The 15 Best Hair Bleaches

Bleaching hair at home is very risky. If the hair bleach is used incorrectly, it can lead to hair damage, scalp irritation, and more. And in case you already have colored hair, it’ll be an unpredictable process bleaching your own hair. That’s why we recommend you leave it up to the professionals. Though, we understand that you may want to know how to bleach hair at home.

The 15 Best Hair Bleaches You Can Use At Home

There are a few things we want you to know before bleaching hair by yourself.

• The darker your hair is, the more sessions you’ll need to get it blonde as light as you want.
• Processed hair (dyed, permed, etc.) is already damaged and more porous, so when you bleach it you’ll have to be more gentle compared to bleaching virgin hair.
• Don’t apply bleaches to the scalp if you have scalp issues (scalp dryness, sensitive,…).
• Make sure you did a strand test first.

The 15 Best Hair Bleaches You Can Use At Home

One of the most important things is to get a perfect suit hair bleach, as we all want to see the best result. So we rounded up the 15 best bleaches for hair this year to help!

Manic Panic Flash Lightning Hair Bleach Kit 30 Volume

Manic Panic kit may be the most popular at-home-bleach so we’re introducing to you this first.

The Manic Panic pack contains everything you need to bleach your hair: dust-free powder bleach, developer, brush, mixing bowl, cap, and gloves. And the amount you get is great for bleaching strands or shorter hair –  Bleach powder 1.34 oz. and developer 4 fl. oz

This medium-strength bleach will lighten even dark brown hair when mixed with the provided 30 volume developer. However, you can only get a platinum blonde in one session if your hair color is already quite light.

If you have naturally black hair, the manufacturer does recommend going for the 40 volume kit to provide a better lift for the stubborn dark pigment.

Not only is it vegan, but also the formula is PPD, ammonia, and paraben free, creating a healthier and more pleasant experience. The included instructions are clear to follow even if you’re bleaching your hair for the first time.

Why we choose it:

• Cruelty-free
• Vegan formula
• Pack contains everything you need for the bleaching process
• Perfect for strand bleaching

You might want to consider:

• Not suitable for black hair
• Only lifts five levels
• More than one kit required for long hair

Schwarzkopf BlondMe Bond Enforcing Premium Lightener

The BlondMe range from Schwarzkopf is developed around the newest advanced bonding system, that ensures healthy hair despite the damaging bleaching process. And this product has the extra ingredients may not find in others that support the health of the hair while you’re bleaching your hair.

The first ingredient is sodium silicate, which is used to control the pH and stabilize hydrogen peroxide, hence enhancing the bleaching process and making it more efficient. The persulfate compounds are further down the list compared to, for example BW2, reducing potential irritation. As the BlondMe formulation strikes a balance between the oxidizing ingredients and the care ingredients, you can expect a high color lift without the associated damage.

The inclusion of succinic acid is at the heart of the advanced bonding system. The acid is a patented ingredient that forms bridges in the hair structure, resulting in healthier, less damaged hair. This is very important, as cysteine bridges are broken during the oxidation, resulting in weakened and brittle hair.

The care ingredients such as mineral oil, lysine, arginine, and acrylates copolymer are included in the formula to further protect and restore the hair structure during the extremely damaging oxidation. This results in the hair feeling smooth, healthy, and beautiful after the harsh treatment, significantly reducing hair loss and hair breakage.

One of the ingredients is ultramarine blue color to reduce the brassiness before you even get to the toning stage. Fragrance is also added to create a more pleasant smell during the bleaching process.

Why we choose it:

• Lifts up to nine levels
• Advanced bonding system to minimize breakage
• Care ingredients for healthy hair
• Tinted blue to neutralize brassiness
• Great lift even for dark hair

You might want to consider:

• Must purchase developer separately
• May irritate scalp

Wella Professionals Blondor Multi-Blonde Lightening Powder

Not only has a milder formulation but also contains conditioning ingredients, this Wella bleach is one of the healthiest bleach for your hair.

It’s providing a more caring formula compared to many other bleach powders on the market. While succinic acid is patented, Wella contains mineral oil, and in particular Oryza sativa (rice) starch, which acts as a conditioning agent that helps in protecting and caring for the hair during bleaching.

Algin may seem like a healthy addition to the formula, however, its main job is to act as a texture improver for the emulsion to help the mixture mix well and glide on the hair. It’s also a humectant keeping the bleach moist as it’s developing.

The formula also contains ultramarine color compounds to minimize the brassy and yellow tones in the hair. This allows you to potentially skip the toner, particularly if you’re going to be dying your hair afterward.

Why we choose it:

• Gentle yet very effective dust-free formula
• Lifts hair up to seven levels
• Includes anti-yellow compounds
• Contains conditioning agents

You might want to consider:

• Need to get the developer separately along with the required tools
• Can require more bleaching sessions due to weaker strength

Clairol BW2 Powder Lightener

The BW2 is the strongest among all Clairol’s bleaches, and it’s very popular among women with black hair.

