Have you heard of Olaplex? I bet you have. It’s the hottest hair treatment in hair salons now. Touted as the “HG for coloured hair”, it promises to strengthen your hair and undo the damage hair dyes do to your locks.
That damage is the reason why I haven’t dyed my hair in years. When the urge to go red, pink, or turquoise hits, I remember how dry, brittle and lifeless blonde dye had turned my hair in my late teens. After a year, I started to resemble a scarecrow!
But, after witnessing what Olaplex can do for not dyed hair, I’m seriously thinking of taking the plunge and turn my hair into a rainbow-coloured mane. Yes, Olaplex can be used by everyone, even by those who would never dream of changing their hair colour.
What’s Olaplex?
Olaplex is a conditioning treatment on steroids. Its job is to repair the disulfide sulfur bonds in your hair. These disulfide bonds give your locks their shape, strength, and elasticity. But they’re very fragile.
They can be broken down by hair dye, but also by other chemical treatments such as perming, heat, and even sunlight. That’s why Olaplex isn’t just for adventurous ladies who like to experiment with their hair colour.
Olaplex contains a substance, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, which can create artificial disulfide bonds. It happens pretty quickly too. When Olaplex is mixed in with hair dyes, it can repair hair while you have it coloured, drastically reducing the damage hair dying causes. Amazing, isn’t it?
The Treatment
Olaplex doesn’t have to be mixed with hair colouring. It can be applied on its own. That’s what the hairdresser at ColourNation hair salon in Winsley Street, just off Oxford Street, did to me. Obviously. I’m still sporting my natural hair colour.
First, she applied the Olaplex Bond Multiplier all over the length of my hair, from root to tip, and let it there for about 10-15 minutes. I didn’t know what to expect, but certainly not what happened. Olaplex has no nasty chemical smell. It doesn’t come with a tingling or burning sensation. It feels as lightweight and gentle as your run-of-the-mill leave in conditioner.
Once that was washed off with warm water, she applied the Bond Perfector, and left it on for another 10 minutes, which I spent relaxingly reclined, reading my Kindle. This second part of the treatment was pretty underwhelming too. Nothing bad or exceptional to report. Having Olaplex done is like having your leave in conditioner applied twice, and washed off, by someone else.
Ten minutes later, my hair was washed and blowdried. That’s when I stared at the mirror in awe.
The Results
I admit, I was sceptical. As Olaplex is promoted as a treatment for dyed, damaged hair, I didn’t think it’d do much for me. I was wrong. My hair had never looked better. It was very soft and super shiny. I felt like a model just being styled for a photoshoot. My hair looked THAT good.
But was it stronger too? I believe so. The following days, whenever I combed my mane, I found fewer stray hairs on the comb. Losing a few hairs each day is perfectly normal. Hair sheds all the time. But the shedding was considerably reduced after Olaplex.
A week and several washes later, my hair still looked amazing. Olaplex isn’t something that disappears at the first sight of shampoo. It can last up to several weeks, or until you dye your hair again. Whatever comes first.
But then, if you decide to dye your hair, you should ask to have Olaplex added to the dye to fight the damage as it is happening. Now, where the heck where you 15 years ago, Olaplex?
Who Should Use Olaplex?
Here’s the thing: Olaplex isn’t just for the bleach-blonde crowd or people who switch from brunette to bubblegum pink every other month. Sure, it was originally designed with colour addicts in mind, but honestly? Pretty much anyone can benefit.
- Coloured or bleached hair: If you’ve ever lightened your hair, you know the drill: fried ends, split strands, and that straw-like texture that makes you regret your life choices. Olaplex helps patch those bonds back together so your hair actually feels like hair again.
- Heat stylers: Flat irons, curling wands, even that “quick” daily blow-dry… they all break bonds in your hair. If you’re guilty (same), Olaplex is like a safety net.
- Curly girls: Curls rely on strong, healthy bonds to keep their shape. Weak bonds = frizz city. Strengthened bonds = bouncy, defined curls.
- Fine or fragile hair: If your hair snaps just by looking at it the wrong way, Olaplex can give it a little extra resilience.
- Even virgin hair: Yep, if you’ve never dyed or fried your hair in your life, you can still use it. Think of it as insurance: your hair will be shinier, smoother, and tougher against future damage.
Basically, if your hair has ever been through life (sun, heat, dye, or just general wear and tear), Olaplex is going to do something for you.
How Often Should You Use It?
Honestly, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. It depends on which Olaplex you’ve got in your hands.
- In the salon: If you’re colouring your hair, ask your stylist to throw Olaplex into the mix every single time. It’s like having a bodyguard for your strands while they’re getting blasted with bleach or dye. Damage happens, Olaplex swoops in, crisis averted.
- At home (No. 3 Hair Perfector): Once a week is usually enough. If your hair is seriously fried (we’re talking bleach-on-bleach-on-bleach), you can push it to twice a week until things calm down.
- Other bits (No. 0, shampoo, conditioner): These are more everyday-friendly. No. 0 is usually paired with No. 3 for extra punch, and the shampoo/conditioner can just swap in for your regular wash routine.
The Bottom Line
So, is Olaplex the miracle it’s hyped up to be? Honestly… kinda, yeah. It’s not going to magically glue split ends back together or give you waist-length hair overnight, but it does make your hair feel stronger, shinier, and way less “straw after bleach.”
If you colour your hair, heat-style, or just want your mane to look like it’s been on a spa retreat, Olaplex is worth the hype. Even if you don’t mess with dye, it still gives your strands that extra oomph. Would I keep using it? 100%. It’s one of the few salon treatments that actually does something instead of just smelling nice and rinsing down the drain. For once, the hype checks out.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
