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Damaged hair is a common problem when you finally get your hair the color that you want. It’s especially true when you want to go lighter.
The frustration of damaged hair increases the more you bleach your hair. And if you love to bleach and color your hair, you should know how to repair bleached damaged hair.
If you’re like me, small pieces of my hair were breaking off since I got highlights over my already bleached hair. Terrifying, yes, I wish my hair would just “go back to normal”!
Below, there are a few methods that will help you to get back your shiny and healthy hair.
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How to Repair Bleached Damaged Hair
Step 1
One of the most effective ways to treat bleached damaged hair is to get the keratin treatment.
A keratin treatment is a deep conditioning mask with proteins that repairs dry, color-treated hair.
A keratin treatment will make your hair shiny again. You can get a keratin treatment from your salon, or you can do it yourself at home with this Keratin Hair Mask on Amazon.
Step 2
It’s no surprise that using a conditioner is the foundation for keeping your hair healthy after bleaching.
After your hair appointment, wash your hair with a pH balanced shampoo, like this Giovanni shampoo from Amazon that’s for over-processed hair.
Then use an intense repair hair mask to take extra care of your hair cuticle, like this Amika Intense Repair Mask on Amazon, that has healing oils like Sea buckthorn fruit and borage oil.
If you love products with peppermint and eucalyptus like I do, you’ll love J Beverly Hills Intensive Hair & Scalp Mask on Amazon.
You can use hair masks 1 or 2 times a week. For day-to-day hair conditioning:
Blonde hair favorites
- Amika Cool Blonde Conditioner – Buy on Amazon >
- dpHUE Cool Blonde Conditioner – Buy on Amazon >
Brunette hair favorites
- Giovanni Smooth as Silk – Buy on Amazon > this popular formula also comes in a gallon size.
- J Beverly Hills – Buy on Amazon >
While you’re in the shower, you can give yourself a head massage with this Scalp Massager from Amazon. It promotes circulation in the scalp, gets to hard-to-reach areas, or you can simply do it because it feels relaxing.
Once you’ve put conditioner on your hair, cover it with a shower cap. This uses the heat of your scalp to warm the conditioner and lock in moisture until you wash it off.
After you’re done with shampoo and conditioner, use a microfibre towel to gently dry your hair.
You can also use a microfibre quick-drying hair towel, that will speed up drying your hair without any damaging heat. You might have seen this type of thing at Sephora. These ones from Amazon work just as well.
To keep your strands healthy, don’t brush your hair while it’s still wet. This helps you avoid breaking the strands.
Step 3
Even if you’re in a hurry to prep for bed, but your bleached hair is feeling stiff, there’s a quick tip to get softer hair.
What you’ll need:
- Argan oil – Buy on Amazon >
- or your favorite hair oil, like coconut oil – Buy on Amazon >
Rub argan oil on your palms to warm it up, and then through the bottom half of your hair length. Then run your hands through the rest of your hair from the base. You only need a light coat through your hair.
You’re using natural oil as a pretreatment before the shampoo stage. It’s a quick way to give your hair something extra, and I love it because it’s natural. I don’t have to worry about it being toxic to kids and pets.
Another popular combo for pretreating your hair is a mixture of coconut oil and olive oil. Apply to your hair before you shampoo. When you apply coconut oil, it will lock the proteins in your hair cuticle, and the olive will bring back the shine.
Step 4
If you are on a tighter budget and you don’t want to spend on salon services, there is another option for you with something you might already have at home!
You can use mayonnaise — yes, I said mayo! — as a hair mask before you wash it. That’s because mayonnaise contains proteins, peptides, and fatty acids that are needed for shiny and healthy hair.
What you’ll need:
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- 1 cup (or more for long hair) of real mayonnaise. Using vegan mayonnaise also has proteins from brown rice and soy, as well as, antioxidant properties of grapeseed oil Buy on Amazon >
- optional: olive oil or your favorite oil
- or you can get actual “hair mayo”, Buy on Amazon >
You also get side-benefits that fight dandruff, thanks to the anti-bacterial vinegar, and promoting hair growth, thanks to the proteins in the egg yolk — or brown rice and soy, if you’re using veganaise.
As well, many curly gals might already be familiar that mayonnaise helps tame frizzy hair.
Mayonnaise is a natural conditioner of hair. Wet your hair and apply one cup of mayonnaise. Use it as a hair conditioner. Let it sit for 3-20 minutes and rinse well.
Step 5
Caring for bleached hair does not have to end in the washing and styling stage.
You can make a simple change like a switch to satin pillowcases.
Since we spend hours asleep in bed, your hair is taking a beating on the pillowcase. This can lead to hair knots if you have long hair, and worse, cause breakage in damaged hair!
I bought a pair of satin pillowcases on Amazon, like these ones, and ever since I haven’t had a problem with waking up with tangled hair. I didn’t have to splurge on one from Sephora — that’s right!
Satin pillowcases can take some time to get used to, and if you’re like my best friend, who couldn’t stand the “slip” of a satin pillowcase and stopped using it. For me, I got over it because it’s totally worth having nicer hair during the day.
Another way to enhance your hair’s natural health and shine is by taking supplements. If you’ve got bleached damaged hair, you might want to do all you can to enjoy your current hair color.
These supplements include biotin, keratin, and collagen, among others.
Here are some favorite supplements for beautiful hair:
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- Nature’s Bounty Extra Strength – Buy on Amazon >
- Biotin Keratin to improve hair strength – Buy on Amazon >
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And if you’re on birth control, they can cause a dip in selenium. As a component of proteins, making sure you have enough selenium can make your hair luscious and shiny.
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- Selenium supplement without the bulk of unnecessary ingredients – Buy on Amazon >
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As always, follow the directions on the bottle and speak with your doctor if you have questions.
Takeaway
Those were tips to restore naturally healthy, shiny hair after it has been bleached and even damaged. With the extra care that we’ve explored in this article, you will very soon repair the bleached damaged hair and have the soft hair that you love again!
If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends who love to color their hair! Or comment below on which method works best for your hair.
Related articles:
How to Fix Over Toned Hair – 10 Methods and Step By Step Guide
How to Fix Uneven Hair Color After Bleaching – 4 Simple Methods
How to Clean Boar Bristle Brush – 4 Simple Steps, Tips & Tricks
Thank you for the tips. I didn’t think of taking supplements 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the article! It’s good to take care of your body inside and out.
Mayonnaise yes I remember as a kid my mom and aunty would condition with Mayonnaise. Thanks for bringing those memories back to life. I will totally try it.