The Ultimate Guide To Keeping Bleached Hair Healthy And Hydrated

If you have bleached hair, you will be all too familiar with the challenges that come with your lighter look. Perhaps you’re worried about potential damage in your quest for fairer hair or are simply looking for safer heated styling techniques after bleaching. 

It’s true that the chemical process involved with bleaching creates a permanent change in the structure of your hair, leaving it more porous and prone to damage. But this shouldn’t be a barrier to choosing – and enjoying – your next blonde look. The loss of melanin, increased strand volume, and sensitivity to sunlight means that your bleach-treated hair needs a little tender loving care. From the products you use to your daily hydration to your heat-styling routine – every step counts when nourishing your new hair.

With the right routine, your lighter style can stay healthy, hydrated, and bright for longer. Keep your bleached hair beautiful with this easy-to-use expert guide. 

DOS AND DON’TS FOR SOFT AND HEALTHY BLEACHED HAIR

Bleached hair is drier and more fragile than untreated hair. Without proper care and attention, the chemical treatment may leave hair damaged and prone to breakage. Follow these expert tips to keep your bleached hair looking and feeling soft, supple and healthy.

Dos:

• Get your hair professionally bleached – Perfecting the process of bleaching hair is something of an art form so when it comes to chemical treatments, it’s definitely a job for the pros. Professional stylists have both the experience and education to provide a personalised assessment of your hair, advising you of any risks such as existing weakness or heat damage. They can then make a judgement about what treatment will be best for the look you are trying to achieve. A trained stylist will know exactly how to apply bleach evenly and how long to leave it in, so your hair looks lighter and feels luscious. For an amateur attempting a home treatment, it’s easy to overlap the bleach, causing unnecessary damage. 
• Hydrate your hair – When it comes to bleach, hydrated hair is healthy hair. Bleaching can leave hair more porous and struggling to retain moisture naturally. The best hydration for bleached hair comes from using quality products that smooth and seal the cuticle, locking in moisture at strand level. To nourish and nurture your hair, apply a deep-conditioning mask like CLOUD NINE’s Magical Remedy, which contains keratin and collagen, among other hydrating ingredients, to restore moisture and shine.
• Use a heat protectant – Bleached hair is more porous and fragile than untreated hair, so it’s even more important to look after its condition by applying a heat protectant, such as our Magical Quick Dry Potion, the best heat protectant for damaged, bleached hair. Its unique formula locks in moisture by rapidly expelling water from the hair shaft when hair drying. 
• Style your hair at the right temperature for your hair’s condition – You want your bleached style to look cool – so make sure you apply the same logic when setting your styling heat for your bleached hair. Bleached and colour-treated hair is super-sensitive to heat and needs a much lower temperature to keep it looking and feeling its best. To find the perfect temperature for your bleached hair, use the CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator. 
• Choose heated styling tools with Variable Temperature Control – Your hair is as unique as you are. No two hair types respond in the same way to heat styling. When choosing the right heat styling tools for your own hair, select a temperature-controlled tool which allows you to choose the heat setting that’s best suited to your bleached hair. All CLOUD NINE tools, from hair dryers to wands and straighteners, come with Variable Temperature Control, allowing you to style your bleached hair with care, leaving it supple and sleek.
• Use a shampoo specially formulated for bleached hair – Bleached hair needs extra TLC, and the right shampoo makes all the difference. Shampoos specially designed for bleached hair contain nourishing oils that gently cleanse and add hydration, leaving your hair feeling strong and healthy. Many specialist shampoos also contain purple pigments to neutralise brassy or yellow tones, keeping your blonde hair looking bright and fresh.
• Sleep on silk – Keep caring for your bleached hair when the sun goes down by sleeping on a luxurious silk pillowcase. The smooth surface helps reduce tangles and frizz, allowing your hair to retain its natural oils and moisture. Plus, if you are treating your hair to a night-time care routine of leave-in oils and conditioners, the smooth fabric won’t absorb the treatment like cotton, giving your hair all the benefits all night long.
• Use silk scrunchies or snag-free hair bobbles – For longer hairstyles, take care of your hair when you tie it up by opting for silk scrunchies and snag-free bobbles. Unlike traditional elastic hair ties, silk protects your delicate bleached hair, reducing friction and frizz with its smooth texture. Whether your style is a loose ponytail or elegant bun, your hair will be protected by products such as those found in CLOUD NINE’s Silk Collection.
• Trim regularly – Bleached hair is more prone to dryness, split ends, and breakage, so regular trims should be an essential part of your hair care routine. By visiting a professional hairdresser every 6-8 weeks, you can stop split ends in their tracks, preventing them from travelling up the hair shaft and causing further damage. Regular trims also create a fuller and fresher appearance, making your hair easier to style and maintain.
• Brush gently – A gentle approach is always the best approach for your bleached hair, and that goes for brushing too. Invest in a good quality hairbrush with nylon bristles, such as CLOUD NINE’s Luxury Paddle Brush to reduce frizz and breakage, leaving your hair shiny and soft.
• Protect hair from sun damage – UV rays can be harsh on your sensitive bleached hair. Too much direct sunlight can weaken its structure, making it brittle and more prone to breakage. It can also affect your colour, leaving it brassy or overly lightened. To keep your bleached hair looking stylish and bright, consider wearing a hat when in direct sunlight or applying a UV protection spray that helps lock in moisture and prevent your colour from fading.

