OK, I get the hype now.
Post-summer hair always needs a little TLC, I think we can all agree. And this year, my hair really did – more than ever.
After a long holiday with plenty of sun, sand, pool dips and saltwater swims, my long hair looked limp, dull and felt drier than it had in a long time.
I tried hair oiling, I switched to a super-gentle shampoo, I used more hair masks than my bank account approved of – but nothing seemed to do the trick.
Until a friend tipped me off about Olaplex’s complete hair repair system – and in desperation, I clicked home the Best of Bond Builders – a kit with four separate products, all designed to treat hair that is dry, brittle and in tatters.
I have to say – I was intrigued. Especially when you consider the hype around Olaplex these past few years.
If you’re yet to be acquainted with it (where have you been?), when Olaplex first launched, its range included two in-salon products (No.1 and No.2), as well as one at-home treatment (No.3).
It has since expanded to make salon-quality hair treatments accessible and available at home.
The science behind the brand is what makes it that bit more trustworthy, as Olaplex claims it has developed the perfect formula for restoring damaged hair, which is a patented bond builder that has a rather catchy name: bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate.
Big word for a big promise.
How it works
The single molecule works by attaching itself to the broken bonds of your hair. Damage can be caused by heat styling, colouring and environmental factors, and works to repair and restore your strands from the inside out. It also multiplies the bonds to leave you with stronger locks. According to Olaplex, using the bond builder technology makes hair stronger, healthier and more resilient.
While some of the treatments have been designed to be used by themselves, for others, you’ll get the best results when using them in conjunction with one another.
For the past couple of years, my hair has gelt weak, dry and brittle, and nothing really seemed to help at all.
The kit I ordered was according to the box 'the most potent OLAPLEX at-home reparative treatments for damaged hair' + the nourishing cleanse and condition sample
set to maintain softness, shine, and smoothness for all hair types.
The four-piece set included a two-part system of pre-shampoo treatments for weekly use to repair all levels of damage and restore visibly healthier hair. It also includes convenient travel sizes of two OLAPLEX bestsellers–the shampoo and conditioner to hydrate and
prevent frizz and split ends.
Testing, testing
Over the past two months or so, I have been using the kit as per instructions.
I only wash my hair every four-five say or so, and when I did, I applied No.0 and No.3, as a pre-wash treatment, followed by shampoo (No.4) and the conditioner (No.5).
I started seeing results after the first wash, but was really blown away by week two. My hair looked shinier, bouncier and my split ends were pretty much all gone.
Apparently, I have the No.0 and No.3 to thank for this result, as both products are designed to repair bonds from the inside out on your hair, and boy, did they do what it said on the tin.
I loved the spray bottle design, making the No.0 easy to apply and distribute throughout the hair. It’s recommended that you use No.0 all over, leaving it on for 10 minutes before applying No.3. Your hair should be well saturated from root to tip and damp but not drenched.
The shampoo and conditiner are desgined to work on their own, but also support the bond building products, and I have notived such a huge improvement in my hair, even on the days when I just used the shampoo and conditioner. My hair feels sofer to touch, and definitively gets less tangled, and is easier to blowdry and style. A total win-win if you ask me.
One thing to note about the products is that yes, they are pricy – but a little really goes a long way, and I found I only really needed a small pump of shampoo and conditioner, and still got the full effect.
Overall, I have to say, I get the Olaplax hype now – and am not surprised this line keeps winning beauty awards left, right and centre. It is by far the most effective at-home treatment I have used, and I know I will keep reaching for it again in the future when my hair needs a little extra TLC.
