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Bleached Hair | Expert Tips
If you take care of bleached hair, it can look shiny and healthy.
I’ve been working with hair for over 35 years, and in my experience, taking the time to think about how to take care of your bleached hair pays dividends.
Yes, it needs a little bit of extra care and attention. But let me reassure you the results are worth the effort.
In this blog, you’ll discover my expert tips on how to take care of bleached hair and fix damage.
How to Fix Bleach Damaged Hair | In 5 Steps
1. Get a Haircut
If your hair is badly damaged, getting rid of dry, damaged ends will stop the damage riding up the hair shaft. If your hair is bleach damaged or falling out, you may need a radical rethink. Talk to a professional stylist about the best style options to make hair look thicker.
2. Use a Deep Conditioner
Use Restore and Shine Hair Masque twice a week for two weeks. After that initial period, use the hair mask once a week to improve moisture and elasticity.
3. Condition Hair after Every Wash
Condition your hair every time you shampoo. This is non-negotiable. You have to regularly top up the moisture. Moisture loss in bleached hair is the primary cause of dull, dry hair. using a conditioner or deep conditioner every time you wash your hair will support moisture maintenance.
4. Reduce Heated Styling
Use a hairdryer on a low setting and avoid using other heated styling appliances. If you can, let your hair air dry. Use leave-in conditioners before styling to give hair an extra moisture boost.
5. Give your Hair time to Recover
Give your hair the space to recover and take professional advice before colouring or bleaching again.
Taking Care of Bleached Hair | Overview
You may have found my blog because you are looking for the best hair mask for bleached hair or wondering how to fix hair damaged from over-bleaching. Perhaps you want to know how you get your bleached hair to look shiny and feel healthy.
Whatever your question, keep reading to discover the best advice for looking after bleached hair and fixing bleach-damaged hair.
A good starting point in understanding how to take care of bleached hair is to consider the impact of styling or colouring treatments. Here’s why. My philosophy is that for *your* hair to look its best, you have to put back what you take out.
What do I mean by putting back what you take out? The process of chemical treatments is drying. That means if we are reducing the moisture levels by bleaching hair, this is taking out moisture from your hair. In this instance, putting back is about restoring moisture to your hair. That’s why a deep conditioner is essential for bleached hair.
Add heated styling into the mix, and you exacerbate dry hair, causing further problems with dryness and breakage.
I have worked with hair throughout my career, and in this, my ultimate guide to taking care of bleached hair, I’ll share the experience and knowledge I’ve gained.
Discover my tips on how to take care of bleached hair. Plus, discover tips and advice on how you can tame frizz and breakage to achieve shiny, silky hair.
What Happens when You Bleach Hair?
- Hair is treated with a chemical (bleach) to open the hair cuticle.
- The bleach destroys the natural pigment of the hair.
- The dark pigment disappears, and bleached blonde is the result.
It’s worth understanding a couple of things about the structure of your hair. Firstly, the outer layer of hair, the cuticle, is made up of tiny scales. Secondly, those scales protect your cortex, the centre of your hair, which holds moisture.
Whenever we open the hair cuticle, the cortex loses moisture. That means the hair becomes more porous, making it harder for hair to retain moisture. Unfortunately, that does mean bleaching your hair can leave it feeling dry and brittle.
Here’s a little test for you. Try taking a small section of hair between your thumb and finger; feel the texture of your hair.
If your hair feels slightly rough to the touch, it needs moisture. Hair that retains moisture has a slippery, silky texture.
If you’re not feeling that slippery, silky texture, I’d like to reassure you that you can achieve it. It does take some commitment. But, in my experience, it’s worth the effort.
Below, you’ll find my exclusive tips on taking care of bleached hair. You’ll find my tips on creating your own healthy hair routine and setting yourself the goal of achieving soft, shiny bleached hair.
How can I add Moisture to my Hair after Bleaching?
All chemical processes reduce the moisture in your hair. However, bleaching is harsher than other colour treatments. That’s because we bleach hair by removing its pigment, leaving it at risk of becoming dry and brittle.
