Horrendously knotty hair after highlights - please help!

[Youngatheart00]

As the title suggests....I had balayage highlights a few weeks back and ever since then my just beyond shoulder length thick hair is a complete and utter knotty mess after washing. Have tried a few different conditioners and left them on for around 5 mins, still a matted mess when I try and brush through when I’m out of the shower. It’s getting me down as I don’t want lots of breakage, my hair was in good condition before!! I brush my hair before getting in the shower but it seems the process of washing it snarls it up a crazy amount.

I have this problem too, my hair is like a giant matted dreadlock after every wash!
I spray Pureology Colour Fanatic spray before attempting to brush with a Wet brush. It's a really good multi-benefit spray that works as a detangler.
Brush the ends first and gradually work up toward the roots. Brush in sections.
Also when you wrap your hair in a towel/turban do not turn your head upside down! Try to disturb the hair as little as possible.

Are you rubbing your hair in the towel when you get out the shower? This will knot it up. You need to squeeze out the excess water into the towel in sections (two or three) rather than a vigorous towel rub to dry.

Olaplex once a week!

Yes Olaplex is amazing for lightened hair

Thanks for the advice and recommendations. No, I don’t towel dry my hair (just blot it) not put my head upside down! It seems to tangle as soon as the shampoo starts to lather. I’ve gone from having really manageable hair to a mess!!

What I do is :
brush hair before washing (as you do)
shampoo from the scalp down. Use the shampoo rinse to comb through with your fingers, and conditioner to comb through with your fingers.
Yes, for some reason bleached hair tangles more!

Hair needs a wash.
Comb hair carefully with wide-toothed comb to detangle.
Apply conditioner or coconut oil to dry hair.
wet hair and wash as normal.

or skip the conditioner but only wash scalp with shampoo then smooth the foam over the rest of the hair.
Condition.

quite similar to pp.

SHEA MOISTURE - JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL STRENGTHEN & RESTORE SMOOTHIE

Sorry for the cut and paste shouting, but when I had exactly this issue, the product above worked miracles as a leave in conditioner

Sounds silly but my hair is a knotted mess if I don’t brush it while I’m in the shower. I comb through after conditioning it.

Thanks for the recs, will get googling.

Until then, trying to avoid washing my hair more than 3 times a week!

I've been using this, few pumps, warm it up in your hands and apply before brushing with a tangle teaser. Much easier to manage after this, and so glossy!

Olaplex once a week!

Is this a treatment or shampoo ?

@userxx

Olaplex once a week!

Is this a treatment or shampoo ?

Both but that poster was I believe referring to the treatment (Olaplex number 3)

Great, thanks for that. I'll look into it.

Yes Olaplex no 3 is fab!