What Is Olaplex And Does It Make A Difference?

You’ve likely heard of this brand before, but do you really know what separates it from other haircare products? Why is Olaplex different than other hair brands? In this blog post I’m going to cover what Olaplex is and what its intended purpose is.

I’ve also recently performed an experiment for my Youtube channel using Olaplex. In the video, I compare the results of bleaching hair with Olaplex, Vs. without it. You can find that video further below.

What does Olaplex do?

Olaplex was first created for hairstylists as a bond building agent to assist in coloring the hair (no. 1 and no. 2). They have a patented formula that rebuilds the broken bonds (amino acids) that hold the hair structure together.

This means that as the hair is colored, the bonds that are broken during the chemical process are then rebuilt. This leaves the hair healthy, and the risk of damage is highly reduced. The hair is often left healthier and stronger after being colored with Olaplex.

Due to the success of this product, they began releasing retail products for the general population containing their patented bond building formula. Other brands have since copied Olaplex with this bond building agent, but Olaplex still holds the original patent for this chemical process.

What Olaplex does NOT do

It’s important to distinguish that Olaplex and other bond builders are strengthening products, not moisturizing products. General consumers often get this confused.

The original bonding treatment (no. 3) should be used before you shampoo the hair, not after. This is because it is a chemical bond building agent, not a moisturizing conditioner (even though it looks and feels like one).

It’s also important to note that Olaplex cannot repair hair that has broken off. While it does repair broken bonds in the hair that cause the hair to weaken, it cannot make you grow back hair that has already broken off. (It does feel silly that I have to mention that, but you’d be surprised.)

Now, this doesn’t mean that it’s not worth it for someone with damaged hair. Olaplex will 100% strengthen your hair by repairing the broken bonds, which will ultimately cause you to stop losing hair due to breakage.

Bleaching with Olaplex VS. without it

In order to see the benefits, I performed an experiment for my Youtube channel where I bleached a hair swatch with Olaplex mixed in to the lightener, and one without it to compare the results. I used hair clipped from one of my clients that was virgin level 5 brown hair.

I used Pravana lightener and 30 volume developer, and I allowed the swatches to process for the full 55 minutes.

What I found was that the Olaplex did not hinder the lightening ability of the bleach at all. Meaning that the swatch with Olaplex still lightened just as quickly and as evenly as the swatch without it.

When I tested the elasticity of the hair, I found that both swatches were still intact and strong.

It wasn’t until I dried the swatches that I could see the difference. The Olaplex swatch was much smoother and softer than the swatch without it. So much so that you could visibly see and feel the difference.

If you were to look at the swatches under a microscope, the swatch that did not contain Olaplex would have had an open cuticle (outer layer of hair strand that resembles fish scales), while the other would have been more sealed. To learn more about the anatomy of a hair strand, see my post here.

The cuticle is what protects the inner layers of the hair. If the cuticle of the hair is damaged or open, the inner layers are left vulnerable and more susceptible to damage.

You can watch my experiment below:

Olaplex products

***Since I’m sharing the products that I love to use with you guys, this page includes affiliate links to these products. If you take action and purchase a product through clicking one of my links, I’ll make some commission money from it at no extra cost to you. This enables me to be able to continue giving you awesome hair tips, so thanks! ***

Shampoos & Conditioners

• No. 4 Bonding Shampoo: This is a strengthening shampoo made for all hair types. Keep in mind that it may make your hair feel slightly coarser after use because it is strengthening your hair.
• No. 4 Purple Shampoo: This is a purple shampoo made for blondes only. This is one of the strongest purple shampoos I have ever used, and works wonders for combating unwanted yellow tones. For best results, allow it to sit on the hair for 5 minutes. Just keep in mind that it can make already platinum hair take on a violet hue due to how strong it is.
• No. 4 Dry Shampoo: This dry shampoo works best when used from day 1 on. It is better to combat the oil before it builds up rather than trying to reduce it when it’s already too much.
• No. 4 Clarify Shampoo: This is a clarifying shampoo, so I don’t recommend using this every time you wash your hair. It will remove build-up in the hair which is important, but using too often can make the hair feel dry.
• No. 5 Conditioner: This is a strengthening conditioner designed for all hair types. Allow it to sit on the hair for 3 minutes before rinsing.
• No. 5 Purple Conditioner: This is a purple conditioner meant for blondes only. This should follow the purple shampoo and will help remove unwanted yellow tones from the hair.

Treatments

• No. 0 Pre-Treatment Solution: You’ll use this product BEFORE you use no. 3 below. This helps prep the hair for the bond building treatment and they work hand-in-hand for best results.
• No. 3 Bonding Treatment: Use this BEFORE you shampoo and condition on average once a week, but can be used every time you wash if your hair is severely damaged or bleached. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes to penetrate the cortex of your hair.
• No. 8 Moisture Mask: This is a moisture treatment that can be used once a week replacing conditioner. This mask should sit on the hair for 10 minutes and will replenish lost moisture.

Leave-In Products

• No. 6  Leave-In Bond Smoother: This is a leave-in conditioner that will smooth the cuticle of the hair. Start small with this because a little goes a long way.
• No. 7 Dry Bonding Oil: This oil works well for protecting the hair from UV rays and thermal tools. It also aids in smoothing frizz and adding shine to curly hair types.
• No. 9  Leave-In Serum: This serum is meant to be used on dry hair before it is blow dried for added protection and shine. The serum can be used in combination or instead of no. 6 and 7.

Conclusion

Olaplex has been a game changer in the hair care industry for maintaining the integrity of hair. It is a patented formula bond builder that rebuilds broken bonds in the hair and is a hair strengthening agent.

In my experiment I found that Olaplex did not hinder the lightener’s ability to lighten the hair, but it did smooth down the cuticle of the hair. The swatch that did not contain Olaplex was visibly more frizzy than the latter.

While Olaplex began as a product for use in hair salons only, they have since joined the market mass producing retail products for the general population.

If you have any questions or comments about Olaplex, drop them for me below! And make sure you subscribe if you want to make everyday a good hair day.