this may be a silly question...
ive seen people recommend using straight peroxide for fading color. ...does it still damage your hair when not mixed with anything? is it still considered "processing"?
Personally, I don't think it's the best idea for most of us, especially when a lot of us fade/bleach bath frequently. Definitely less so, but absolutely still damaging. For a lot of us, it could push our hair over the edge to breaking.
I think peroxide alone or the bleach powder and water method are both only safe on fairly healthy hair, and should be used with caution. Most of the damage is caused by the chemical reaction when you mix them though. TBH most fading methods are pretty bad for your hair, with the exception of hot oil soaks.
I've used the hot water/bleach powder with shampoo and it worked well, and I didnt feel any damage tbh, just drying