Beauty & Fashion 

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Stressed tresses: how to care for bleached hair

Yes. Firstly, it’s important to understand what happens to your hair every time you bleach it. This process uses hydrogen peroxide to remove most of the natural pigment or colour from your hair in order to obtain a lighter hue. After bleaching, a toner is applied to the hair to achieve the desired shade. This method is also called a ‘double process’ and, as you can tell, it can be very damaging to hair. Follow these tips to keep yours in good condition and to prevent further damage.

• Use a mild shampoo and the strongest conditioner possible without making your hair go limp.
• Wash your hair only as often as is necessary.
• Give yourself a deep-conditioning treatment once a week.
• Comb your hair gently (especially when it’s wet – that’s when it’s at its weakest point) and keep any heat-styling tools on a low setting.
• A drop of silicone serum (like Frizzease) can be used to temporarily coat and smooth the hair cuticle and add a bit of shine. Use a small quantity to prevent any build-up.
• Minimise the number of times you bleach your hair.

Why not chat to other iVillagers about hair on the Hair Care message board. Take a look at some of the LIVE discussions happening now on the board:

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