How to keep your blonde bright
Blonde can feel high maintenance, but it doesn't have to be if we equip ourselves with the correct products and knowledge to have the glossy, shiny, blonde locks that you crave.
You have been to the salon to have a bright blonde transformation; a few washes go by and you see your hair going yellow or brassy, uneven, or dull. Does this sound like you?
Blonde hair is porous because of the how light the canvas is vs darker shades, which means any gloss or toner will grab to the hair and be absorbed more than the other darker tones. This is the case for hard water, pollutions, and heat damage. These also build up over time and reflect and change the tone to brassy instead of bright or cool.
Keeping your hair bright and in good condition takes knowledge and a plan of action. Over the years, I have worked with blonde and lived in colour and these are the things that work a treat; I use these products myself and everything is tried and tested.
Detox shampoo
Detoxing the hair is a must to keep your blonde bright. Over time, your hair will build up toxins and environmental damage. The environment will discolour and chlorine and spa build up or treatments can create a brassy, yellow tinge and we think we need a toner to fix this. Detoxing is the answer. This shampoo gets rid of all of these problems, strips the hair back to the true blonde you really are and elevates your look without a salon appointment.
I recommend these products for detox:
Malibu hard water wellness treatment (eliminates brassy colour, removes minerals to purify the hair, and can also act as a cleansing agent)
What about silver shampoo?
We have been taught to add silver shampoo on a weekly or daily basis where we shampoo and brighten the hair again. Silver or purple shampoo products have a negative impact on the hair - the products dull and over porosity fill the hair, leading to breakage and colour banding. It's a stylist's nightmare having to blend roots and over toned purple shampoo blonde on the ends.
Throw away the shampoo and start using a pigment toner. These are kind to the hair and are a clean tone of colour pigment with no dulling properties or artificial rubbish left on the hair, which is what happens with purple shampoos. I recommend O&M for this as it instantly brightens. Light platinum and platinum are my faves depending on how drastic you would like to go.
These come as a mask (link below) and instantly help the hair feel nourished and bright.
Heat protection & UV care
Using heat damages our blonde very quickly and without protection the integrity of our hair can lapse very quickly. I love the easy, quick, low maintenance products for these, such as 6 in 1 by Leyton House. This is a leave in moisture treatment with additional heat protection, detangler, colour fade protection, porosity filler, that also boosts volume and reduces colour fade.
Colouring the hair every four months min is a way to keep the moisture intact. I recommend a weekly hair health routine for blonde hair. This consists of:
- Detox once a week
- Nourishing shampoo - I recommend Leyton House
- Hard water every few months
- Leave in treatment - Coco & Eve is my everyday go to!
- Use texture sprays instead of hair sprays
- Serum or creams to smooth
- Masks - K18 no.3
- Using less heat on it on a weekly basis and limiting heat tools/having a week off using heat helps your hair healthy
- Biotin vitamin tablets
Styling
- Use heat or UV protection
- Rinse with cool water after conditioner
- Limit washing and heat tools
- Sleep on a silk pillowcase (this smooths your cuticles and causes less friction while sleeping
- Use a clarifying shampoo
- Using shine spray will reflect the light - I recommend Osis Sparkler Shine spray
- Using a tangle teaser or wet brush will not add friction to the cuticle
Trusting the right salon or stylist is key - at my studio The Cosy Garden Room I specialise in bright blondes. I also recommend a hair health journey for quick, easy, hair care routine that actually works. I am a believer in a few good, tested products than too many to remember to use. Book in for your own blonde consultation with your lifestyle and goals at the forefront.
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