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It looks good, but it doesn’t feel like mine yet.
My head just got doused in chemicals. Bleach, color, gloss. On top of that, @the.livedin.artist styled it, so now there are styling products sitting on top of everything.
My hair looks amazing, but it needs a minute to settle.
It’s like putting a new set of laces on your Converse. They’re super white and kind of out of place at first. Then you wear them a little, move around, and they start to make sense again.
That’s how my hair feels. Like it isn’t mine until it’s done cooking.
If you want the full backstory on how I even got here, I shared my entire blonde journey here: My Blonde Hair Timeline: Over 10 Years of Going Blonde as an Asian Woman.
So this is what I do in the days right after a hair appointment.
Day 1: Document the Hair
The first thing I do when I get home is take a selfie. I just spent a bunch of money on my hair, of course I want to share it.
My hairdresser likes to take photos for his instagram, but there’s something that’s fun about taking a selfie post getting my hairr did. I don’t always post them, but it’s a fun ritual I’ve had for years.
Day 2: Don’t Wash My Hair (If I Can Help It)
I don’t wash my hair for two days. Or at least, I try to make it a full two days. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I like to let the color settle in. Every time you wash your hair, a little bit of that color goes with it.
I consider day one the day I get my hair done. I don’t wash on day two. Day three is where things get flexible. I try really hard not to wash it, but if my heart feels like I need to, I will.
This part is less about rules and more about letting my hair exist without immediately interfering with it.
Day 3: First Wash and RE.STORE
When I do wash my hair, I keep it simple. Shampoo then rinse.
Then I go in with Kevin Murphy RE.STORE to hydrate my hair. At this point, my hair starts to feel closer to normal instead of freshly processed. A little bit of this conditioner goes a long way.
I try to air dry my hair because I don’t want to put heat on it while it’s still in a more fragile state. Remember, I just visited bleach city. If I don’t have the time, I’ll air dry for as long as I can and then finish with a blow dryer.
After that, I usually wait another day or two before washing again.
Final Wash: K18 Hair Mask
The final part of my after-appointment routine is another wash, but this one is intentional.
I shampoo as usual, but I do not condition my hair. This is when I use the K18 Hair Mask.
I towel dry my hair, apply the K18 mask as directed, and walk away. Then I let my hair air dry for a bit before going in with the hair dryer and styling it how I want.
This is usually the point where my hair starts to feel like mine again.
How Long This Actually Takes
This whole process can take up to a week depending on what’s going on in my life.
If it’s winter, if I have events, or if I just need my hair to feel cleaner sooner, I’ll move through the timeline faster. Even though I have a routine, it’s not rigid.
It really comes down to what needs to give for me to feel comfortable.
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