How to Take Care of Bleached Hair | And 6 Best Leave-In Conditioners For Better Hair

Read on to discover what are the best Best Leave-In Conditioners For Bleached Hair. Find tips on how to take care of bleached hair and more.

Discover the transformative power of leave-in conditioners for bleached blonde hair with our expert guide. Nourish, protect, and revitalize your lightened locks to keep them looking radiant and healthy every day. Dive in to find your perfect match for lustrous, strong strands.

Best Leave-In Conditioners For Bleached Hair

Leave In Conditioners	Best For	Chief Ingredients
L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair Leave In Conditioner	Dry Hair	Almond Oil, Keratin Protein
Shea Moisture Strengthen and Restore Condition	African American Hair	Shea Butter, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Peppermint, Apple Cider Vinegar
Sachajuan Leave In Conditioner	Oily Hair	Hydrolyzed Red Algae
Olaplex No 6 Bond Smoother	Severely Damaged Hair	Camellia Seed Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil
Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique Milk	Heat Protection	Royal Jelly Extracts, Guar Gum, Wheat Protein

What is the best leave-in conditioner for bleached hair?

Shea Moisture Strengthen and Restore Condition is the best leave in conditioner for bleached blonde hair according to me. It doesn’t contain silicone and a majority of the ingredients are organic. It helps repair damage, removes tangles, and prevents frizz too. It’s also well-suited for African American hair texture. 

How to Take Care of Bleached Hair?

Taking care of bleached hair requires special attention and maintenance to keep it healthy, strong, and vibrant. Bleaching hair strips away its natural moisture and can leave it prone to damage, dryness, and breakage. However, with the right techniques and products, you can maintain the integrity of your bleached locks and keep them looking their best.

Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to take care of bleached hair, divided into different methods:

1. Hydration and Moisture

Bleaching can leave hair dry and brittle, so prioritizing hydration is crucial. Use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated for color-treated or bleached hair. Look for products containing ingredients like argan oil, coconut oil, or shea butter to nourish and hydrate the hair.

2. Deep Conditioning Treatments

Incorporate weekly deep conditioning treatments into your hair care routine to replenish moisture and repair damage. Opt for intensive masks or treatments designed for chemically processed hair. Apply the treatment from mid-length to ends, focusing on the most damaged areas, and leave it on for the recommended time before rinsing thoroughly.

3. Avoid Heat Styling

Excessive heat styling can further damage bleached hair, so minimize the use of hot tools such as flat irons, curling wands, and blow dryers. When heat styling is necessary, use a heat protectant spray or serum to create a barrier between the hair and the heat. Additionally, opt for lower heat settings and limit the frequency of styling to prevent heat damage.

4. Gentle Hair Care Practices

Handle bleached hair with care to minimize breakage and damage. Avoid vigorous brushing or combing, especially when the hair is wet, as it is more prone to breakage when damp. Use a wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush to gently remove knots and tangles, starting from the ends and working your way up to the roots.

5. Protect from UV Exposure

Bleached hair is more susceptible to sun damage, which can cause fading and dryness. Protect your hair from UV exposure by wearing a hat or scarf when outdoors for extended periods. Additionally, use hair products containing UV filters or sprays specifically designed to shield hair from the sun’s harmful rays.

6. Regular Trims

Schedule regular trims every 6-8 weeks to prevent split ends and maintain the health of your bleached hair. Trimming off damaged ends will prevent breakage from traveling up the hair shaft and help keep your hair looking and feeling healthy.

7. Avoid Overwashing

Frequent washing can strip away natural oils and moisture from bleached hair, leading to dryness and dullness. Try to extend the time between washes by using dry shampoo to absorb excess oil and refresh the hair between wash days. When washing your hair, use lukewarm water instead of hot water, as hot water can further dry out the hair and scalp.

8. Use a Leave-In Conditioner

In addition to regular conditioner, incorporate a leave-in conditioner into your hair care routine to provide extra hydration and protection. Apply a small amount of leave-in conditioner to damp hair, focusing on the ends, and leave it in without rinsing to help detangle, soften, and moisturize the hair throughout the day.

Conclusion

Taking care of bleached hair requires a combination of hydration, protection, and gentle treatment to maintain its health and vibrancy. By following these methods, you can keep your bleached locks looking beautiful and prevent damage, dryness, and breakage, allowing you to enjoy your color-treated hair to the fullest.

