If you’ve been a hairdresser for any amount of time, you’ve probably seen your fair share of clients who have decided to take their hair colour into their own hands. The worst cases? Probably those who have had a hair bleach disaster!
So, what do you do when a client comes to you for help? Take a look at our guide to the essentials your salon should have to fix the damage and breakage caused by bleach…
How do you fix bleach damaged hair for your client?
Fixing bleach damaged hair is one of the trickiest jobs you will probably come across as a hairdresser!
There are so many things that can go wrong when an untrained hand applies bleach to the hair. So, fixing it for your client depends on what exactly the problem is.
It could be unwanted tones, uneven colour, severe breakage – even if your client did an ok job, they might simply wish they had their old colour back.
Your first priority though, will be to assess the amount of damage done by the bleach – and to ensure that you don’t make it any worse. If hair is literally breaking off, or feels very ‘stretchy’, ‘fried’ or brittle, the only way out of it will probably be to cut off the most damaged lengths.
If your client’s hair can still be salvaged, then there are some things you can do to rehydrate and repair it…
Can over-bleached hair be repaired?
Once your client’s hair has been trimmed to remove any lengths that are irreparably damaged, there are a few things you can do to return it to health.
Products containing ingredients such keratin, nourishing oils, ceramides and peptides can help repair hair damage caused by bleach. Shampoos that are free from harmful ingredients are good for gently cleansing the hair, which can then be moisturised and nourished by a hair mask and reparative treatment.
Take a look at some of our top products for repairing and fixing bleached hair damage below…
OLAPLEX
OLAPLEX is perhaps one of the best treatments around for dealing with any kind of damaged hair – including chemical damage caused by bleach. The patented two-step system can be used as a stand-alone treatment to repair hair at a molecular level. Clients can then continue to rebuild the integrity of their hair with take-home treatments including their hair perfector and bonding hair oil.
If hair is strong enough to take some colour, you can also mix it in to further fortify the hair during the colouring process.
Use the OLAPLEX shampoo and conditioner to make the most of the unique bonding technology at every step.
Find out more about how to use OLAPLEX in your salon!
Redken Extreme Mega Mask
Possibly the best mask for bleached hair damage, Redken Extreme Mask is packed with a protein complex that provides deep conditioning that lasts up to 3 washes. When used with the Redken Extreme Shampoo and conditioner, hair can be strengthened by up to 15x!
Follow up with the Redken Extreme Cat Treatment to restore further shine and softness to bleach damaged hair.
Pureology Strength Cure Miracle Filler
If you have successfully re-coloured your client’s bleached hair, try using Pureology Strength Cure Miracle Filler. When sprayed through damp hair, this aromatic blend of xylose, coriander oil, chamomile and keravis works to both strengthen and protect colour treated hair, helping to fix bleached hair breakage.
It works by filling gaps in the hair cuticle to strengthen it by up to 78%, while the unique Pureology AntiFade Complex protects colour longevity.
Find out more about Pureology hair care at Salons Direct.
Schwarzkopf BLONDME Keratin Restore
Another fantastic product that helps fix bleached hair damage is the Schwarzkopf BLONDME Keratin Restore range. It works by repairing the internal structure of the hair, creating new bonds within the fibres to help moisturise porous hair.
To use, apply the Schwarzkopf BLONDME Intense Bonding Potion to the hair, section by section. This amplifies the effect of the Schwarzkopf BLONDME Blonde Mask, which you apply directly on top.
Related: Our Best Salon Shampoos for Blonde Hair
Bonacure Peptide Repair Rescue Deep Nourishing Treatment
Another of our best masks for bleach damaged hair, Bonacure Peptide Repair Rescue Deep Nourishing Treatment is specifically designed for hair that has been damaged by repeated chemical processes, such as bleaching. The concentrated blend of peptides, amino acids and keratin helps to fix both inner and outer layers of the hair strands, improving elasticity, softness and manageability.
Take a look at the whole Bonacure Peptide range for more help fixing bleached hair – including the Bonacure Peptide Repair Rescued Nutri Shield Serum for added heat protection and the Bonacure Repair Rescue Sealed Ends which helps prevent further breakage.
L’Oreal Serie Expert ABSOLUT REPAIR
Another of the most popular fixes for bleach damaged hair is the L’Oreal Expert ABSOLUT REPAIR range. The ABSOLUT REPAIR Shampoo and ABSOLUT REPAIR Conditioner are both enriched with lipids, ceramides, phyto-keratin and lactic acid to strengthen damaged hair.
For added smoothness, apply the ABSOLUT REPAIR Resurfacing Light Masque, which further resurfaces damaged hair with gold quinoa for 7x shinier hair.
This product was featured in our Best Treatments for Damaged Hair blog!
Is it safe to dye over bleached hair?
The problem with overly bleached hair is that the colour pigment has been stripped out. Combined with weakened hair that is highly porous, applying any colour over the top can become risky.
The worst thing your client can do is use a box dye over their bleach disaster – it’s likely the colour won’t develop as they expected and will only add to the damage. Plus, you’ll be even less wise about what lurks beneath it!
A non-lifting toner or deposit only hair colour is often the best way to fix the colour of bleached hair without causing further damage. Adding OLAPLEX to the colour solution helps continue to repair the hair. A root stretch, ombre or balayage is another good option for helping your client blend their natural colour back in.
It’s always best to educate your client on the best way to take care of their hair, too. Fixing bleached hair breakage and damage is a process that takes at home care and multiple salon visits, but will always pay off in the long run.
Find more professional hair colour essentials online at Salons Direct
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