for the advice. I will go back to using 20 volume for 65 minutes. At least I know that works. I’ve read that 40 volume isn’t supposed to be applied to the scalp, and my latest colorist had read that, as well. I was scared about using 40 volume, too. Better to play it safe with 20 volume.
Topic starter
Posted : January 18, 2019 5:23 am
Thanks again for warning me about the dangers of using 40 volume on the scalp. My natural hair color is medium brown, so not real dark. And my hair texture is pretty fine, so I can’t see any reason to be using 40 vol.
Yes, better to use 20 volume and keep it on longer. I’ll have to ask about the bleach powder. Thanks so much for the helpful info.
Topic starter
Posted : January 18, 2019 5:36 am
Thanks for the good advice. I just wanted to ask if there’s any way to correct the too-gold roots from last time?
Next appointment, I’m going to have my colorist use 20 volume on my new roots. Can anything be done to correct the gold roots from last time? Thanks.
Topic starter
Posted : January 24, 2019 1:47 am
If your hair is in decent condition, you can try a bleach bath to even up the color.
Posted : January 24, 2019 11:07 am
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