Don’ts:

• Don’t bleach your hair yourself – When bleaching your hair, it’s always best to trust an expert. Bleaching is a chemical process, and for an untrained pair of hands, it’s easy to get wrong. If bleach is left on hair too long or applied unevenly, there is a risk of damage to hair – or even strands snapping off completely. A trained stylist will expertly apply bleach to your hair, leaving it light, fresh, and healthy.
• Don’t use harsh brushes on wet bleached hair – Wet hair is more fragile than when its dry, and bleached hair is extra fragile, so it’s important to take extra care of it when wet. Use a brush like CLOUD NINE’s Wet Hairbrush to brush your wet bleached strands safely and effortlessly. The Wet Hairbrush’s flexible bristles and contoured shape are expertly designed to minimise pulling and breakage, detangling your hair carefully to leave it stronger.
• Avoid over-washing bleached hair – Bleached hair needs help retaining moisture and natural oils, which can be stripped away by a harsh washing and drying regime. Avoid washing your hair for the first 2-3 days after bleaching to protect your weakened strands. After this, keep your light hair feeling supple and sleek, by washing your hair 2-3 times a week under cool water. Use a hydrating shampoo with natural ingredients like coconut oil or keratin and conditioning products like the CLOUD NINE Magical Remedy to keep your hair hydrated and nourished. You can also use a little dry shampoo in between washes to keep your hair looking at its best. 
• Not happy with your new bleached hair? Don’t panic – If your new hairdo isn’t what you’d hoped for, all is not lost. First, take a breath and relax. Give your hair time to recover from the harsh bleach. Your newly lightened hair will benefit from some hydrating nurture. Try a deep-conditioning hair mask and use leave-in conditioners after washing to give your strands a moisture boost. If you are still unhappy with your new look, ask your stylist for expert advice. 
• Avoid chlorine – If you are a swimmer, or going on holiday, remember to take care of your bleached hair when visiting the pool. Bleached hair can be prone to dryness and breakage, and chlorine can add to this, making hair even more brittle. To keep your hair in the best condition, wear a swimming cap in the water and rinse your hair thoroughly after swimming.

BLEACHED HAIRCARE – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What’s the best way to hydrate bleached hair?

Always use specially formulated hydrating shampoos and conditioning products that have been designed to provide gentle care for bleached hair, protecting natural oils and locking in moisture. When heat styling, always use a heat protectant like Magical Quick Dry Potion and use heated styling tools with Variable Temperature Control that allow you to switch to a lower heat setting to keep your bleached hair in the best condition.

What’s the best product for bleached breakage hair?

Always use a deep conditioning product such as CLOUD NINE’s Magical Remedy to protect bonds, seal split ends, and repair strands, keeping hair glossy and full of life. When styling hair with a hair dryer, wand or straighteners, invest in a good quality heat protectant such as our Magical Quick Dry Potion. Not only will your hair be protected from the heat, but drying time is reduced by up to 50%, meaning your hair is exposed to heat for less time. 

Can I still use heat on my bleached hair?

Absolutely! You shouldn’t feel restricted by having bleached hair. Just make sure that when you use heat on your strands, you apply a good quality heat protectant and choose heat-styling tools that let you select a temperature that’s right for your hair. If you’re not sure which temperature to select, then head to CLOUD NINE’s Temperature Calculator to work out the ideal heat setting for your hair. With the right care and styling approach, you can use heat on your bleached hair to achieve the style you desire.

How long does it take for hair to recover from bleach?

Bleaching hair is a permanent chemical process that affects the structure of strands of hair, leaving it more porous and prone to breakage. This damage is not reversible and to recover fully, hair needs to be given time to grow out. However, with the right haircare routine, it’s easy to keep your bleached hair strong, healthy, and beautiful. Use deep conditioning treatments like CLOUD NINE’s Magical Remedy and heat a protectant like CLOUD NINE’s Magical Quick Dry Potion to help keep your bleached hair hydrated and healthy.

We’d love to see your gorgeous, bleached hair! Tag @cloudninehair and share your gorgeous bleached hair on TikTok, Instagram or Facebook.