Top Leave-In Conditioners For Bleached Hair 2024

L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair Leave In Conditioner

It’s no secret that bleached blonde hair requires more care and attention. But all of these hair care products can wreck your monthly budget.

So I’m glad the L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair Leave In Conditioner helps repair and protect bleached hair and is also super affordable.

This leave in conditioner promises to prevent up to 95 percent of breakage. It did leave my bleached hair less tangled and dry. 

And yes, there was considerably less hair fall. But in the long run, my locks felt too greasy and weighed down. 

If you want one good reason to buy this condition is the heat protect formula that claims to shield your hair from damage till upto 450-degree fahrenheit. 

So if you, like me, love to use hair curlers or straighteners every other day, this is a good pick.  

The L’Oreal conditioner also comes with nourishing ingredients like almond oil and proteins. But unfortunately, there’s also dimethicone. 

This is a type of silicone commonly used in hair styling products, especially creams and conditioners. 

It makes the consistency of the product smoother and gives it a nice slip. And it’s also the reason why some conditioners instantly leave your tresses soft and shiny. 

But a drawback of dimethicone is that it can build up on your hair, causing it to appear limp in the long run. 

This is not too shocking considering the price range. But if voluminous hair is a must, you can try out something without silicones.

I also tried using a good shampoo for oily hair to remove build-up when I was using this leave-in conditioner. 

Pros:

• Detangles hair
• Moisturizing
• Protein formula helps repair damage and split ends
• Affordable
• Almond oil formula is light enough for fine, thin hair
• Protects from heat damage

Cons:

• Silicones cause product build-up
• Contains fragrance and artificial dyes

Moisturizing – 4.5/5

Smoothing – 4/5

Damage Repair – 4.5/5

Affordability – 5/5

Shea Moisture Strengthen and Restore Condition

African American hair (4c hair texture), is naturally black. So bleaching is inevitable if you want blonde or light-colored locks. 

But this can damage your curls which are already prone to breakage, tangling, and frizz.

So it’s always good to find hair products that are good for Afro-textured hair, like this leave-in conditioner by SheaMoisture.

The super-rich conditioner comes with ingredients like organic shea butter, coconut oil, peppermint, and apple cider vinegar that helps repair damage and moisturize hair.

There’s also Jamaican black castor oil that is packed with omega fatty acids that help repair damage on a molecular level.

I was also impressed by the lack of sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, and phthalates in this leave in conditioner. SheaMoisture doesn’t test on animals either.

While this is a holy grail product for African American women, I don’t think it’ll work just as well on fine and straight hair. It can leave your hair weighed down and greasy.

So you can check out the Sachajuan conditioner or Kerastase if you have straight hair instead.

One thing I felt could be better about this conditioner is the packaging. It comes in a round box and it can get a bit messy to dip your fingers in there every time.

I also felt that the formula of the newer batches of this cream has become a bit too thick. It was very runny and easily applied on curls before.

Pros:

• Super moisturizing
• Good for coarse, damaged hair
• Good for African American hair
• Prevents split ends and breakage
• Cruelty-free 

Cons:

• Too heavy for straight hair
• Not suited for oily scalps
• New formula is too thick 

Moisturizing – 5/5

Smoothing – 4.5/5

Damage Repair – 4/5

Affordability – 3.5/5

Sachajuan Leave In Conditioner For Bleached Blonde Hair

A lot of leave in conditioners can leave hair greasy and dull. So if you want something more lightweight, you should try the Sachajuan Leave In Conditioner for bleached blonde hair.

This product contains hydrolyzed red algae as the chief ingredient. This helps repair any damage caused by bleaching and regular use of hair dyes.

It has a very light, almost-watery consistency that slips through your hair easily. Even fine hair can use it regularly without the fear of it weighing it down. 

I did not like the fact that this conditioner contains silicone! So if you’re using it on fine, straight hair, do not forget to use a clarifying shampoo regularly. 

It’s also very expensive. So I feel you should check out more affordable products like the Olaplex conditioner (still pricey, but not as much as this one). 

Oh, and the smell of this product is very strong. Some users might like the sweet smell. For me, it was too much. 

