Rule of thumb: at-home bleaching generally should not exceed 45 minutes. If you think keeping the bleach on for an extra fifteen minutes will lead to a brighter blonde, you're in for a disappointment. After 45 minutes, the bleach will stop lifting up your hair color and will start cooking your strands. This may leave your hair super dry, brittle, or worse, cause hair fallout.

A pro-tip to keep in mind: Apply the bleach an inch away from the scalp for the first 30 minutes and apply it on the roots after. Your roots are much more virgin which makes it easier and faster to bleach — they typically only need 15 minutes or so. Don't forget to check your hair every 10 minutes throughout the process.

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Once upon a time, a girl applied bleach, rinsed it, and saw a patchy, dark rusty orange mane. And so she concocted another bleach mixture and applied it to her hair right then and there. She did it a few more times on the SAME week until her hair was as light as the inside of a banana... unfortunately, it was also gummy and brittle (basically murdered). A tragedy based on a true story. RIP, beautiful hair.

That's why you should have a realistic idea for the outcome. It's impossible to instantly go light, especially when you're working with black hair. Double processing your hair without giving it time to heal will only damage it — sometimes irreparably (emergency pixie cut, anyone?). So, if you really want to go platinum, be sure to give yourself some time between bleaching sessions. While you wait, baby it with coconut oil. Going light needs a lot of patience, honey.

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Another misconception about hair bleaching is achieving that Daenerys Targaryen mane with bleach alone. That's not so, particularly for darker shades. Black hair, for example, is actually made with red and yellow pigments — so when you bleach it, these pigments will fade, leaving your hair red, orange, or yellow. To remove this brassy color, you've got to tone it with a purple shampoo and a toner.

Note that there are different toners for different shades. If you get the lightest one and use it on your orange hair, it might not work. Again, research and manage your expectations to avoid disappointments and damages.

Try: Wella Color Charm Permanent Liquid Toner T18 with CC Cream 20 Developer, $11.99