Can You Bleach Your Hair Twice in One Day?

If you want to make a big change and perhaps have more fun, bleaching it is the way to go. However, most people don’t realize that you can’t go from zero to 60 when it comes to bleaching from darker hair.

After the bleaching, you might be tempted to go ahead and repeat the process on the same day.

But I strongly advise that you don’t, for bleaching your hair is already an extremely taxing process for every strand on your head. It will be more prone to dryness, frizz, damage, and breakage. If you bleach it twice in the same day, you can completely destroy your hair.

Can You Bleach Your Hair Twice in One Day?

There is a way to bleach your hair twice in a row. However, you can’t bleach it twice on the same day. Bleaching twice in the same 24-hour period will cause your hair to break and possibly fall out in clumps which isn’t a look anyone is going for.

Why Bleaching Your Hair Twice in One Day is Very Damaging

Ideally, you’ll have a colorist help you achieve the golden blonde shade you seek. But whether you go to the salon or attempt it yourself, there are side effects that can occur from the first time you bleach.

– Burns

Your scalp is basically skin on top of your head. It’s very sensitive too, and bleach is a powerful chemical. It can leave your scalp feeling itchy and damage it too. When you apply bleach even for the first time, if it starts to itch or burn, rinse it off right away!

– Changes your hair for the worse

If you don’t want dry, frizzy, or coarse hair, beware! Bleaching can do this to your hair if you don’t go about it the right way.

To prevent this, you can put coconut oil on your hair first (read up on How to Use Coconut Oil Before Bleaching) and do plenty of conditioning treatments. For those of you that have already bleached your hair once, there’s no time like the present to get started doing these things to help your hair.

– Wrong color

Bleaching requires the proper mixture of the ingredients. If you don’t mix them properly in specific amounts, you’re bound to wind up with discolored hair.

Bleaching is very delicate yet aggressive. That’s why it is best to let a colorist help you at least get started to prevent damaging your hair permanently.

If you want to bleach your hair and do it twice, you can, but not on the same day. It will damage your hair when you do it again on the same day. Unless you want your hair to come out in clumps when you touch it, don’t do it!

How Long Should You Wait Before Bleaching Your Hair Again?

I definitely do not recommend that you bleach your hair again and again. Overprocessing isn’t a good look on anyone. Breakage can make your hair look wonky, and the texture will be rough and frizzy.

If you do want to go lighter and bleach your hair again, give it a good 3 weeks to let your hair cuticle heal. You want it to close and lay flat again.

That means if you’re looking to go platinum blonde from really dark hair, you’ll need to take your hair to a mid-toned orange. Then you’ll need to focus on conditioning and pampering your hair for a few weeks until you bleach it again.

From there, you can use a toner that will take it to platinum status. It takes a long time and has many steps. But it’s worth it if you want your hair to be blonde and beautiful. Rushing it means you will have blonde hair but with a texture that resembles straw.

So, how long do you have to wait to bleach your hair again? I’d say, at minimum, wait a week. Waiting two weeks is best, and three weeks is ideal. If you’re in a rush, go to a colorist to ensure you don’t destroy your hair.

Can you bleach your hair twice in one day or after three days? No! Please don’t do this! Wait at least a week or two first.

Wondering how many times you can bleach your hair? Most colorists say you can bleach twice per month, which is about 6 to 8 times per year.

How to Bleach Your Hair

If you read my article about coconut oil before, you’ll know. And if not, go read it! But in short, put extra virgin coconut oil on your hair the night before you’re going to bleach.

You want it to soak into your hair overnight. Coconut oil is ideal for this as it gets into the hair and keeps it moisturized while minimizing the damaging effects bleach can have.

When you’re ready to bleach, you want to assemble all the things you’ll need to take on your dye job. That means you should have:

• Bowl and brush (make sure it’s non-metallic)
• Gloves
• Lightener and developer
• Toner
• Gloves
• Sulfate-free shampoo
• Conditioner (a deep one)
• Purple shampoo and conditioner
• Combs (one large-tooth and one rat-tail)
• Old t-shirt (you don’t want to ruin your clothes)
• Plastic cap

So now that you have everything ready, what do you do?

