Bleaching Knots Like a Pro - Everything You Need to Know

Bleach the Knots on a Wig

If you want your wig to look like it’s growing from your scalp, bleaching the knots is one of the best things you can do. Unfortunately, bleaching wig knots can be challenging, especially if you’re new to the process. This is because bleach works fast and permanently alters your wig. There’s a lot of room for error, but with the right guidance, you can master this technique.

This is the ultimate guide to bleaching wig knots, where you’ll get all of your questions answered. By the end of this guide, you’ll have the information and confidence you need to bleach your wig’s knots like a pro!

What are Wig Knots?

Wig knots are knots that appear where each hair strand is tied onto a wig’s lace cap. These knots help to keep the hair secure to the lace, preventing hair fallout and excessive shedding. Incase you weren’t aware, there are two types of wig knots: single knots and double knots. Let’s get familiar with both of these knots types below.

Single Knots

Single knots are knots made with one strand of hair, so they are the smallest knots you can get. The best thing about single knots is that they are barely noticeable, giving your wig hairline and part a very natural look. And as an added bonus, single knots are quicker and easier to bleach.

The downside with single knots is that they shed easily.

Double Knots

Double knots are knots made with two or more strands of hair. They are more noticeable than single knots and take a bit more effort to bleach than single knots. But, they are much stronger than single knots, so you can expect less shedding from a wig with double knots.

Often, wig makers design wigs with single knots around the hairline and double knots on the rest of lace. That way, you can get a natural-looking result without too much shedding.

Bleached Knots vs. Unbleached Knots

When deciding whether to bleach your knots or leave them unbleached, it’s important to know what you’re getting into. There are several differences between bleached knots and unbleached knots that you should know about.

Bleached Knots

A wig with bleached knots will look very natural right out of the package. The bleached knots will take on a color similar to your skin. So, when you put the wig on your head, it will look like the wig hair is growing from your scalp. That’s the main benefit of bleached knots.

On the other hand, bleached knots can make your knots weaker, and when your knots are weak, they become more prone to shedding.

Unbleached Knots

Unbleached wig knots are strong and resistant to shedding. If you leave your knots unbleached, you won’t have to worry about excessive shedding. But, at the same time, unbleached knots look like black dots and make your wig look unnatural.

What is Bleaching Knots?

Bleaching knots is a technique that wig wearers and manufacturers use to make the wig knots less noticeable. The bleach lightens the knots and helps them to blend in with the lace cap and your skin. While some find bleaching knots to be difficult, once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize that it’s much easier to do than you thought.

Why We Need to Bleach Knots on a Wig

To make your wig look more realistic, you need to bleach the knots. The knots on dark wigs are extremely noticeable when they’re not bleached, giving away the fact that the wig is not your real hair.

Some people try to disguise the knots with makeup and sprays, but they don’t camouflage wig knots like bleach can.

The Products and Tools You need to Bleach Knots

To get through the knot bleaching process, you need to make sure that you’ve got all of the necessary products and tools. Keep reading to make sure that your shopping list is complete:

• Plastic Bag
• Bleaching Powder
• 20 or 30 volume creme developer
• Tinting brush
• Aluminum foil
• Mixing bowl
• Alligator clips
• Brush
• Gloves
• Mannequin Head (optional)
• T Clips (optional)
• Plastic cap (optional)
• Neutralizing Shampoo

Bleaching Knots on Wig Video Guide

Learn how to bleach knots on wig with Lovely Bryana and slay your wig to make it look flawless. 

 

How to Bleach Knots on Wig Step by Step

Now that you’ve got all the products and tools you need, it’s time to get to the best part, which is bleaching the knots! Continue reading for step-by-step instructions to get you through the process quickly and easily.

Step One: Prepare Your Wig

The first thing you need to do is prepare your wig for the bleaching process. To do that, follow the steps in this section.

No Mannequin Head

1. Put your wig on a table or counter. The lace should be facing down.
2. Spray the wig lightly with some water to dampen it.
3. Brush the baby hairs and flyaways toward the back, so you don’t accidentally get bleach on them.
4. Use alligator clips to hold the hair out of the way as you bleach the knots.
5. Turn your wig upside down and place it on top of the foil.

