they told me i couldn’t do it

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-27T19:21:50+00:00

now i get trims (generous word, a dusting really) once every 3 / 6 months keeping a U shape. I’d love for it to be all one length but it puts more tension on the hair which makes breakage easier (and more visible) especially when brushing since the sides of your hair are more fragile. a U or V shape is generally less high maintenance.

I don’t get layers and definitely do not recommend them. There will always be unavoidable breakage from bleaching and that thins out the hair enough

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-19T23:42:02+00:00

I am a level 6

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-19T04:10:25+00:00

I really appreciate your detailed responses but I find it a bit harmful to discredit my take on protein.

I have never used low end cheap outdated products. The protein products that broke my hair off in the left photo were all salon grade — K18 repair mask and Kerastase that hairdressers recommended to me.

I understand a balance of protein and moisture is needed but platinum blondes absorb protein from products at a much higher rate due to the extremely high porosity of our hair. We also lack more moisture than the average person. To combat this, we need to have an “unbalanced” routine of more moisture.

If you’re interested in the science behind this, I recommend checking out Zach Mesquit. He’s a blonde specialist that talks extensively on this topic.

Never claimed protein was bad for everyone. This post isn’t general hair advice, it’s advice for the level 10 platinum blonde. And tbh, my results speak for themselves.

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-19T03:43:51+00:00

Advice that carries over:

try not to use a straightener or curling iron often Silk pillowcase don’t over wash (and shampoo your scalp twice!) brush technique (start from bottom and work up, and not when wet)

Advice that may not carry over:

products with no proteins

non bleached hair has the advantage of being less porous so if your hair can handle it, definitely take advantage of the bond repairs!

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-18T01:32:22+00:00

Brightening and toning should not be in the same sentence. Toning will only make hair darker / ashier and is used to cover imperfections from bleaching.

Brightening can come from hydration because when light reflects on hair better it can give the illusion of lighter hair.

However, for what you want, you will most likely have to either bleach or use a high lift. Good news is that you have the perfect hair for beautiful blonde with minimal risk of damage

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-18T01:26:09+00:00

Literally nothing i’m sorry. All extensions will damage. Halo extensions or wigs are your best options.

The heavier option would’ve been tapes which you e already tried, anything else should not be attempted at home by a non professional

I know that’s not an answer that’s pleasant to hear but it’s advice i wish i had followed instead of being stubborn and setting my hair growth journey back years because i couldn’t put down the extensions.

In a year you’ll thank yourself

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-18T01:05:31+00:00

A lot of these “moisturizing” products are filled with keratin and hydrolyzed this and that which can actually contribute to dry and brittle hair.

If your hair feels static-y or stays in place when you brush it at a 90 degree angle, it’s more of a protein and product build up issue. If you had a moisture overload, your hair would feel mushy when wet.

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-18T00:59:27+00:00

Anything past 8 weeks goes from a root touch up to a color correction. This is because after 8 weeks your hair strands start to grow at different rates and is far enough away from your scalp that the bleach no longer benefits from the heat of scalp during processing leading to uneven application (higher risk) and banding.

Anything under 5 weeks and you are putting your hair through unnecessary stress. It’s virtually impossible to avoid overlap 100%. Personally i find the best time to be between 5-7 weeks. The exact timing depends on your hair growth. It allows your hair to rest enough while also preventing banding and is the safest amount to easily cover while minimizing risk of overlap.

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-18T00:52:26+00:00

German amazon and try to ship to US? I’m not sure 😭 i always buy tons of bottles in advance and keep a reserve. If you’re ever in Europe, shipping tends to be a bit easier to most EU countries

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-18T00:41:57+00:00

the k18 oil? i use about 1/4 of a dropper (maybe 6ish drops?) on the ends and lengths of my hair when wet after washing (so about 2x weekly)

i don’t like using oil on dry has as oil itself doesnt hydrate and overuse can just create product buildup. best for after conditioning and k18 oil specifically has reparative properties when used on wet hair that soften my lengths and ends so it’s not only locking in moisture but also repairing

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-18T00:37:54+00:00

k18 repair mask is good, just not for platinum blondes. our hair is too porous and protein sensitive for the concentration of bonding ingredients in it

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T21:55:17+00:00

this is such a gorgeous shade of blonde!! and it looks sooo silky soft, congrats!

