Reactive Hair Editorial Team
This post was most recently updated on June 18th, 2023
In the process of achieving the best hair looks in-season, we forget to take care of our beautiful locks leading to severely damaged hair. If your hair suffers from adverse chemical, thermal, mechanical damage, or damage caused by environmental factors, this Olaplex Review might help you figure out if you want to invest in their products.
So let’s get straight down to figuring out if Olaplex is the answer to your severely damaged hair.
What Kind of Problems Can Olaplex Solve?
Olaplex is a haircare treatment system with multiple in their product line that has been designed to repair, hydrate, strengthen and protect your hair.
How do their products do all of that?
Their patented ingredient, bis-amino diglycol dimaleate, repairs the di-sulphide bonds in your hair leading to better hair health.
In other words:
The core ingredient in Olaplex eliminates the bad reaction between oxygen and sulfide bonds that usually occur in people with damaged hair caused by thermal, chemical, mechanical and environmental factors.
Transforming Damaged Hair
Into Healthy Hair
Thus the ideal customer would be men and women with the below mentioned hair problems:
Hair Damage Caused by Thermal Factors
Some of us do not like the hair we are born with.
So from a very young age we start using blow dryers, flat irons, straightening irons and curling irons on a daily basis.
While heat from these tools DO NOT mean immediate damage, because your hair can withstand upto to 4500F/ 232.20C, using heating tools above 4000F/ 204.40C consistently for a long period of time can cause:
- split ends;
- hair breakage;
- dry, brittle, tangly, rough hair; and
- white nodules at the end of the hair shaft.
If you have encountered any of these problems, Olaplex might be the perfect solution to your severely damaged hair.
Hair Damage Caused by Chemical Factors
Ever wanted to glow up before a school term, a big family event or before you hit the beach for the summer?
Then you might have colored your hair; dark honey-blonde, platinum blonde, silver-blonde, chocolate-brown, caramel, lilac or even hot pink. Maybe you wanted to relax or perm your hair, or even try the balayage hairstyle which is all the rage these days!
But did you know?
Therefore, undoing the damage you have done to your hair is no joke. Olaplex is equipped with the ingredients that may counter your hair dilemma.
Hair Damage Caused by Mechanical Factors
If you have long hair and/or work outdoors for a long period of time, chances are that you put your hair in braids or ponytails for long periods of time. But over a period of time, restricting hair in bands, braids and/or buns can cause damage to your hair.
Have you noticed your forehead widening as your hair thins on the front, if you put your hair up all the time? That is mechanical damage in action.
Thus to reclaim your hair, you need to give it the proper love and care.
Hair Damage Caused by Environmental Factors
Air Pollution. Water Pollution. Land Pollution.
All kinds of pollution surround us these days thanks to the fourth industrial revolution taking over the entire world on a massive scale.
The moment we step out of our homes, our hair is contaminated by dust particles, heat particles and pollutants that we cannot even see.
If you live in a highly polluted urban area – chances are that your hair is getting damaged without you even noticing it!
You might want to look into Olaplex if you feel like your hair definitely needs a pick-me-up from the pollutants around you.
Thus, Olaplex is designed to serve men and women with all types of hair;
be it curly, straight, wavy, textured, oily, color treated, chemical treated or virgin hair. Even people with never-been-touched-hair (aka virgin hair) can benefit from this product.
If you want to explore more options please take a look at the alternatives to Olaplex section. If not, take a look at what we have to say about the Olaplex system after careful research about their products’ ingredients and customer reviews.
The Olaplex Hair Product System
Picking the right haircare system can be utterly confusing.
A lot of haircare brands out there have multiple hair product systems to cater to numerous needs. You may get frustrated trying to figure out if you want to use a system that caters to dry hair or extremely dry hair – where do you even begin to draw the line right?
Olaplex is much more simple:
That means you do not have to spend exuberant amounts at the salon in order to achieve the hair look you desire. These products that are vegan and cruelty-free work as a DIY kit to be used at home if you do not want to go to the salon.
They also do not contain dangerous toxins such as Parabens, Phthalates, Colorants, 1,4 Dioxanes, Formaldehyde, Methylisothiazolinone, Toluene, Triclosan, SLS, SLES or ALS.
Key Products in the Olaplex System
Check below to see the key main products in the Olaplex brand to recover visibly damaged hair.
