It’s no secret that bleaching is one of the most–if not the most–damaging things you can do to your hair. Bleach is an extremely harsh chemical that dries out your hair, leaving it brittle and vulnerable to breakage, fallout, and split ends.
Nevertheless, bleaching is still a very popular treatment among women who are committed to lightening their hair no matter what it takes. There’s nothing you can do to completely reverse the damage that bleach inflicts on your hair. Bleaching your hair regularly is always a risk. However, there are ways to minimize bleach damage in your hair to achieve the bright, shiny blonde look you want without a dry, brittle finish.
1. Restore Moisture
When you bleach your hair, your goal is to lighten it. You don’t want to turn it into a mess of dry strands that looks like it belongs on a scarecrow. Bleach sucks the moisture out of your hair like nothing else. One of the most important parts of taking care of artificial blonde hair is restoring the natural moisture that the bleach strips away.
An effective way to re-moisturize your hair is to use a moisture-rich shampoo. Moisturizing shampoos hydrate and restore the elasticity of your hair. The result is a natural, shiny finish that doesn’t look brittle or dry. If you have thin or oily hair and are worried about added moisture making it limp, try alternating between protein- and moisture-infused shampoos. Shampoos with protein add shine and strength to your hair without piling on oil.
2. Limit Heat Styling
Heat styling and bleaching are both top contenders for causing hair damage. Like bleach, heat styling dries out your hair and causes breakage, split ends, and brittleness.
If you can’t fathom going out without running a flat iron through your hair, you’re not alone. However, if you bleach your hair regularly, you should explore daily styling options that don’t involve heat. Save your straightener and curing iron for special occasions.
3. Stick to the Roots
Bleach creates such a harsh contrast between your natural roots and your bleached ends that root growth becomes very obvious very quickly. Most devoted artificial blondes head to the salon every three to four weeks for a touch-up. When you refresh your roots with bleach, make sure that you are only bleaching your visible roots.
Re-bleaching all of your hair from roots to ends every month does not give your hair any time to rest between treatments. Such frequent bleaching leaves your strands even more brittle and prone to fallout. If you notice that your bleached ends are developing a dull or brassy finish, piling more bleach on top of them is not the best way to achieve the bright, light finish you want. Restoring moisture to your hair and toning it with purple shampoo are both healthier ways to add shine and brightness without the damage.
