Pro tip: check your bleach powder before you start a full head highlight

I was in my booth at Shear Magic in Omaha, halfway through mixing my lightener for a client's highlights. The powder felt weirdly clumpy, and when I checked the date on the tub, it was from over a year ago. I had to stop everything, apologize to my client, and run to the supply closet for a fresh batch. It set us back about 20 minutes and totally threw off my timing. Has anyone else had a product just fail on them mid-service like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

noahc1418d ago

Ugh, I keep a sealed backup tub for exactly this reason (learned the hard way).

danielr9418d ago

Okay, but is expired bleach powder actually dangerous or just less effective? I've used old lightener in a pinch (not a full head, just a touch-up) and it still lifted, just slower. Setting you back 20 minutes is annoying, but calling it a total failure seems a bit much.

shaneb167d ago

Honestly, it's playing with fire. That slower lift means uneven processing, which can seriously fry some sections while others barely budge. I've seen it turn hair to mush because the active part goes weird and unpredictable. Saving twenty minutes isn't worth wrecking someone's hair.