Best Bleach for Hair: Our 2021 Top Hair Lightening Brands

If you’ve colored your hair in the past – whether professionally or at home – you likely know how important it is to pick the best bleach for hair types and needs. There are tons of different factors that go into determining what type of bleach is best for your hair. After all, we know that bleach has the potential to cause excessive damage when not properly applied. Additionally, different hair types and colors will have different bleaching needs.

Are you starting to feel overwhelmed and worried you’ll end up like one of those internet horror-stories where you accidentally melt your own hair off using bleach? Not sure what you should do to treat your hair before you bleach it? Concerned about having to bleach your hair again? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Below, we’ve done our research – consulting with some of the best pros in the business and taking insight from our own personal experiences to provide you with the best bleach brands on the market. Read on to find out what type of bleach will best suit your specific hair type.

Top 8 Picks for the Best Hair Bleach

The items below are some of our favorite brands of bleach currently available on the market – most of them you can pick up from your local beauty salon or professional hair care product store yourself! We’ve also looked at the best of the best products for various hair types, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally using the wrong product on your hair.

1. Editors Pick for the Best Bleach for Hair – Schwarzkopf Professional Blond Me Premium Lift 9
2. At-Home Bleach Kit – Manic Panic Flash Lightning Hair Bleach Kit
3. Bleach for Dark Hair – Wella Blondor Multi Blonde Powder Lightener
4. Bleach Kit – L’Oreal Paris Feria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System
5. Healthiest Hair Bleach – Joico Blonde Life Brightening Masque
6. Best Box Bleach – ION Color Brilliance BRIGHT WHITE Creme Toner
7. Professional Bleach for Platinum Blonde Hair – Clairol Professional BW2 Hair Powder Lightener
8. Best Professional Bleach – Perfect Blond Extra Strength Professional Hair Dye Toner Lightener Bleach

Editors Pick for the Best Bleach for Hair

Schwarzkopf Professional Blond Me Premium Lift 9

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Bleach Highlights

• Thanks to the unique compounds used in this bleach, most individuals found that they could use a level 10 developer instead of the traditional level 20 or 40. Therefore, you’ll experience far less damage and dryness as a result when using this product
• One of the best types of bleach for dark hair, as it quickly lightens and removes dark colors. Most dark-haired individuals found that after 30 minutes, their hair was much, much lighter, and they had to use fewer toner products to get their hair to their desired color
• Unlike some of the lower-quality products available for purchase, most individuals found that this bleach does not itch or burn when applied to the scalp, making it easier for those of us with sensitive skin to use

Compared to some of the other bleaching products we’ll have on this list, this one stands out to us for so many reasons. While Schwarzkopf Professional Blond Me Premium Lift 9 is on the upper end of the price scale, there’s definitely a good reason for it – this professional-grade product provides the ultimate lightening experience without causing excessive damage and drying. If you have hair like ours, that tends to feel as dry and brittle as the dessert in a drought after you bleach it, you’ll likely love this product.

Best At-Home Bleach Kit

Manic Panic Flash Lightning Hair Bleach Kit

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Bleach Highlights

• Includes everything you need to do your own hair – such as the bleaching bowl, the brush, the powder and the developer. Some of their highlighting kits even include the highlighting cap, making it easy for you to create your own unique look
• The bleaching powder claims to be dust-free, making it easier to use for individuals who are just starting out bleaching their own hair at home and making it less likely to irritate skin over time
• Manic Panic’s organization is cruelty-free, meaning that buyers never have to worry that the products they’re using go through animal testing before becoming readily available on the market

Let’s face it; if you’ve ever walked into Sally’s or Hot Topic, you’ve probably heard of Manic Panic. The company, best known for its bright and quirky hair colors, requires you to lighten your hair rather excessively before using their products. Therefore, you’ll need a powerful bleach that won’t fry your hair – and they provide just that. The Manic Panic Flash Lightning Hair Bleach Kit includes pretty much everything you need to bleach your hair from the comfort of your own home, even if you’re not a professional.

