The Best Hydrating & Toning Haircare Products for Asian Hair or Dark Hair Bleached Blonde

For years, I have been coloring my hair blonde but given the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainty of the future, I am going back to a darker color that is more similar to my natural hair color. Going from black hair to blonde hair has been a journey, to say the least. So many hours spent in my hairstylist's chair and countless hours taking steps to maintain and hydrate my fragile bleached hair.

Despite the time spent and amount of effort, it's been incredibly fun having blonde hair! Blonde hair looks great by itself, but it's also a versatile hair color to build off of, if you want to try different colors. Since blonde is so light, it's been very easy to experiment with pastel colors in my hair.

The two things I focus on when caring for my blonde hair are: color and moisture. But before we get into my favorite products, some background on my hair color history.

My Journey from Black Hair to Blonde Hair

I started coloring it approximately 6 years ago. The first two times I colored my hair, I requested an ombre / balayage coloring with brown and honey blonde highlights. I figured this coloring would be the easiest to grow out (it is) and low maintenance (it was).

Then about two years ago, I decided to go (mostly) blonde with silver highlights on a blonde base but kept my roots dark so I wouldn't be constantly coloring my roots. Because I had previously bleached my hair (due to the blonde balayage highlights), those pieces turned out beautifully ashy silver, but I had to go in for a second session to tone the rest of my hair. The results were amazing! I loved the new color and my tanner complexion (#ProTip: lighter hair = less contrast with your skin, thus making you look tanner).

However, even as the results are amazing, proper care and maintenance of silver hair is required to keep the integrity of the color. Colored blonde hair usually will start to get brassy and dull if left untreated, especially on dark Asian hair. Purple shampoo and/or purple conditioner is the perfect solution to brassy hair. I started playing around and testing purple shampoos when I had balayage / ombre hair.

How To Maintain Blonde Color using a Purple Shampoo

My HG purple shampoo is Fanola's No Yellow. My colorist got me hooked on this years ago and it works so, so well for maintaining and toning blonde hair. It's important to consistently use a strong purple shampoo to ensure the shade of blonde is cool and not yellow and brassy.

My usual routine is use the Fanola's No Yellow once a week and leave it in my hair for a few minutes. If my hair is looking extra brassy or in need of some more toning than usual, I'll leave it in there for longer, up to 15-20 minutes - but be careful because the purple shampoos is VERY pigmented and can stain fingers. This allows the formula to really soak into the cuticles of and stain your hair.

The very, very pigmented Fanola No Yellow purple shampoo.

Plus, LOOK at how purple and pigmented this shampoo is! After taking this photo, I had to quickly wash my hands to prevent it from staining my palm.

How to Keep Blonde Hair Hydrated & Healthy

Bleached hair is very dry and if I don't make sure to remember to hydrate my hair, it literally turns into straw. Olaplex and their products have been a lifesaver for me during this blonde hair journey. My first colorist introduced me to Olaplex back in 2014 and I've been hooked ever since. Back then, you could only really get it at the salon, so I remember being so excited to hear we were launching Olaplex at my previous job.

My Olaplex Routine & Olaplex Brand Review

Olaplex No. 2

Available to professionals only. This is a more concentrated version of No 3. and I like using this as a conditioner or a leave in (before Olaplex came out with a leave in). Tip: Ask your colorist if they are selling it. My hair stylist gave me one, but the price she was selling it for was definitely a better price per oz than No. 3. Plus, I'm obsessed with how adorably shaped the jumbo bottle is.

Olaplex No. 3

This and the rest of the Olaplex line are available to consumers. This is marketed as a hair mask but I did also like using this as a leave-in when there wasn't a leave-in option. I stopped using No. 3 however as I purchased a huge bottle of No. 2 from a previous hair stylist.

Olaplex No. 4

Love this shampoo so much. It's thick and lathers up so well in the hair once you mix it with water. It's a great hydrating shampoo that also leaves my hair feeling really clean. This can be hard to find with a shampoo that is also formulated to protect color. I actually look forward to using this shampoo every week.

Olaplex No. 5

I'm not in love with the conditioner, but I still like using it with the rest of my Olaplex regimen. I actually got No. 4 and No. 5 as a gift from a friend, so I like using them together, but I probably would not repurchase No. 5 as there are better conditioners out there. This conditioner is not hydrating enough for my hair, but honestly, No. 2 is way better for my hair as a conditioner than No. 5.

Olaplex No. 6

I was SO ecstatic when they announced this product because I had been using the No. 2 hair mask as a leave in. This is a much better leave in formula and really prevents my hair from going into straw/hay mode. I like putting this on damp hair and the hydration penetrates my stands immediately. It's amazing. A must have to turn bleached blonde hair from straw into silky strands.

Olaplex No. 7

This oil is fabulous. My only complaint is I wish it came in a bigger size because I go through it so quickly! I love using this oil my hair naturally dries or blow-drying. It helps hydrate my strands so well, it's definitely one of the better hair oils I've used. The oil and the leave in are my perfect duo for hydrated blonde hair.

My Favorite Hair Masks for Bleached or Colored Hair

Christophe Robin Lemon Cleansing Mask

This mask is probably one of the most unique and best hair products I've ever tried. It's a cleansing mask that not only hydrates, but also helps boost color and shine as well.

This needs to be applied to damp hair and left in for 5-20 minutes. Apply from roots all the way to ends. Adding some water helps it spread a bit easier. For hair that is extra parched, you can actually leave this mask in your hair for up to an hour.

It's a beautiful cream texture and smells of lemons. It's such a pleasant experience using this product - I just wish it wasn't so pricey!

Shiseido Fino Premium Touch Hair Mask

Love how hydrating this hair mask is. It comes in a tub and the texture is a gel cream, but skewing more on the gel side. I love using this as a last step in my hair cleansing routine.

To make it work even better, I like leaving some of this mask in my hair to work as a leave in. It really helps soften my strands to make them easier to comb through as I dry my hair.

Note that this mask does have dimethicone in it, so if you are avoiding dimethicone, I would skip.

Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask

This mask is incredible and pretty much the mask version of their cult hero product: their oil. It has the original Moroccanoil scent (which I am a fan of but know it can be polarizing) and leaves my hair super soft and shiny.

Again, I just wish it wasn't so expensive!

What are your favorite color protecting haircare products and brands?