How long can you leave 30 volume bleach in your hair?

Want to change your hair color? You will need to apply a few chemical products, especially if you are planning to go from dark to light. As a matter of fact, while you may choose to forego bleaching, using a developer when coloring your hair is a must.

Without a developer, the hair dye simply won’t work right. It’s just going to be kind of like applying watercolor on your hair. You’ll get dull colors, if any at all, and it will last for all of five minutes before fading. This is because the peroxide in the developer is what opens up your hair cuticles so that the hair dye can penetrate.

One thing you need to understand about using a developer (and bleach), however, is that it can be dangerous and damaging to your hair and your scalp, and as such, you need to be careful when using it. This includes washing it out after the recommended amount of time.

Here’s a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about developer and bleach, starting with “how long to leave bleach in hair 30 vol?”

Read also related articles: How to get rid of yellow hair after bleaching, best professional hair color to cover gray, best bleach for dark hair, soap cap, and best conditioner for bleached hair.

How long to leave bleach in hair 30 vol?

A bleach and developer mixture can be left in your hair anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes, but no longer. The exact amount of time to bleach your hair depends on your current hair color and your goal, but anything longer than 30 minutes and you risk damaging your hair and scalp.

The general rule is, the lighter you want your hair to be, the longer you leave the bleach to soak- again, with the maximum of 30 minutes. You can always reapply bleach if you fail to achieve your desired color lift, but never leave bleach in for more than 30 minutes.

This is because bleach and developers are powerful chemicals that can not only change your hair color, but also damage your hair. It can dry out your strands and make them brittle, and even kill your hair altogether.

When should you wash off the bleach and developer mixture?

The best thing you can do to make sure you get the right color result is to keep track of your hair as the bleach mixture works through your strands. As you observe how your hair is lightening, you should have an idea of whether it needs significantly more time, or if you can wash it off pretty soon. Remember, the lighter the shade you want, the longer you’ll have to wait.

One thing you can do, though, is to do a test strand before bleaching your entire hair, so you can have an idea of how your hair will react to bleaching, how long the process will take before you achieve the desired color, and whether you’ll have an adverse reaction to the chemicals.

Effects of leaving bleach in your hair for too long

Why is it so important to wash the bleach off your hair after 20 or 30 minutes?

First and most important, your hair can get damaged, since bleach and developer are harsh chemicals. While these two will eventually lose their capabilities to lighten your hair after 30 minutes, they will still cause chemical reactions that can lead to negative effects.

This is why you should wash out the bleach after the thirty-minute mark, even if you failed to get your goal color. It won’t happen anyway no matter how long you leave the bleach in. You’ll just have a to second bleaching- at least 14 days after the first one to give your hair time to recover, or use a lightening shampoo like John Frieda 22465 Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Shampoo.

Besides, you can also end up with orange or brassy hair, and who wants that? Sure, it’s fixable with the right products (MATRIX Total Results Brass Off Color), but why deal with the hassle if you can avoid it in the first place?

Important factors you should consider before bleaching

Before you decide whether you should bleach your hair, you need to consider several things, such as your hair color, hair type, goal color, and the developer you’ll be using. All of these things can influence how you can bleach your hair, and what results you can expect.

Hair type and color

Different hair types and colors have different bleaching times. For example, if you have virgin hair, or naturally blonde hair, you’ll need much less time bleaching than if you have long, thick, and dark hair.

Do remember, though, that if this is your first time bleaching, you’ll have to be even more careful so as to preserve your hair health. Or, if you have previously bleached your hair, expect that you won’t need to let the bleach sit for too long before you get your desired color lift.

Desired hair color

This one’s a no brainer. If you only want a subtle change to your hair color, you won’t need to bleach your hair that long- a good five to fifteen minutes should do it. On the other hand, if you are aiming for a more drastic color lift, you might have to maximize the entire 30 minutes, or even do second bleaching, especially if you want to end up with gray or white hair.

Type of developer

Home bleaching kits typically come in low developer volumes that are easier and more forgiving to use, and come with detailed instructions that are easy to follow. What you need to remember is that the lower the developer volume is, say 20 or 30 volume, the longer you’ll have to leave it in your hair to achieve the results you want. Just don’t leave it for longer than recommended.

Can a 30 volume developer damage hair?

Developer and bleach are harsh chemicals, yes, but if you use them correctly and practice proper hair care, you can minimize or even eliminate this damage.

To keep your hair as healthy as possible, make sure to:

• Follow the instructions on the bleach and developer’s product packaging
• Use a lower volume developer, like a 20 or 30 volume (leave 40 volume developers to the professionals)
• Try to not apply the mixture to your skin and scalp, or only do a thin layer if necessary
• Wash out the mixture after a maximum of 30 minutes and apply a moisturizer

Can you use a developer without bleach?

If you are planning to lighten your hair for up to 3 or 4 shades, you’ll need both bleach and a developer, although a developer alone may be able to do the job, especially if you’re not planning on a drastic change (think 1 shade lighter). You also won’t need a bleach if you’re just applying hair dye without lightening your hair.

Final Tips

So, how long to leave bleach in hair 30 vol? The answer is, it’s up to you and how light you want your hair to be, as long as you don’t leave it on for more than 30 minutes! And, remember to keep the developer and bleach ratio at 2 to 1. After bleaching, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!