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.

Image via Imaxtree

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