As soon as a sniff of summer can be had on the air, women’s – and some men’s – hair starts getting miraculously lighter. It isn’t actually anything more than the miracle of a good stylist (which is not to be underestimated), but going a little or a lot blonder for summer is certainly an annual tradition for many.
I went to MOYO – the Dublin salon known for award winning colour – recently after completely neglecting my hair for a year. An ample serving of balayage and baby highlights followed, and I can attest to the mood brightening affects of a well done, brightened head of hair. There is work to be done at home, however, to keep newly bleached hair in tolerable condition.
In-salon colour services are expensive, so decent at-home care is important to keep your colour fresh for longer, and frankly, to keep you out of the salon as long as possible. Moroccanoil Colour Complete Shampoo and Conditioner (€23.85 and €24.85 at selected salons) promises to extend the longevity of your hair colour, strengthen and gloss the hair, and maintain colour vibrancy. It also features the same irresistible signature fragrance shared by other Moroccanoil products.
A blonde-specific shampoo is better for cool toned blondes that are prone to yellowing or brassiness. L'Oréal Elvive Colour Protect Purple Shampoo and Conditioner (€8.95 each at Boots) is affordable and effective – leave it sitting in the hair for a few minutes to counteract more stubborn brassiness. It will also keep grey hair appealingly icy and banish yellowness.
I have been using Dr Paw Paw 7 in 1 Hair Treatment (€12.95 at cloud10beauty.com), which is also available in some Penneys stores, for a few years now as a pre-drying heat protector and leave-in treatment. It is defrizzing, smoothing, protects and nourishes the hair just as well as more expensive treatments. I distribute three sprays through the ends of wet hair before drying.
Living Proof Restore Smooth Blowout Concentrate (€29 at livingproof.co.uk) does something similar but with more sophisticated technology, offering heat protection and powerful smoothing and shine. Heat activated, it actually speeds up your blow dry. Despite its heavy texture, it is silicone free, relying on oils to do its work. It offers major moisturisation to dry ends, but keep it well away from roots if your hair is fine or prone to oiliness, as it can weigh down the hair. This rich leave in serum is a dream for coarse or very thick hair.
Davine's OI Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion (from €29.95 for 50ml at shampoo.ie or mack.ie) is a beautiful smoothing, colour protecting oil from the cult Italian haircare brand. It works well in damp hair before styling, and as a smoother and defrizzer used very sparingly on dry hair when it just won't behave itself. For a quick, affordable treatment that leaves dry, colour treated hair soft and smelling divine, try Garnier Banana & Shea Hair Food (€8.95 in pharmacies). It softens and nourishes hair, but also has a vegan formula, and the shea butter within is sourced from a women's co-operative in Burkina Faso.
