1. Have it done at a reputable salon. 
When you bleach your hair, you're basically allowing your strands to get altered by chemicals. If your stylist isn’t well-skilled, he may turn your hair into fried, broom-like locks. I entrusted my hair to the talented stylists of Cedar Salon, Greenhills (starts at P1,500). Since it was my first time, they used Schwarzkopf Hair Color 12.1 to lighten my strands gradually instead of bleaching it right away. My dark locks were transformed into a lovely shade of bronde, the color that bridges the gap between brown and blonde a.k.a. Blake Lively's hair color of choice.
2. Test it first.
To check if your strands can survive bleaching, go for highlights or an ombré treatment. Mine took two bleaching sessions to get the desired blonde shade on the ends.
3. Get a treatment. 
Your locks have just been stripped of color, and possibly, life. Having your hair coated with a nutritive treatment like Kerastase Masque Force Architecte (at salons) will help resurrect them.
4. Don’t shampoo right away.
Since bleached strands are extra fragile, it’s best to use conditioner the day after you've had the dye job done. Conditioner is not exactly a cleansing agent, but its moisturizing agents can still attract and lift oil-based dirt. Concentrate on massaging it on the tips, where hair is the most dehydrated, and rinse well to avoid getting dandruff.
5. Change your hair-washing habits. 
Skip shampoo if you can. Shampooing often may cause your dye job to fade faster and dehydrate your locks. Also, never skip conditioner, especially on the tips to restore moisture and nourishment. Switch to a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner designed for color-treated hair just like Schwarzkopf's BC BonaCure Color-Freeze Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Conditioner (at salons). If you've gone full on blonde, lather up your strands with purple shampoo like Lush's Daddy-O Shampoo or look for silver shampoos to prevent your locks from going brassy. Also, wash your hair every other day and just use dry shampoo to rid it of odor and grease. Soak your dyed strands with a hair mask weekly—hydrate your hair like there’s no tomorrow.
6. Always nourish and protect your hair. 
We aren’t done with moisturizing your hair. Massage a leave-on conditioner or serum on your hair to preserve its health and color. If you’re a fan of heat-styling tools, make sure to spritz heat-proetctant similar to Phyto's Phytokeratine Repairing Thermal Protectant Spray (P1,250 at Rustan’s branches) to shield your strands from damage.
PHOTO: Instagram @lucyhale
