If you're a hair care fanatic and are yet to hear about Olaplex then where have you been!? It's the haircare brand that everyone raves about and I've been curious about the incredible results that it is known to produce, so as I'm making an active effort to take care of my hair this year, I thought I'd give it a try and let you know *honestly* what I thought!
Before we start I want tell you a little bit about my hair; I have naturally wavy virgin hair which means it's never been coloured, tinted or permed (not that I haven't been tempted because believe me, I have!) and it's prone to some heat damage with styling tools. It's not crazy thick but due to having a natural curly wave, it's not overly thin either.
If you know me then you'll know how much I love trying out new haircare products so it's safe to say that when I made my first Olaplex purchase, I was very excited. I've heard about Olaplex being used to maintain hair that has been coloured and bleached but never natural virgin hair so I wanted to put it to the test and see if it really is worth the hype!
What Is Olaplex?
For those of you who don't know about Olaplex or you've just seen it being used in a salon but don't know much about it, I thought I'd give you a quick lowdown.
Olaplex is a miracle product for rebuilding and restoring hair strength and health. It's made for ALL hair types and aims to restore and repair ALL types of hair damage by using their famous Olaplex Bond Building Technology to create a bridge between broken bonds to heal your hair from the inside out!
If you're intrigued into reading more about How Olaplex Works then have a little look on their website for some more information and diagrams that explain everything.
How Olaplex Has Changed My Hair
Before I start telling you about my experience using Olaplex, the first thing I noticed was that they have so many different products; from shampoo and conditioner, to hair oil and leave in hair treatments. To put it simply; there are products to repair, products to maintain and products to style. There's literally something for everyone; for every hair type, for every lifestyle, you can manage to get Olaplex into your hair care routine somehow and I absolutely love that!
I've been using Olaplex No.3, No.4, No.5, No.7 and No.8 for just over six months and in that time I think I've got a pretty good idea of how much it's helped my hair transformation, what products are worth your money and what I'd avoid. I've never really been one to fully splash out on haircare so getting Olaplex was a big purchase for me and I had very high expectations.
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector
PRICE: £26
What Does It Do?
Olaplex No.3 is possibly the most popular product from their haircare range and definitely my favourite. It's a weekly at home treatment that aims to repair and restore healthy shine and soft texture to your hair, reinforcing strands that have been weakened by heat styling, frequent colouring or brushing.
How To Use
It's recommended to use Olaplex No.3 once a week depending on your hair type; if you have extremely damaged hair you can use it 2-3 times a week. As my hair is natural and doesn't have any colour to maintain, I use it once every fortnight.
The best way to use Olaplex No.3 is to wet your hair in the shower, towel dry it gently and then apply the product directly onto your hair from root to tip. I sometimes find that it's easier to divide your hair into sections to ensure that every strand is getting some Olaplex love. Once applied, gently brush it through with a wide tooth comb, twist your hair up into a loose bun, secure it in place with a clamp and leave it to work it's magic for around an hour (maybe a bit longer if you can).
After you've caught up on the next episode of your favourite series on Netflix, drank your coffee and scrolled through your TikTok feed, you can jump straight in the shower and rinse your treatment out, then just shampoo and condition your hair as normal. Voila!
My Thoughts
I'm obsessed with Olaplex No.3 and I can honestly say that my hair felt INCREDIBLE after just one use; the shine, the softness, the scent, it's just an absolute dream! It's very easy to apply and you don't need a lot of product which is something that I've noticed with the whole Olaplex range. After six months, my hair feels more manageable, nourished and incredibly shiny.
The only downside with No.3 is that you need time to be able to sit and let it soak into your hair. It may not seem it but it does take a chunk out of your day which is why I usually save it for my days off when I don't have much planned. I know a lot of people use it overnight so that could be an option if you have a busy schedule and can't find the time.
Olaplex No.4 & No.5 Bond Maintenance Shampoo & Conditioner
PRICE: £52
What Does It Do?
The Olaplex Shampoo & Conditioner Duo aims to cleanse, hydrate and restore ALL hair types. The Bond Maintenance Shampoo gently cleanses hair and helps to prevent colour fading for those with colour treated hair whilst the Bond Maintenance Conditioner provides intense moisture leaving hair feeling silky soft and easily manageable.
How To Use
Using Olaplex No.4 & No.5 is pretty self explanatory; you just use them the same way you'd use your normal shampoo and conditioner. Instead of explaining the obvious, I thought I'd give you a few tips to get the most out of your Olaplex purchase and make it last longer.