- No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment
- No. 3 Hair Perfector
- No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
- No. 4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo
- No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo
- No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
- No. 6 Bond Smoother
- No. 7 Bonding Oil
- No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask
- No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum
- Hair Repair Treatment Kit – 4 Pieces
- Complete Hair Repair System – 6 Pieces
While the best and fastest way to achieve results is by using the best product combinations in tandem – since it is obviously more expensive, you can start by trying out their No.3 Hair Perfector if you are on a tight budget or simply out for the 4 pack hair repair treatment kit to recover and replenish health tresses.
But do keep in mind that these products are very much loved and therefore, it can be hard to get your hands on it.
In fact:
Check out the reviews of verified buyers given below.
Now let’s take a closer look at six of these key products individually.
No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment
For: Men and women with all types of hair looking for solutions to their severely damaged hair.
Purpose: It is a bond builder that can be used with their No.3 Hair Perfector. The best results are when you apply it with the No. 3 product as a two-part system that repairs and strengthens hair.
How to use: Apply No. 0 generously from root to tip to dry hair and leave it on for 10 minutes. Before rinsing apply No. 3 to saturate hair. Wait another 10 minutes. Rinse and shampoo and condition as usual.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
No. 3 Hair Perfector
For: Men and women with all types of hair looking for solutions to their severely damaged hair.
Purpose: It is a bond builder that can be used before shampooing. If you are unsure of fully investing in Olaplex, order this first to determine if it improves the condition of your severely damaged hair.
How to use: Apply generously on damp towel-dried hair from scalp to tip. Allow it to soak into your scalp for 10 minutes or more if desired. Rinse away and shampoo and condition as usual. You can try this at home or the salon.
Ingredients: Water, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate (the KEY ingredient), Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinol Palmitate (Vitamin A), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phytantriol, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Wheat Amino Acids, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Quaternium-91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Magnesium Nitrate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone, Etidronic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil.
While the amount of ingredients looks overwhelming at a glance, here are a few pointers for you to keep in mind:
- Ingredients such as Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein can strengthen and repair weak hair. In fact, if the hair is severely damaged, the protein can penetrate your hair cortex more easily which means it can get to work faster.
- Panthenol is an ingredient linked to volume control and moisture control in hair because it has the ability to retain water. It has also been scientifically linked to combat thinning hair.
- Vitamin C or Ascorbic acid has the ability to help assist collagen production which becomes protein for hair.
- Vitamin E can help reduce oxidative stress in hair which may reduce hair breakage.
- Jojoba seed oil can moisturise and stimulate blood flow on the scalp.
- However, the product does contain parfum which can have the detrimental effect of drying your hair because it contains alcohol. While some real life users have encountered dry hair, most reviews of Olaplex are favourable.
No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
For: Men and women with all types of hair looking to repair and maintain bonds within hair while taking care of frizz, flyaways and tangly hair.
Purpose: Works as a shampoo that cleanses, nourishes, hydrates and repairs hair at the molecular level.
How to use: Wet your hair well and lather generously into your hair while massaging your scalp. Rise thoroughly.
The product has a lot of natural oil extracts which helps to moisturise, strengthen, lengthen, repair and reconstruct your damaged hair, such as oils from grapes, soybean, camellia, kernel, avocado, pomegranate, chinaberry, noni, etc.
No. 4P Blonder Enhancer Toning Shampoo
For: Unisex product suitable for people with all hair types, especially therapeutic for people with blond, greying, and lightened hair.
Purpose: Purple shampoo that acts as a deep cleanser to replenish and repair color treated hair while keeping it hydrated. Moreover, it also helps with fighting brassiness and improving the shine of hair.
How to use: Apply to wet hair 2-3 times per week like any shampoo and allow the product to lather and process. But make sure you don’t put this on dry hair.
Blonde Enhancer is a deep purple to remove unwanted yellow and brassiness in hair but it works best if you do not skip out on conditioning after applying the product. Please wear gloves to avoid staining your hands.
No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo
For: Unisex product suitable for all hair types. Especially those with oily, discolored, dull, dry, and easily tangling hair. Moreover, if you put a lot of product in your hair this helps to clear product build-up.
Purpose: Olaplex clarifying shampoo has the ability to deep cleanse and remove product build-up, pollution, and oil that is embedded in your hair. It has a pH value between 5.8-6.8 to help recover the healthiest form of your hair.
