How to keep platinum blonde hair looking it's best!

If you've ever had platinum blonde hair (or any dyed blonde hair colour for that matter) you will know how difficult it is to keep it looking great all the time. Here are a few tips that should help with the upkeep;

• Keep it moisturised - This has to be one of the most important pieces of advice when it comes to looking after platinum hair. As it is regularly being bleached, it CRAVES moisture. I personally find I need to use a deep conditioner 2-3 times a week, such as Tresemme Keratin Smooth deep conditioner. This one is particularly good as it replaces the hair protein Keratin, that is lost through dyeing/heat damage.

• Less is more! - Keeping hair moisturised doesn't just mean dowsing it in conditioner; your scalp already produces it's own oils to keep the hair in great condition. To make sure it is doing it's job, try to wash your hair as little as possible, 2 or 3 times a week if possible. Use dry shampoo/talcum powder in between washes to keep it fresh-looking.

• Fix the Colour - Platinum blonde hair is notoriously difficult to keep looking bright, as the colour tends to fade quickly and yellow due to pollution etc. I find there are 2 ways to tackle this; purple shampoo and a monthly toner. Purple tones work so well on platinum hair because they are opposite to yellow on the colour wheel, hence neutralising the brassy tones. I like to use a purple shampoo (such as Touch of Silver) every other time I wash my hair, and a more potent toner (such as Colour Restore, right) once a month - the combination of these keeps your colour looking gorgeous!

• Keep it tidy - Platinum blonde hair damages much quicker than hair that hasn't been bleached, so you must make sure you are regularly having it trimmed to keep it feeling smooth and looking neat and tidy. If you can afford it, I would recommend having it done every month or so.

• Shine! - As dyed blonde hair is so porous, it is very hard to get it looking shiny, so what's the best way to do it? FAKE IT! A good serum will add shine and softness to your platinum hair and give it the 'WOW!' factor. At the moment i'm loving Loreal's Extraordinary Oil (RRP £9.99) - a bit pricey but it is a big bottle so will last for ages.

• Hold the Heat - As I said before, bleached hair is already damaged, and you need to do everything to stop it damaging any further. Try to limit the use of heat appliances (hair dryer, straighteners etc.) to once or twice a week if you can, and MAKE SURE you use some form of heat protection. I find if you wash, dry and straighten your hair well, you shouldn't need to do it again for a few days.

So that's it! Try these tips and let me know how you get on - i'm sure your hair will thank you for it! Even if you don't have platinum hair, these tips are great for keeping any hair colour in good condition - just make sure you use a toner specifically for the colour you have. Have a happy hair day!