Dumb hair question

[Middydd]

Does anybody know what "hair bleach" actually is?

I know most hair coloring is color, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

I've got a friend who goes for a platinum blonde look from naturally fairly dark brown hair. She gets her hair prelightened with paste-like "bleach" and then the stylist tones her hair.

I told her I thought the bleach was just a stronger form of hydrogen peroxide, she said she thought it was a different substance.

Any hair colour experts here?

We've got a five dollar bet riding on the answer. ;-)

[Hammster]

It's Peroxide.
Here is a quote from the Procter and Gamble website regarding hair bleach.

"The chemical solutions used are called bleaches. They contain oxidising agents, like those in neutralising lotions for perms, in alkaline solution. The bleach most commonly used is hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide can be used alone to lighten dark hair, or together with a coloring agent (a tint)."

And here is the link to the site if you want to read more.

http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_92.htm;jsessionid=RVFLDIQ4CYRVRQFIAJ1C0HW AVABHOLKG

Happy reading. :D

[mbrogier]

My mom was a stylist years ago. She still "frosts" my aunt's hair. Frosting is just bleaching the hair without adding toner to color it afterwards. The "bleach" comes in liquid and powder forms so it looks different but is the same stuff.

[Aubergine]

i may be off the mark, but i know a gal who is a colorist who changes her hair every month or so. she uses a 2-step process, and the first is a "stripper" (or maybe a neutralizer?) that isn't as harmful as, say, peroxide. then she uses the coloring agent. point being, i do believe there are chemicals that will prepare hair for new color without being so damaging. she gets her stuff at Sally's Beauty Supply; they're national, and may even have a website.

case in point: i have rather fine hair that breaks easily with too much chemical treatment. a few years ago i splurged on a 3-hour blond job that was stunning, and didn't result in hair loss. this is a job best left to professionals, imo. altho', like lawyers, it's really, really good to have one in the family.:D

[Silvery Moon]

Well, I am do it yourself bleached blonde. My natural color is dark brown mixed with gray.

The product I use contains several persulfates (potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate, and ammonium persulfate) and it is mixed with "developer" which is basically hydrogen peroxide.

After lightening, I apply a toner.

[Middydd]

Hmmm....now I'm really confused, is that paste stuff peroxide or ammonia (as Silvery Moon's ingredient list seems to suggest) ?

Interesting responses, thanks to everybody.

[Hammster]

Hmmm....now I'm really confused, is that paste stuff peroxide or ammonia (as Silvery Moon's ingredient list seems to suggest) ?

Interesting responses, thanks to everybody.

The 3 persulfates listed in Silvery Moon's list are the alkalines that are mentioned in my earlier post by Procter and Gamble. The "bleach" is the Peroxide. :)