Can You Bleach Wet Hair? Important Things to Know!

The traditional bleaching method, which is frequently carried out on dry hair, is known to the majority of people. But can you bleach wet hair?

It’s worth noting that while bleaching wet hair is generally safe and effective, it’s essential to follow the instructions provided by the bleaching product you’re using.

You might be curious about how the wet balayage technique affects hair if you’re interested in it. Let’s look at the effects of bleaching damp hair as well as some precautions you should take.

Can You Bleach Wet Hair?

We’ll cut to the chase—yes, you can bleach wet hair. But it’s a good idea to avoid washing your hair right before a bleaching procedure, just like when you dye your hair.

This is due to the fact that the natural oils in your hair can act as a barrier protecting your scalp from irritation while bleaching.

Your colorist won’t thoroughly wash your mane before wet bleaching if you ask them to. Instead, they’ll give your hair a quick rinse at the sink or spritz it with water.

However, there are specific situations in which bleaching wet hair is preferable to bleaching dry hair.

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What Happens When You Apply Bleach to Wet Hair?

On a cellular level, bleaching hair affects wet vs. dry hair in different ways.

Bleach penetrates the cuticle when applied to dry hair. After that, it moves into the cortex where it breaks down melanin. Your hair will become lighter as a result of less pigment being present.

Under the cuticle, proteins are also cross-linked. Your hair’s structure comes from these proteins. The proteins are oxidized and destroyed by bleach, making the hair weaker.

When your hair is wet, the cuticle scales are already lifted. Bleach can easily penetrate and reach the cortex, where it breaks down melanin.

In spite of this, there isn’t much of a color change because the bleach is diluted with water. The hair gets lighter quickly and subtly thanks to this.

Related Reading: How to Make Bleached Hair Soft and Silky?

When is It Okay to Bleach Wet Hair?

There are actually a number of reasons to bleach wet hair, though it’s not a common practice. Below, we’ve listed the three most frequent ones.

1. To Lighten Your Hair Faster

As it turns out, wet hair lightens faster. Instead of waiting for your hair to dry, your stylist may use bleach on wet hair if you’re short on time or simply prefer a quick lighting technique.

2. For a Subtle Color Change

If you’re applying bleach to wet hair, keep in mind that the color of your strands won’t lift as much as it would if applied to dry hair.

This is so that the bleach will work more gently because the water in your hair will dilute it. Your colorist might use bleach on wet hair to subtly alter the color.

Typically, this method works best for highlighting just one or two shades of your strands.

Read More: How to Dye Bleached Hair Back to Natural Color?

3. To Brighten Up Your Ends

Wet bleaching lends itself perfectly to the wet balayage technique. When your hair is dry and highlighted, let the foils set up before rinsing the bleach out of your hair.

Applying a little more bleach to your wet ends will give them a subtle definition boost and create a gorgeous, sun-kissed mane.

How Long to Leave Bleach on Wet Hair?

If you’re just going for a clean blonde base, leave the bleach in for about 15 minutes.

However, if you’re looking at a platinum shade or going lighter than your current hair color, we would recommend leaving the bleach in up to 30 minutes.

If you’re trying to lighten dark hair, you might need to leave the bleach in longer or bleach your hair more than once.

Remember that bleaching can be very damaging and that the longer you leave it in, the more likely it is that the bleach will harm your hair by breaking down and wearing away at your strands.

Takeaway: Can You Bleach Wet Hair

With more knowledge of this hair coloring technique under your belt, you may be tempted to try this lightening method at home.

But before you reach for the bleach, your best bet is to book an appointment at the salon. Wet hair is the most fragile, so if bleaching isn’t done correctly, it could seriously harm your hair.

Your colorist will be able to determine whether bleaching wet hair is the best way to achieve your desired look or if a different lightening method would be preferable.

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