How bad is the sun compared to bleach?

[Lockoptimisten]

I am in the process to have balayage with a brown natural base and lighter towards the ends. It will probably take a couple of treatments at my stylist but i am prepared. Now i am thinking about helping the process with some sun? Maybe that makes the bleach-highlightprocess to be more smoothly? Does anybody have any thoughts? Tips our experience?

[ErinLeigh]

I don't think the sun is needed. You would have to spend a good amount of time outside to lighten hair and the tradeoff to the scalp being exposed that much without sunscreen doesn't sound worth it. Sunning hair most likely will just add unnecessary dryness. If you were planning on doing this later where is there a long time to naturally sun lighten then maybe it would be something to consider I suppose, but since you are already in process I think its best to protect hair as much as possible so you do not get additional damage. Bleach is hard enough on hair, a double whammy may not be appreciated by your locks. Being a shade lighter may save you a minute of lift but its not needed, the hair will lift from brown just fine.


The best think you can do in my opinion if you are going to bleach hair is to pre-treat hair the night before with coconut oil. There are posts on this site and the internet that explain how the coconut oil can help prevent some oxidation damage. I can say from experience it has helped a lot with my coloring and bleaching. You apply night before and leave on for the service. The bleach and or color go over it just fine with no disruption of color uptake nor is additional time required to lift. Just something to consider if you don't already do this.

[Lockoptimisten]

Thank you ErinLeigh for your answer. I have done the first bleach and the stylist didn't react on my hair full off coconutoil
I will do the same thing next time because i didn't get any damage at all but I have the next session in a month to give my hair a chance to be as healthy as possible. I will not stress the process but really hope that the next session will lead to a lift to maybe 9 from 8 where I am right now in my lenght and 7 in my scalp (virgin)... I hope it will be natural and edgy at the same time.

[clioariane]

Agreed with ErinLeigh, you're better off protecting your locks than doing additional damage. I read in Allure that 50 hours of sun exposure has a similar effect as 1/2 hour bleaching.