For as long as I can remember, blondes, natural and otherwise, have been craving bright, iridescent hair. Unfortunately, external influences such as pollution, hard water and sun exposure can hamper that, regardless of whether you have ashen or honey tresses, nobody wants brassy hair.
Porosity of the hair also effects the absorption of these external influences, the more porous the hair, the more little nasties the hair can hold. Porosity can occur naturally or can be inflicted on the hair by heavy handed styling or overcolouring. People who are naturally blonde most likely just need a good detox and reconditioning. A little something like Kerestase Blond Absolu Bain Lumiere shampoo and Cicaflash are great for this or Alphaparf Reparative Low shampoo paired with their Reparative Mask. They will clarify, restore and support the hair, whilst also improving porosity levels.
For people looking to do more tonal work and who want to deposit neutralising pigment can do so quite easily, this is more likely to be needed if your hair is coloured. Even permanent colour only has a certain lifespan and can look dull after a little while but can be maintained and refreshed with home care like Kerestase Bain Ultra-Violet shampoo and Mask Ultra-Violet. Alternating these with Bain Lumiere and Cicaflash will give a gorgeous balance of detoxification, tone and nourishment, not to mention shine.
Help yourself along the way by being gentle with your hair, use a good detangler (Tangle teezer) that doesn’t snap or strain the hair. If you are letting the hair dry naturally, be sure not to tie it up, the cuticle is too fragile and exposed at this wet stage and even the weight of your ponytail can cause breakage.
If you plan on blow drying and styling your hair, be sure to use heat protection. Olaplex Bonding Oil or Kerastase Ciment Thermique are must have reparative blow-drying aids. Also ensure that your dryer is on a medium heat, it may take a few more minutes to begin with, but your hair will be far more manageable and less damaged in the long run. Blow dry the hair in sections too, it may feel extra, but it will actually speed up your blow-dry.
Finish with Kevin Murphy Shimmer Me Blonde. A little goes a long way with this one, so I recommend spraying it once into your hand, working through the hands before combing with your fingers through the mid lengths and ends. It gives luminous shine and will help protect the cuticle whilst locking in your blow-dry.
If you are cursed with living in a hard water area, don’t worry, there is more help at hand. Color Wow Dream Filter is your go-to remedy for mineral deposits, it removes the likes of copper, aluminium and chlorine to name but a few which can make your blonde dull and lacklustre. Just pop it into the hair for one to three minutes before shampooing to revamp your blonde.
Blonde maintenance doesn’t finish in the salon chair, its vital to use great quality homecare to protect your investment and your look.
by Fiona O'Connor - Millies Haircare Educator
