I don’t think it’s any secret that I highlight my hair- and with bleach comes damage. Whether you color your hair or not, it can be hard to maintain healthy hair. I’ve been coloring and highlighting my hair for about 10 years now, and I’ve learned a few tricks along the way to keep my hair strong, even through my transition to platinum.
MY NUMBER ONE SECRET?
STOP WASHING YOUR HAIR.
I mean, please wash your hair. Just don’t do it as often. I only wash my hair MAX twice a week. This allows for your natural oils to run through your hair and keep it moisturized. I definitely understand it can be hard to just switch to not washing your hair as often, but build yourself up to it. Add an extra day between washing your hair each time you wash it until you’re only washing it once or twice a week. I PROMISE you can do it! Get a good dry shampoo (I’ve got a post on my favorite one coming up!) and you’re good to go. If you’re blonde, baby powder works great too. Eventually, your hair will stop getting “greasy” or “oily” plus you won’t be putting as many harsh chemicals on your hair, it’s a win-win!
NOW LET’S TALK PRODUCTS.
I only use salon quality products on my hair, and I only purchase them from a salon or beauty store like Ulta, Sephora or Nordstrom where you know you’re getting the real deal. Don’t ever buy higher-end products from a drug store, Walmart, Target, etc, you don’t know what’s really in them.
For shampoo and conditioner, I recommend getting a product that is strengthening. I love Joico K-Pak shampoo and conditioner for colored hair so I don’t risk stripping out my toner that keeps my hair cool-toned. They have a version for colored hair and non-colored, so make sure you pick up the right one.
If your hair is already damaged and you’re trying to repair it, you will want some sort of damage therapy leave-in treatment. I use Aveda Damage Remedy, it’s also a heat protectant for an added bonus. I run this through my hair evenly, making sure it gets it all.
If you’re not one for blowdrying your hair, then great! No heat — that’s perfect. I can’t air-dry my hair. I hate it. It gets a weird texture, and I’m not about it. So since I’m inevitably going to put heat on my hair, I make sure to do it in a healthy-ish way. Aka a GOOD hairdryer. You may have a stroke at the price, but my last hair dryer lasted me for almost 10 years before it shot fire out of it. That was a fun day. Anyway, I use a slightly older version of this T3 hairdryer. I got mine at Costco for a bit cheaper, so check there first if you have a membership. They also have a mini version that’s cheaper too. My hair dries a lot faster now with this dryer and faster drying = less damage.
I also try to avoid styling my hair with a curling iron or straightener. I have naturally straight hair, so all I have to do is give it a 30-second hairdryer blast to smooth out any kinks. I also recommend sleeping with your hair in a bun with a crocodile clip or in a braid to keep it from getting tangly and breaking in your sleep.
THE HOLY GRAIL
O L A P L E X.
If you don’t know, now you know. This is the MAJOR secret. Ask your stylist about mixing Olaplex in with your color and also doing an Olaplex treatment. It will do WONDERS on your hair. This is truly the gamechanger in my hair-health routine. I have Olaplex added every time I highlight my hair, and I use the No.3 treatment at home. You know how chocolate can mend a broken heart? Olaplex can mend your broken hair. Okay now I’m just being dramatic, but, you need this.
OTHER COOL THINGS YOU WANT
By now, you’ve probably heard of sleeping with a satin pillowcase to prevent breakage. If not, this is a thing. And you should do it. My satin pillowcase is from Savvy Sleepers and I kinda want one in every color… is that too much?
I’ve also become hooked on these Invisibobble hair ties. They look like telephone cords and are actually super cute in your hair. More importantly, though, they don’t pull on your hair as much or rip hair out of your head, and they’re less likely to leave those dreaded kinks in your hair. They even make tiny ones for smaller sections of hair if you’re a fine-haired babe like me.
ANYTHING ELSE?
Get regular haircuts. If your hair is super damaged on the ends, cut it off. Even if it’s several inches. I promise your locks will grow back quicker than you think and won’t be constantly breaking anymore. If you’re trying to grow your hair out, this is way more important than you would think. My hair grows stupid fast and it’s solely because I keep my ends from getting damaged so it won’t break off. Also, those tiny hairs you see around my face are baby hairs, not breakage. I’ve had them for forever and they drive me nuts, but that’s neither here nor there.
It’s definitely not impossible to color/highlight your hair AND keep it healthy. Last time I got my hair highlighted my bae Chris said he’s never felt my hair so healthy ever before. For context, he’s been coloring my hair since I was 14. I’ve done A LOT to my hair with him — basically every shade of blonde, brunette, and even a short stint with red hair. This is by far the lightest my hair has ever been and also the HEALTHIEST. So it’s possible! Don’t let yourself believe otherwise.
And that’s all my tips! I have more hair-themed posts coming soon, including one on dry shampoo and how I keep my hair cool toned. If there are any other hair type posts you wanna see, definitely let me know! I also wanna know if you try out any of these tips and they help. You can always email me if you wanna chat or have more specific questions. All my luck with transitioning into not washing your hair! ♡
