Believe it or not, this is one of the most commonly asked questions by our clients. Many girls who wear extensions for some time get bored with the color and want to change it. Experimenting with different shades is so much fun, and it is a great way to show off your creativity and do something different!
When you change the color of your strands, the hairstyle does look completely different, and that’s very exciting. However, before you go ahead and dye or bleach your extension, read this article! Also, can you safely tone your hair anyway?
Is it possible? As with most beauty-related questions, the correct answer is “It depends.” So, we are going to cover multiple types of hair extensions.
Quick Access
Yes, you can dye or bleach hair extensions without any issues. However, make sure that your extensions are made of real human hair. Synthetic strands, on the other hand, can’t be toned easily.
Also, keep in mind that the extensions are made of real human hair, not some anti-human material. So, don’t over-bleach them, as that would damage them, just as it would your real hair. Bleach and hair coloring dyes contain strong chemicals that should be avoided if possible.
Another consideration: dying already light hair extensions could make them much drier. To avoid issues with dry hair, go with Remy Premium Plus hair. This line is designed for women who want to process their strands further. AiryHair only sells the highest quality extensions made of the natural Remy human hair. You can bleach, tone, or dye any of our hair products.
Did Your Hair Extensions Turn Pink or Purple?
You would be surprised at the number of horror stories we have heard from clients! Those who have bought “real human hair” extensions from other vendors.
If you have dyed hair extensions and they become purple, red, or pink, it means that the hair is synthetic. So, don’t just pick the cheapest extensions; some have a mix of real and animal/synthetic hair. Instead, go with a quality supplier. For more good hair brands, see the following post.
Absolutely! Among different color-changing techniques, toning is considered the safest. However, clients often have unrealistic expectations that are not healthy. While toning does not dry out the hair as much as other methods, it does not make them foolproof.
Hair toning can still cause hair damage, so please follow the instructions below.
Despite popular belief, synthetic hair cannot be dyed or bleached. There are more than a few reasons for that. First, hair dyes are made for real human hair and don’t work on synthetic strands.
You could either get a weird shade or the wrong color afterward. So, don’t even try it. If you use bleach on synthetic extensions, there’s a good possibility they will melt or change shape. That’s because the artificial strands are made from plastic materials. In other words, strands can easily melt when they come in contact with heat or strong chemicals like bleach.
And when you think about it, there’s no point in changing the color of synthetic extensions. I mean, they won’t last that long anyway! Buying a different color set or investing in real human hair is more accessible.
If you already bought plastic hair extensions and need some help toning them down, there are few natural solutions available. Just don’t expect perfect results.
Read these tips and tricks before you dye or bleach your human hair extensions. They will make the whole process easier and safer—not just for your strands but also for yourself.
Color-Matching Your Hair Shade
Although some girls want to experiment with two—or three-tone hair, most women simply want their extensions to be the same shade as their natural strands. That makes them easier to blend and gives them a cohesive look.
That means that you need to dye your natural locks as well! At least if you plan on changing the color of the extensions. We recommend coloring your real tresses first and then moving on to the extensions.
If you want ombre extensions, check out our tutorial on how to dye your hair or ombre extensions at home.
Dark and Light Hair Color Dyes
It is completely up to you what shade you’ll choose, and there are no limitations. There are so many different hair dyes available. Many of them are exotic and unusual, which is great for girls who want a color that stands out. However, we do recommend that you don’t go too light if your extensions are dark or black.
Going from black to blonde or grey requires a lot of bleaching, which might damage the hair. It is safest to go with just a couple of lighter tones. Also, keep in mind that you need very light extensions to get more unusual colors. Those include pink, rose, violet, green, blue, teal, etc.
If you try to experiment with tones on black or dark brown extensions, those colors will not be visible. Light blonde and white extensions are best for achieving those shades.
Take Your Hair Extensions Out & Use Gloves
Never dye or bleach extensions while you’re wearing them. First, take them off and proceed with the dyeing. Not only is it much easier, but also safer.
