Jessica Booth
They say blondes have more fun, but if that’s true, they definitely have to work for it! Unless your hair is naturally light, or you’ve never tinted or highlighted it, maintaining healthy blonde hair is a part-time job. Luckily, there are some products that can help you keep your blonde hair looking amazing.
For most people, achieving and maintaining the shade of blonde they want requires bleach, which can leave hair brittle and dry. With the right hair care routine and products, though, you can make those locks shiny and soft again.
Below are 10 of our favorite products to enhance color and/or strengthen blonde hair and keep it healthy.
Best Purple Shampoo: Biolage R.A.W. Color Care
Purple shampoo is specifically for blonde hair because it neutralizes the brassiness that often occurs when you color or bleach your hair (purple “cancels out” gold). That’s why a bottle of Biolage R.A.W. Color Care Shampoo is essential for anyone who colors or bleaches their hair blonde.
Made with natural ingredients and zero sulfates, this shampoo is also good for your hair and will leave it shinier and more hydrated. If you need more moisture, there’s a conditioner as well.
Best Cleansing Purple Shampoo: Playa Violet Brightening
Playa’s Violet Brightening Shampoo is a relatively new release, but it’s already a favorite! It actually makes blonde hair look noticeably brighter. Many purple shampoos merely neutralize brassiness, but this one also works to make your hair healthier.
Made with apple cider vinegar and vitamin C, it cleanses strands and removes hard water buildup to leave your hair looking shinier. It’s also made with Babassu oil for some much-needed hydration. You can also use it as a weekly hair detox.
Best Toning Mask: R+Co Sunset Blvd
Sometimes, brassy tones creep into highlighted or tinted blonde hair a few weeks after you get it done. If one of the purple shampoos we covered above doesn’t correct the problem, you can try a toning mask, like R+Co Sunset Blvd.
This deep purple mask corrects dull, yellow hues and makes hair look brighter. It also prevents fading and oxidation. Made with shea and murumuru butters, it also provides extra hydration, while the hydrolyzed pearl extract adds brightness and shine.
Best Leave-In Conditioner: It’s a 10 Miracle for Blondes
A leave-in conditioner is another essential for blondes, even after you use a regular or deep conditioner. The added boost of hydration really helps. It’s a 10’s Miracle Leave-In formula is one of the best options as it’s made specifically for blondes.
It detangles and leaves your hair looking less frizzy and dry, while enhancing highlights to make your hair look shinier. This product also acts as a heat protectant, which is ideal if you’re going to be blow-drying or using a hot iron or brush. You’ll love how soft and silky this leave-in conditioner makes your hair feel.
Best Semi-Permanent Color Conditioner: dpHUE Gloss+
Many people find the idea of tackling the hair color process themselves daunting. That’s why we swear by the dpHUE Gloss+ line. It’s seriously the easiest at-home option out there, and it doesn’t actually color your hair, but rather, just improves what’s there.
It’s perfect for saving and extending the life of your color between appointments, while leaving your hair incredibly soft and shiny. It’s a true game changer!
You apply it to damp hair, then let it sit for up to 20 minutes (or less if you want less brightening action). Again, though, don’t let the name fool you—this doesn’t change the color of your hair. It just reinvigorates your existing color.
Best Hair Mask: Bold Uniq
With nearly 20,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, the Bold Uniq Purple Hair Mask is clearly a winner with blondes. It works as a toner to remove brassiness and yellow tones. It also contains UV filters to absorb harmful rays from the sun and prevent your hair color from fading. A quick glance through the photos in the Amazon reviews will reveal some seriously dramatic results.
This mask is also deeply hydrating, as it contains natural jojoba, marula, and coconut oils to nourish and condition dry damaged hair.
Best Hair Oil: Joico Blonde Life Brilliant Glow
Bleach and hair color can leave your mane super dry and broken. Sometimes, a conditioner alone won’t be enough to do the job. In those cases, an oil can work wonders. Joico Blonde Life Brilliant Glow Brightening Oil is a major shine booster.
Made with arginine, a naturally occurring amino acid that can protect and rebuild the hair, this product never feels greasy or heavy. It also contains monoi oil to fight frizziness and environmental damage, and tamanu oil for plenty of hydration.
What’s really unique about this product is its smart-release technology, which offers continuous hydration throughout the day.
Best Heat Protectant: KÉRASTASE Blond Absolu Cicaplasme Serum
Because the process of getting and maintaining blonde hair is pretty hard on it, you want to do as much as possible to prevent any further damage. And, unfortunately, blow-drying and heat-styling are also damaging. That’s where a protectant, like this one from KÉRASTASE comes in.
This serum is infused with antioxidants that can protect your hair from heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. It also unifies any damaged areas to make hair look and feel smooth. Hyaluronic acid strengthens the strands to prevent any breakage, while sweet edelweiss flower softens and calms any sensitized fibers.
Best for Shine: Kevin Murphy Shimmer Me Blonde
Some shining sprays can dry out your hair or leave behind a weird residue. Kevin Murphy’s Shimmer Me Blonde, however, will not only make your locks shinier and brighter, but it will also nourish and moisturize them.
Made of a blend of Australian fruit extracts to get that shine, this product also counteracts any yellow and gold hues, while hydrating, as well. It also smells amazing and is sulfate- and paraben-free.
Best Treatment for Damaged Hair: Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3
If you’ve been bleaching your hair for a long time and have some damage that conditioners just can’t fix, you need something a little more intense. Enter Hair Perfector No. 3 by Olaplex. With over 40,000 positive reviews on Amazon, this product is also consistently recommended by professionals.
This at-home, concentrated treatment repairs, strengthens, and protects your hair. No matter what shape your mane is in, this product will make it look much better. After one treatment, you’ll notice your hair is less dull and dry.
