The big problem with Instagram’s latest hair colour trend

Two-tone hair requires proper treatment and care. Here’s everything you need to know about caring for bleached hair.

From glossy lips to oversized hair clips, nostalgic beauty has been dominating trends for a while. The most recent to catch everyone’s attention and saturate our Instagram feeds? Dyeing the front of your hair another colour, aka two-toned hair.

The 90s trend – one that Stylist’s beauty director Shannon Peter coined “best of both hair” – involves dyeing the front or top sections of your hair in a shade that starkly contrasts the rest of your hair colour.

The only problem with this face-framing trend? If your hair is dark, it can require a lot of bleach to drastically lighten your hair, meaning damaged hair is almost unavoidable.

This was the case for singer Dua Lipa, who got the two-toned hairstyle at the end of 2019. Two months ago, Lipa posted a picture on Instagram Stories of a new fringe, revealing that her bangs weren’t part of a haircut and that bleach had actually left her hair damaged and broken. “PSA: This is not a haircut. It’s bleached breakages but I’m runnin w it [sic],” she wrote on the post.

With hair salons closed across the country, many people are attempting their own at-home dye jobs, but we’d strongly advise against using bleach yourself and to leave it to the professionals. “At its most basic, bleach is a pre-lightener that removes natural pigment from the hair,” explains Adam Reed, L’Oreal Professional editorial ambassador.

Reed notes that over-processing hair from colour or pre-lightening is one of the biggest cause of damage. “This can happen when pre-lightener is left on for too long, overlaid or added to already damaged hair.”

Before colouring hair, Reed says it’s important to use a bonding product, such as L’Oreal Professionnel’s Smartbond, £12.40, to help protect hair.

For at-home treatments, your products should focus on conditioning hair. “This is absolutely paramount and continual nourishment with conditioning products helps to protect and refortify hair bonds,” he adds.

Unfortunately, if your hair does get damaged by over processing, it’s almost irreparable, says Reed. “Prevention is always key when it comes to pre-lightening,” he adds, “If hair is damaged, it is important to have regular trims and hair treatment. Always consult your stylist about the best care routine for your hair.”

If it isn’t too late for your hair, here’s our round-up of conditioning products created for parched, damaged hair. If you’re thinking about trying the trend, remember: condition, condition, condition…

  • L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Gold Quinoa + Protein Absolut Repair Masque, £14.40

    BUY NOW

  • Kérastase Genesis Defense Thermique Treatment, £23.30

    BUY NOW

  • Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, £30.60

    BUY NOW

Main image: Getty

Source: Read Full Article