Top 7 Products to Use on Coloured And Bleached Hair.

For 24 years I was a hair dye virgin. I refused to use any kind of colour or bleach on my hair, the closest I had ever come to ‘colouring’ my hair was using Sun-In once (which is shit, fyi). But I’ve been talking about doing it for years, and my hairdresser Daniel (who I’ve been friends with since we were 13) has also been tryna persuade me to do it for years. So back on NYE, I did it. My hair is now highlighted with colour, bleach and toner. And since then I’ve re-done it every 6-8 weeks (including an amazing colour session at Nicky Clarke!), which has meant I’ve been testing out a lot of products to keep it shiny and healthy, and now feel comfortable recommending my favourites.

And FYI, this post isn’t sponsored in any way, I bought every product with my own money and love all of these products a lot. The thing is, before I put any kind of colour on my hair it was l u s h. Like I really love my hair, it’s my pride and joy, and it was always super shiny and soft and wavy and just the easiest low-maintenance hair ever. I get it cut 2-3 times a year, I don’t use heat on it very often because most days I let it dry naturally (and I’m really lucky that it dries naturally wavy, especially in the heat – see the photo above).

However, since having it coloured I’ve noticed a huge difference, it’s now much drier and needs a lot more care and attention than it used to. I never used to use deep conditioners much, maybe once a month, but now I use them twice a week to keep my hair shiny and soft.

Photo by Jasiminne

So my top products to use on my coloured and bleached hair? Here they are, in the order of when I use them. I wash my hair every day apart from Sundays, on Sunday I give it a break and just leave it be.

1. Everyday Shampoo – Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture £8

This stuff is the bomb. Srsly. I’m in love with this brand. It’s a natural and organic shampoo that makes my hair nice and soft and silky (along with the conditioner below). You can get the Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo in large Holland & Barrett stores, and that fancy pharmacy on Wigmore Street. I tend to just order it on Amazon though because I’m lazy and it’s a little cheaper than in stores.

2. Everyday Conditioner – Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture £8

The conditioner is the same brand as the shampoo so follow the same instructions on why it’s awesome. But honestly these two are just amazing. 

3. Hair Oil – OSMO Berber Oil £6

I’ve been using this hair oil for about four years now, and even though I’ve tried others (Aussie and L’Oreal), I always find myself coming back to this one and it is hands down my favourite. The scent is incredible (every time I use it I get compliments on the scent), and it’s just really nice to use. It does the job, you don’t need too much, and it makes me hair shiny and smooth without making it look greasy. Oh, and it’s just £6 from Amazon for a 100ml glass bottle.

4. Once a Week Silver Shampoo – Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Shampoo £7

I’ve tried a few silver shampoos and this is my favourite. I usually use it once a week, but twice a week if it’s been a while since I had my hair coloured/bleached in the salon. It just helps to stop that yellow-tone and brighten the bleached parts. I use it the same days I use an intensive conditioner, and I leave it on my hair for a coupla minutes then wash it out. I’ve also heard great things about the Fudge silver shampoo though, so when I run out of my current bottle I’m gonna try that one out and see how it compares! Also it’s currently on sale on the Boots website for just £4.99 instead of the usual £6.99! 

5. Once a Week Deep Conditioner Mask – Kérastase Nutritive Nutri-Thermique Masque £22

I love love LOVE this conditioner. It’s super pricey (I got mine for around £21 from Feel Unique, but for some reason the site is being weird and only giving prices in Euros, so like almost everything in this world, you can get it from Amazon if it’s being weird for you too), but it lasts ages as you really don’t need a lot of it – even on my super thick long hair. For the best way to use it, I towel dry my hair after shampooing and rinsing, make sure all excess water is gone, then apply a thin layer of this conditioner all over my hair (literally all over), massage it all in, leave it on for 10-15 minutes, and then I rinse it out. It smells incredible and makes my hair insanely soft.

6. Once a Week Deep Conditioner Mask – OSMO Intensive Deep Repair Mask £6

I know I know, I have TWO deep conditioners. I use both once a week. I use the Kerastase one on Saturdays, and the OSMO one on Wednesdays. I’ve experimented a lot over the past seven months with using these and find it’s just the best way to keep my hair in really great condition. This is a really awesome one if you’re on a budget and can’t afford the Kerastase one, it’s currently just £5.30 from Amazon. I’ve had so many compliments on how shiny my hair looks since using this product, and again it smells amazing. 

7. Once a Week Night Time Oil – Vita Coco Coconut Oil £9

Yep. Plain ole coconut oil. Once a week I coat my hair in coconut oil, tie it up, and leave it overnight, and then wash as normal the next day. I just find that my hair seems to like it and you know, I’ll do anything to make sure my hair is healthy and doesn’t dry out. You can get it from Boots for £9.