Here’s why you should never bleach your roots at home

10 April 2019, 17:34 | Updated: 10 April 2019, 17:38

Put the shop-bought bleach down now
Put the shop-bought bleach down now. Picture: Getty
Alice Dear

By Alice Dear

Tempted to bleach your roots yourself? Put down the dye now.

Let’s talk about blonde hair for a second.

While the look is timeless and – when done right – the making of a great look, we can’t deny the upkeep is time consuming and expensive.

Which is exactly why people are more often turning to their local chemists for a quick dye kit to do it themselves at home.

But ask yourself this; have you ever heard someone talk about how they successfully bleached their hair at home and got the exact blonde shade they were looking for? No.

In fact, most of the time, people are left with orange roots, damaged hair and a need to wear a hat to work for the next week.

Salon bleaching is better for results and reducing damage
Salon bleaching is better for results and reducing damage. Picture: Heart

As someone who has dealt with this shame, and the stress that comes with it, I took a trip to celebrity hairdresser Stuart Phillips' London salon in Covent Garden to find out why bleaching in a salon is always the way forward.

As you can see from the pictures, my hair was in need of an update, as my roots had grown too long for me to be able to pull if off as a “fashion choice”.

My hair was overgrown, damaged and neglected ever since I’d attempted to bleach my roots myself.

Speaking to Stuart Phillips' colourist expert Caron-Ann, she told us: “When you bleach your hair at home you will probably miss some roots areas as you can’t see the back of your head.

“You can have an uneven result as it will take you longer to apply and will overlap on old bleached hair, eventually leading to breakage.”

Bleach used in salons usually has no ammonia, which is better for the hair
Bleach used in salons usually has no ammonia, which is better for the hair. Picture: Getty

Caron explained how when you go to a salon for the dye, the products used are ammonia free, which is better for the hair.

The expert added: “They will only do the roots without overlapping on old bleach hair and they can see the back of the head so no root are missed!”

As you can see from my after makeover picture, salon bleaching allows you to get the perfect shade you’re looking for, whether that’s platinum blonde or golden honey.

Through toning and treatments, you can also make sure your hair is damaged as little as possible while bleaching.

So ladies and gents, grin and bare the price and start investing in your gorgeous blonde hair – not neglecting it!

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