The product is recommended for off scalp applications using a 10 or 20 volume developer. However, if you’re having luscious, healthy, resistant hair, you may need to use a 30 or 40 volume developer.

The bleach is de-dusted to minimize the risk of inhalation of the powder, which would be extremely irritating to the respiratory system. The formula also contains sorbitol, which acts as a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture. This significantly increases the drying time, keeping the strands moist, and therefore developing, throughout the process.

Specifically formulated with strength in mind, this bleach doesn’t contain any blue or violet pigments that would neutralize the yellow undertones. Because of this it’s highly advised to get a toner to achieve a good result.

Why we choose it:

• Great for dark, resistant hair with extra-strength formula designed for darker hair
• Contains a humectant to prevent the bleach from drying up
• No-fuss strong formula, dust-free formula
• Tub contains eight uses worth of product

You might want to consider:

• Must purchase developer separately
• Too harsh for delicate hair
• No blue pigments to tone down the brassiness

Manic Panic Flash Lightning Hair Bleach Kit 40 Volume

If you require more bleaching power than the Manic Panic 30 volume kit, this kit has a pack of bleach powder – 1.34 oz. and developer – 4 fl oz. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, while providing more lift and bleaching your hair much faster.

The 40 volume developer is great for dark, resistant hair, and off scalp bleaching, and is way too strong for lighter hair (level 3 or higher) – this extra strength has a much greater chance to damage your hair and leave it brittle. However, you can dilute the developer to your liking with water to obtain the volume you want.

Although the formula is cruelty-free regarding the environment, it’s not cruelty-free regarding your hair. As there are no caring ingredients included like in the Schwarzkopf BlondMe and Wella bleach powders, most likely your hair will feel dry and damaged. Particularly in combination with the high volume developer, it has the potential to fry your locks and leave them damaged.

Why we choose it:

• Has a fast action
• Vegan and cruelty-free
• Everything is included in the kit
• Great kit for resistant hair, bleaches the black hair nice and easy

You might want to consider:

• Can be too strong, your hair may become brittle after the bleaching
• Lack of nourishing ingredients, you’ll need to deep condition your hair afterwards

Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Vario Blond Plus

As this product is also from Schwarzkopf, it includes care ingredients and fiber bond technology to minimize the damage and give you beautiful healthy blond hair.

At up to 7 levels of lift, this bleach isn’t as strong as the BlondMe bleach which claims up to 9 levels of lift, meaning it’s perfect if you want to lighten your hair without wanting to go very pale blond. Not only is it weaker, hence reducing the oxidative damage, but it’s still packed with care ingredients that will ensure your hair feels soft, smooth, and deliciously healthy.

The Igora bleach has integrated fiber bond technology to minimize the damage, by forming a protective layer around hair bonds like other Schwarzkopf bleaches.

The patented succinic acid is one of the ingredients, which forms new bonds resulting in strengthening of the hair strands. The bleach also contains mineral oil, lysine, and arginine which nourish the hair, while the ultramarine blue neutralizes yellow tones.

Why we choose it:

• Uses fiber bond technology
• Contains nourishing ingredients
• Includes ultramarine blue to prevent brassy tones

You might want to consider:

• A bit pricey
• Not as effective as the BlondMe bleach
• Developer is not included

L’Oréal Quick Blue Powder Bleach

The L’Oréal Quick Blue is a great bleach in its own right, even though it doesn’t compete on the same level as the BlondMe and Blondor ranges. It doesn’t contain any nourishing ingredients, yet it still does leave your hair feeling soft.

This is a medium-strength bleach, lifting up to 7 levels in one session. The weaker strength, as compared to BlondMe or BW2, means less damage to the hair, which is important considering the lack of care ingredients. Overall this is a formula that will lighten your hair while minimizing the damage, and doing it for less cash than some of the competitors.

The bleach powder is de-dusted and contains ingredients that provide a non-drip cream when mixed with a developer. The kaolin in the formula keeps the moisture to prevent the cream from drying out as you work.

Urea is included to soften the keratin in the hair, hence preventing the hair from feeling brittle and damaged. This bleach isn’t called Quick Blue for no reason – it contains ultramarine color compounds to neutralize the warm brassy tones in the hair.

Why we choose it:

• Urea to soften the hair
• Contains ultramarines to neutralize yellow tones
• Gentle yet effective formula
• Lightens fast and has a nice smell
• Has a creamy and moist consistency
• It’s not messy
• Good for on-scalp and off-scalp application

You might want to consider:

• Not as nourishing as some alternatives
• You need to get the appropriate developer yourself

Wella Blondor Soft Blonde Cream Lightener

This lightener is specifically designed for on-scalp applications, as it’s much more gentle than the Blondor powder.

While this cream formula offers you up to 7 levels of lift, it’s much more gentle on your scalp. The quality of ingredients is just as high as in the powder, however the formula was adjusted for skin contact, making it the best option for bleaching your roots.

As the bleach is in a cream formula, it contains liquid care ingredients, such as nourishing oils, as well as hydrophobic (water-hating) ingredients. Anti-irritant and anti-bacterial compounds, bisabolol and farnesol, are included to care for the scalp during the bleaching process.