I also had a bit of trouble with the spray nozzle of this conditioner. While this design makes it super hygienic and easy to use, the nozzle keeps getting stuck for some reason. 

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Volumizing
• Good for fine hair

Cons:

• Contains silicones
• Perfume too overpowering for some users
• Very expensive

Moisturizing – 3.5/5

Smoothing – 3.5/5

Damage Repair – 4.5/5

Affordability – 3/5

Olaplex No 6 Bond Smoother

Bleaching hair can lead to the bonds in your hair molecules weakening. This leads to all sorts of trouble like frizz, hair fall, dryness, tangles, etc.

So this Olaplex No 6 Bond Smoother helps repair these bonds, leaving your tresses smoother and silkier.  

It even repairs split ends, leaving your hair looking healthier and reducing chances of breakage.

I especially liked how lightweight this product was! 

Most damage repair conditioners are very rich, but this has a very runny consistency that gets absorbed in seconds. 

I also had a lot of problems with flaways since bleaching my hair blonde left it quite frayed. This conditioner seemed to take care of this too.

Unfortunately, this one has silicones too. But it’s a great conditioner for what it’s worth.  

It’s a bit pricey, but still affordable. It’s not as costly as the Sachajuan one but it’s not in the drugstore range like L’Oreal either. 

Pros:

• Repairs overly processed hair
• Repairs split ends
• Leaves hair soft and smooth
• Lightweight

Cons:

• Expensive 
• Contains silicones
• Not suitable for African American hair

Moisturizing – 3.5/5

Smoothing – 4.5/5

Damage Repair – 5/5

Affordability – 3.5/5

Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique Milk

If you’re looking for a leave in conditioner for bleached blonde hair that not only repairs damage but also protects your tresses, this is it.

The Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique Milk helps undo damage, moisturizes dry hair, adds shine and protects hair from heat damage.

I use this conditioner before using a hair straightening device or blow dryer. And it keeps my locks from getting frayed and burned by the constant heat application.

The chief ingredients here include royal jelly extracts, guar gum, and a host of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins that help strengthen chemically processed hair or rebonded hair.

Unfortunately, this one too contains silicones. So be prepared to use a clarifying shampoo.

It’s priced around mid-range, and as you need only a little product, this conditioner ends up being very practical. 

Pros:

• Repairs damage
• Protects from heat styling products
• Smoothens hair

Cons:

• Contains silicone

Moisturizing – 4/5

Smoothing – 4/5

Damage Repair – 4/5

Affordability – 4/5

L’anza Healing Blonde Hair Reconstructor

I recently tried out a new conditioner from the brand, and I have to say, I was impressed.

The conditioner is lightweight, and it leaves your hair feeling soft and smooth. It also protects the hair color vibrancy by forming a protective film against the UV rays and heat. The vitamin C and antioxidants leave your hair shinier and healthier.

Maybe, this isn’t a big deal but the conditioner has a fruity smell, which I really liked. And yes, this is from perfumes, but honestly it isn’t that big of a deal unless you have sensitive scalp.

It left my hair feeling healthy and shiny. The guava extract helps remove deeply embedded pollutants from the hair, while the grapefruit extract refreshes and revitalizes the hair.

Overall, I am very happy with this conditioner. It provides multiple benefits for your hair, and it is affordable too.

I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality conditioner that provides multiple benefits for their hair.

Pros:

• Antioxidants in the conditioner helps repair damage
• The UV protective shield helps prevent damage

Cons:

• Contains added perfumes that won’t suit sensitive scalp

Moisturizing – 4/5

Smoothing – 4/5

Damage Repair – 4/5

Affordability – 4/5

Why You Should Trust Us?

The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bleached blonde hair is a gorgeous look! But your hair can suffer a lot of damage while you get this stylish hair color.

So a good leave in conditioner for bleached blonde hair helps repair any breakage and keeps your locks looking soft, healthy, and shiny. 

This review can help you pick the right product for your hair based on your hair texture, scalp needs, level of damage, budget and other considerations.

Also Read:

Best Hair Mask For Bleached Hair

What To Do When Bleached Hair Turns Green

How To Remove Semi-Permanent Hair Dye From Bleached Hair

Hydrating Water Based Leave In Conditioners For Natural Hair