Try making your own hot oil treatment with olive, coconut, or avocado oil to add deep-penetrating moisture to the hair shaft. You can also wrap your head in a towel and let the oil stay on your hair while you sleep. Rinse it out in the morning in the shower and then shampoo and style as usual. If you find oil-based products too heavy, try a cream-based hair mask from your stylist or local drug store.
Look for products that contain the hair-healthy protein keratin. Make your own protein mask at home by mixing together 1 egg and a large spoonful of plain yogurt. Add an extra spoonful (or 2) of yogurt if you have longer than shoulder-length hair. Leave the mask on for 30 minutes, then rinse your hair with cold water, to avoid cooking the egg in your hair. Apply your protein mask every night for the first week after bleaching if your hair is especially brittle.
If you don’t have a soft towel, try drying your hair with an old T-shirt instead!
Split ends are when the end of the hair shaft divided into multiple, smaller hairs. This can travel all the way down your to your scalp, resulting in damaged, frizzy hair. Cutting the ends prevents the damage from moving down the shaft. If you don’t want to do a drastic cut right away, have your stylist cut off about 1⁄4 inch (0. 64 cm) and then get your hair trimmed every month or so, taking off more and more of the damaged bits every time.
Most hair salons have different strength treatments and formulas for various purposes. Even after your first intensive treatment, you can continue to get protein and/or moisture treatments every few months to keep your hair healthy. Discuss the perfect plan with your hair stylist. Too much protein can harden your hair and damage it instead of restoring it. [10] X Expert Source Christine GeorgeMaster Hair Stylist & Colorist Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.
For a vegan alternative, try a flaxseed oil supplement.
If shampooing once per week is not enough, try slowly cutting down to about 2-3 times per week instead. You can also try using dry shampoo in between your shampoo days, to help keep your hair clean and fresh. Avoid shampoos containing sulfates, which will further dry out your hair. Try using a cleansing conditioner instead of shampoo to gently clean and nourish your hair. Ask your hairstylist for a recommendation. You can switch over entirely to a cleansing conditioner or use a sulfate-free shampoo and cleansing conditioner interchangeably.
Rinse your hair thoroughly after swimming to get any chlorine out as soon as possible. If you plan to shampoo your hair after it’s been exposed to chlorine, use a chlorine-removing shampoo. Ask your stylist for a suggestion, or browse the options at your local drug store. A clarifying shampoo will also remove chlorine from your hair.
Bleached hair is already brittle, and adding heat will make it more prone to breakage. If you must occasionally use heat for styling, spray your hair with a heat protectant and keep your styling tool on the lowest heat setting.
If you must put your hair up with a hair tie, try using a gentle, no-crease hair tie. Hair ties that leave creases in your hair when you wear them can cause your hair to break.
