HOW TO REPAIR AND CARE FOR DAMAGED BLEACHED HAIR

We've all wanted bleached hair at some point. After all, blondes do have more fun, right?

However, going blonde also requires maintenance to keep your strands looking vibrant and healthy. Dark roots and stubborn orange tones are all too familiar to blondes who lighten or dye their hair.

Whether you want the platinum blonde look, you’re going lighter for summer, or you’d like a gorgeous surf-girl halo, bleached hair requires proper hair care.

If you want to repair your bleached hair or just read up on bleached hair care before going lighter, we've got a cheat sheet on how to keep your locks looking healthy.

Why does bleached hair need extra care?

It’s easy to gradually lighten your hair, but bleaching your hair can cause damage.

This is because the bleaching agent dissolves your natural melanin to ‘lift’ your hair’s natural colour. The issue with this is that the bleaching process also strips your hair’s natural protective oils along with the pigment, which can leave you with fragile, dry hair.

The bleaching process can also raise your hair’s cuticle, making each strand very porous – it’s why bleached hair often becomes brittle and knotty. On the flip side, if your hair is fine in texture and low in density, you may enjoy the feeling of all that extra volume!

How to look after bleached hair

The old saying rings true here - prevention is always better than cure. Professional hairdressers typically recommend using a hair mask every other night for two weeks in the run-up to a bleaching appointment, along with a decent trim.

Keeping up regular trim appointments is important too, as the recommended time frame between salon visits is every 4 weeks for damaged, over-processed hair. Regular trims will also help to cut down on any associated frizziness and split ends.

The good news is with the proper love and care, you don't need to compromise. You can go lighter without compromising your hair’s vitality and strength; healthy-looking bleached hair is totally achievable.

How to hydrate bleached hair

To keep your bleached locks feeling soft and moisturised, you’re going to need more than just a regular shampoo and conditioner.

• Swap your regular products for our Blonde+ Repair range. This caring trio consists of pre-shampoo treatment, shampoo and conditioner, which are expertly-formulated to care for damaged blonde hair. These products are made with patent-pending Bond Building Plex technology to repair, strengthen and nourish dry blonde hair. Inspired by salons and powered by science, this is our strongest blonde repair line yet. It creates a protective barrier that minimises hair fibre swelling and locks in moisture.
• Give your hair a break and practice putting down the blow dryer, letting hair air dry naturally once a week to really help improve its condition. If you do use heat to blow dry or style your hair, it’s important to use a heat protectant spray to minimise heat damage. 
• You don’t need to book into the salon for regular hair hydration, as at-home masks and deep conditioners can give a boost of much-needed nourishment.
• For blonde brightening and protection, check out our Go Blonder Intensive Repair Mask, which is proven to instantly brighten and protect damaged blonde and helps reverse surface damage in just one use

Protecting bleached hair in the sun

UV damage from days spent at the pool is another sure-fire way to damage luminous blonde locks.

• Before swimming, make sure to drench your hair in fresh water, run a small amount of deep conditioner through your lengths, and rinse thoroughly.
• During sunnier days, invest in a hair and scalp UV protection spray and liberally spray your hair - and remember your scalp, too, as the skin here can be particularly sensitive post-bleach.
• Additionally, when you spend too long basking in the sun, shore-side blonde hair can turn a warm brassy shade. If this happens to you, our Violet Crush Intensive Purple Shampoo reduces yellow and orange tones in one wash for a neutralised or ashy result.

The best styling products for bleached hair

A nourishing oil can not only act as a treatment for bleached hair, but can help to keep hair in place after using any hot styling tools. Try our Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Repairing Oil - it’s a luxurious, deeply-nourishing treatment which penetrates hair strands, and helps seal, protect, and smooth the hair cuticle to reduce the appearance of damage and split ends.

If you’re a fan of beachy waves and tend to use too much salt spray, then try using the product in combination with a little leave-in conditioner to help moisturise and prevent dry, crispy ends. We recommend using our Detox & Repair Care & Protect Spray, which strengthens and protects hair from future breakage and split ends.