If you are looking to just lightly bleach your hair, you could use a 20-volume developer. You can also purchase a bleach kit which comes with all the materials you will need: bleach powder, developer, applicator brush, bowl, and gloves.

If you have long hair, you may want to tie it back, too, so it doesn’t accidentally fall into the bleach or onto your weave as your working with it.

If you are bleaching multiple hair bundles, use a separate piece of foil per bundle.

If your powder comes with a scoop, simply use the scoop to measure out twice the amount of developer. If your powder doesn’t have a scoop, pour it into a measuring cup before putting it into the bowl so you know how much developer to add. Or, if you have a small scale, then you can use that to measure out the amount you need.

Make sure to thoroughly mix your bleaching liquid so there are no clumps of powder left in it.

For an ombre look, only apply the bleach to the bottom half or quarter of the weave.

If you need to, mix together more bleach and developer to ensure you can completely cover the weave.

If you want to speed up the bleaching process even more, take a hot flat iron and run it over the foil 2-3 times. Peel back a corner of the foil to check the color and stop once it’s where you want it to be.

Similarly, if you’re looking to just slightly lighten your weave, try leaving the bleach on for just 10 minutes at a time.

Make sure your sink is clean before you rinse your weave out. Have an old towel nearby in case you need to set your weave down at any point.

Neutralizing shampoo stops the chemical reaction of the bleach from continuing. Read the instructions on the shampoo carefully—a lot of them change color when there is bleach present so you know you can stop washing once the color is gone.

You can buy toner or toner kits from the salon or from a drugstore for as little as $10.

You can also use the leave-in conditioner as part of your regular hair-washing routine to help promote a healthier looking weave.

You can leave your weave on an old towel or sheet, or you could even use a pants hanger to clip the weave and hang it up until it dries. This will take about 1 day.

After your weave has been sewn in, avoid taking hot showers and instead opt for warm or cool showers to help keep the color in your weave more even. Another option is to wear a shower cap and skip getting your hair wet altogether. This is a good option if you don’t use many hair products because you will not have as much buildup in your weave.