My relationship status with my hair mostly falls under the umbrella of “it’s complicated.” I’m a natural blonde and have always liked my color (especially since my stylist began adding highlights to cover my grays), but also have a list of dislikes that includes my fine texture, oily scalp, and super-dry ends that come from bleaching. Sigh.

Thankfully, my pleas to the hair gods to simplify my relationship with my strands were finally answered with the launch of Kérastase Blond Absolu 2% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($58), the brand’s first scalp-specific product designed for blondes. The pH-balanced serum—which boasts the highest amount of hyaluronic acid ever to be included in a hair product—is designed to hydrate and replenish the scalp, relieve dryness and damage from bleaching, all while strengthening strands and improving shine. The formula is so perfect for my particular needs, part of me wondered if the company was spying on me.

Kérastase, Blond Absolu Hyaluronic Acid Hair Serum — $58.00

Pros: 

• Packed with hyaluronic acid
• Repairs damage
• Improves softness and shine

Cons:

• Expensive
• Only works on blond hair

Turns out, Kérastase wasn’t just answering my call for hair help with this launch—it was meeting the needs of blondes around the globe. One thing we all apparently have in common (besides supposedly having more fun) is the need for bleach-friendly products.

“Everyone’s hair journey and previous color history is different, and a person’s hair type, hair texture, and desired result will affect the integrity of the hair after bleaching,” says Bradley Leake, a celebrity hairstylist based in Los Angeles. “Post-blonding, using the right products is essential to avoid breakage and help hydrate and repair your fresh blond locks.”

The Kérastase serum cements its status as one of these “right” products thanks to its high concentration of hyaluronic acid, which delivers instant hydration to damaged hair. In testing, it repaired a year’s worth of surface damage after just one use, which testers reporting that their hair was 95 percent stronger and 96 percent more hydrated.

“Hyaluronic acid helps to repair hair and locks in moisture to hydrate and protect the hair in its delicate state after bleaching,” says Leake. “Being able to apply a concentrated dose of hydration and repair is a game changer for blondes and now you can do both with a single product.”

Could Kérastase Blond Absolu improve my relationship with my hair?

The launch of Kérastase Blond Absolu corresponded with my end-of-summer highlighting appointment, so I was eager to see how the product worked post-salon visit. The directions recommend applying seven pumps of serum to the scalp and seven to 13 pumps to the lengths of towel-dried hair, and gently massaging the product in. This ended up being too much product for my hair, especially at the roots where oiliness is always a concern.

With that in mind, Leake advises customizing the amount of product you use based on your hair density and texture. She suggests focusing your application on bleached or lightened areas that “might need TLC.” It took me a couple of tries to find the perfect dosage for my hair—which ended up being three pumps for the scalp and seven for the lengths—but once I did, I experienced the softest, shiniest post-highlighting hair I can recall. Instead of dryness at the ends, my strands looked and felt hydrated and fuller, and there were no pesky flyaways to speak of.

Once I cut down on the amount of serum I applied to my scalp, I could go up to three days between washes—a personal best for me. And nearly a month after my salon visit, my hair’s color, softness, and shine are holding steady.

While I’ll never have the drama-free strands I envy on others (thanks, genetics), Kérastase’s new serum has worked wonders to improve my relationship status with my now-healthier hair.