Is This the Perfect Haircare Routine for Bottle Blondes? I Think So…
Erin Cook is a beauty and lifestyle journalist who has been slinging words for magazines, such as marie claire, ELLE, Harper’s BAZAAR, Cosmopolitan and Body+Soul, for the better part of a decade. As part of this role, she's had the pleasure of interviewing countless experts, such as dermatologists, trichologists, makeup artists and brand founders, to get their two cents on the latest beauty trends or to answer consumer questions. She loves a good hyaluronic serum, tinted moisturiser or glossy lipstick almost as much as she loves her cats. Almost.
Call me a cliché but I’ve decided to go blonde for summer.
I know, I know. Blonde? For summer? Ground breaking.
Over the past 15 years I’ve see-sawed between sticking to my natural brunette hair colour and switching it up for something much blonder and brighter.
It’s a pretty predictable cycle. I get bored with my natural brown hair as it makes me look a bit pale and washed out.
So I add a few highlights, then a half head of foils, some balayage at the next appointment, and before I know it I’m a certified blonde.
Inevitably, all of the bleached strands turn into split ends, so I end up growing it out and starting the cycle all over again.
Here’s the thing: I much prefer how my hair looks when it’s blonde but I hate waking up with a head of hair that feels dry, frizzy and tangled.
Throughout the journey, I’ve done a bit of research, tried a bunch of products specifically designed for bleached hair, and I think I’ve settled on what could be the perfect haircare routine for bottle blondes.
So this time, I’m feeling reasonably confident that I’ll be able to make sure my blonde hair continues to feel like hair (and not the alternative, which is straw).
Here are the products I’m using to keep my bottle blonde hair as healthy and strong as it can be…
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
What the experts say:
“Olaplex No. 3 is the complete bond builder to repair and strengthen hair at home by rebuilding all three hair bonds,” says Max Lamparter, Regional Education Manager at Olaplex.
“You can use No. 3 once or twice a week at home to reinforce your hair and prepare it before your chemical process at the salon.”
People make the mistake of thinking it’s a mask, however “it’s a pre-shampoo treatment” and has been “proven to work effectively within only three minutes.”
My review:
If you only buy one product, make it this one. Of all the products in this routine, Olaplex No. 3 is the one that does the real heavy lifting.
The first time I used this product, I applied it like a mask after shampooing my hair and found it hard to wash out. Turns out, this is the completely wrong way to use it, but I’m not the first to make that mistake.
Here’s how to actually use it: apply to damp hair before you get in the shower and leave on for three to 10 minutes. From there, shampoo and condition as usual. (Hot tip: I usually double shampoo to make sure there’s no greasy residue.)
As Max mentioned above, Olaplex No. 3 works by repairing the bonds in your hair that were weakened during the bleaching process. Whereas other conditioning treatments might provide more instant, superficial results, this one gets to the root of the issue.
You might not notice a difference after the first use, but stick with it. In a few weeks, your hair will be much stronger and softer than before – promise.
Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
What the experts say:
“Olaplex No. 4 (shampoo) and No. 5 (Conditioner) further strengthen, repair, and moisturise damaged hair using our patented Bond Building Technology,” Max adds.
“This technology maintains intact bonds responsible for hair's strength. With the perfect combination of sulphate and silicone-free cleansing and moisturising agents, the result is clean, strong, shiny, and flexible hair.”
My review:
The perfect accompaniment to Olaplex No. 3, this shampoo helps to strengthen hair with every wash and prevent further breakage.
Think of Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo as an easy top up and Olaplex No. 3 as the treatment that will change the health of your hair the most.
Important: a little bit goes a long way and despite being sulphate-free, it lathers up to perfection.
Goldwell Dualsenses Bond Pro 60s Treatment
What the experts say:
“Bond Pro works like internal ‘repair glue’,” says Kirby Lago, National Goldwell Artist. “It finds weak points inside the hair fibre, fills and reinforces them, leaving hair stronger, smoother and less prone to breakage, all in 60 seconds.”
“It’s ideal for coloured, highlighted, heat-styled or fragile hair — including extensions. Most people benefit from using it once a week, while heavily processed hair may enjoy twice weekly.”
My review:
Any product that works in 60 seconds has my attention; this one does the job and then some.
I use Goldwell Dualsenses Bond Pro 60s Treatment in place of a conditioner once or twice a week to fend off dryness and split ends.
Similar to Olaplex, this product has bond building technology that helps to strengthen colour treated hair by reinforcing weakened bonds.
All I know is that every time I use this conditioning mask, my hair is soft and shiny without being weighed down.
evo Fabuloso Platinum Blonde Toning Conditioner
What the experts say:
Jay Kownacki, evo Head of Education & Product Development shares why this is one of his favourite products: “evo Fabuloso Platinum Blonde Toning Conditioner can be used weekly to banish brassy tones, nourish coloured locks, and revive and prolong the life of your salon colour.”
Once a week should do the trick or you could risk turning your blonde a “little lacklustre and murky.” If you do overdo it, “using a clarifying shampoo, such as evo Normal Persons Daily Shampoo, can help to reset your canvas and rid your hair of any dullness.”
My review:
Like most people, my blonde hair can start to look a bit brassy a few weeks after leaving the salon.
To keep those yellowy, brassy tones at bay, I love to sub in the evo Fabuloso Platinum Blonde Toning Conditioner in place of a standard conditioner or mask once every week or two.
What’s great about this product is that it has the perfect amount of toning power to neutralise any brassiness, creating a brighter looking blonde.
Plus, it really delivers as a conditioner and leaves hair feeling outrageously soft and smooth; I’d almost say that it could fall into the mask category.
A routine that has been tried, tested and refined over the years.
Enjoy!
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