Your Ultimate Guide to Using Olaplex, the Hair Industry’s Best Defense Against Hair Damage
There's no denying that a bleach blonde moment can be absolutely stunning. But lightening up those locks can, unfortunately, also cause a lot of damage to your tresses. Even balayage and dark hair color can end up taking a toll on your hair health, leaving it feeling dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. Here's where Olaplex can help.
This range of hair care products uses innovative science to reverse the damage done during processing treatments to give you healthy, strong, stunning hair. Need a bit of guidance on how Olapex works and what each product does? Consider this your ultimate Olaplex guide.
Meet the Expert
Brooke Jordan is the creative director and co-owner of the Brooklyn-based hair salon The Bird House. She has been named as one of New York’s top stylists by Brooklyn Magazine and New York Magazine. Explore more of her work on her Instagram @birdhousebrooke.
Ok, but what exactly is Olaplex?
“Olaplex is amazing for truly everyone,” says Brooke Jordan, creative director and co-owner of Brooklyn-based hair salon The Bird House. “That said, it's especially brilliant for damaged hair.” Each of the nine haircare products in the Olaplex line dramatically reverses damaged hair by repairing, rebuilding, and restoring broken hair bonds. Understanding how Olapex works requires a quick science lesson.
Every Olapex product features Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate (try saying that five times fast!), a patented ingredient that can seek out broken disulfide bonds caused by color, heat, mechanical, or chemical damage and effectively cross-links them back together to mimic the softness and healthiness of virgin hair.
“Essentially, it's a preventative measure against breakage and a rebuilder from damage that’s already done,” says Jordan. “It strengthens and protects the hair structure and improves texture. Their patented active ingredient (bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate) is powerfully effective in helping to restore damaged hair.”
Two Olaplex products (the OLAPLEX No.1 Bond Multiplier and the OLAPLEX No.2 Bond Perfector) are exclusive to professionals. These are used during the coloring process to help prevent hair damage and keep the hair in the best condition possible. However, the seven other products can be used at home, after you leave the salon, to continue repairing the hair to keep it strong and damage-free (more on each of these products in a bit).
Here are all the benefits of using Olaplex:
Olapex is one of the absolute best ways to repair damaged hair, but there are a few additional reasons to love this science-backed system. Here are a few of the line's biggest benefits:
It works on all hair types. Whether you have straight, wavy, coily, or curly hair, Olapex is safe to use on all hair textures.
It reverses more than just coloring damage. It can also repair damage from perms, relaxers, keratin treatments, heat styling (i.e. hot tools such as straighteners, curlers, hairdryers), mechanical damage (brushing, tugging, styling), or environmental damage (sun exposure, extreme weather, pollution).
It can be preventative. Even if you don't have noticeable hair damage or color-treated hair at the moment, Olapex can act as a super shield, working to protect the hair from thermal, mechanical, and environmental damage.
It can create a silkier, smoother hair texture. Healthier hair will inevitably feel better. Using Olapex to repair and prevent damage will result in silkier, shinier strands that are less prone to frizz and split ends.
How to use the Olaplex system:
Now that you're a little more familiar with how Olaplex works and what it can do, let's dive into how to use each of the at-home treatments.
1. The Ultimate At-Home Treatment: OLAPLEX No.3 Hair Perfector
This is by far Olaplex's bestselling at-home treatment. It can visibly reduce breakage and strengthen the hair, improving the look and feel of all hair types — whether it's processed or not.
“No. 3 is intended to be used once or twice a week,” says Jordan. “It's not a conditioner or leave-in treatment, as many people mistake it for. Its purpose is to heal hair from the inside out, whereas conditioners and hair masks heal hair from the outside in. It should be left in for a minimum of 10 minutes and then washed out — def feel free to pair it with a mask for some extra TLC.”
2. The Booster: OLAPLEX No.0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment
This Olaplex treatment is an intensive repair booster designed to be used alongside the No.3 Hair Perfector to provide the highest dose of Olaplex's technology. The No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment essentially works as a primer for No. 3. Apply it to dry hair, leave it on for 10 minutes, then apply the No.3, which you’ll then leave on for a further 10 minutes.
The texture of No. 0 is quite watery and will dry relatively quickly. As Olapex works best on saturated strands, using No.3 over it will keep the hair damp so that both products can provide the most powerful results.
3. The Shampoo: OLAPLEX No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
Looking for a way to use Olapex products daily? Enter the only shampoo in the line. Free of sulfates, phthalates, DEA, aldehydes, formaldehyde, gluten, and parabens it's safe for all hair and contains that proprietary OLAPLEX technology to reverse damage with each wash.
4. The Conditioner: OLAPLEX No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
Made to be used in conjunction with No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, the Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner restores, repairs, and hydrates without adding excess weight to the hair. Lather this reparative everyday formula into the ends to boost shine, soften strands, and protect against frizz.
5. The Leave-in Conditioner: OLAPLEX No.6 Bond Smoother
This highly concentrated leave-in smoothing cream, strengthens, moisturizes, and speeds up blow-dry times. The silk cream is ideal for softly defining curls, eliminating frizz, and taming flyaways for up to 72 hours. A little goes a long way here, just a small dollop is enough to condition, protect, and boost styling.
6. The Styling Oil: OLAPLEX No.7 Bonding Oil
Infused with Olapex's patented active ingredient for repair, this bonding oil can dramatically increase shine, softness, and color vibrancy. It’s also one of Jordan’s favorite products in the Olaplex line. “I LOVE how lightweight this oil is, but it also packs a punch,” she says. “It's a product you can use daily and provides lasting protection and moisture. I’m obsessed.”
While No.6 focuses mainly on repair, moisture, and smoothing, No.7 provides UV and heat protection up to 450 degrees. For ultimate results, try using these two post-shower products together for highly hydrated, super soft hair with a glass-like shine.
7. The Hair Mask: OLAPLEX No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask
The Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask is a multitasking, luxurious weekly addition to your hair care routine that can boost moisture, body, and shine. It's so effective that it's actually proven to add up to four times more moisture and 96% more body and the average hair mask.
While the Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector and this mask are both occasional hair treatments, remember, they're not interchangeable. No.3 is not a conditioner, it works inside the hair structure to relink broken bonds. No.8, on the other hand, is primarily designed to hydrate and condition while also providing reparative results.
If your hair is relatively healthy and unprocessed (a.k.a. virgin hair), this is Olapex product may be a great way to try out the line.
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