Hair Cleansing: how to repair your hair after colour stripping

I've noticed a new term creeping into hairdressers lingo.

In order to go a few shades lighter in hair colour your original colour needs to be removed from hair. And how is this done?  Why in the age old way of stripping out the dark colour so  a new lighter shade can be plonked on top.

And make no mistake about it: this involves harsh chemicals.  Bleach, peroxide - all things guaranteed  to wreck and ravage your hair.

But instead of using the word "stripping",  hairdressers are choosing to go with "cleansing" - obviously feeling that this is a kinder, gentler word than stripping.  It sounds as if they're just going to softly wash the colour out of your hair doesn't it?

Don't be fooled.  This is the same harsh process that it's always been and will leave your hair in absolute rag order.  Dryer than straw and snappingly brittle - many of us will have trouble getting a brush through it and styling is a nightmare.

And then - to add insult to injury - you're going to whack another colour on top of the haystack.

So what can be done?  There are five main steps to take to get your hair back to some semblance of normality and these are the things that have worked for me in the past

1. Replace ordinary conditioner with the intense stuff
   Forget ordinary conditioner.  Stripped hair laughs in the face of its puniness.  Replace your conditioner with the intensive version and yes use it every time you wash your hair.  This was probably one of the best things I did.
2. Deep condition at least once a week
   Supplement this with an overnight deep condition at least once a week - we're liking the (smelling of fags aside) Ojon Restorative treatment , L'Oreal Elvive Damage Rescue Intensive Conditioner and good old coconut oil.  Also read a few more recommendations on this Hair SOS post from the beginning of time
3. Salon treatments
   A couple of salon treatments to condition hair will do your gruaig the world of good
4. Cut
   Get a trim.  Sometimes it's (sob) the only way to get rid of those dead ends
5. Stay away from heat styling
   Sorry, but you'll have to put the hairdryer and the GHD in the back of the wardrobe.  They're just prolonging the agony and drying your hair out even more every time you use them.  A few weeks of air drying won't kill you.  No it won't - honest.  Some nice oils and serums applied to damp hair will also make a huge difference to the look and feel..

Click here to see what made the top five in the Beaut.ie Awards Best hair masque and Best hair rescue.

Now, what's worked for you?