How to use: Use once a week on wet hair in place of your regular shampoo.
This product is best for mature hair that has gone through some hard times due to thermal, mechanical and chemical damage due to various reasons to recover its youthful feel again. However, it is not an overnight or one time miracle product, you need to give it time to work its science on your hair.
No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
For: Men and women with all types of hair looking to repair and hydrate hair while adding strength and shine to it.
Purpose: Works as a conditioner that cleanses, nourishes, hydrates and repairs hair at the molecular level. Repairs damage to hair without adding excessive weight to it.
How to use: Lather a generous amount into hair, concentrating on covering the hair ends thoroughly.
The product has a lot of natural oil extracts which helps to moisturise, strengthen, lengthen, repair and reconstruct your damaged hair, such as oils from grapes, soybean, camellia, kernel, avocado, pomegranate, chinaberry, noni, etc.
No. 6 Bond Smoother
For: Men and women looking to hydrate, moisturize, strengthen hair while speeding up blow-dry times and eliminating frizz and flyaways.
Purpose: Works as a concentrated leave-in smoothing cream that protects and repairs your hair as you go about your day-to-day tasks.
How to use: Apply a small amount to dry or damp hair. Make sure you concentrate the product from mid-lengths to your hair ends properly.
The product helps to recover dry and frizzy hair but you might need to get used to smell which was off-putting for some people.
No. 7 Bonding Oil
For: Men and women with all types of hair looking to restore the healthy appearance of hair while improving texture, shine, luser and manageability.
Purpose: Works as hair oil that improves the appearance, manageability and health of hair.
How to use: Apply a generous amount from root to tip and massage carefully to activate the blood vessels in hair to better absorb the product into your hair.
This works to detangle hair as well as add shine, strengthen and protect hair. Also ingredients in the product also works as a heat protector and a UV protector for those who use heating tools and live in hot areas with bleached hair.
No. 8 Bonding Oil
For: Unisex product for all hair types. Especially those with visibly damaged hair.
Purpose: Works as a deeply replenishing mask to protect and repair damaged hair similar to the way a face mask works over a period of time to keep skin healthy and nourished.
How to use: Apply a generous amount to clean and damp hair and work through your tresses to reach from roots to strands. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse. You can use once per week for the best results.
According to an independent clinical study which included hair stylists and end-consumers, the product improved smoothness of hair by 6 times for the participants. However, please don’t leave the product for more than the time assigned and rinse it off clean to see best results.
No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum
For: Men and women with all types of hair looking to shield hair from all kinds of damage.
Purpose: Those who encounter tangled hair, dull hair, and hair that is tough to style – this product will work wonders to make it manageable and healthy.
How to use: Apply the product as a first step while styling on days you wash hair as well as other days for added protection. You may need to use extra product if you have long hair or thick hair.
The product is free of DEA, Aldehydes, Formaldehyde and Silicone. To learn more about hair serums for all types of hair and hair problems, click here.
Olaplex Before and After
These before and after pictures of real life Olaplex users showcase how the products have been beneficial for different types of hair.
Olaplex Possible Side Effects
In this section of our Olaplex review we take a look at the possible side effects and disadvantages of the products.
Long Processing Time
One of the major drawbacks of Olaplex is that we found that people say that the processing time of using Olaplex is too long; meaning the results take a while to be visible.
May Make Hair Tangly and Brittle in Some
Further, a couple of women on Amazon have complained about Olaplex making their hair more tangly and brittle. In such a scenario, it is important to remember the idiom; one size does not fit all.
Some products may not be suitable for you because of your special physiological conditions such as rare allergies and genetic predispositions. The products also contain some alcohol in the form of parfum.
Importance of Buying from the Right Retailers
Buying from retailers you do not know much about can lead to finding that inferior products have been shipped to your doorstep which are of low quality.
A good rule of thumb would be to buy from a reputed website. If you are buying from Amazon, for example, make sure you buy from the Olaplex shop on Amazon and not from third parties to ensure you get the right products. The seasonal discounts and the streamlined delivery system will make for a smooth shipping process too.
Home Vs. the Salon Treatment
If you are unsure about using Olaplex for the first time, don’t really understand how bond builders work and/or are messy when it comes to cosmetic application, it might be better to go to a salon that provides Olaplex bond building treatments.
