We’ve all heard of the expression, “blondes have more fun”, of which I would have to unequivocally agree. What no one tells you about though is the hard work and financial expense that you take on when you decide to be a blonde. There is the very rare 1% of girls who are blessed with the blondest of blonde hair which require zero bleaching or touching-up of roots. It’s platinum blonde hair without the hassle. If you are like me and fall into the other 99% category, listen up.
I started highlighting my hair when I turned sixteen. It was a slow transition from my naturally dark blonde hair (it had gotten darker as I got older) and as they say, the rest is history. I am now, and have been for many years, a fully certified blondie. I touch-up my roots every 4 -6 weeks to keep my hair looking full and fresh and I spend a lot of time and money trying and testing the best hair products for damaged and colour treated hair. There are of course different ‘levels’ of blonde hair but if you bleach your hair as often as mine you will understand the toll that it takes on your hair. My biggest concerns are: split ends which come from over processing your hair, dried out hair and my hair turning yellow (this is a biggie!). If you are currently blonde or are thinking of going blonde, read below to get a look into my favourite blonde girl hair products right now.
- Redken Blonde Idol
A good purple shampoo should be at the top of every blonde girl’s list. Hopefully your hairdresser has done most of the work for you and got your hair the perfect shade of blonde, in my instance I like my hair to almost look white, not yellow. Your job in between touch-ups is maintaining that colour. This specific purple shampoo works like a dream. It has a nozzle with the numbers 1-6 (weeks) and you can set it to however long it has been since your last colour treatment. The longer it has been since your last touch-up, the higher the intensity of the shampoo will be. Really helpful to keep the colour in tact and it smells amazing! This product shown here is for platinum hair but if you are more of a golden, natural blonde, be sure to check the different variations.
2. Matrix Hello Blondie Shampoo and Conditioner
My shampoo and conditioner combo are forever changing but since using this particular brand which focuses on blonde hair, I have honestly noticed the difference. I usually use a shampoo and conditioner that treats damaged or colour treated hair but moving forward I aim to stick to products that specialise on blonde hair.
3. Monoi Coconut Oil Hask
An oldie but a goodie. This coconut oil hask feels like my best kept secret, I swear by this stuff. It’s 3/4’s of the price of one of my favourite brands’ leave-in-treatment and it works just as well, if not better! It smells amazing, it leaves my hair feeling amazing and it lasts me two months – I smother my hair in this stuff so two months is a lifetime.
4. GHD Advanced Split End Therapy
This product was a gift from the GHD team after I attended their year-end function last year. The science behind this treatment is that it harnesses the power of heat and uses it to actually strengthen and protect your hair. I apply the split end therapy to my hair whilst still wet, focusing on the ends as that is the driest section of my hair, and after blow-drying my hair the treatment is then activated by the heat of the hair straighter. Pretty cool huh? Not a product I would have thought to use as I try to limit straightening my hair but I really want to emphasis protecting my hair, more so than ever before, so a product like this does wonders.
5. GHD Straight and Smooth Spray
Every hairdresser will tell you that heat, second to bleach, is the worst thing for your hair. Where possible I try to keep blow-drying and straightening my hair to a minimum but when I do use heat on my hair I make sure I use a good heat defence spray. This particular product is light-weight and focuses not only protecting your hair but leaving it smooth and sleek as well. Frizz, be gone.
6. John Frida Frizz Ease Perfect Finish
Those flyaways will be the death of me. Make sure you have a good serum to keep things in place and to give your hair that extra sleek, shiny look. I think I have said this about nearly every product but… a serum is a must!
7. Batiste Dry Shampoo
I wonder what life was like before dry shampoo? Just kidding – I never want to know! Regardless if you are a blonde, brunette or a red-head, dry shampoo is a life-saver. I can easily go an extra two days without washing my hair thanks to the likes of dry shampoo and with this product in particular, I can go an extra two weeks before touch-up my hair. In terms of keeping your hair healthy, dry shampoo can also play a part in that the less you wash your hair, the less blow-drying and straightening you will have to do. It applies as a light powder and visibly lightens the regrowth or in ‘normal’ instances, absorbs the oil and grease which alerts us its time to wash our hair. Probably going to buy this product in bulk if and when Day Zero comes around. Cape Town ladies are we on the same page?
7. Biotin Tablets
Before the days of bleaching my hair I used to have really thick, luscious, healthy hair. It’s been tough watching the condition of my hair slowly deteriorate over the years so I have actively tried to restore important nutrients that dying my hair takes away. Biotin is the main ingredient is any hair-growth/hair-loss supplement and is known for improving the condition of nails as well. I’m not a doctor so I won’t run around prescribing vitamins to anyone who will listen, especially considering everything has a different effect on everyone, but for me personally I have felt such a difference in my hair. It’s much thicker and stronger, and although my hair has always very naturally grown fast, it continues to grow fairly quickly as well.
8. Olaplex
I find it hard to believe that so many girls who bleach their hair still haven’t heard of Olaplex. If you take away anything from this post let it be the revelation that is Olaplex. Olaplex is a three-step treatment that protects your hair from damage and breakage, strengthens your hair and helps lock in moisture. Step 1 is mixed into the bleach when applying it to your hair, step 2 is a leave-in treatment you apply before you rinse out your hair and set 3 is a take home conditioner you can use in between touch-ups. These days I do not let bleach come near my hair without Olaplex. I had a bad experience a year or two ago where I noticed some of my hair had broken and so I am no longer prepared to even risk it.
Above and beyond all of this you need to schedule in regular treatments for your hair to ensure it gets all the protein it needs and that you are still able to lock in the moisture. Nourished hair feels good and is noticeable for all the right reasons. If you love your blonde hair enough to keep up with all the maintenance required, love your hair enough to give it all the other TLC goodies that go along with it. Don’t forget to trim your hair on regular occasions as well. A tatty mane is not a good look for anyone.
*books hair dresser appointment as we speak*
When it comes to hair and beauty products I really can ramble on for ever and ever amen, so I have tried to keep each product description as brief as I could. If you do however have any questions regarding any of the products or bleaching your hair, as always, don’t be shy to ask 🙂
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