TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Is Bleaching Naturally Curly Hair Bad?
• Can Bleach-Damaged Curls Be Repaired?
• How Do You Revive Curls After Bleaching?
• Products for Damaged Hair
Bleaching takes a toll on your strands, and if you have curly hair, it can affect your curl pattern and your hair’s overall health. Damaged bleached hair can look and feel a lot less healthy and vibrant, but lightening your hair doesn’t mean your hair is automatically a lost cause. If you feel like your curls don’t have the same pop post-bleach, we have a few suggestions for dealing with and repairing bleached curls.
Is Bleaching Naturally Curly Hair Bad?
Bleaching isn’t bad, per se, but it is an intense and permanent process. Even when left to the pros, there’s potential for damage. First, let’s get into the process of bleaching and how it affects the hair.
Bleach removes the pigment in your hair, stripping it of its color. This chemical process leaves the cuticle (the outer layer of your strands) open, which increases porosity and leaves your bleached curls weaker and more prone to damage and dryness.
While the bleaching process can be damaging to any hair texture, it has a unique effect on curly hair—it can damage or change your curl pattern altogether. Damaged curly hair is easy to spot, the bleached curls tend to feel drier and look looser or straighter. Since your hair becomes so porous, bleached curls won’t hold as much moisture and may be more prone to frizz. The texture of your curls won’t be as tightly coiled, uniform, or soft either.
Overprocessing your curly hair worsens the potential damage. Repeatedly bleaching your hair can weaken it, leaving you with strands that may feel stretchy and elastic.
Can Bleach-Damaged Curls Be Repaired?
Short answer, yes. Long answer, yes, but it will take patience and time. Since bleaching is a permanent chemical process, it will take more than a quick fix to repair your hair and get it back to a healthy state. Damaged bleached hair can be brittle, dry, and fragile.
How Do You Revive Curls After Bleaching?
If you want to revive and repair your bleached curls, you need to switch up your routine. Healthy hair starts at home, so, before you book your next salon appointment, take a look at how you’re caring for your hair.
Natural hair care requires some extra TLC, but caring for bleach-damaged curly hair requires a routine that prioritizes moisturizing, repairing, and protecting. To help you create such a routine, we have three tips on how to repair your natural hair.
Tip #1: Deep condition and moisturize your hair
Damaged bleached hair needs all the extra moisture and hydration it can get. The best treatment for damaged bleached hair is a routine geared toward repairing your hair. Ditch drying products in favor of curly hair products that restore and add moisture. Look for products that smooth, repair, and moisturize hair without harsh ingredients like sulfates or silicones. The best shampoo for damaged bleached hair is a sulfate-free shampoo, like the Monoi Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo, that will clean your hair and scalp but won’t dry out your curls. Damaged hair products will be your best friend until your hair is repaired.
The best conditioner for damaged bleached hair is also moisturizing and restoring. Work a repairing conditioner, like the Monoi Repairing Conditioner, into your hair care routine to restore damaged curls and help prevent further breakage. Take the time to deep condition your hair weekly with the Monoi Repairing Hair Mask. To deeply nourish and repair hair, add a shower cap and sit under a hooded dryer.
Oils can also help seal the cuticle and reduce frizz. Finish your routine and lock in moisture with a lightweight oil to leave your hair looking and feeling healthier, like Monoi Oil Sacred Strengthening Serum.
Tip #2: Get regular trims
Haircuts are an important part of a healthy hair routine. You should regularly get trims to help prevent split ends from causing additional damage. They can move further up the hair shaft if left unaddressed. Products can help reduce the look of broken ends, but the best way to get rid of split ends is to cut them off. You can opt for a tiny trim or get a full haircut. For those interested in the latter, we know plenty of chic hairstyles for short, curly hair.
Tip #3: Prevent further damage
If you’re done with bleach altogether, decide with your stylist on the best course of action for getting back to your natural hair color or growing out your damaged curls. Focus on protecting your hair and preventing any additional damage. This means cutting out heat styling and chemical processes like dyeing your hair. Try low-manipulation protective styles and check out our guide on how to brush curly hair until your damaged curly hair is back to its healthy state.
Ready to get started on your healthy hair journey? We have a guide to protective styles for natural hair to get you started.
Products for Damaged Hair
Discontinued
