How I Dyed My Asian Hair Blonde With Minimal Bleach Damage

Oct 26, 2024

A long process, but so worth it.

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be blonde. But after hearing so many horror stories from my unnatural blonde friends, I was terrified of bleach, which is why I held out for so long. I went as light as possible without bleach for a while—which on my very dark hair was just a chocolate brown—but eventually I succumbed to my blonde desires and entered the salon looking to take the plunge.

But if I was going to do this, I was determined to do it right. I like my hair long (I view it as a security blanket of sorts), and everyone knows long blonde hair is difficult to maintain. That meant I would have to go the least damaging route possible, which I feared was an impossible feat. Luckily, I knew some amazing colorists that offered their guidance, including Michelle Hong, professional colorist and founder of NYC The Team Hair Salon, who was my fellow Asian blonde hair expert and helped keep my strands blonde and healthy.

Here are the questions I asked—and what I learned.

The first thing you should know if you have naturally very dark hair is that it’s not going to be completed in one go. In other words, if it’s your first time in the chair, don’t expect to walk out as a blonde. That’s a good thing though—you want to break up the bleaching process into multiple sessions to keep your hair healthy and prevent major breakage.

“The number of sessions you will need to achieve blonde hair will vary depending on if you have color in your hair versus natural virgin hair,” says Hong. “Asian hair is usually very dark and the texture is thicker. The darker and thicker the hair, there is more red to lift out to achieve neutral blonde and non-brassy highlights.”

As someone with medium-thickness black hair (not to mention existing color on half of it), it took me about four sessions for me to get to the shade of blonde I wanted. Keep in mind that it's generally recommended to wait at least two weeks between sessions to allow your hair to rehydrate (I waited a month to be safe).

The biggest problem with Asian hair is that it tends to turn blonde with an orange or red undertone when bleached. “Asian hair naturally has underlying red and orange pigments, so this is important for the colorist to consider when at the salon,” says Hong. “How Asian hair is lifted is important—you need to consider the strength of lightener, timing, and application to get the perfect shade.”

I recommend doing your research and going to a colorist who has experience with Asian hair specifically. Even the most experienced colorists may not be accustomed to lightening Asian hair, and the color may turn out different compared to their other clients. You want to avoid any potential surprises at the sink, so look at salons’ Instagrams and find one that features before and afters similar to your desired look.

Regardless of how well you bleach your hair, bleach is inherently damaging. “You will have some dryness and be more prone to breakage,” says Hong. “Make sure to use bond builders, strengthening masks, and anti-breakage serums to help repair your hair. It is crucial to be gentle when washing, brushing, and blow-drying.” I recommend incorporating brands like K18 and Olaplex into your routine regularly.

Another maintenance factor is brassiness, which is bound to happen no matter how beautiful the blonde is when exiting the salon. This is where purple shampoos and masks come into play. Add them into your shower routine two to three times a week to counteract orange and red hues.

The last thing to do is establish a maintenance schedule with your colorist. You want to go as long as you can between appointments (root sprays can help extend this time), but the sweet spot is every six to eight weeks. Hair usually grows about half an inch per month, so in that time frame, your hair will be about an inch longer. Anything longer than that and the color may develop unevenly due to the difference in heat from your scalp, resulting in bands or “hot roots” (when the root color is brighter than the rest of the hair).

"The longer the root, the tougher it is to lighten,” says Hong. “Hair will have to be lightened twice over anything more than an inch of regrowth—this will cause more damage on the overlapping of already lightened hair.

While going blonde on Asian hair is tricky, it’s absolutely doable. First and foremost, do your research and make sure to find your own Michelle (i.e., a professional who can guide you through the steps). Monitor expectations and expect multiple sessions to turn into the bombshell blonde you’re looking for (going from black to blonde is no easy feat). And lastly, prepare for some maintenance. Although there’s a lot of it since Asian hair turns orange so easily, it’s absolutely worth it for the extra fun I can attest to having as a blonde.