The Right Way to Take Care of Blonde, Color-Treated Hair

Bottle blonde celebrities and models make it look easy, but in reality, they have more than a few tricks up their sleeves to keep their locks beautiful and blonde. You may not see all of the behind the scenes, but they definitely have a specially tailored, blonde hair care routine going on. Seriously, caring for blonde, color-treated hair can take a lot of work! Do you dye your hair blonde? If you have blonde, color-treated hair, you may find yourself wondering how to take care of your tresses to maintain a brass-free blonde mane. Below, find blonde hair care tips covering everything from how to neutralize brassiness with purple shampoo to how to disguise gray roots in between touch-ups.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #1: USE A SYSTEM OF SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER FORMULATED FOR BLONDE HAIR

After you dye your hair, it’s important to switch to products that are formulated for color-treated hair, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Conditioner. The EverPure Blonde system helps to gently cleanse, condition, and balance blonde hair, neutralize brassiness, and deeply hydrate over-processed hair. Gently massage the shampoo onto wet hair, then rinse. Follow up with the conditioner, leaving it on for one to two minutes before rinsing out.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #2: ADD A REVIVING TREATMENT TO YOUR WEEKLY HAIR CARE REGIMEN

Like we told you earlier, blonde hair certainly requires maintenance, and that includes using a blonde hair treatment regularly. So, once a week, use the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shade Reviving Treatment after shampooing with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shampoo. It’s a refreshing hair mask for blonde, colored hair that helps instantly neutralize brassiness while intensely nourishing over-processed hair. Apply it to towel-dried hair post-shampoo, leave on for three to five minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #3: BE MINDFUL WHEN HEAT STYLING

Excessive heat styling can lead to damage, so if you have bleached, blonde hair, you may want to give your blow-dryer and flat iron a break every once in a while (though if you do want to reach for any of your heat tools, be sure to apply a heat protectant first). Of course, we aren’t saying you have to sacrifice style! Create effortless-looking beachy waves by spritzing a wave spray onto towel-dried hair. Then, braid your hair and undo the braid once your hair has dried to show off those waves.

Not feeling loose waves? No problem! If you prefer a more undone look, consider opting for a messy, straight-out-of-bed hairstyle. To get the look, start by taking a dime-sized amount of the L’Oréal Paris Studio Line Overworked Hair Putty and rub it between your fingers, then work the pomade through dry hair. Add more product as desired, scrunching as you go to boost texture and add volume to your mane. Once you’re satisfied with your look, you’re good to go!

Still not sold? We have one more heat-free hairstyle option. Love the look of a voluminous mane? So do we—and you don’t need a blow-dryer to get the look. Apply the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BOOST IT Volume Inject Mousse throughout your mane for a volume-packed look sans heat.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #4: TRY SOFTER STYLES

While we’re talking about styling, blondes tend to be more prone to hair breakage, so your best bet is to opt for softer, gentler hairstyles. Instead of putting your hair into a high ponytail, for example, you may want to try a low ponytail with a soft scrunchie. Want more examples? Here are a few soft hairstyles to try.

Soft Hairstyle #1. French braid. A loose braid is a great option if you’re searching for a hairstyle that’ll be gentle on your strands. Weave your blonde mane into a French braid to do just that. Rusty on your braiding skills? Follow the tutorial in our article, Braiding Basics: How to French Braid Your Hair.

Soft Hairstyle #2. Low bun. In a similar fashion to a low ponytail, a low bun will put less strain on your strands than its higher alternative. Loosely twist your length into a low bun, then secure with a claw clip or scrunchie.

Soft Hairstyle #3. Hair scarf. If you prefer to wear your hair down but still want a bit of style, try wrapping your head in a hair scarf, using the scarf as a makeshift headband. This is a great way to get your hair out of your face while still being totally on-trend (and gentle!).

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #5: FIND A COLORIST YOU LOVE

Coloring your hair blonde can be a long process, especially if your natural base color is dark brown. It requires bleaching, and you may need to visit a colorist multiple times to achieve the level of blonde you want. That’s why it’s essential to find a professional colorist you feel comfortable with—you’ll be seeing him or her often for touch-ups as well! Ready to try a different blonde shade? Bring in photos so that your colorist has a clear idea of how to proceed.