Best Bleach for Dark Hair

Wella Blondor Multi Blonde Powder Lightener

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Bleach Highlights

• The powder is powerful enough that individuals with dark brown to black hair often find they only need to use a volume 20 developer to achieve light-blonde hair
• Typically, using this product with a volume 20 developer brings hair down to a platinum blonde in approximately 30 minutes without causing excessive damage to the hair
• The lightweight powder helps prevent excessive drying of the hair follicles, meaning that after one to two conditioning treatments, your hair will normally reassume it’s regular health and shine

While a small portion of the population has naturally light-blonde hair, plenty of us struggle with dark, near-black hair that seems impossible to lighten at home. However, the Wella Blondor bleach works perfectly to take dark hair down to a lovely, light blonde color without excessively drying out your hair and causing it to break or “melt” off unnecessarily. Plus, it’s easy on the skin, making it a great product for those who suffer from bleach sensitivities.

Best Bleach Kit

L’Oreal Paris Feria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System

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Bleach Highlights

• The bleach hair kit includes everything you need to bleach your own hair at home – from the developer and the powder to the conditioner that helps even tone and neutralize your hair color for the perfect lightening experience
• Provides lightening of up to eight levels, meaning it works well even on dark-brown hair and does so relatively quickly. The additional after-treatment conditioning products ensure that hair remains healthy and hydrated after bleaching
• The bleach itself is odor-free, which is perfect for individuals who find they have a bad reaction, such as stinging and watery eyes from the harsh chemical smell of most bleach products

Some of you may be surprised to find this listed as our favorite bleach kit, especially when you consider the low price. Don’t let the fact this bleach kit is cheap fool you – the L’Oreal Paris Feria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System works wonderfully on a variety of hair types and colors without being overly drying or damaging. In fact, some individuals who already have pre-lightened hair find that they only need to use the product for 10 to 15 minutes before their hair is near platinum, which is why we love it.

Healthiest Hair Bleach

Joico Blonde Life Brightening Masque

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Bleach Highlights

• Uses natural ingredients to help tone the hair and create a beautiful, even and platinum blonde color, even working effectively on darker hair to create a beautiful blonde appearance
• Thanks to the lack of harsh and corrosive chemicals, individuals with sensitive skin and naturally damage-prone hair won’t have to worry about this product causing them irritation or hair loss
• The ingredients in this masque help restore hydration to the hair, preventing further damage. Therefore, this bleach is great for those who have already bleached their hair once and need to make it lighter without causing more damage to their hair

If you already have light-blonde hair, or hair that is thin and tends to damage easily, finding a bleach that won’t destroy your hair can seem tricky. However, the good news is that the Joico Blonde Life Brightening Masque is perfect for you. This hair-care treatment helps lighten and brighten already blonde hair without harsh chemicals that dry the hair out and cause damage. In fact, this product helps restore natural hydration to your hair, leaving it feeling and looking great.

Best Box Bleach

ION Color Brilliance BRIGHT WHITE Creme Toner

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Bleach Highlights

• Includes the boxed bleach product, which helps create a light-blonde platinum color easily and without needing additional products. Additionally, it contains a tinting brush, allowing you to quickly and easily apply the lightening product to the desired locations
• Helps removes unwanted brassy tones and warm undertones, effectively lightening dark spots on the hair without causing additional damage to already bleached hair
• Thanks to the convenient cream design, it’s easy and fast to apply this bleach to the hair – meaning you won’t have to worry about mixing the bleach before you use it

If you’re looking for an over-the-counter boxed bleach that will take your hair from dark black to platinum blonde without drying it out or making it feel like it’s going to break when you brush it, this is probably going to be your new best friend. This ION Color Brilliance boxed bleach kit provides you with beautifully toned, natural-looking blonde hair and doesn’t cause too much damage. It’s perfect for those of us who want to achieve the crazy, excessively bright hair colors that seem nearly impossible at first glance.

