The Best Products For Bleached Hair While You Travel

Trying to keep your blonde hair bright while you travel can be a challenge. Sun, seawater, chlorine and budget hair products can quickly leave your hair dry, damaged, and very brassy. Here are the best products for bleached or colour treated hair that will help keep your hair strong while you travel.

When I first left London to go backpacking my hair was platinum blonde, a colour I had found pretty easy to manage in London. Within weeks of leaving it had turned from bright white to brassy yellow from the sun. Then it turned green from chlorine in our swimming pool. Then was burned off by a Balinese hairdresser who was trying to restore the colour. Finally a different hairdresser dyed it brown to hide the damage. So it’s fair to say my hair has been through the ringer.

Once we settled in Australia, I had my hair chopped up short to remove the last of the damage and start fresh. I realised that the reason my hair had gotten into such a state was that I didn’t look after it properly. Most importantly I didn’t use the right products while I was travelling. I had picked up local cheap hair products, I didn’t do my usual hair treatments and I never used any products to protect it from the sun.

Now I’m back to my bright, healthy blonde and back in Asia – but this time I’m doing things differently! I’ve stocked up on some great products that have been keeping my hair bright, shiny and still feeling super healthy.

Take a look at the following products and pick them up for your next sun holiday to keep your hair looking great in the sun.

Bleach London Silver Shampoo & Conditioner

£8 / €9 each from Boots

Bleach London Silver Shampoo & Conditioner

Silver shampoo and conditioner is an absolute must for blondes abroad as the purple tones keep your hair from turning yellow in the sun. Purple shampoos are impossible to find in Asia so bring plenty with you for your trip! This Bleach London set has been a total lifesaver while I’ve been away and has kept my blonde bright and not brassy. I use it twice per week and let the shampoo sit in my hair for a few minutes before I rinse it out to help keep the ashy tones in my hair.

If you can’t get your hands on Bleach London products then there are many brands out there that do purple shampoo and conditioners. Pro:voke Touch of Silver is another popular brand that I have used with the same results. I find that the Pro:voke bottles can leak though so put them in an airtight bag when you travel.

Bleach London Rosé Hair Dye

£6 / €7.79 from Boots

Bleach London Rose

We’ve all heard the advice about putting tomato ketchup on blonde hair that’s turned green from chlorine. Here’s a heads up: it doesn’t work. This has happened to me many times and while tomato ketchup tones down the green (yes I’ve tried it, and yes it was gross) it doesn’t restore your hair to its lovely creamy blonde. Your hair is left with a greenish brassy hue that purple shampoo can’t fix.

Pink shampoos neutralise green tones in hair and get you looking back to normal without making you smell like a chip shop! Bleach London has a pink shampoo which you can bring with you but I bring the dye as the bottle is smaller and I really like having pink hair so I use it even when my hair isn’t green.

Any pink dye at all will do, just don’t leave it on for the full recommended amount or it will actually dye your hair. Just pop it in for a few minutes and rinse out to get your hair back to it’s normal colour. Leave the ketchup bottle in the kitchen!

K-PAK COLOR THERAPY REPAIR TREATMENT

€24.99 from New Hair Revolution / If you’re outside of Ireland you can buy it on Look Fantastic

K-pak Hair Treatment

Sun, sea and chlorine dry out your hair and leave it prone to breakage. That’s why it’s really important use a good-quality hair mask on your coloured hair while you travel. This Joico color therapy treatment intensively moisturises and nourishes your hair, leaving it feeling silky soft and strong. It transforms damaged hair, and makes it much smoother and easier to control in the heat

I tend to leave it in my hair throughout the day, or else pop it in overnight into damp hair. I don’t use it on dry hair as this uses more product, and you need to make things last when you travel!

Use this once a week to keep your hair in good condition, and rub it through the ends if your hair is prone to tangling.

Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3

€41 on New Hair Revolution 

A saviour for damaged hair,  Olaplex allows you to rebuild the strength, structure and integrity of your hair.  This miracle potion permanently rebuilds the damaged disulphide bonds in your hair that are broken during the chemical process of bleaching.

There are three steps to the Olaplex process, 2 of which take place in the salon when your hair is being bleached. Ask your colourist to add it to your bleach! Step 3 is the at-home treatment which you can use between once a week and once a month, depending on how damaged your hair is.

I highly recommend this for blondes, it’s done wonders for my hair since I started using it!

Schwarzkopf Extra Care Sun Repair Leave In Conditioner

Approx £5 / €6 – I can’t remember if I bought this in Boots or Superdrug but Schwarzkopf is stocked in many pharmacies and stores around the world so you should be able to find it pretty easily

This lightweight leave-in conditioning spray protects your hair from sun, chlorine and sea water while adding some much needed moisture to your locks. I picked this up before we left in February and it’s become one of my favourite beauty products in my pack.

Combing through your hair after a day at the beach is a dream with this spray. Keep it in your pool / beach bag so that you can pop it on your hair when you get out of the water.

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Hi Impact Oil Elixir

£9.99 / €12.99 in Boots and regularly on offer in a John Frieda 3 for 2 deal