My simple but effective mantra to combat the effects of bleaching is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate your hair.
It’s not just about using a deep conditioner now and then. It’s vital to get the most from your hair product. How you use your hair products is essential to improving the condition and texture of your hair.
Read my exclusive bleached hair tips for deep conditioning and discover how to get the most from your deep conditioner and how to ditch dry, brittle hair for soft, silky hair.
Bleached Hair | Tips for Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning treatments are not a one-off event, especially for bleached hair.
The best comparison I can give is your skin. Do you moisturise your skin every day? I’m guessing that the answer for most of us is yes. Similarly, we wouldn’t skip moisturiser because our skin doesn’t feel dry. Because we know that if we stop, it will become dry.
It’s the same for hair, except most hair doesn’t need moisture every day. But it does need it regularly. For bleached hair, I recommend treating hair with a deep conditioner once a week every week.
It’s best not to overload bleached hair with too much deep conditioner at once.
If your hair is more porous because of bleaching, it may feel that no matter how much product you use, it’s never enough. However, overloading your hair doesn’t fix the problem. Whilst porous hair soaks up moisture, the downside is that it loses it quickly too. What hair needs is routine. A good routine with a regular moisture boost from a deep conditioner is the best way of maintaining moisture levels. Getting your hair into the best condition does take some time and patience.
Little and often works best.
Before you apply deep conditioner, work up the product in the palm of your hands.
Warming up the product can give you an even spread on the hair. Gently layering the Restore and Shine Hair Masque on your hair and leaving it for a couple of hours gets the best results every time.
Do this every week to restore shine and health to your bleached hair.
Bleached Hair | 5 Essential Hair Care Ingredients
There’s a lot of noise about the ingredients you shouldn’t use on your hair, for example, silicones and alcohol denat. I agree that silicones and alcohol denat can be drying for bleached hair, so I don’t include them in my product range.
However, I LOVE to shout about some of my favourite ingredients. The ones that work hard to add moisture and, vitally for bleached hair, help to retain moisture.
1. Pro Vitamin B5
Pro Vitamin B5 is the superhero of healthy hair ingredients. It’s proven to get moisture to the hair’s core which is essential for bleached hair. Pro Vitamin B5 improves hair elasticity to reduce breakage
2. Glycerin
Glycerin prevents moisture loss, so it works in partnership with pro-vitamin b5 to maintain the moisture levels in hair whilst fighting frizz at the same time. Essential for bleached hair
3. Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol, not to be confused with ethyl alcohol (alcohol denat). As a natural fat, if you were to rub it between your fingers, it would have a creamy texture. It’s an emollient in high-end skin care because of its ability to soften and smooth. I use it in my hair care range to soften and smooth the cuticle. When hair is bleached, the cuticle becomes rough. Cetearyl alcohol helps to smooth and seal the cuticle, helping to lock in moisture and add shine.
4. Avocado
Avocado is a powerhouse ingredient for hair. It contains oleic acid, which helps hair to retain moisture and makes hair easier to detangle. You may have noticed that bleached hair becomes tangled more easily. So a professionally developed hair mask with avocado is a fabulous choice for bleached hair.
5. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a natural conditioning ingredient and an anti-oxidant that supports healthy hair. Adding nourishment to dehydrated hair, it smoothes and shines hair.
You’ll find all these ingredients in my deep conditioner, Restore and Shine Hair Masque. I spent several years developing the perfect formulation in my salon, ensuring it was exactly right. It’s the best deep conditioner for bleached hair I’ve used.
It adds moisture, reduces frizzy hair and improves the shine and elasticity of hair.
My exclusive formulation, Restore and Shine Hair Masque, is my go-to product to restore health and shine to bleached hair. Used weekly, it restores moisture and shine to hair.
How can I Prevent Breakage of Bleached Hair?
Breakage is a common problem when the hair has been over-bleached. We also refer to this as bleach-damaged hair.
If you keep layering the bleach on top of already bleached hair, you are over-bleaching the hair, putting your hair at risk of damage.