Rather than having an unfortunate accident, it is better to get the treatment from a reputed salonist who knows what he/she is doing.
Olaplex Alternatives
Before looking at the alternatives of Olaplex, let’s take a look at Olaplex products’ prices side-by-side. All of them are priced at $30 with different quantities.
Prices of Olaplex Products
If you are looking for bond builders similar to Olaplex, in this Olaplex review we take a look at alternatives to Olaplex’s No.3 Hair Perfector and No.0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment – both of which significantly help in rebuilding bonds in hair.
Ion Absolute Perfection Booster
Price
Much cheaper compared to Olaplex. Currently, it is only $4.95 at Amazon for 7.5 ml / 0.253 fl oz.
Purpose
Works to help build broken bonds in hair while increasing moisture in hair, reducing hair breakage and reducing dryness during chemical processes.
Works best when you apply this with their Absolute Color Sealer if you are someone who experiments with hair color a lot.
Great for people who bleach their hair regularly.
However, this is not a professional bond building agent per se.
Negatives
Complaints about the small quantity in each product bottle.
Bond Angel Plex Effect Bond Multiplier
Price
The two-way system together costs a whopping $154.99 at Amazon. There is one Bond Maker and two Bond Reconstrutor bottles in the pack. Each bottle has 500 ml/ 16.9 fl oz of product.
Purpose
Works to help build broken bonds in hair while preventing hair breakage prevalent due to bleaching. Provides protection during mechanical, thermal and chemical treatments.
The products in the system are:
- Bond Maker: This is a chemical protector.
- Bond Reconstructor: This is a post-chemical rebuilder.
This is also the number #1 bond reconstruction product in Brazil. There is a lot of product in the bottles compared to Olaplex and Ion Absolute Perfection Booster.
Negatives
Costly compared to Olaplex and Ion.
B3 Brazilian Bond Builder
Price
Costs $38 USD for 180 ml / 6 fl oz of product on Amazon. Price is stationed between Olaplex and Bond Angel.
Purpose
Works to help build broken bonds in hair while fortifying hair, reducing damage and extending color life of hair. B3 can be mixed with color formulation to reduce hair breakage and hair damage.
Is considered to be one of the easiest products to apply to see results. You just have to apply a generous amount from the roots of hair to the tips, wait 5-10 minutes and rinse thoroughly.
Negatives
If your hair is stretchy and stringy when dry – this product might not suit your hair.
Before You Go
So what can this Olaplex review say about their products in the end? Are their products a solution to severely damaged hair?
Let’s find out!
It is an Answer to Hair Damaged by Mechanical, Thermal, Chemical and Environmental Means
Multiple reviewers on Amazon and the Olaplex website have talked about how Olaplex rescued hair of people with
- Color treatment damage,
- Chemical treatment damage,
- Over-bleaching problems,
- Damage caused by unnatural hair dyes/colors such as purple, blue, pink, etc.,
- Heat exposure damage,
- Hair damage, hair breakage and split end problems.
Keep it on for a considerable time
A lot of reviewers prefer to keep Olaplex on for longer than 10 mins and have seen better results because of it. However, if you see or feel any adverse side effects because of it, remove the product from your hair immediately and seek medical guidance.
Contains Lots of Natural Oils
Olaplex contains a lot of oil extracts taken from plants such as grapes, green tea, corn, sunflower, moringa, pomegranate, coconut, chinaberry, noni, etc.
While natural oils have many beneficial values for our hair, make sure you are not allergic to these oils. A hair strand test is a good option to explore to see if Olaplex products are suitable for your hair.
We hope this review helped to answer queries you had about using Olaplex. Let us know in the comment section what you think about this review and Olaplex products.
FAQS about Olaplex
Why does Olaplex make my hair feel like straw?
To repair hair, the Olaplex system first has to strip your hair of the product build-up, pollution, and other impurities in it. Hair in the process of being recovered might feel strawy but if you give it enough time, it will slowly recover. However, please do note that overuse of product, keeping product on for longer than recommended can also lead to this dry feeling.
Can I use Olaplex everyday?
Different products in the Olaplex range are suitable for different days. For example, the clarifying shampoo and the hair mask should only be used once a week, while the hair serum should be used every other day. Read the recommended dosages and recommended frequency of use for optimal results as described on the product bottle.
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