While it may sound that you can simply apply the cream bleach directly to your roots, this is not the case and you will need to mix this lightener with a developer.

As the tube contains quite a small amount of the bleach, it is the perfect product for root touch-ups.

Why we choose it:

• Perfect for on-scalp applications
• Contains caring ingredients for a healthier experience
• Very gentle formula

You might want to consider:

• You get only a small amount
• Get your own developer
• Not suitable for off-scalp applications or doing a full head bleach

Clairol Professional Kaleidocolors Lightener Hair Color

This may be a great option for those who aren’t in only for the bleaching, but also for a nice blue color on hair.

The tonal powder acts just like a bleach and gives nice results on black hair. You need to follow the instructions to get the best results, though.

The bleach applies well and tones very nice. It leaves your hair softer and doesn’t damage it.

Why we choose it:

• It applies very well
• Tones nice
• Leaves the hair soft
• Works on black hair

You might want to consider:

• The smell isn’t great
• Some find it tricky to mix it

Wella Professionals Color Charm Powder Lightener

This dust-free powder delivers controlled lightening (up to seven levels), making it ideal for all-over bleaching, highlights, or just to knock out dark root re-growth. Thanks to its protective oil system, it helps lock in moisture, a major win since bleaching can lead to seriously dry strands. Loyal reviewers love it, and repeatedly note how fast it works, too.

Why we choose it:

• Lifts up to seven levels
• Protective oil system locks in moisture
• Works fast

You might want to consider:

• Must purchase developer separately

Joico Vero K-PAK Crème Lightener

The ingredients in this bleach read more like something you’d find in your face moisturizer: fatty acids, vitamin E, shea butter, and jojoba oil, all of which give this its ultra-creamy consistency. As a result, it’s both super easy to use (no worrying about drips) and nourishes your scalp and protects hair, too. Heads up: it works fast.

Why we choose it:

• Contains hair and scalp-nourishing ingredients
• Easy to control cream formula
• Works very fast

You might want to consider:

• Not many uses per tube

Clairol Professional Basic White Extra Strength Powder Lightener

Another good product from Clairol Professional which is formulated for the professional use but can also be used at your home, carefully, of course.

This bleach is one valid option to try since it is strong and able to lighten black hair. You can also use it for skull bleaching and other purposes.

Due to its size, the recipient is going to last you for quite some time, especially if you’re only using it for highlights.

Why we choose it:

• Comes in a good size for the long time use
• Lightens even the black hair
• You can use it for skull bleaching
• Strong

You might want to consider:

• May be too strong, so you need to pay attention when using it
• A bit pricey for some

Pravana PURE LIGHT Ultra Lightener

Not only does this lift up to nine levels, but it also helps counteract the dullness and dryness that can come with going so light. A unique Reunite Mending Technology touts amino acids (the building blocks of the protein that make up our hair), helping to seal the cuticle. As a reminder, the cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair (bleaching lifts and opens it) and a closed cuticle means hair looks healthy and super shiny, which is just what this technology helps to do.

Why we choose it:

• Lifts up to nine levels
• Contains amino acids
• Leaves hair shiny

You might want to consider:

• Expensive

Jolen Creme Bleach Original Formula

As the bleach is formulated for body use it’s more gentle, yet still effective. If you have very dark hair, you may need more than one bleaching session to get it to a desired level of blonde.

It’s a very basic formula, containing only the necessary ingredients for the bleaching. It doesn’t contain any care ingredients like the Sally Hansen bleach does, meaning it may be a little drying and potentially irritating. The natural smell of bleach isn’t masked either, which can be off-putting for some.

In the pack you will receive cream bleach, accelerator, mixing cup, and a spatula. Upon mixing the bleach and accelerator, you will obtain a thick cream that is ready to apply.

Why we choose it:

• No-drip formula
• Infused with aloe to prevent irritation
• Comes with everything you need
• Not tested on animals

You might want to consider:

• Very bare-bones ingredients
• Can be irritating
• May cause itching during use
• Has a strong smell

L’Oréal Paris Colorista Bleach

This can be the one for who is new in DIY hair bleaching. It comes with goof-proof tools and may be the easiest bleach to use out there. Once you got the results, you may continue with the Colorista Semi-Permanent Color.

The conditioner smells amazing and the bleach lightens nice and easy the black hair. As for the price tag, the bleach isn’t the cheapest, but you should never go cheap with your bleach.

Why we choose it:

• Highly customizable
• Can be used for highlights, ombre or all over bleaching
• Very easy to use
• Gives permanent results

You might want to consider:

• It may not be safe to use on dyed hair
• Some find it challenging to squeeze it out of the recipient

Disclaimer

CANNELLA HAIR DESIGN – Bleaching is not an easy work, especially to anyone who is not a professional. Our advice is to find a pro who has experiences to deal with hair bleaching, so they’ll know which is the best way to help you achieve your blonde or pre-color look. Up there was the top 15 best hair bleaches that we compiled from reliable sources, and we hope it helped you pick your best suit bleach.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any question!