Layering bleach on top of bleach will cause hair to become excessively dry. At worst, it will start to break.
Prevention is Better than Cure.
Bleach Damaged Hair | 7 Tips to Avoid Breakage
1. Get you Hair Bleached by a Professional
You may save some money by bleaching your own hair, but it’s easy for it to go wrong.
2. Avoid too much Heat
Excessive heat, such as styling and sun, can be too much for bleached hair. I’m not saying you have to ditch the hairdryer. Use it on a cool setting. Straighteners are a big no-no for bleached hair. Your bleached hair is vulnerable, so my advice? Keep heated styling to a minimum.
3. Choose a Gentle Shampoo
Choose a shampoo for colour-treated hair. They are formulated to be gentle on colour or bleaching and add moisture to the hair.
4. Be Gentle when you Wash your Hair
Be gentle when you wash and condition your hair. A firm but gentle pressure applied to the scalp works best. Handle your hair like it’s a piece of silk.
5. Add Moisture to Bleached Hair
Bleached hair needs moisture. Hair mask treatments and regular conditioning are essential, and you should always follow shampoo with conditioner.
6. Use Styling Products that Add Moisture
Try a leave-in conditioner to give hair an injection of moisture during styling.
7. Regular Trims to Get Rid of Dry Ends
Get regular trims to keep on top of dry ends. No matter how dedicated you are to your weekly hair conditioning treatment, bleached hair will inevitably get dry at the ends. Allowing them to linger will lead to split ends and breakage if you don’t keep them in check.
Add Moisture and Shine to Bleached Hair | Styling Mist for Glossy Finish
- Add Shine
- Speed up Drying Time
- Target Split Ends
- Add Moisture as you Style
Bleached Hair | High Porosity Hair
Because bleached hair is more likely to be porous, it can absorb moisture, but the downside is that the high porosity hair loses moisture. Holding on to moisture is the key to preventing frizzy hair.
We’ve already talked about the need for regular deep conditioning to help hair retain moisture.
In this section, I’ll cover how much product you should use and how long you should leave the product on your hair.
Add Moisture to Porous Bleached Hair | Get Rid of Frizz
I understand that a regular commitment to deep conditioning can feel demanding. However, bleached hair needs your time and attention.
Plus, the results will be worth it when you show off your frizz-free hair.
The secret for porous hair is not to apply too much product at once. When hair has high porosity, it’s easy to overload and leave it feeling flat. Your hair needs time to absorb moisture a little at a time. Think of it as a process of layering.
For example, the Restore and Shine Hair Masque comes in a 200ml jar.
Typically, I’d recommend using around 10ml for each deep condition. Use more for longer hair and less for shorter hair.
Depending on the length of your hair, you can work on the basis that you’ll get 15 to 20 uses out of a 200ml jar of Restore and Shine Hair Masque.
By using a deep conditioner or hair mask weekly, you can build moisture over time.
Keep doing it, and you’ll notice you need less product as your hair improves its ability to hold on to moisture.
Keep treating hair to maintain moisture and condition.
Restore and Shine Hair Masque is the best deep conditioner I’ve used, and I recommend leaving it on bleached hair for as long as possible.
You can leave it on for 10 minutes and get good results. But, if the hair is crying out for moisture, giving your hair more time to soak up the nourishing ingredients makes a big difference.
You can leave it on for 2 hours or overnight if that works for your routine.
If you are using other products, check the manufacturer’s instructions before doing this.
Bleached Hair | Hold up the Mirror
Are you frustrated with split ends or dry, dull bleached hair?
Sometimes we have to hold up the mirror and look at how we can make the change.
Answer the 7 questions in our bleached hair honesty box to understand your hair’s damage exposure.
Bleached Hair | Honesty Box
- Am I over-lapping the bleach on the ends of my hair?
- How am I styling my hair? Am I using excessive heat?
- Am I brushing and combing my hair when wet?
- Am I gentle when I shampoo and condition my hair?
- How am I drying my hair? Am I rubbing too vigorously with a towel, or, am I gently squeezing the water from my hair?