Also, when handling hair dyes or bleach, protect your hands by wearing gloves. Otherwise, you’ll end up with colorful fingers and dye under your nails. The dye is very hard to remove from the skin because it gets into the pores!
Don’t Rush It
Please read the instructions on the hair dye carefully and follow them closely. Each dye is different, so make sure to read how the dye is mixed and how long you need to leave it on.
It is also a good idea to test the color first. If you have an extension strand that you’re not going to use, apply a small amount of dye and see how it turns out. The shades on the package are often quite misleading and often don’t turn out like in the picture.
If you use bleach, be very careful, as it’s a strong substance. Carefully check how long you need to leave it on for the desired shade; otherwise, you might end up with ruined extensions.
Final Considerations
What if you’re not that experienced in using hair dyes or bleach? We recommend that you leave it to the professionals. Please make an appointment at a salon and ask them to dye or bleach your extensions. They will know how to do it safely. Also, you will eliminate the risk of ruining your extensions because of a poor coloring job.
Have you followed the tips above and got Remy’s hair? If not, it’s time to do it now. All AiryHair extensions are 100 percent human hair, so you can bleach them with a lighter tone to achieve your desired look. Feel free to select between our lighting techniques below.
Following the recommended steps will turn your longer, fuller locks into beautiful hair extensions.
Permanent Hair Color Method
Color kit selection: Decide what shade you want your extensions to be. Then, buy a color formula that’s one or two tones lighter. For instance, use light golden to light blonde hair dye to achieve light ash blonde.
Cleaning and preparation: Always start with clean hair extensions. Shampoo them to remove all styling product buildup and oil. Air-dry or use a blow dryer on the lowest setting. Place each strip on an individual sheet of aluminum foil.
Mixing ingredients: Developers come in 20, 30, and 40 volumes, with 20 looking the darkest and 40 to the palest. Place small amounts of liquid developer and powder lightener into a container. Stir them together with a brush to create a smooth consistency.
Bleach application: Wearing gloves, work on each extension section over its foil strip. Massage your mixture into every piece, starting at the top. Using circular motions, move toward the ends until you’ve saturated all strands evenly and fully. That will prevent unwanted streaking effects. Fold foil sides and ends over the bundles so bleach won’t spill out during the processing phase.
Processing: Place foil-wrapped bundles in plastic bags. Let them process for 10 minutes. Then look to see if they’ve turned a lemony yellow shade. If they still seem too dark, reseal the foil to continue the lift. Keep checking at 10-minute intervals, not going over an hour total. For stubborn darkness, apply a little more bleach mixture. Remember that all hair appears darker when it’s wet.
Shampooing and conditioning: To neutralize your dye kit’s chemicals and stop further bleaching, wash your lightened AiryHair with a special pH-balanced shampoo immediately. Rinse well. Follow that with a deep-conditioning leave-in treatment like coconut or olive oil. Use products for color-treated hair only because others can alter your softened tone. Air-dry or set your blow dryer on low.
Optional second bleaching: If your extensions don’t look light enough after drying, repeat the steps above. Do spot checks at 5-minute intervals to avoid over-processing.
Toner: You can eliminate unwanted brassy effects by applying a toner. This supplemental treatment also creates some lowlights that add dimension to single-color hair. Leave it in for just a few minutes. Any longer will darken it too much. Removal requires shampooing and conditioning again.
Lemon Juice Technique
Cleaning and preparation: Shampoo your loose AiryHair to strip away all oil and styling product buildup. Towel dry sections, leaving them damp for this natural lighting process.
Recipe: For the best results, use the juice from a freshly squeezed lemon for every lightning session. Mix a tablespoon of lemon juice in one gallon of water. Or substitute a one-quarter cup of hair conditioner, honey, or oil for water. Whisk the ingredients to create a smooth texture.
Treatment: Apply a sufficient amount of the lemon juice/water solution to saturate all hair strands. Or rub the thick juice/conditioner mixture over each extension. Using a wide-tooth comb, distribute that blend evenly throughout every strip.
