If you have turned around badly damaged hair, what do you do?

[Sallygoroundtheroses]

I’ve dyed and straightened my hair to the point of crunchy broken ends. It’s natural wavy but frizzy.

I’ve started by cutting it to a bob so I’m at a good starting point. I’m reluctant to give up box dyes as I’m skint and going grey. Now I’m wondering how to maintain my hair, looking for care routines/deep conditioners/ ways to tame frizz without a lot of straightening.

Has anyone limited further damage to their hair after years of abuse?

I have got coarse & wavy hair that I used to have bleach on & it just broke off. Olaplex helped a bit but only if I used it every time.

What really helped mine was a coconut oil (solid one that’s in the cooking oils bit of the supermarket) mask wrapped in cling film for 2 hours, twice a week.

I echo the pp about Olaplex, it’s no miracle cure. Coconut oil can work wonders depending on your hair type. Unfortunately I have the hair type with too much protein so coconut oil causes my hair to snap and frizz more.

I tried everything. Olaplex regularly, expensive repair shampoo and conditioners, treatments, regular hair cuts, hair vitamins, pregnancy…

To be honest it was just completely leaving it alone that has worked. Not dying it (although I hate it undyed!), not cutting it, just letting it be. Then a few trims to keep it looking tidy but mostly left alone, normal shampoo etc - and now it’s long and glossy again.

Are you dying it dark, or going light?

If it's dark, the colouring shouldn't make it brittle.

If it's lighter, do you comb it through for the last few minutes? Don't do this if you're lightening it, as all it does is lighten the ends further, causing more damage.

If it's really damaged, you might be better going shorter than a bob and starting over.

Do you use a heat spray when you straighten it? I find the Tresemme one works well.

Chronologiste Masque Intense Régénérant by Kerastase works wonders.

Thanks all, coconut oil is on the list.

@AuntyMabelandPippin I dye it darker with a 28 washes colour about once a month. I wasn’t sure if it was damaging my hair as well as the straightening. Im terrible at consistently applying a heat spray.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/LLUSETA/page/318C9203-EC66-47D3-AF67-F2840D3C6753?ref==_
I'd recommend this shampoo and conditioner for breakage. Not the cheapest but I've found it a few times in Tkmaxx cheaper.

Forgot to say I've tried a few from this range and have really rate the brown bottle... Black Jamaican castor oil.

I used box dyes to cover grey for a long time until there was too much grey and it just sort of stopped sticking to my hair. And I used to blow dry and straighten practically every day. But I always found that the dye + accompanying conditioning treatment made my hair shiny (I used L'Oreal Casting). So perhaps it's the straighteners that is causing the dryness and breaking? Have you tried using something like Moroccan oil after washing and before drying? Now that you've cut the dry ends off?

Nowadays I do go to the hairdresser for permanent tinting and yeah, I do baulk at the extra cost to maintain it. But root spray works quite well to cover regrowth and I can get away with maybe 4 appointments a year. (For that day when the box dyes stop working...😉)

Garnier banana hair food saved mine

Time, no silicones and protein for me. Silk pillowcase and silk hair ties
I never brush it unless it's wet with conditioner in and never straighten it