- Am I adding enough moisture to my hair with conditioner and deep conditioner?
- Am I getting regular trims to get rid of dry ends?
Bleached Hair | Take Action
Depending on the severity of your hair’s damage exposure, it might be time to take action.
- Add Moisture to your Hair with deep conditioner, Restore and Shine Hair Masque
- Get Regular Trims
- Be gentle with your hair when you are washing, bushing or styling.
- Seek professional advice if your hair is badly damaged.
Bleached Hair | Frequently Asked Questions
During my career in hairdressing, bleached hair has always been a hot topic. As a result, I get lots of questions. Here are some of the most common questions on how to take care of bleached hair.
- How can I get my Bleached Hair Healthy?
- How do you make Bleached Hair Shiny?
- Is Argan Oil good for Bleached Hair?
- How Can I Repair Bleached Damaged Hair?
- Why is my bleached hair breaking off when wet?
- Can you bleach over bleached hair?
- Does bleaching damage your hair forever?
- Why has my bleached hair turned yellow?
- How long does it take bleached hair to go back to normal?
- How do I make bleached hair soft and silky?
- Is it normal to lose hair after bleaching?
How can I get my Bleached Hair Healthy?
Get healthy bleached hair with some of my favourite hair-loving ingredients. Choose the best hair product formulation with these healthy hair ingredients. Make a difference to your hair health.
- Pro-vitamin b5 to get moisture to the core of the hair.
- Glycerin to prevent moisture loss.
- Cetearyl Alcohol to soften and smooth.
- Avocado retains moisture and makes hair easier to detangle.
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant that supports healthy hair.
How Do you Make Bleached Hair Shiny?
If you’ve been bleaching your hair for some time, you may feel like it will never shine again. But, it is possible to get your shine back.
Paying attention to moisture and following these simple steps will help to make your bleached hair shiny.
- Regular shampooing and conditioning. For most people, 2 to 3 times a week. If you want hair to shine, it has to be clean.
- Use a leave-in conditioner for styling. Choose my Glossy Mist for maximum shine.
- Keep heated styling to a minimum. Get as much water out of your hair as possible with a towel before you use the hairdryer. Use medium heat on the hairdryer and finish with a blast of cool air to set your style.
- Use Restore and Shine Hair Masque every week to maximise moisture.
- Give your hair a spritz with leave-in conditioner spray in between washes.
Is Argan Oil good for Bleached Hair?
Yes, is the short answer. But I think application matters. Using oils on any hair can be challenging. When applying any oil to your hair, there are three things to watch out for:
- Using too much oil will overload the hair, riding up to the roots to leave them greasy and clogged.
- Oil applied directly to hair can attract dirt from the atmosphere, leaving it dull.
- A build-up of oil can be challenging to get out of the hair. Sometimes you have to do several shampoos to get rid of oil build-up, which defeats the object of doing it in the first place.
Argan oil is rich in Vitamin E. Its benefits for hair and skin are well-documented. However, if you’ve struggled with using oils on your hair, and if any of the points above are familiar, you’ll understand why the application is critical.
I use Argan Oil in my exclusive styling range. I believe putting Argan oil in a fully tested hair product formulation is a more effective way of applying it to the hair.
So I’ve developed lightweight product formulations that include Argan Oil and leave the hair free of build-up.
My styling range is applied using a super-fine mist spray, making application easy.
Applying Argan Oil to the hair this way resolves the problems of overloading the hair with oil whilst giving bleached hair all the benefits.
Add Moisture to Bleached Hair | Styling Mist for Volume
- Add Volume
- Speed up Drying Time
- Target Split Ends
- Add Moisture as you Style
How can I Repair Bleach Damaged Hair?
If bleached hair becomes damaged, take a time-out. Stop any chemical treatments to the hair, keep heated styling to an absolute minimum and add moisture.
If you want to get your hair back on track take a deep breath and take some time to help your hair recover. Find your inner HAIR ZEN!