1. Put on the old t-shirt and gloves.
2. Part your hair into small sections.
3. Mix lightener and developer together, taking care to follow the instructions it comes with.
4. Apply the mixture starting at the back of your head and moving forward. Be sure to make it even and leave it about an inch or two off your roots. Once done, put the shower cap on.
5. Let this sit for 20 minutes, then go back and do your roots. Let it sit 10 more minutes.
6. Now shampoo it out and use the hydrating conditioner. Be sure your water is tepid when rinsing rather than too hot.
7. Allow hair to air dry. Then you’ll add a toner to get your tone and brightness to where you want them.
8. If you get a brassy turnout, use the purple shampoo and conditioner.

Ask your hairdresser for recommendations on shampoos, toners, and hydrating treatments rich with protein too. He or she may have some suggestions to try out.

Additionally, it’s important to eat healthfully during this time. It definitely affects hair health. Keep up the nutrition for this time and wait at least one week (ideally more) before doing this bleaching thing again.

In some cases, your hairdresser might recommend a specific shampoo and toner and hydrating, protein-rich treatments to maintain your hair health. Remember to follow a well-balanced diet to keep your hair strong, smooth, and shiny (4).

Wait for at least a week or two before you bleach your hair again.”

How to Prep Your Hair for the Second Bleaching Session

When it comes to bleaching a second time, you really need to ensure you’re caring for your hair. Between the sessions, you want to take this time to build up strength and moisture in your hair to prepare it for the next bleaching.

Every other day, take extra virgin coconut oil and apply it from the middle of your length on down. Let it soak into your hair, ideally overnight.

Oh, and avoid heat stylers! This is not the time to play with fire, so to speak. Leave your flat iron, curling iron, and blow dryer stowed away.

Check your hair too. Look for split ends and trim them off before you bleach again. Continue with the coconut oil, putting it on the night before your second bleaching, so it is extra hydrated.

How to Take Care of Your Hair Post-Bleaching

Whether you do it yourself or go to a professional, you need to take care of your bleached hair. Going blonde is a big commitment because it can be so damaging. You must take care of it, or it will break off where you don’t want it to, ruining your cut.

These tips will help your hair stay as strong as possible while it endures bleaching.

– Easy does it

Bleached hair is far more fragile than any other kind. The best love you can give it is through a conditioner, which will help while the cuticle is open. You may want to avoid shampoo altogether for the first week.

Then you can use sulfate-free shampoo. Which, honestly, you should be using it anyway. Make sure you choose something without SLS, sodium lauryl sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate. These things aren’t good for anyone’s hair, but they’re especially awful to bleached hair.

Hydrating shampoos can be used to cleanse without removing the natural oils protecting your scalp. Be gentle as you wash and condition, without vigorous scrubbing. After you finish, pat your hair dry. A regular towel may pull and tug, so use microfiber or an old t-shirt.

– Deep condition like you never have before

If you want that blonde hair to be the envy of all, deep condition it. Splurge on the best stuff to be kind to your hair. This is true whether you’re bleaching it or your colorist is.

Deep conditioners are an even richer experience for your hair. They go deep into strands to restore the cuticle and leave hair more beautiful and healthy.

They need time to sit and soak in, though. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner is one of the best for repairing and conditioning hair. It’s color-safe, so anyone can use it, and it leaves hair looking and feeling better after bleaching.

– Don’t touch those heat stylers

Heat stylers already damage your hair. If you use them after bleaching, you’re drawing out any remaining moisture that your hair has. So if you use them, you’ll have parched hair that feels like tumbleweeds.

Using the coconut oil will help, though if you’ve neglected to do so, I have posts that can help you correct the bleach damage.

But with heat styling tools, try to use the kind that offers those special features that prevent temperatures from getting too high. Some even customize it to your own hair. They’re pricier, but worth it because you’ll save money on corrective treatments from your stylist.

Even with completely healthy hair, it’s foolish to ever heat-style without the use of a thermal protectant. This keeps the heat from drying out and damaging your hair beyond repair.

Conclusion on Bleaching Your Hair Twice in One Day

In short, you can bleach your hair twice, but not on the same day. Don’t tempt fate here, or else you’ll wind up with the kind of hair that will make you put a ski cap on and run right for the salon. And it will cost you dearly too for a colorist to work their magic to repair the damage done.

With bleaching, patience really pays off. Take steps to nurture your hair, so it’s as healthy as possible before you ever bleach your hair.

Between bleaching sessions, make sure you condition too. And most important of all, do not bleach your hair twice in the same day!