The present invention relates to hair care compositions comprising an oxidizing agent and chelants having.times..times..times..times. ##EQU00001## ratio calculated at pH 10 of at least 3.20 wherein log K.sub.CuL is the common logarithm of the Conditional Stability Constant of said chelant with Cu.sup.2+ and log K.sub.CaL is the common logarithm of the Conditional Stability Constant of said chelant with Ca.sup.2+. Suitable chelants are diamine-N,N'-dipolyacids or monoamine monoamide-N,N'-dipolyacids. The compositions according to the present invention contribute to reducing the oxidative damage sustained by a keratinous fiber such as hair during bleaching, dyeing, perming or other oxidative treatments. Especially preferred diamine dipolyacid is ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid (EDDS).