Need hair regimen recommendations!

[nerdonym]

I have terrible hair that I abuse regularly. After a lifetime of not particularly caring, a few years ago, I realized that I need to invest a bit of time and money into hair care products.

I recently started getting my hair professionally done (at a school because I’m cheap but the instructors are good and work with me) rather than doing it myself. We bleach it regularly but stopped doing all over bleach every time and just touch up the roots so I can minimize damage at the ends. We then tone it to get a white blonde appearance.

I’ve been coloring my hair since I was 13, I don’t actually know what my real hair color is but I suspect it has darkened to a level 5 or 6. I wear a bob to a long bob, depending on how well it’s growing out and how much we need to cut to get the damage off.

I need help figuring out the hair regimen that’s going to work for me. I have taken quizzes and done research and tried a ton of stuff but I feel like the things I’m trying to do to find answers are promoted and all about advertising, rather than what would actually be best for my tormented hair. I’m hoping this is where you come in. It’s expensive to keep taking gambles on products that may not and usually don’t work as I’d like them to.

Here are some relevant details:

About me:
41 years old
Midwest USA climate, currently means humidity and heat
Fairly low maintenance, spend about 20 minutes on my hair in the AM
Blow dry and spot straighten daily because I look like a bog creature otherwise

Hair type:
Very fine
Moderately thin
Wavy, but not the cute kind
A bit frizzy, especially at the temples
(Seriously, I would sweep the Crappy Hair Olympics)

Current issues:
Super dry at ends with lots of breakage
Lots of sebum/oil production at scalp so I have to wash it every day to every other day (you can tell me I don’t but I really do, I’ve tried)
Little to no shine

I have been using Prose custom formulas for shampoo and conditioner and I hit it with a purple treatment a couple times a week to keep the yellow out. I currently use a leave-in conditioner, heat protectant, hairspray and then a shine mist, use Olaplex regularly for bond repair.

My problem is, the deep, deep conditioning I need tends to weigh my hair down or makes it look super limp and greasy at the roots. I don’t particularly want to stop bleaching my head but it has been suggested, as has a pixie cut. I can’t pull it off.

What ideas do you have for me? What products do you swear by? What steps should I introduce into my hair care regimen? I didn’t order my Prose in time and I’m looking for alternatives to bridge the gap, maybe even make the switch if something better is out there.

I eagerly await your expertise, I feel a bit lost. Thank you for the guidance!

[GG84]

@nerdonym 

Well, this is a lot to unpack lol. 

I’m going to go out on a limb and say the suggestion to stop bleaching and pixie were recommended due to the integrity of your hair. 

What is the aversion to stop lightening it? I realize you go to a beauty school however they do learn techniques like shadow roots, lowlights, reverse balayage etc to break up the all over blonde look which would give your hair a bit of a break. 

In terms of products, if you are not using K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Mini Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask 0.5 oz/ 15 mL then you need to start. 

Since you wash your hair daily, you shouldn’t be too worried about product weighing your hair down. You really need to get it healthy before you worry about it being limp. 

Redken Extreme Anti Snap Shampoo + Redken All Soft Heavy Cream + Redken Anti Snap Leave In Conditioner + amika The Shield Anti-Humidity Spray 5.3 oz / 223 mL for before you use any heat is what I would go with.