For those looking to make a dramatic change to their hair colour, Bleach London is considered one of the best salons to head to, with brick-and-mortar locations in both the UK capital and Los Angeles. But, the brand hasn’t forgotten its roots, which began at founder Alex Brownsell’s kitchen sink.
The session stylist and colourist (who has now collaborated with everyone from Gucci and Versace to Celine and Marc Jacobs) would dip-dye her friends’ hair in technicolour shades during the 2010s, creating one of the most coveted trends of the moment in the process. Before then, as a teenager, Brownsell cut her teeth working at her mum’s salon, where she would use her fledgling skills to rectify ‘bad box dye jobs’, done by clients at home. ‘No one ever seemed to get the results they wanted,’ she says. ‘Usually [getting] flat colours or darker shades than planned. So, from a young age, I got a sense there might be a problem in the market that needed fixing.’
Bleach London No Bleach hair dye
This is perhaps why Bleach London’s range of at-home products is so comprehensively thought-out when it comes to formulations. This includes its latest launch, which might just be its smartest to date. ‘No Bleach London’ is a range of seven box dyes that create permanent colour changes with absolutely no bleach whatsoever, thus minimising the damage to your hair without forgoing vibrancy and longevity.
‘When we switched our focus from bleach and tone and semi-permanent colour products to permanent colour products, we noticed that no permanent hair dyes were made for transforming your colour. Box kits are typically focused on colour matching and covering greys. Yet 48 per cent of the UK population has brown hair and needs a product that will transform their colour without the use of bleach. This range addresses that gap, it's for those who want all of the colour but none of the bleach,’ says Brownsell.
It may sound too good to be true, but Brownsell took around three years to develop this unique formula, and the proof is in the science. The No Bleach range is split into ‘Go Lighter’ or ‘Go Darker’ formulas, with the developer that the colour is paired with determining whether it will darken or lighten your hair. ‘A high level of developer will be too powerful to darken hair and a low level will be too weak to lighten hair, meaning customers will get disappointing results,’ says Brownsell. ‘By tailoring our range, we have been able to pair the right developer with the right pigment to ensure great results. This is something we don’t see any market leaders doing and it’s the main reason so many people don’t get the colour they want from box kits.’
In addition, two different kinds of pigments have been combined in the dyes. ‘There is a traditional permanent colour pigment that will penetrate and lock in deeper into the hair to ensure longevity of colour and there is direct dye pigment that will attach itself to the outer layers of the hair shaft, to add extra vibrancy to the shade,’ says Brownsell. The dyes are also vegan, containing the likes of ‘Hero Sea Silk’, an extract from red algae that restores hair fibres, and cocamide, a rich emollient that adds iridescent to the colour and deep conditions.
The shades themselves span blonde, brown, red, and black. Brownsell drew inspiration from the likes of Sharon Tate, Priscilla Presley, FKA Twigs and Bella Baxter from Poor Things when creating the colours. ‘We also looked at the contemporary colour trends we see in our salons or my session work with fashion clients,’ she says. ‘We aimed to offer modern, trend-led shades that were missing from the market. If I had to describe the colour shades, I would say they’re truly dimensional. Each has been designed to deliver the depth, richness and reflection specific to that shade.’
The kits come with different instructions for ‘Go Darker’ and ‘Go Lighter’ shades, so even for at-home first-timers, the application is pretty foolproof. Although, Brownsell has some additional tips. ‘I often see people not using enough product when colouring their own hair. Use plenty of product! Ensure your hair is fully saturated and you’ll get a beautiful result,’ she says. ‘Using a Super Cool Colour as a second step is a great way to customise a shade and we have lots of existing shades that work well with our permanent range. For example, Tangerine Dream will add extra vibrancy to Natural Copper. You can also pair White Heat with Natural Blonde, or I Saw Red with Vivid Red.’
Bleach London is planning to expand the No Bleach colour range, too. ‘We have a long list of dream colours in the works. We’d love to further expand the range in line with customer feedback and trends, creating a definitive permanent range that works for all ages and hair types, cementing our position as a truly modern force in the market and removing the traditional stigma around box dyes (both with bleach and without).’
Bleach London No Bleach hair dyes are available now.
