Nova Hair The 613 Bleach Test, Explained (and Why We Film It)
If you buy wholesale hair, the bleach test is the single most reliable quality check that exists. It takes an hour, costs a few dollars, and exposes almost every trick used to disguise processed hair.
The protocol
- Take a strand or small weft from the bundle — from the middle, not the edge.
- Apply bleach with 30–40 volume developer.
- Wait 45–60 minutes, checking every 15–20 minutes.
- Wash, condition, and air-dry.
Reading the result
Pass: the hair reaches an even #613 blonde. No dark strands, no gummy patches. After washing it still feels soft and combs through without breakage.
Fail — dark strands that won’t lift: the bundle contains filler hair (often synthetic or mixed origin).
Fail — gummy, stretchy, melting: the hair was chemically processed and the coating just came off.
Fail — brassy orange that stalls: heavily colored or low-grade hair; it may reach blonde eventually but the damage will show.
Why one unedited take matters
A bleach test with jump cuts proves nothing — the strand you see at the end may not be the strand at the start. That’s why we film ours in one continuous take, with the developer volume and a timer on screen, and why we’ll run it live on a video call for any serious buyer before they pay.
Ask your current vendor for the same. If they hesitate, you have your answer.