Do you like to play up your look with different wigs and hair extensions?
The greatest thing about them is they let you have a different look each day without cutting your hair.
But buying wigs and extensions can sometimes get expensive, so you occasionally resort to synthetic hair.
There’s nothing wrong with synthetic hair. In fact, they’re actually more affordable compared to natural hair. And if you pick a good quality one, it’s difficult to tell the two apart.
But sometimes, you need to customize the color of a wig or hair extension depending on the look you want. So the question is, can you bleach synthetic hair with hair bleach?
So in this article, we’ve uncovered the truth about bleaching synthetic hair, so read more to find out.
Can you bleach synthetic hair extensions?
Have you ever tried buying hair extensions online, but you realized they were 2 shades darker than your natural hair color when they arrived?
Since you don’t want them to go to waste, you figure you could bleach them so they could blend with your hair. But does bleaching synthetic hair extensions actually work?
The short answer is no. That’s because synthetic hair extensions don’t have keratin that oxidizes when you apply it with bleach.
They’re made of plastic and polymers where the color pigments are already built-in, so they can’t release any pigments.
So no matter how much you soak your synthetic extensions in bleach, the color will not lighten.
Can you bleach a Halloween wig?
Dressing up for Halloween can be exciting since you can dress up as whoever you want to be.
But as the holiday ends, you chuck your Halloween wigs to the back of your closet.
So you figured you’d bleach them so you could reuse them next year.
But the problem is, Halloween wigs are usually synthetic hair. And as mentioned above, bleach doesn’t work on them since they’re made out of plastic.
So even if you leave the bleach on your wig for an hour, the color will still come out the same.
Can you bleach knots on synthetic hair?
If you look closely at the part of your synthetic wig, you’ll spot tiny little dots where the hair strands begin. Well, those dots are the wig knots.
They show the spot where the hair strands are tied to your wig’s lace cap.
Some bleach them so the wig can appear like they’re your actual hair.
But since bleach doesn’t work on synthetic hair, it will not affect its knots either.
So if you want to make your synthetic wig appear natural, you can look for one with a transparent lace cap that will blend into your scalp.
How can I lighten my synthetic hair?
Quick, you’re putting up a last-minute costume for a party you forgot you’re invited to.
You have a couple of hours left before the party begins. You found a wig at the back of your closet, but it’s in the wrong color.
Since you can’t use bleach on synthetic hair, what can you use to lighten it instead?
Can you bleach synthetic hair with Clorox?
Clorox is a popular brand of household bleach that helps disinfect and lighten stains on your clothes.
So, surely, it’s effective for lightening synthetic hair as it is some type of bleach, right?
Wrong! Household bleach and hair bleach are completely different chemicals.
Aside from hair bleach, it also contains hydrogen peroxide or ammonia, which opens up the cuticles of your natural hair so bleach can penetrate it. When the bleach is inside your hair cuticle, that’s when it reacts with keratin to lighten it.
On the other hand, the key ingredient in household bleach is sodium hypochlorite. It’s the chemical responsible for lifting stains on your clothes, so it’s harsher than hydrogen peroxide.
So if you use Clorox to bleach synthetic hair, it will dehydrate the hair fibers, and you’ll end up with a frizzy mess.
Can you bleach synthetic hair with peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is commonly known for disinfecting wounds. But did you know you can also use it to lighten your natural hair even without bleach?
That’s because it can open up the hair cuticles, allowing the lightening process to occur.
However, hydrogen peroxide is also used for whitening discolored plastic materials as it can reverse the oxidation process that causes them to turn yellow.
Soaking a yellowing phone case with hydrogen peroxide and exposing it to the sun will lighten up the yellow stain.
But will this method also work on synthetic hair?
Unfortunately, no, not if it’s 100% synthetic hair.
But if your wig is synthetic hair mixed with human hair or some other type of animal hair, then it’ll lighten.
How to bleach synthetic hair extensions?
If you’re still looking for a way to lighten synthetic hair extensions, we hate to break this to you, but there’s no effective way to do it.
The colors in synthetic hair are already built-in in their hair fibers, so no amount of bleach can lift those out. Even if you leave the bleach on for 2 hours, the color will still remain the same.
So it will just be a waste of time and effort on your part.
So your best bet will be to find synthetic hair extensions with the exact color you’re looking for.
Another option is to invest in human hair extensions if you want to customize the colors yourself since bleach is more effective on them.
Can you bleach bath synthetic wig?
Tangled and matted old wigs will take you hours to brush out. Yet it will still look dull and lifeless if you manage to comb out the kinks.
But before you decide to throw them out, you can soak them in a bleach bath to restore them into their former glory.
To do a bleach bath, you will need cool water and ¼ cup bleach, and soak your synthetic wig in the mixture for 3 minutes. Once the time is up, rinse your wig and set it aside.
Next, prepare hot water in your container and pour ¼ cup ammonia. Dip your wig again and let it sit for 3 minutes before rinsing.
Finally, soak your wig with a fabric conditioner or wig conditioner to soften the hair fibers. After rinsing, let your wig air dry, then watch how easy it will be to comb the tangles out.
Remember to do this method in a well-ventilated area since bleach and ammonia will release toxic fumes. You can also wear a face mask and gloves to protect you from the chemicals.
Can synthetic hair get dyed?
Do you have old synthetic wigs and extensions at home that you wish you could revamp so you could use them again?
Well, you’re in luck. That’s because you can actually dye synthetic hair.
The catch is the synthetic hair must be light so you can dye it into a darker color. So think blondes, whites, and pastel-colored hair. The lighter the synthetic hair, the better the color will come out.
Also, you will need fabric dye instead of hair dye to stain synthetic hair fibers. Specifically fabric dye like RIT that’s made for polyester or synthetic materials.
To dye synthetic hair, you’ll need to boil a pot of water. When the water boils, add 3 tablespoons of fabric dye to every cup of water.
Lower your heat to a simmer and add your damp synthetic hair into the pot. Let it sit for a few minutes until you get your desired color.
Once that’s done, rinse the synthetic hair with cold water and let it air dry.
An alternate method is to use acrylic ink or alcohol-based markers to dye synthetic hair.
You will need to mix either ink with rubbing alcohol and let the synthetic hair soak in the mixture until it gets to a color you like, then rinse.
Remember, there’s still the risk of ruining the synthetic hair as it can react with the fabric dye or inks. So always do a strand test before doing the procedures above.
How to remove color from synthetic wig
So you dyed your synthetic wig, but the color didn’t turn out how you wanted.
Luckily, you can remove the dye by using 3 products you probably already have at home.
To start, pour hot water on a heat-proof container, then add dish soap, clarifying shampoo, and baking soda.
Then slowly dip your synthetic wig into the mixture until it’s fully saturated. Let your wig sit for 30 minutes, then rinse it out.
You will need to repeat the process multiple times until all of the dye is out of your wig.
But if the dye is persistent and the color remains the same, you can also dye your synthetic wig into a darker color by using the options above.
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