B. Jess, "post-bleach panic" (Test group B: bleached hair feels like straw)

Age

early 20s to mid-30s. [inferred/estimate]

Daily routine

She lightened her hair recently, often over fine-to-medium hair. She heat-styles and has added a bond or moisture mask to her washes. [sourced: research/customer-problems-v1.md #1 ("recently bleached/blonded/heat-styled; often fine-to-medium")] How often she uses the mask is not known. [inferred/estimate]

Where she shops

Sephora, where she bought K18, Olaplex No.8 or Briogeo. The K18 mask is $29 on Amazon's best-seller list. [sourced: research/mask-reviews-jtbd-v1.md; research/customer-problems-v1.md #1] Salon advice is not evidenced. [inferred/estimate]

What she scrolls

Reddit r/Haircare. [sourced: research/customer-problems-v1.md #1] TikTok or Instagram hair-colour content. [inferred/estimate]

Core problem

Her hair feels dry, straw-like and fragile, and expensive masks didn't change how it feels. [sourced: research/mask-reviews-jtbd-v1.md]

• In 240 one-star Sephora reviews (80 each of K18, Olaplex No.8 and Briogeo), complaints counted: dry 103, did nothing 64, price 64, straw or brittle 58, breakage or shedding 38. These are keyword upper bounds. [sourced: research/mask-reviews-jtbd-v1.md]
• "this mask left my hair extremely dry and my hair felt like straw!!" [sourced: research/customer-problems-v1.md #1]

Triggers

The weeks after lightening, when the texture changes. [sourced: research/situation-map-v1.md S2] "I did a soft bleach on my hair and now it's gummy and fragile. I'm so scared." [sourced: research/customer-problems-v1.md #1]

Objections

• She already paid for a mask that "did nothing" (price came up 64 times). [sourced: research/mask-reviews-jtbd-v1.md]
• She's afraid of making it worse: "made my hair worse and drier (especially K18)". [sourced: research/customer-problems-v1.md #1]
• She tunes out big promises. [inferred/estimate]

Message that lands

"For lightened hair that feels like straw: softer to the touch, smoother-looking, and a routine that's simple to follow." Plain, with no miracle. Backed hooks: BM1, BM5, BM9 and headline 5. [sourced: research/mask-reviews-jtbd-v1.md] Never say repair, bond, strengthen or stops breakage. [sourced: claim rules, research/customer-problems-v1.md #1]

Test group

B. This persona has the strongest evidence of the five. [sourced: counted sample]