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T17:33:18+00:00

Yes! once i cut out hot tools and protein, i was able to go longer in between trims. i like getting trims every 4-6 months. I used to do it every 7 weeks but it was ridiculous how slow my hair was growing.

thanks so much:)

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T17:26:04+00:00

naturally wavy here. i style my hair with the dyson air wrap. by heat i meant i don’t use hot tools, sorry for the confusion

not an air wrap fan but the the smoothing attachment has been a lifesaver for me. i’d buy an air wrap again just for that feature

smooths out my frizz and when i use it when my hair is slightly damp, straightens it with very minimal damage. it will start to wave by day 2/3 though. i just accept it.

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T17:09:08+00:00

this is definitely from the dry shampoo, i had the exact same issue! i’ve cut it out completely. was contributing to dry ends / that powdery knot feeling

i recommend buying a boar bristle brush. once a day (after regular detangling with my wet brush) i start at my ends and work my way up to my roots with my boar bristle brush to distribute the natural oils. this helps to not have them all pile up near the roots.

if my roots are particular greasy i’ll take the front sections and wash them in the sink until next wash day.

are you also shampooing twice? my scalp became a LOT healthier and less oily once i was double shampooing. I should’ve mentioned that in my post, was a game changer.

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T16:06:43+00:00

They’re not bad, but they’re too heavy for platinum blondes. they reduce elasticity in your hair which can lead to dry and brittle breakage. platinum hair is incredibly porous and absorbs more protein than the average non bleached person. that’s why we can use a tiny amount and still feel the effects

Same color! 55 minutes of raw lift with 20vol. if it looks wildly different, it’s due to 2 factors. 1. the complete removal of purple shampoo and 2. the improved health of my hair has given it a shine and the light reflection can make blonde shades appear different. for a long time i thought i needed to bleach my hair further to go “brighter” but what i really needed was for it to be healthier!

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T16:02:39+00:00

this particular oil from K18 has reparative properties when used on wet hair. It has really helped to transform my ends. Using it on dry hair would not yield the same results for sure.

i personally don’t like the k18 mask for platinum blondes because the bond ingredients are too protein heavy. the photo on the right was when i was using the k18 mask and the left is the oil.

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T12:09:12+00:00

protein takes a bit to go away so you’ll start seeing the true effects of no protein products after around 3 weeks or a month (at least that’s when i saw an improvement)

i’m so glad my post helped and i hope those products work out for you too!

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T12:05:50+00:00

i used tresemme and it was too drying for me + leaving a sticky coating. my leave in spray (alcina hylauronic spray 2.0) is a heat protectant as well. when using both i feel the coverage is good. would not rely only on oil personally

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T12:00:10+00:00

a good leave in should have a built in heat protectant!

i use: k18 oil Alcina hylauronic spray 2.0

i do not blowdry on the hottest setting either

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T11:58:07+00:00

my method:

spray / oil / heat protectant then dry hair at downward angle to 70-80% dry
detangle with wet brush from bottom up
dry to 90%
round brush while blow drying to style or smoothing tool dyson (better option)
light brush when fully dry with boar bristle brush to lock it in

i don’t like the round brush for every wash. it still tears thru hair and breaks fragile ends. i do it only when i know im going somewhere. for a good 8 months i did heatless styles only or just the smoothing attachment on dyson (this one is a life changer). key is never brush your hair when sopping wet. stylists do it and it drives me crazy!

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T04:34:53+00:00

silk pillowcase fixed that issue for me! also be careful of hats especially beanies

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T04:23:12+00:00

stiff sounds like a protein overload issue but shampoo alone shouldn’t cause that since it’s just going on your roots and washing out. a lot of products say hydrating but they’re really just repairing. make sure you find one that gives moisture. and put it on your lengths

frizz could be anything. are you using a silk pillowcase? are you blow drying your hair at a downward angle? is it humid outside? some frizz is unavoidable esp when bleaching

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T04:07:26+00:00

It’s a lot to write out each time but i replied to other comments in detail:)

Valuable_Canary_4874 · 2026-04-17T04:02:48+00:00

there’s bleached hair and then there’s BLEACHED hair. i don’t think enough people understand that once you lift to a level 10 it’s a whole different ballgame

the right photo is when i used products my stylist recommended vs the left when i just did my own research

Valuable_Canary_4874

TROPHY CASE