Processing: Then place your treated extensions in sunlight to activate the juice. They should reach a softer shade in about one or two hours. The lemon juice method lightens hair gradually, stripping natural pigment from strands. Depending on their original color, you may need to lengthen the processing time slightly to achieve a fairer tone. Repeat all steps seven days later. Three to four sessions weekly may be necessary to notice a substantial tonal difference.
Shampooing and conditioning: Don’t keep either lemon juice mixture on your color hair extensions for long intervals like overnight. Rinse off the solution and resulting film thoroughly with water. Lemon’s citric acid can dry out hair, so you may want to use a moisturizing shampoo. Apply a deep conditioner. If strands continue to feel dry after rinsing, try a more intensive leave-in product.
Is bleaching too much for you, and do you just need a proper technique to dye your strands? We got your back, girl.
To begin with, you will need some extensions! It does not matter what type of fusion method you prefer, be it tape-in or micro link extensions. Just make sure that they are made of 100% human hair.
That’s not all, though. You will need a needle, a thread (if these are loop extensions), and a hair dye of your choice.
Getting Started
- Is this a new set? The first thing you’re going to do is take off the elastic that’s holding your extensions together.
- Next, separate your extensions into tapes or strands of 20 – 25. Skip this step if you have wefts.
- Now take your needle and thread it. You can take any needle that you like; just make sure it fits between the rings. You need to make sure that you have a double thread at the bottom, as that will make it easier, and you’ll get extra strength.
- Grab a single micro ring and thread it through the loop.
- For tape-in extensions, tie a pack together by going around the tapes.
- Repeat this step for all of the tapes or strands.
- When you’re done, tie a knot to keep them in place.
Why did we do that anyway? Since you have your sets threaded and on a loop, it will be much easier to dye them! Now, they’re all attached to one loop as opposed to dyeing every single strand individually.
Dyeing the Hair Extensions
Take the hair dye of your choice. Follow the instructions on the box and mix the hair dye. Make sure that you mix the dye very well. Otherwise, the color will not mix very well on the hair extensions. Now, let’s dye the hair!
- Take one set of hair, place it on a protected surface for dyeing, and brush it through to make sure there are no knots in it.
- Apply dye on the hair and rub it in thoroughly. Make sure you get the color everywhere and don’t have any spots.
- Turn the hair around and repeat the process.
- You can also use a comb to spread the hair dye more efficiently.
- Repeat this process for every set of hair and make sure it’s completely covered in hair dye.
- Done applying color to all the sets? Put them all together, fold them up, place them into a foil or a towel, and wrap them up.
- Let the color set. The time needed for this step depends on your hair dye. Just follow the instructions on the box.
Wash Your Hair Extensions
Thoroughly wash the dye from the hair using a sulfate-free shampoo. Do it very carefully! Make sure you don’t damage the extensions or the rings/tapes.
Getting all the hair dye out is important, so don’t rush through this step. Also, use a deep conditioner to keep your hair nice and smooth. After washing, use a towel to dry extensions and brush them with a hairbrush. Keep in mind that hair is going to look much darker when wet! Needless to say, don’t think you got the wrong color! Just wait until they’re dry to see the actual color.
You’re done.
By now, everyone has heard of purple hair shampoo! It’s so easy to tone hair these days, all in the comfort of your home. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be done in less than a few minutes.
- Get the ideal hair shade to match your desired look. Always get the shade that is closest to your hair color.
- Grab a bowl and mix in purple shampoo with lukewarm water. At the amount suggested on the bottle. Any popular brand will do.
- Before you go wild, test a single strand of hair extensions first. Let it sit in the water for 10 to 20 seconds, occasionally swirling around.
- Don’t keep strands any longer, or they can turn purple!
- If you are fine with the results, dunk the rest of the strands and keep them there for the same amount of time.
- Rinse the extensions afterward, and you are done!
That’s it. Consider applying some moisturizing conditioner afterward. Let it sit there for 5 to 10 minutes as per instructions on the package.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you took your time to read all our tips and achieved the dream look. Dying hair extensions is easy; the same goes for bleach. Even easier is to tone them. Remember, hair is not made of metal and is prone to damage. Don’t overdo your hair colors!