It's important to remember that when using your Bond Maintenance Shampoo, you really don't need a lot of product (usually the size of a one pence coin will do). Then rub your hands together to lather the product which helps you to get more out of it, apply it directly to the roots and then rinse. You can shampoo twice if you want to give your hair a real good cleanse.
When it comes to using the Bond Maintenance Conditioner, the process is very similar. Be sure to squeeze any excess water from the ends of your hair, apply the conditioner to your palm (I find I use more conditioner than shampoo), rub your hands together and then gently smooth it through the mid-lengths/ends. Finally, rinse with some cool water and you're done!
My Thoughts
I was sceptical about trying the Olaplex Shampoo and Conditioner as it's on the pricer side and I didn't think it would be much different to the products I use from Boots and Superdrug. Although it's not a necessary purchase, I've noticed a big difference in the quality of my hair since using this dynamic duo; it's softer, it's more manageable and the shine is just...WOW! It also smells incredible too!
One thing I absolutely LOVE about these products is that you really don't need much at all; a little goes a very long way. To put it into context, I wash my hair 2-3 times a week and I started using the 100ml bottle of Olaplex Shampoo and Conditioner in January 2022. I replaced the shampoo in May and the Conditioner in April; they literally lasted me 4/5 months!
Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil
PRICE: £26
What Does It Do?
It's the go-to leave in treatment for dry and damaged hair to complete your Olaplex routine. With heat protection up to 232°c, this little bottle of golden oil aims to reduce styling damage, split ends and protect hair against the effects of UV exposure. It's also ideal to tame frizz and flyaways as well as enhancing shine and colour!
How To Use
Olaplex No.7 can be used on both wet and dry hair. To use on wet hair simply towel dry and apply to the ends for ultimate heat protection. If you're using it on dry hair then apply to your hands, rub your palms together and gently run it through your hair to enhance your style or add that extra layer of protection.
My Thoughts
Out of all the Olaplex products that I've tried, I have to say that No.7 is the most versatile. However, it's probably the one that I could take or leave. Yes it tames my crazy curls, it banishes frizz and leaves a gorgeous shiny finish on my hairstyle BUT I have other, cheaper products that do the same thing. I would purchase again but I don't think it's 100% necessary in your haircare routine.
Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask
PRICE: £26
What Does It Do?
The Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask is a deep conditioning treatment ideal for hair that has been damaged by chemical treatments, heat styling/brushing and environmental factors. It aims to strengthen fragile bonds with Olaplex's famous bond-building technology, leaving your hair feeling soft, smooth and shiny with that added bit of body and bounce.
How To Use
Jump in the shower and wash your hair with your favourite shampoo, squeeze any excess water from your hair and then apply a generous amount from your mid-lengths to ends. It's best to do this in sections and then comb through with your fingers or a wide tooth comb. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and dry/style your hair as normal!
My Thoughts
The Bond Intense Moisture Mask was the first product I ever purchased from Olaplex when I was slightly skeptical about the brand and if it'd suit my natural hair. I chose this product as it's very easy to incorporate into your haircare routine for a quick Olaplex fix, although I'm not too keen on having to get in and out the shower at least four times to apply and rinse it off (but that's just me). I used to use this weekly/fortnightly depending on how my hair felt and I must admit, I was really impressed. My hair felt softer, looked shiner and had more volume in the mid-lengths/ends, plus the major bonus was that it didn't make my hair look or feel greasy!
So, Is Olaplex Worth The Hype?
After using different products from the Olaplex range for just over six months, I have noticed a big difference in the overall health and condition of my hair. Plus its not just me who's seen the change, my family, friends and even strangers who come into work have all commented on how healthy my hair looks!
So, YES I do think Olaplex is worth the hype!
It really is the perfect product for all hair types and you don't need to try everything in the range to see the transformation in your hair. It's all about finding the products that are best suited to your lifestyle; some take longer than others and most of us don't have the time to sit with a leave in treatment on our hair for an hour or so, but there is a product suited to everyone. Plus you can use the treatments alongside your usual drugstore shampoo or conditioner, and they really do work just as well.
I think it's very safe to say that Olaplex will be a go-to in my haircare routine for a very long time and if you're a bit skeptical about treating yourself, I hope this post has been of some help to you!
Have you used Olaplex? What are your favourite products?
Lots of Love,
Meg x
