How to Mix Bleach Cream With an Activator (for Face and Body)

Co-authored by Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: February 12, 2021 References

If you’re trying to lighten your body hair or dark spots on your face, you may have come across a bleach cream kit. These kits usually come with bleach cream, a powder activator, a small bowl, and a plastic spatula. Mixing the bleach and the activator together is a very important step, and it can mean the difference between actually lightening and not getting any results at all. Make sure you follow the directions for your specific kit carefully for a safe and gentle bleaching.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Combining Ingredients

1
Read the instructions on your bleach cream carefully. Every bleach cream is slightly different, and yours might need a little bit more or less activator powder. Take a few minutes to go through the instructions to make sure you’re using your bleach cream correctly.^{[1]
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- If you’re trying to lighten dark spots on your skin, make sure you’re using a skin-safe bleaching cream. Topical steroids and products containing azelaic acid are safe for your skin, but many countries require a doctor’s prescription for them.^{[2]
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- Keep in mind that the darker your natural skin tone, avoid using bleaching creams that contain hydroquinone, as it may cause irreversible skin darkening.^{[3]
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  Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  Expert Interview. 15 May 2020.}
2
Wash your skin with soap and water and pat it dry. Dirt, moisture, and oils on your skin may prevent the bleach from working properly. Use a mild cleanser to wash the skin, rinse it with cold water, and pat your skin dry.^{[4]
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- Generally, you can use bleaching creams on your leg hair, arm hair, and upper lip hair. Never use bleaching cream on your eyebrows or anywhere close to your eyes to avoid irritation.
- If your skin is swollen or broken, don’t use bleach cream on it.^{[5]
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3
Use the enclosed mixing cup or a plastic bowl for mixing. Never use a metal bowl to mix bleach cream—bleach is corrosive and it can stain or damage any metal. Instead, use the mixing cup that the package came with or grab a plastic bowl.^{[6]
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- You can find hair dyeing bowls at most beauty supply stores for around $1.
4
Pour the powder activator into the measuring cup. Open up the powder activator carefully, and try not to spill any on the ground. Dump the powder into the mixing cup until it reaches the right measurement mark (for most kits, that will be around 5 mL).^{[7]
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- Again, every bleaching treatment is different. If your instructions tell you to pour the activator to a different measurement line, do that!
- If you’re using a plain plastic bowl without measurement lines, you can measure your bleach and activator using a kitchen scale.
5
Squeeze the cream bleach into the measuring cup. Open the tube of bleaching cream and squeeze it on top of the activator powder. Use a plastic spatula to level out the cream, and keep squeezing until your mixture reaches the right mark (for most kits, that will be around 15 mL).^{[8]
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- While most bleach cream kits ask for a 2:1 ratio, some may require a 1:1 ratio. Read the instructions carefully and follow the directions for your specific kit.
6
Stir the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy. Use a plastic spatula to gently mix your ingredients together for about 1 minute. When you’re done mixing, the bleach should look smooth and it shouldn’t have any lumps or bumps in it.^{[9]
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- Bleach cream is a little bit thick, so it won’t be runny or watery.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Applying and Rinsing

1
Use the plastic spatula to spread a layer of bleach onto your skin. Pick out the area that you’d like to lighten, then grab a glob of bleach with the plastic spatula. Spread a thick layer onto the area, making sure everything is covered.^{[10]
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- Make sure the bleach is spread pretty thick! If it’s too thin, it may not work well.
2
Read the instructions to see how long to leave your cream on. Usually, it will be between 5 and 15 minutes. Set a timer so you don’t lose track of time, and be sure to rinse the bleach cream off right away to prevent irritation.^{[11]
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- Leaving bleach cream on your skin for too long can cause redness, dryness, or a rash.
3
Throw away any leftover bleach and rinse out the bowl and spatula. Unfortunately, bleach cream can’t be saved once it’s been mixed up. Dump any unused bleach mixture into the trash, and rinse out your tools with warm water.^{[12]
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- Bleach starts to dry out once it hits the air, so it won’t stay good for very long.
- Save the cup and the spatula just in case you’d like to bleach your hair or skin again. Sometimes, it takes more than one treatment to get your desired results.
4
Rinse the bleach cream off your skin with cool water. When the timer goes off, head to the sink right away. Run cool water over your skin until all the bleaching cream is gone, then pat your skin dry with a towel.^{[13]
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- If your skin feels dry, use a fragrance-free moisturizer to hydrate and soothe it.
- If you do want to bleach your skin or hair again, wait at least 24 hours. Bleaching more than once in a day can cause irritation.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What is the best bleaching cream to use?

Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Dr. Margareth Pierre-Louis is a board certified Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist, Physician Entrepreneur, and the Founder of Twin Cities Dermatology Center and Equation Skin Care in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twin Cities Dermatology Center is a comprehensive dermatology clinic treating patients of all ages through clinical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and telemedicine. Equation Skin Care was created to provide the best in evidence-based, natural skin care products. Dr. Pierre-Louis earned a BS in Biology and an MBA from Duke University, an MD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completed a residency in dermatology at the University of Minnesota, and completed a dermatopathology fellowship at Washington University in St Louis. Dr. Pierre-Louis is board certified in dermatology, cutaneous surgery, and dermatopathology by the American Boards of Dermatology and Pathology.

Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD

Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

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There are some agents that seem to be well-tolerated without causing adverse skin reactions, like kojic acid, tranexamic acid, and ascorbic acid. However, if you have a darker skin tone, stay away from hydroquinone, because that seems to make the skin irreversibly dark in darker skin tones.
Question

How can I make bleaching cream more effective?

Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Dr. Margareth Pierre-Louis is a board certified Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist, Physician Entrepreneur, and the Founder of Twin Cities Dermatology Center and Equation Skin Care in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twin Cities Dermatology Center is a comprehensive dermatology clinic treating patients of all ages through clinical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and telemedicine. Equation Skin Care was created to provide the best in evidence-based, natural skin care products. Dr. Pierre-Louis earned a BS in Biology and an MBA from Duke University, an MD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completed a residency in dermatology at the University of Minnesota, and completed a dermatopathology fellowship at Washington University in St Louis. Dr. Pierre-Louis is board certified in dermatology, cutaneous surgery, and dermatopathology by the American Boards of Dermatology and Pathology.

Margareth Pierre-Louis, MD

Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

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Make sure you're also using a good sunscreen. That will keep the tanning effects of the sun off of the darker pigment in your skin.

Warnings

Never buy a skin or hair lightening product made in another country. These have been found to contain dangerous chemicals, like mercury.^{[14]
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