With Mannequin head

1. Put the wig on your mannequin head.
2. Lightly spray the wig with some water.
3. Brush the baby hairs away from the lace and clip the hair in place using alligator clips.
4. Take the wig off of the mannequin and turn it inside out.
5. Place the wig back on the mannequin head and use the T Pins to hold the wig in place.

Your wig is now ready for bleaching!

Step Two: Prepare the Bleach Mixture

Now that you’ve finished prepping your wig for bleaching, let’s get into preparing your bleach mix. It takes just a few minutes to get your mixture ready - use the steps below to mix it to perfection!

• Put on some gloves to protect your skin from the chemicals used in the process.
• Open up your bleach mixture and take out the included measuring cup - If your bleach doesn’t come with a measuring cup, use any measuring cup (don’t use it for cooking after you’ve used it for bleaching).
• Dispense some bleaching powder and add it to your mixing bowl. Use the following amounts if your bleach comes with a 1 ounce measuring cup:

○ Add two scoops for a lace frontal wig

○ Add four to eight scoops for a full lace or 360 frontal wig.

• Add some developer to the bleaching powder. The amount you add will depend on how much bleaching powder you added in the previous step. For every scoop of bleaching powder, add 2 tablespoons (one ounce) of developer. The standard mixing ratio for mixing bleach and developer is 1:1, which is one ounce of bleach powder and one ounce of developer.
• Use your tinting brush or a plastic spoon to stir the mixture thoroughly. Don’t stop mixing until the mixture is smooth and free of clumps.
• Use a spoon to scoop up a bit of the mixture and take a look at it. It should be thick (like cake frosting) so that it won’t seep through the lace when you apply it to the knots. If the mixture looks runny, add another half scoop of bleaching powder. If it looks dry, add a tablespoon of developer. Stir the mixture again and test the consistency before applying it to the lace.

What Developer Strength to Use

You have four choices when it comes to developer, and they are 10, 20, 30, and 40 volume. The higher the volume number, the lighter your knots will be and the quicker the bleach will process.

To ensure that your knots come out perfect, we recommend using a 20 or 30 volume developer.

However, if you have a lighter complexion, you may need to use a 40 volume developer to get the knots light enough.

Just keep in mind that the stronger the developer is, the more damage it may do to your knots.

Step Three: Apply the Mixture

If you’ve ever bleached or colored your hair, or someone else’s, you may be tempted to press the bleach into the lace. This is the WORST thing you can do! Use the below steps to apply the bleach correctly.

Apply the mixture to the lace with the tinting brush using a gentle dabbing motion. This will ensure that the bleach doesn’t go through the lace and bleach the roots of the hair.

If you don’t feel comfortable using the tinting brush, you can use a plastic spoon. Make sure that all of the lace is covered - you don’t want to miss any knots!

After your bleach is applied, cover the area in aluminum foil without pressing it into the bleach.

Then, check the knots every 10 minutes. To check the knots, carefully flip the wig over and see if the knots are still visible. If they are, put the aluminum foil back on the wig and allow the bleach to process for an additional five to ten minutes.

In most cases, the knots will be bleached in 15-30 minutes.

Step Four: Rinse, Wash and Care

Once there are no more black dots on your lace, it’s time to rinse, wash, and care for your wig. We’ll get into each of these topics in detail in the following sections:

Rinse

Rinse the bleach out thoroughly to remove as much bleach from the lace as possible. Hold the wig with the lace facing upwards and tilted to one side to allow the bleach to fall into the sink.

This will prevent the bleach from getting on the hair. Rinse the hair as well just in case the bleach manages to get on the hair.

You may need to rinse the hair for a couple of minutes to ensure that the bleach is out.

Wash

Immediately after rinsing the wig, massage in a generous amount of neutralizing shampoo to stop the bleach from processing. Even though the wig is thoroughly rinsed, any bleach that’s leftover could still be working, leading to overprocessed knots.

Make sure that the hair and the lace are covered in shampoo.

Rinse thoroughly and reapply the shampoo to the lace and hair. Allow the shampoo to sit for a few minutes and rinse.

Next, apply purple shampoo to the wig and lather it up. This will help to remove brassiness from the bleach. Then, rinse the wig thoroughly.

Care

Caring for your wig after bleaching the knots is so important, since the bleach can weaken the knots and the shampoo can dry out the hair.

