Can You Bleach Over Henna Hair?

If you’ve got a head of henna hair but are bored and now want to change up the color, then you may be considering an even more drastic look, especially if you want to go even lighter. This means you’ll have to go down the bleaching route in order to get rid of the henna color and lift your hair.

But what do you need to do to prepare your hair before bleaching it? In fact, can you bleach over henna hair?

Yes, you can bleach over henna-dyed hair, but there are a few things you need to know.

In this article, we’ll share with you everything you need to beware of so that you can determine your bleaching possibilities.

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Can You Bleach Over Henna Hair?

Well, basically, if you have previously dyed your hair with henna, then yes it is possible to bleach over it in order to strip the hair of the henna color. However, there is one big thing that you need to consider before you go out and buy some bleaching powder and activator.

And here’s the thing — the henna that you used to color your hair has to have been pure.

So, do you remember if the henna you used was 100% organic and natural? Or did it include other dyes, such as indigo and other color additives, things to cut the henna smell or change the texture? You need to be completely sure of this.

Bleaching over henna hair can only be safely done if the henna that you used was 100% natural. Therefore, if you’re in doubt, it’s probably best that you get a professional hairdresser involved. Otherwise, be prepared to wake up to clumps of hair left on your pillow the next morning.

Hey, at least you’ll be able to go viral as a bleach fail.

Bleaching over henna hair can only be safely done if the henna that you used was 100% natural. Therefore, if you’re in doubt, it’s probably best that you get a professional hairdresser involved. Otherwise, be prepared to wake up to clumps of hair left on your pillow the next morning.

So, we’ll say it again.

If you are unsure whether or not the henna that you used was free of color additives, then you should take the advice of a hairdresser you trust, rather than risk any hair loss.

Similarly, if the henna you used came in a cream or dye form, meaning you didn’t mix the powder with water yourself, then you should also steer clear of bleaching your hair. This is particularly true if you haven’t been professionally advised recently about the current state of your locks.

Why?

Because many of the henna products available to buy are not 100% pure and organic henna, even though they may be marketed as such.

And the chemical additives that they contain are not easy to determine.

These chemical additives have the potential to react badly to bleach when they come into contact with each other. And because this is impossible to predict, you will have no idea what the actual result will be on your hair.

Therefore, it is much better to be safe than sorry if you don’t want to have to deal with hair breakage — as your best-case scenario.

So, don’t even think about bleach if you aren’t sure of the purity of the henna product that you used.

Don’t even think about bleach if you aren’t sure of the purity of the henna product that you used.

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Prepare Your Henna Hair For Bleaching

If it has been determined that the henna product you used was 100% natural, pure and organic, then now you will have to prepare your henna hair to get ready for the actual bleaching process.

You’re going to need some patience, though, because you’re going to have to do this first step every day for the next seven days.

So to start, you’ll need to fade the henna from your strands. And to do this, you have to take the first step of the bleaching process by using a shampoo and conditioner that has an anti-dandruff formula.

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The formulation of this combo will work to clarify your strands as well as restore your hair’s strength and moisture, with its added B5, keratin, coconut, argan and avocado oils.

Plus, both products are free of chemical irritants like sulfates, sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, and other nasties.

And even if you don’t have dandruff, this shampoo and conditioner combination will fade the henna color and moisturize your strands at a deeper level before you start the actual bleaching.

This step is a vital part of the process, because you’ll need to fade the henna first during this next week.

Even if you don’t have dandruff, this shampoo and conditioner combination will fade the henna color and moisturize your strands at a deeper level before you start the actual bleaching.

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Post-Henna Hair Prep

After you’ve spent seven days fading the color of the henna with an anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner combo, the next step will be to give your freshly faded hair some intense TLC with ultra-moisturizing treatments.

For example, No products found. has been specially formulated to treat dry hair, and will help you to prepare your tresses for the bleaching process if you use it after each shampoo for the next two weeks.

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And for an even deeper conditioning treatment, twice a week you’ll need to go all in with a moisturizing mask. Why not try Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque , which will promote stronger hair and growth?

This mask also combines certified natural and organic ingredients like biotin (great for thickness), aloe vera, honey, and a nourishing essential oil blend that includes rosemary, which all work together to help mend split ends and breakage.

Plus, Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque offers all hair types deep nourishment and radiance, even for chemically treated hair.

If you decide that you don’t want to opt for this mask, though, make sure that you choose one that contains either biotin, keratin, argan oil, or shea butter for the extra conditioning you’ll need to prepare your locks for bleaching.

And you should definitely not be tempted to skip this step before bleaching your hair, because the bleaching process is extremely harsh!

You’ll need to make sure that your freshly henna-faded hair is strong enough to deal with it.

The Final Hurdle

Your final hurdle, once you’ve spent the past two weeks deeply moisturizing your hair in preparation, will happen four hours before your bleaching treatment. To get your hair prepared for the actual bleach, you’ll need to apply coconut oil to your strands from the roots to the tips, leaving 2cm of growth, where you begin the bleaching application.

There won’t be any need to rinse it out beforehand, because coconut oil won’t interfere with the bleach. What it will do, though, is help to protect your hair strands from the color stripping process. It will also stop the strands from drying out from the aggression of the bleach.

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Just Call Your Stylist…

Of course, instead of following all of the above steps, which can seem like an overwhelming and daunting task to take on because of all the time it requires, you could simply just visit your salon and have your henna hair bleached by a professional.

Instead of following all of the above steps, which can seem like an overwhelming and daunting task to take on because of all the time it requires, you could simply just visit your salon and have your henna hair bleached by a professional.

Besides saving you a lot of time fading the henna, and the extra hassle of further deep conditioning for two weeks, you can rest assured that you won’t have to deal with hair loss as a result of having bleached your hair by yourself.