Editor’s note: If you need some blonde hair color inspiration, look no further than the latest trendy blonde hue: cream blonde! Learn all about it in our article, Why You Should Consider Cream Blonde for Your Next Hair Color.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #6: TAKE YOUR TIME

When it comes to switching up your blonde color or going from dark hair to a lighter shade, patience is key. A professional colorist will recommend gradually lightening your hair over time in order to help maintain the integrity of your strands. You’ll be happy you waited! As a general rule of thumb, wait at least 14 days in between coloring and bleaching sessions.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #7: PROTECT YOUR COLOR

By now, you know the dangers of sun exposure when it comes to your skin, but did you know those UV rays can also take a toll on your hair color? UV rays can potentially cause color to fade. So, consider using products that are formulated with UV filters, and throw on a floppy hat or trendy head wrap when you know you’ll be spending an extended amount of time out in the sun.

Editor’s note: Want to dig a little deeper into the topic of sun protection for hair? Check out our article on The Best Hairstyles for Protecting Your Hair (and Scalp) from the Sun.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #8: GET REGULAR TRIMS

Ends looking a little ragged? It’s time for a trim! Make an appointment with your stylist to snip off any dead ends so that you can help keep your blonde mane looking as gorgeous as can be. For a healthy mane, try to get a trim every four to six weeks.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #9: TEMPORARILY MASK GRAY ROOTS

It goes without saying that life gets busy, and you may not always find the time to make it into the salon for frequent touch-ups. On those days that you want to hide your gray roots, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up, which comes in light to medium and dark blonde shades. Spray it directly onto new growth and lightly through the rest of your hair. It lasts for one shampoo.

Editor’s note: In a pinch and can’t get your hands on some root cover-up? For a quick fix, pop on a hat or opt for a deep side part to disguise your roots—you’re welcome!

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #10: REACH FOR A PURPLE SHAMPOO

We mentioned the benefit of using a blonde shampoo and conditioner, but what about purple shampoo? No, this shampoo isn’t for purple hair—it’s for those with blonde manes just like you! Purple shampoo (accompanied by a purple conditioner) can help cool any brassiness that starts to pop up. If you’re a brunette-gone-blonde, you may find this to be your holy grail as brunettes who bleach their locks tend to be more prone to brassiness.

When your blonde hair starts to pull brassy tones, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Purple Shampoo for Color Treated Hair and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Purple Conditioner for Color Treated Hair. Enriched with purple pigments, the formula neutralizes brass and helps keep color vibrant in between colorings. Use once a week when hair starts to look brassy. First, massage the shampoo onto wet hair, leave on for one to three minutes, then rinse. Next, apply the conditioner and leave it on for five minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Prefer a sulfate-free option? Give the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Brass Toning Purple Sulfate Free Shampoo and the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Brass Toning Purple Sulfate Free Conditioner a try. Formulated with hibiscus and purple dye, the shampoo and conditioner work together to hydrate and neutralize brassy yellow and orange tones in blonde, bleached, highlighted, and silver hair. Use two to three times a week in place of your usual shampoo and conditioner. First, wash your hair with the shampoo, massaging into a lather, then rinsing thoroughly. Next, apply a generous amount of conditioner, leave on for two to five minutes, and rinse.

BLONDE HAIR CARE TIP #11: SHOW YOUR HAIR SOME TLC

In addition to using your blonde-reviving mask, you’ll be wanting to show your color-treated hair TLC with another product or two. You can do so with the help of additional hair masks, as well as a deep conditioner. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Repair and Protect Balm is an intensive post-color repair hair treatment that smooths and protects hair color and is specially formulated for dry, damaged, and color-treated hair to repair visible damage from processing in one use. One to two times a week, apply after shampooing in place of your conditioner. Leave on for three to five minutes, then rinse.

As an alternative, you can also try using a deep conditioner. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Rapid Reviver Deep Conditioner has a rich, reviving formula for colored hair. Formulated with a conditioning serum, antioxidants, and pomegranate, the conditioner helps to hydrate each strand for shiny, silky hair. Apply onto wet hair from lengths to tips for one minute, then rinse.

Editor’s note: To create a complete hair care system, use either of the above products with the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Shampoo and the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Conditioner.

Is it almost time to color your blonde locks again? In case you need some inspiration, here are The 50 Best Blonde Hair Colors for Every Skin Tone.