For a long time, frosted tips were a long-gone fad. But recent trends have revealed that the frosty look is back in! If you want to know how to do frosted tips on your hair, you’re in luck. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to get professional-level frosted tips right at home. Let’s get right into it!
Table of Contents
Gather Your Materials
Before you begin, it’s always a good idea to grab all the materials you’ll need to create the look. Doing so will ensure you won’t have to stop and go for a supply run in the middle of your dye session.
Here are the supplies you’ll need to get things done right:
- Frosting cap
- Wide-tooth comb or paddle brush
- Bleach
- 20 or 30-vol developer
- Plastic spoon or dye mixer
- Latex gloves
- Neutralizing Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Mixing bowl (non-metal) and tinting brush
Note on developer: If you're wondering which developer strength you’ll need, the answer is that it depends. In most cases, you can get by with a 20-volume developer. It’s enough to lift the hair by up to 9 levels in one bleach session. A 30-volume developer is more likely to damage your hair, given that it contains more peroxide, but it’ll lift your hair faster. Use 30-volume developer with bleach only if you have a lot of experience bleaching your hair at home and your hair is in great condition healthwise.
How to Do Frosted Tips at Home
Now that you have all the supplies for the job, you’re ready to get down to business. It’s time to get coloring. In this section, we’ll give you step-by-step instructions on how to get the best results.
Prepare Your Space
During the bleaching process, it’s reasonably guaranteed that you’re going to get bleach everywhere. To reduce the mess, put towels or newspapers on your counters and the floor.
Then put a towel on your shoulders to protect your neck. It could also help to put on clothes you don’t mind staining. Also, don’t forget about the room you’re bleaching your hair in.
You don’t want to use strong chemicals in a room that doesn’t get enough airflow. Turn on your bathroom fan, bring a fan into the room, or open a window to minimize the amount of bleach you inhale throughout the process.
Separate the Hair to Be Frosted
Since frosting your tips doesn't involve dyeing all your hair, you’ll have to separate the hair you want to bleach. You’ll do this with a frosting cap, which is a cap with holes that you’ll pull sections of hair through.
To use your frosting cap, you’ll go through the following steps:
- Comb or brush your hair backward after ensuring that it’s knot free. If your hair is prone to tangles or is matted, take your time with the detangling process and use a detangling spray as needed.
- Put the frosting cap on your head like you would a hat. You’ll start by pulling it over the front of your head and then over the back. Some of your hair may come out of the sides and back of the cap, and that’s fine.
- Secure the cap in place by tying the straps underneath your chin. Ensure that the front of the cap hugs the front of your head.
Pull Sections of Hair Through the Frosting Cap Holes
With your cap on securely, grab the hook that came with your frosting cap and begin pulling strands of hair through the holes in the cap. You won’t start at the back - begin at the front instead.
Here are a few tips to ensure you end up with nice, even results:
- When you stick the hook into a hole, ensure it touches your scalp.
- Only grab small sections of your hair.
- Grab the right amount of hair depending on the look you’re going for. For lots of frosted tips, pull hair out of every hole in the cap. For more understated ones, skip a few holes here and there.
Detangle the Hair You Just Pulled Out
If you pay close attention, you’ll realize that your sections may not have come out perfectly. So, with a fine-toothed comb, gently detangle the hair. If you skip this step, your results may be uneven.
Bleach the Tips of Your Hair
Here’s the fun part - bleaching. Before you get started, you’ll have to mix up your bleach according to the instructions on the packaging.
They’ll likely tell you to mix the bleach powder with the developer using a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. The 1:2 ratio will give you quicker and lighter results than the 1:1 ratio. Don't forget to put on your gloves before touching any chemicals.
When your bleach is mixed up, you’re ready to apply it to your hair. Take each section of hair you pulled through the frosting cap and apply the bleach. You’ll apply the bleach to at least ½ inch of hair. You may bleach more if you want a bolder look.
We recommend using a tinting brush rather than your fingers for max control.
But if you’re having a rough time with the tool, you can use your fingers. Either way, don’t take too long to get the bleach on. Getting it on quickly is one of the best ways to avoid patchy results.
Wait for the Bleach to Process
With your tips all covered in bleach, it’s time to wait for the bleach to process. In most cases, a processing time of about 20 - 30 minutes will result in the amount of lift you’re looking for.
But it’s always good to check your progress while the bleach is on your hair.
Every 5 to 10 minutes, you can wipe the bleach off a section of hair and look closely at it. If you don’t see the amount of lift you’re looking for, put more bleach on that section and allow it to process for a few minutes before rechecking it.
Rinse, Shampoo, and Condition
You’re all done with the harsh chemicals, so you can breathe a sigh of relief. When you achieve the level of lightening you want, rinse the bleach out (with the frosting cap still on). Though you just bleached your tips, it’s still vital to ensure that all the bleach is out. So, take your time as you rinse - it could take several minutes.
Use a neutralizing shampoo to bring your hair’s pH levels back to a normal level. If you don’t have neutralizing shampoo, that’s okay. Use your favorite shampoo or any other shampoo you have lying around. Leave your frosting cap on for this part.
Once your hair is clean and bleach-free, take off the frosting cap and use a conditioner to replenish your hair’s moisture levels. Follow the instructions on your conditioner for the best results.
In most cases, you’ll apply the conditioner to damp hair, leave it on for 3-5 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly. If your ends feel dry after conditioning, you can use a deep conditioner.
After this step, you should have frosted tips you’ll be excited to show off!
So, there you have it - the ins and outs on how to do frosted tips on your own hair. If you follow our instructions to the T, you're sure to achieve the look you're going for.
And if you don't, we recommend speaking to, or going to, a colorist in your area for further direction. They'll be able to steer you in the right direction. We hope you found this article helpful and wish you the best with your new hair color!
