Bleaching your hair can be a transformative experience, but it comes with its own set of challenges. Ever felt like your hair’s lost its luster post-bleaching?
In this post, we’ll explore the secrets to preserving your hair’s health and shine immediately after bleaching. We’ve got you covered with crucial post-bleach care tips from an expert’s perspective.
So, whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned bleacher, buckle up as we delve into the essential steps to keep your hair healthy after bleach.
What Happens To Your Hair When You Bleach It?
Before diving into the immediate steps after bleaching, first understand what happens to the hair during bleach.
A chemical reaction breaks down the natural pigment in your hair strands. This process strips away the colour, leaving your hair lighter.
Bleach penetrates the hair shaft and oxidizes the melanin responsible for your hair’s colour. As a result, your hair becomes more porous and prone to damage. Bleaching can also disrupt the hair’s protein structure, leading to dryness, brittleness, and potential breakage.
| Hair issue | Description |
| Hair dryness | Bleaching strips natural oils from the hair, leading to dryness and a rough texture. |
| Brittle hair | The chemical process of bleaching can weaken the hair’s protein structure, causing it to become brittle. |
| Breakage | Weakened hair strands are more prone to breakage, especially if not treated with care post-bleaching. |
| Split ends | Bleaching can cause the ends of the hair to split, resulting in frayed and damaged-looking ends. |
| Scalp irritation | You may experience scalp irritation or sensitivity due to the harsh chemicals in bleach. |
| Hair thinning | Continuous bleaching can lead to hair thinning as the strands become weakened and more prone to breakage. |
| Colour fading | Over time, bleached hair may experience color fading or brassiness due to exposure to sunlight and other factors. |
| Porosity | Bleaching increases the porosity of the hair, making it more susceptible to absorbing and losing moisture. |
Immediate Actions After Bleaching Hair
Rinse with lukewarm water
After bleaching, rinse your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water to remove residual bleach and minimize further damage.
Lukewarm water helps to keep the hair cuticles closed, reducing frizz and preventing moisture loss. Avoid using hot water, as it can strip away natural oils and exacerbate dryness.
Avoid shampooing immediately
Resist the temptation to shampoo your hair immediately after bleaching. Shampooing too soon can further strip away moisture and essential oils. This will leave your hair dry and brittle.
Wait at least 24-48 hours before shampooing to allow your hair to recover and regain some of its natural oils.
Use a deep conditioning treatment
Following bleaching, treat your hair to a deep conditioning treatment to replenish lost moisture and nourish the strands.
Use a deep conditioner specifically formulated for chemically treated hair, and leave it on for the recommended duration to allow it to penetrate deeply into the hair shaft and restore vitality.
Dry with a microfiber towel
When drying your hair after bleaching, opt for a microfiber towel instead of a regular cotton towel. Microfiber towels are gentler on the hair and help minimize friction, reducing the risk of breakage and frizz.
Gently blot your hair with the microfiber towel to absorb excess water without roughening even a single hair cuticle.
Avoid heat styling
Give your hair a break from heat-styling tools such as blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons.
Heat styling will further damage weakened hair strands, increasing dryness, breakage, and dullness. Embrace air-drying or heat-free styling methods to minimize damage and promote hair health.
Apply a pH-balancing leave-in conditioner
Restore the pH balance of your hair with a leave-in conditioner specifically formulated to balance the hair’s pH levels.
A pH-balancing leave-in conditioner helps to seal the hair cuticles, enhance shine, and improve manageability. Apply a small amount evenly through damp hair, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends.
Keep hair protected from direct sunlight
Bleached hair is more vulnerable to damage from UV rays, so it’s essential to protect it from direct sunlight.
Wear a hat or scarf when spending time outdoors, or use a hair sunscreen or UV-protectant spray to shield your hair from the sun’s harmful rays. This helps to prevent colour fading, dryness, and brittleness, keeping your hair healthy and vibrant.
How to Maintain Bleached Hair Health
Use a color-safe or sulfate-free shampoo:
Opt for a colour-safe or sulphate-free shampoo specifically formulated for bleached hair. These shampoos are gentler and less likely to strip away the hair’s natural oils or fade the colour.
Look for products enriched with hydrating ingredients like argan oil or coconut oil to keep your hair nourished and moisturized while maintaining your vibrant colour.
Moisturize the scalp with natural oils
Keep your scalp hydrated and healthy by regularly moisturizing it with natural oils such as coconut, jojoba, or almond. These oils help to nourish the scalp, prevent dryness and flakiness, and promote healthy hair growth.
Massage the oil into your scalp gently, leave it on for a few hours or overnight, then shampoo as usual to remove any excess oil.
Apply hair mask regularly
Treat your bleached hair to regular hair masks to replenish moisture, repair damage, and strengthen the hair strands. Look for masks enriched with shea butter, avocado oil, or keratin to hydrate, nourish, and fortify your hair.