Best Professional Bleach for Platinum Blonde Hair

Clairol Professional BW2 Hair Powder Lightener

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Bleach Highlights

• The product is carefully and professionally balanced, meaning you won’t have to worry about the potential for “uneven” bleaching resulting between uses. The formula remains consistent and easy to use, even for individuals who don’t regularly bleach their hair
• Helps easily and quickly lighten the hair up to ten levels, making it perfect for individuals who want to achieve the platinum blonde look without having to bleach their hair multiple times
• Comes in multiple forms, including a tub, meaning individuals can buy the bleach and use it several times or purchase it for single-use only, based on their personal needs

Realistically speaking, this professional-grade product provides pretty much everything you could need to create the perfect blonde color, no matter how light you’d like to go. The contents of the Clairol Professional BW2 Hair Powder Lightener self-describe as “extra strength,” and that’s definitely no exaggeration. Most individuals who use the bleach often find that they achieve their ideal platinum blonde color quickly, without needing to use additional toner or other products.

Best Professional Bleach

Perfect Blond Extra Strength Professional Hair Dye Toner Lightener Bleach

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Bleach Highlights

• Perfect for a variety of different hair types thanks to the universal application methods. Because it was formulated for individuals with thicker hair, however, those with thin and fine hair should consider leaving the bleach in for less than the recommended time
• Provides up to eight levels of lightening without damaging the hair or causing excessive drying, providing very quick and efficient, light-blonde results
• Thanks to the unique blend of bleaching product and coconut oil, you’ll find that your hair may actually feel shinier and healthier than it did prior to bleaching it, without having to worry about the additional and excessive damage

They say that foreign products often work best, and this bleach is no exception to the rule. Realistically speaking, this bleach does exactly what the title suggests – Blonde Forte Extra Strength Professional Hair Dye Toner Lightener Bleach creates the perfect blonde color across a variety of different hair types. In fact, one of the reasons we love this bleach is due to the number of excellent reviews it has for those of us who have thick, unruly hair! You won’t have to worry about those missed spots with this powerful product.

Bleaching Hair at Home Without Damage

Here are some great tips and tricks for bleaching your hair at home without damaging it:

• Follow online guides by hair-care professionals to ensure you do everything right and keep your hair healthy.
• Use pre-treatments and wait two to three days between bleaching treatments to allow your hair some time to rest and recover.
• Ensure you perform a strand test and make sure your hair is healthy and does not react badly to the bleaching product. If you have concerns, make sure you read the instructions for your bleach!

Best Bleach for Hair: FAQs

Can you bleach your hair at home?

You’ve probably heard horror stories about what happens when you bleach your hair at home, and have thusly decided that it just can’t be done. However, that’s not necessarily true – if you understand how your hair reacts to bleach and purchase high-quality products, you can relatively easily bleach your hair at home without worrying about damaging it.

What is the best way to bleach your hair at home?

Realistically speaking, you’ll want to decide what you’re trying to achieve by bleaching your hair and research the products you’ll need. Then, you’ll want to perform a strand test to determine if you have a poor reaction to the bleach product you’re using. Once you know you won’t have a reaction, you’ll want to go ahead and part your hair, bleaching each segment to ensure you don’t miss any spots. Leave it in for approximately 30 minutes (or less, dependent upon the instructions your bleach brand provides) and then rinse it out. Follow up with high-quality hair-care products to ensure you don’t damage your hair.

Can I dye my hair without bleaching it?

You definitely can decide to dye your hair without using any sort of bleaching products. However, keep in mind that in most cases, darker hair won’t take bright hair colors well without bleach. If you’re looking to achieve a bright and vibrant color and have naturally dark hair, you may need to bleach it in order for the dye to hold properly.

Strip Your Hair of Color Safely!

Ultimately, bleaching your hair doesn’t have to be a destructive process. There are plenty of ways to do it without causing excessive damage and drying. If you buy the right products, follow the directions, and seek guidance, you can create wonderfully light colored hair that’s ready for vibrant dyes without risking your hair’s health.

Here are more tips for coloring your hair on our blog:

• How to Get Blue Color Out of Hair
• How Long Do You Let Dye Sit in Your Hair
• Can You Mix Semi Permanent Hair Dye With a Conditioner