How do you moisturize hair that’s been bleached or coloured and recoloured? The scalp is dry as well!

For a long time we thought that having healthy hair after bleaching is an unattainable contradiction. If you decide to opt for an occasional coloring session, it is important to stress to your stylist to never ever touch bleach. However, this was also the reason that the lightest color that one could be achieved was only dark caramel. Hence, the desire to go blonde was too strong for many of us and eventually we gave in.

bleaching hair

But, if you’ve done your research properly and surprisingly your hair might be in nice shape right now. This could be due to your professional colorists of course, who were able to provide you with plenty of tips. However, you should also be sure that you will take care of your hair as if it were insured. A proper maintenance routine can help reverse the negative effects caused by bleaching, even after the repeated sessions. However, this will require more commitment of time and possibly a larger investment in the product on your part.

Here are some suggestions to keep bleached hair in good health.

1. Stop using the hot tool for at least one month.

Although we often rely on heat to style beautiful hair, it will be beneficial in the long run to wait at least one month. The naturally occurring fatty acids that reside on the hair shaft are broken down by the bleach, which is why you must wear your natural hair texture in order to allow your hair to recover. If you use high-temperature heat tools on bleached hair will certainly expose the hair to further damage. If you must blow-dry your hair, or employ other styling tools that are hot, make sure you apply a heat protector or reduce the settings as low as you can and do it quickly.

2. Use a bond-building hair product each time you shower.

The instant instinct you have when you notice straw-like hair strands is to apply a hair mask; however, keep in mind that the majority treatment of hair contains proteins as well as silicone and oils. These ingredients aren’t always harmful to hair, but if they are used excessively, they could be. They can coat hair and make it brittle and weigh down. In time, as the coating is gone and the damage reappears.

Contrary to other hair treatments that add shine and moisture to the outer layer of hair, bonds-building treatment functions at the molecular level to repair broken disulfide bonds that constitute the hair. If you’ve got bleach-blonde acquaintances, it’s likely that you’ve been familiar with Olaplex, a very popular patented technology that works on the inner layer of the hair, to relink and strengthen disulfide bonds that have been broken which makes hair more healthy until damage occurs again. If you’re not ready to spend a lot on the whole routine, we suggest beginning with No.3 Hair Perfector that is intended to be applied as a pre-poo treatment prior to shampooing.

Remember that you don’t need to buy all of these products for bond-building in one go (pick those that suit your lifestyle the best) It’s definitely worthwhile to upgrade your current collection even if you’re not using any bond-building products already.

3. Apply hot oil treatments to your scalp at least once a week.

Your hair’s strands aren’t the only thing being affected by the harmful consequences of the bleach. If you’ve experienced a sensation of heat or tingling on your scalp after the coloring process, it’s an indication of exposure to bleach. Bleaching is made up of an alkaline agent which opens the cuticle of your hair. The oxidative agent that enters the hair’s cortex will dissolve the natural melanin in your hair (your hair’s natural shade). Once this process is completed, it can cause a chemical burning sensation to the scalp.

While “chemical burn” sounds worse than it really is, there is a likelihood that you’ll notice dry, flaky hair following the treatment. It is possible to distinguish it from dandruff by the fact that the flakes will look like white specks falling down in tiny dust particles while dandruff is a chunky, yellow shade material.

The most effective way to combat this is to use an oil-based scalp treatment that contains natural oils to replenish the loss of moisture. It’s even better when it’s heated. The application of a hot oil treatment to your scalp will increase blood flow and help release the dry, flaky skin on top of your scalp, leaving the scalp refreshed and hydrated after it’s washed. Additionally, it can have benefits for hair also. A well-executed hot oil treatment for hair, with a scalp massage, and enough time to allow the oil to penetrate into the scalp and hair. The finishing results will be smooth, shiny hair once dried and washed.

4. Apply conditioners that leave in your ends on a daily basis.

Similar to how you apply sunscreen on your face to protect it from UV damage, you’ll want to invest by purchasing a conditioner to safeguard your hair from damage caused by environmental factors all day. Your ends are among the most fragile and weakest and therefore it is essential to protect them by using the nourishing moisturizer, serum or oil, after coloring.

5 Trim your hair regularly at least every 6-12 weeks.

Bleach causes dryness that will eventually lead to the cause of split ends. If you’re looking to keep an appropriate length using bleached hair, then you’re going to be required to schedule regular haircuts. Hair cuts aren’t a way to increase hair growth per se but they can assist in growing your hair longer since they can eliminate split ends.

When you have split ends and it goes up the hair fiber, much like a tear within your stockings. If you don’t cut it immediately, the split can either break the hair completely or extend up to your root. In either case it will end up needing a shorter hair trim.

This is where things get quite tricky. There’s no standard number to determine how often you should trim off your locks (sorry!). The general rule is every six to twelve weeks. The exact frequency will vary depending on factors such as frequency of styling, and the hair type (fine hair can be susceptible for breakage).