Apply the mask from mid-lengths to ends, leave it on for the specified time, and then rinse thoroughly for soft, smooth, and healthy-looking hair.
Spray heat protectant
Apply a heat protectant spray to shield your bleached hair from the damaging effects of heat. Heat protectants create a barrier between your hair and the heat, reducing the risk of heat-induced damage, dryness, and breakage.
Spray the protectant evenly onto damp or dry hair before blow-drying, straightening, or curling to keep your hair protected and looking its best.
Ways You Can Minimize Hair Damage
Test your hair porosity
Determine your hair’s porosity to tailor your hair care routine accordingly. Perform a simple porosity test by placing a clean strand of hair in a glass of water.
Hair that sinks quickly may indicate high porosity, while hair that floats before sinking could suggest low porosity.
Trim split ends
Regularly trim split ends to prevent them from traveling up the hair shaft and causing further damage. Schedule regular trims every 6-8 weeks to keep your hair ends healthy and reduce the risk of breakage and frizz.
Use sharp hair scissors to snip off split ends, focusing on small sections at a time for precise results and to maintain overall hair health.
Avoid swimming in chlorinated pools
Refrain from swimming in chlorinated pools for at least a week. Swimming after bleaching hair strips moisture from your hair, making it dry, brittle, and prone to damage.
If swimming is unavoidable, wear a swim cap or apply a leave-in conditioner to protect your hair. This creates a barrier against chlorine and minimizes potential damage.
Use dry shampoo
Dry shampoo absorbs excess oil and refreshes your hair without the need for water. As a result, your hair can maintain moisture balance and prevent over-washing, which can strip away natural oils and lead to dryness and damage.
Massage your scalp
Promote scalp health and stimulate hair growth by incorporating scalp massages into your hair care routine. Gently massage your scalp using your fingertips in circular motions to increase blood flow, promote relaxation, and distribute natural oils evenly along the hair shaft.
Scalp massages also help to reduce stress and tension, which can contribute to hair loss and damage.
Choose natural hair growth methods
Explore natural hair regrowth methods to minimize damage and encourage healthy hair growth. Practice scalp treatments using natural oils such as castor, rosemary, or peppermint oil to nourish the scalp, strengthen hair follicles, and promote thicker, healthier hair growth.
You can also think of dietary changes and supplements rich in vitamins and minerals essential for hair health. These include biotin, collagen, and omega-3 fatty acids to support hair growth and minimize damage.
Steps to Manage the Colour
Use purple shampoo: Incorporate purple shampoo into your hair care routine to counteract brassy tones and keep silver or blonde hair looking vibrant and cool-toned.
Neutralize unwanted colours with toner: Apply a toner to neutralize any unwanted colours or tones in your hair, such as yellow or orange hues, and achieve your desired shade.
Rinse with rice water: Rinse your hair with rice water to help maintain hair color and enhance shine. The vitamins and minerals in rice water can help strengthen and nourish your hair, keeping the colour looking fresh.
Use color-enhancing toners: Opt for colour-enhancing toners designed to refresh and intensify your hair colour between salon visits. These toners can help revive dull or faded colour, keeping your hair vibrant and salon-fresh.
FAQs
How do you restore hydration in bleached hair?
To restore hydration in bleached hair, use a deep conditioning treatment regularly. Look for products with moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, argan oil, or coconut oil. Apply the deep conditioner to damp hair after shampooing, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends. You can also incorporate leave-in conditioners and hair oils into your daily routine to keep your hair hydrated and nourished.
Will home remedies for hair bleach after-care help?
Home remedies like coconut oil, honey, or avocado masks provide temporary hydration and nourishment to bleached hair. However, they may not fully restore the hair’s health or prevent long-term damage. While these remedies can offer some benefits, it’s essential to supplement them with professional-grade hair care products for bleached hair to ensure optimal hydration and repair.
How long should you rest your hair after bleaching it?
Wait at least two weeks before undergoing additional chemical treatments or intense styling procedures. This gives your hair time to recover from the bleaching process and regain some of its strength and elasticity. Otherwise, you may suffer headaches after colouring. Rest, relax, and practice gentle hair care.
When do I use toner on bleached hair?
Apply toner after bleaching to neutralize unwanted brassiness or yellow tones in the hair. After rinsing out the bleach, towel-dry your wet hair until damp, then apply the toner evenly. Focus on areas with the most brassiness. Leave the toner on for the recommended time, then rinse thoroughly.
Take Away
Once you bleach your hair, it craves care and attention like never before. Luckily, with the right knowledge and tools, you can now navigate this transformative journey to keep your bleached hair healthy.
For every post-bleach adventure, remember that patience, pampering, and a touch of purple shampoo can work wonders.
Try these processes and let your radiant, bleached mane become a dazzling expression of your unique style and spirit.