At the end of last year, I was on a mission to go from to go from black to blonde hair. After two highlight sessions and an all-over balayage, I was blonde, but my hair had suffered a lot of chemical damage. It was stretchy and gummy when wet and hay-like when dry.
I have adapted a hair routine that suits my bleached hair and I can confidently say that my hair is in good health (for a bleach blonde). Here’s how I saved my chemically damaged hair in 7 easy steps.
1—Be patient, My hair may have turned into cotton candy in the span of an hour, but it took weeks to see a positive difference in the integrity of my hair. Be patient and trust that the wait will be worth it because you can salvage most of your length.
2—Avoid sulfates, parabens and silicones. Most shampoos and conditioners contain harsh chemicals that damage the hair. Once I was using sulfate, paraben, and silicone-free products, I noticed my hair was softer and had more volume.
3—Deep condition regularly. The first few weeks after my hair was bleached, I focused on bringing back moisture. I did several conditioning treatments with coconut oil and and Jamaican Black Castor oil. I like to use SheaMoisture Strengthen & Grow treatment mask and Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner which is great for detangling in the shower. Both of these products are sulfate, paraben, and silicone free.
4—Buy a microfiber towel. The fibers in regular towels create extra frizziness and breakage in the hair, a microfiber towel has softer strands. I got mine at Amazon for $10.
5—Stop using heat! Give your heat tools an extended vacation. Your hair will thank you. My hair would have burned off if I continued to use my flat iron regularly.
6—Find a no-heat style that works for you. Without my loyal flat iron, I needed alternatives to manage my mane. Braids became my go-to styling method. I french braid my hair after it is 50 percent dry and sleep on it. My hair is protected from breakage during the night and I wake up with frizz-free curls every morning.
7—Embrace your natural hair texture. I use to love how I looked best when my hair was straight, but in order to save my hair, I had to learn to embrace my natural texture. Now, I scroll through natural curly hair girls on Instagram who have been on this journey for years, and I look forward to the luscious curls I’ll have in a few years when I’ve gotten rid of all my chemical damage. For now, I embrace the curls that my braids give me and take notice of the small changes in my hair as it grows stronger.
Will you be incorporating any of these steps into your natural hair regimen? Comment your favorite step below and tag us @CFashionista with a picture of your favorite hair products for the summer months!