Apply a moisturizing conditioner to your wig and knots and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing it out.

Step Five: Dry your Wig

When it comes to drying your wig, you have a couple of options.

For straight wigs, you can use a soft towel to dry it and then proceed with your normal wig styling process.

If you’ll be wearing your wig curly, apply a moisturizing cream on it and allow it to air-dry.

Say hello to your new bleached knots wig!

What To Do If You Over Bleach Your Knots?

If the bleach got onto your roots and turned them blonde, there’s no need to worry. You can fix over bleached knots with a couple of simple solutions.

Hair Dye

Find a hair dye that’s identical to the color of your wig and follow the below instructions:

1. Get a bowl, spoolie, and gloves.
2. Mix up the dye according to the instructions on the packaging.
3. Apply the dye directly to the overbleached hair with the spoolie. Take your time and apply it carefully so it doesn’t get on the lace. You don’t want your lace to get stained.
4. Allow the color to process for 20-30 minutes and then rinse.
5. Shampoo and condition the wig and you’re done!

Mascara

If you’re in a hurry, you can apply a little mascara to the roots of the wig. This will temporarily mask the overbleached areas so they won’t be noticeable. But, since this is not a permanent solution, you’ll have to reapply the mascara every time you wash your wig.

Alternative To Bleaching Knots

If the knot bleaching process seems to be too much for you, there are some alternatives you can consider.

Lace Tinting

Lace tinting refers to applying makeup to the underside of the lace to alter its color. Take the following steps to tint your lace:

1. Turn your wig inside out and place it on a Mannequin head.
2. Spray the lace with Got2B Glued spray or any other holding spray you have. Spray it until it’s visibly wet.
3. Use a blow dryer to dry the lace (use the cool setting so that you won’t damage the lace).
4. Apply a powder foundation all over the lace using a small makeup brush.
5. Put your wig on and then apply more foundation to the part. You can use a liquid or powder foundation.

Use a Pre Bleached Wig

Some wigs already come with pre-bleached knots. Though they may cost a bit more upfront than unbleached wigs, they’re great for anyone who isn’t comfortable bleaching their own knots. You’ll also save time and money on bleaching products.

But if you’re looking for the most natural wig there is, you need a Clear Lace Wig.

At XRS beauty, we offer high quality clear lace wigs with clean-bleach technology. They make your hairline look more natural than any other wig type on the market, including regular pre-bleached wigs. When you put the wig on, it’ll look like it’s actually melting into your skin - no plucking, bleaching, or makeup required! When you put on a clear lace wig, no one will believe it’s not your real hair.

If the thought of bleaching your wig’s knots makes you uncomfortable, you can go to a stylist and pay them to bleach your knots for you.

Bleaching Knots FAQ

How long should I leave bleach on my knots?

Leave bleach on your knots until they are no longer visible. In most cases, you should leave the bleach on for 15-30 minutes.

Do you pluck or bleach knots first?

Bleach the knots first and then pluck. It’s best to bleach the knots first, because some of the knots will be more resistant to the bleaching process than others. After the bleaching process, you may want to pluck those bleach-resistant knots.

Does bleaching knots cause shedding?

Bleaching knots can cause shedding because it weakens the hair’s internal bonds. Once those bonds are weakened, the hair is at an increased risk of shedding.

Can I bleach knots twice?

You can bleach the knots twice if the knots are still visible after the first bleaching session. But, keep in mind that the more time the bleach sits on your hair, the more shedding you may experience.

What is the best bleached wig?

The best bleached wigs you can get is XRS Beauty’s Clear Lace 13x6 Lace Front Wigs and Layed Edge Lace Wigs. It not only has clear lace with no visible knots, but it comes with a custom designed natural-looking hairline. It’s the best option for anyone who wants a wig that looks like 100% real hair growing from their scalp.

Conclusion

Bleaching the knots on your wig is one of the best ways to make a regular lace wig look more natural. And, with the right guidance and some effort on your part, you can do it from the comfort of your home.

Now that we've explained everything about how knot bleaching works, we hope that you are confident enough to bleach your own knots. It may be difficult at first, but it will become easier over time if you use this guide and practice.

Considering everything you learned in this guide, do you think bleaching knots is worth the effort? Or would you rather go for a pre-bleached wig? Let us know in the comments section!