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Blonde hair already forces you to pay attention. Being an Asian + Filipino woman with blonde hair makes it even more obvious.
Aside from the financial investment to get here, you actually have to maintain it. My natural hair could handle anything. After bleaching, it’s a different story. It’s damaged. It’s thirsty.
Because I maintained blonde hair for over 10 years, a lot of the products and tools I used to use, don’t make the cut anymore. They needed to be replaced. And being blonde meant there were things I had to start addressing that I didn’t think about before.
It’s been a lot of trial and error. Enough that it wouldn’t make sense to put everything I use into one post.
So instead, I’m focusing on what I actually use. What I use it for, how often I reach for it, and anything else that matters.
This and future product posts might seem like a lot, but for me, my hair is the makeup for my head.
These are four products that made it into my routine.
Kevin Murphy RE.STORE
After I get my hair done, my hair is always dry. Not a little dry, but that specific kind of dry that comes from bleaching where it feels like your hair just went through something.
I usually give it a day or two before washing. Let it settle. Then I go in with Kevin Murphy RE.STORE.
I use it for two reasons. First, my hair is thirsty. Like actually thirsty. Second, you don’t need much. A little goes a long way, which matters because this isn’t something I use all the time.
It feels like putting lotion on dry skin, but for your hair. Not styling. Not fixing. Just restoring.
This has quietly become my post-appointment reset. I don’t reach for it often, but when I do, it makes sense.
K18 AirWash
I don’t wash my hair every day. Partly because I don’t need to, but mostly because I want to protect the color. The more you wash it, the more it fades. That’s just the tradeoff. Day two is usually fine, day three is when I need to negotiate with my hair.
In between washes, I use K18 AirWash.
This product knows the assignment. It doesn’t just sit on top of your hair and pretend to fix it. It actually refreshes it in a way that makes me feel like I bought myself another day.
It’s technically a dry shampoo, but it does more than that. My hair doesn’t feel coated or heavy after. It just feels… reset.
It also gives me a little volume, which my hair usually needs by day two or three.
Out of everything I’ve tried from K18, this is my favorite.
AMPED Up Teasing Brush
This is one of those products that I think most people could use, regardless of hair type.
I used this when my hair was completely untreated, and I still use it now that I’m blonde. If anything, it makes more sense now.
If I’m doing my hair for something, I’m not above teasing it. Sometimes you just need a little lift. The AMPED teasing brush by Cricket can seriously take your hair there.
What surprised me is how useful it is outside of teasing. I use it all the time when I put my hair in a ponytail or bun to smooth everything out. No more lumpy lumps!
Before this, I was literally using a toothbrush.
The long tail makes it easy to section, and it just does what it’s supposed to do. No learning curve, no weird technique.
It’s one of those tools that quietly ends up in your routine.
Kevin Murphy SESSION.SPRAY FLEX
I remember watching Full House and Uncle Jesse invented this contraption out of motorcycle parts to shield your face from hairspray because Michelle hated it that much. I know. We all wish we had an Uncle Jesse.
Anyway, hairspray is helpful, but it can also go left really fast. Too much and now your hair is stiff, sticky, and you’re committed for the rest of the day.
Kevin Murphy Session Spray is what I use when I want some level of control without locking everything in place.
I mostly reach for it when I curl my hair and just need things to cooperate a little. It holds enough to tame flyaways, but it’s still flexible. I can run my fingers through my hair and not feel like I’m breaking something.
I don’t use it every day. Just when I need a little backup.
Also, it smells nice, which helps.
Conclusion
These are just four of the products I’ve used long enough to actually have an opinion on.
Not tried once. Not tested for a week. Used enough to know when I reach for them and why.
I have a lot more where these came from, and I’ll keep sharing as I go.
I’m not interested in recommending things just to recommend them. If it shows up here, it’s because it earned its place.
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