Here’s what I recommend:
Get a haircut. If your hair is badly damaged, it’s time to tackle dry, damaged ends. That will stop the damage riding up the hair shaft.
Use Restore and Shine Hair Masque twice a week for two weeks. After that initial period, use the hair mask once a week to improve moisture and elasticity. Condition your hair every time you shampoo.
Reduce heated styling. Use a hairdryer on a low setting and avoid using other heated styling appliances. If you can, let your hair air dry.
Use leave-in conditioners before styling, and you can give hair an extra moisture boost in between washes.
Give your hair the space to recover and take professional advice before colouring or bleaching again.
If your hair is so damaged that it’s falling out, you may need a radical rethink. Talk to a professional stylist about the best style options to make hair look thicker.
Why is my Bleached Hair Breaking off when Wet?
As we’ve already discussed, the process of bleaching opens the cuticle of the hair. It leaves hair weaker.
Because the hair structure is more fragile when wet, this is a double whammy for bleached hair.
It isn’t to say that you shouldn’t cleanse and condition your hair; your hair doesn’t break because it’s wet.
Often it’s an accumulation of subjecting your hair to all the usual suspects that cause damage to your hair; from excessive heated to styling to washing hair too vigorously.
It’s a question of thinking about how can you reduce your hair’s exposure to the things that cause damage.
So, in this situation, ask yourself the following questions. It will help you to understand when you expose your hair to damage.
Can you Bleach over Bleached Hair?
No. It’s a surefire route to hair breakage. I can’t emphasise this enough.
Getting your hair treated by a professional hair colourist is the best way of avoiding hair breakage.
My advice? Find a good salon, book a consultation to discuss your hair goals and spend some time with your colourist to discuss the best option for your hair.
Does Bleaching Damage your Hair Forever?
The short answer to this is, yes. Once you open the cuticle of the hair, the hair is effectively damaged.
BUT!
That doesn’t mean your hair can’t look and feel healthy and shiny.
The job of a deep conditioner is two-fold. Firstly, it restores the moisture to your hair. Secondly, it smoothes the cuticle so that your hair has a smoother, silkier touch.
As a result, when the outer cuticle scales are flat and smooth, light bounces off the hair, and you get a beautiful shine.
Why has my Bleached Hair Turned Yellow?
As we’ve discussed, the process of bleaching removes the pigment of the hair, and, the hair is susceptible to picking up dirt from the atmosphere.
Think about the discolouring of your favourite white shirt over time; it’s not dissimilar.
If you have very dark hair, the bleaching process may leave hair with a more yellow tone.
You can deal with yellowing bleached hair with toners; it’s essential to get a professional colourist to bleach your hair.
Not only will they be able to help you keep your hair in better condition, but they can also adjust the bleaching process to get the right colour for you.
How long does it take for Bleached Hair to go back to Normal?
When I get this question, it’s because of damage from over-bleaching. Firstly, it depends on the individual, not just your hair but the actions you take.
So, in a scenario like this, I would generally recommend taking at least 3 to 4 months off chemical treatment.
During that time, to get the best results, I recommend concentrating on regular deep conditioning, along with leave-in conditioners; focus on being as gentle with your hair as possible.
So, keeping heated styling to a minimum; straighteners are a big no-no at this point, choose the coolest setting on your hairdryer and reduce drying time when styling.
How do I make bleached hair soft and silky?
For soft and shiny bleached hair add moisture. I know that sounds simple, but it is; regular conditioning, deep conditioners and leave-in conditioners. Take a look at my section How Do you Make Bleached Hair Shiny? for more tips.
Is it normal to lose hair after bleaching?
No, you shouldn’t be losing hair after bleaching. Seek professional advice.
We’ve covered a lot of ground on the subject of how to take care of bleached hair. If you’ve found this useful, take a look at my blog on hair elasticity.
I’ve included a case study on elasticity for bleached hair. Plus, take a look at some of the recommended reading below.
Bleached Hair | Take Aways
- Deep condition bleached hair every week.
- Keep bleached hair clean and always condition after shampooing.
- Get regular trims and keep on top of dry ends for bleached hair.
- Use a leave-in conditioner to add moisture to bleached hair when styling.
- Cut down the heated styling for bleached hair and keep the hairdryer on a cool setting.
- Add moisture to bleached hair by choosing products that have nourishing ingredients.
- Argan Oil is nourishing for bleached hair but watch out for application. Don’t go too heavy on the oils.
- Don’t overlap the bleach. Touch up the roots only and avoid over-bleaching the hair
Bleached Hair Treatments | Shop the Blog
Restore and Shine Hair Masque
I recently bleached my hair which left it slightly frazzled; this got it feeling like normal hair again. Thank you for sending this wonder product.
Beauty Bible Tester
- Add Shine
- Smooth Hair
- Get Rid of Frizz
- Detangle
- Strengthen
Add Moisture as you Style | Styling Mist for Volume
- Add Volume
- Speed up Drying Time
- Target Split Ends
- Condition as you Style
Add Shine to Bleached Hair | Styling Mist for Glossy Finish
- Add Shine
- Speed up Drying Time
- Target Split Ends
- Condition as you Style
Bleached Hair | About the Author
Norris Ogario
Norris Ogario is founder and Creative Director of Ogario London. Developed in his London salon, the Ogario London haircare products reflect his belief that hydration is the key to fixing most hair problems. Hydrated hair can be styled with ease. Plus, hydration leaves hair shiny and healthy. Norris has over 35 years of hair know-how. With expertise in all hair types; from dry hair to fine or grey hair, from frizzy to damaged or bleached hair, curly hair and afro hair, Norris offers his expert advice.
Recommended Reading
I write about all aspects of healthy hair, from preventing frizzy hair to stopping split ends. Plus I share salon tips and techniques for looking after all hair types.
Good nutrition is vital for hair health and shine.
Give your hair the right foundation with the best foods for hair growth. Discover more in my blog, Healthy Hair: Choose the Best Foods for Hair Growth.
Get all the know how on adding moisture to dry hair. I cover all aspects of treating dry hair in my blog, Salon Know-How: How to Moisturise Dry Hair.
Leave In Conditioner with Argan Oil for Hair
Add moisture to your with a leave in hair conditioner. Find out why a leave in conditioner is the best choice for hair styling. Choose from hair volume products to a leave in conditioner spray.
Expert Tips for Curly Hair
Discover why getting into a routine with a deep conditioner can transform your hair. Plus, discover how applying your products in the right way can improve product performance.
Expert Tips for Shiny Hair
For maximum hair shine, the cuticle must be smooth. Discover my expert tips for how to get shiny hair.
How to Look After Grey Hair
Discover how to look after grey hair. From choosing the best grey hair products to the best hairstyles for grey hair. Or from how to enhance grey hair to how to soften coarse grey hair or how to transition to grey hair, go to my Ultimate Guide for Caring Grey Hair.
Taking Care of Bleached Hair and Fix Damage
If you have bleached hair and want to regain your shine, read my blog, How to take care of Bleached Hair. You’ll find everything you need to know about taking care of bleached hair, from the best hair mask for bleached hair to how to fix hair damaged from over-bleaching.
Dry Hair Treatment
Get expert tips and advice on how to use a dry hair treatment in my blog, Dry Hair Treatment: Essential Hair Care
About Us
Ogario London is a salon developed range of natural hair care products. Because we are passionate about our products, delivering the best results is at the heart of what we do. Do you have questions about our products? Or, would you like advice on the best products for your hair type? Maybe have another question about how to look after your hair? If you do, please get in touch at info@ogariolondon.com.
As Seen In
Beauty Bible Recommends Ogario London Hair Masque Hair Treatment
Restore and Shine Hair Masque was awarded best hair mask in the Ultimate Natural Beauty Bible Awards. As an independent hair care brand, we are incredibly proud to be recognised alongside some of the industry’s biggest haircare brands. Because I spend time ensuring that our products deliver the best results, I couldn’t be happier to get this review and win this prestigious award.
