A couple of months back I held a poll on my Instagram stories asking which hair products you would most like me to trial. There was a resounding win from Olaplex. A significant number of you asked me to try out the brand. So you don’t have to spend your money trying it out. I have been intrigued by Olaplex for quite some time. It is sold in salons and a lot of you have told me how good it is. So I had to give it a try for myself.
Who Is Olaplex and What Do They Do?
Olaplex are a home grown brand from a garage in California back in 2014. They have since managed to reach millions of people with their patented innovation in hair care.
Their brand is based on this incredible ‘invention’ which manages to visually repair broken and even extremely damaged hair. Your hair can become damaged a number of ways; from heat damage, to colouring and pulling it in directions it doesn’t naturally lay. But Olaplex technology is capable of repairing broken bonds on a molecular level which overtime repair and strengthen the hair. What is an added bonus is that it is designed to work with ALL hair types.
Olaplex Bond Builder Collection
In the run up to Christmas, annually Olaplex launch a holiday collection of their well loved bond builder collection. And 2020 was no different. Although it was very pricey, like I mentioned above I was intrigued. Plus you guys asked for it, I took the plunge and bought the holiday collection.
The Holiday collection featured 4 of the 6 bond building products from the brand. Numbers 3, 4, 5 & 6. This 4 piece collection is £60 and I managed to buy it with a discount code for £48 so keep your eyes open for an offer.
Olaplex No. 3 – Hair Perfector
If I had to be honest, number 3 was the one I was most intrigued about. As it is not only their best seller but this is the one I was messaged about most. No.3 is a pre-shampoo treatment and kind of like a hair mask which is designed to be used 1 or 2x weekly. Or for very damaged hair upto 3x a week. It costs £26 for 100ml. if you are interested in hearing about a hair mask designed for hair growth you can find that post here.
The product is free of Phthalates, sulphates, phosphates, parabens, nuts and gluten. Plus it is pH balanced, vegan and cruelty free. These features make it fit for all hair types and suitable for almost anyone. This treatment is best applied to damp, towel dried hair and with a single molecule is capable of repairing the hair from within.
My honest opinions on No.3 is that it definitely made my hair feel softer after a couple of uses. However, I don’t think I have used enough of the product to see a dramatic difference. But I do already have pretty strong, resilient hair. Stay tuned to my instagram for more on the No.3.
No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
The shampoo, No.4 protects and repairs from everyday stresses. The shampoo designed for regular use. Designed to help repair damaged hair and split ends and making your hair more shiny and manageable after each wash. If you require a lot of clarifying (AKA those with oily/greasy hair or regularly use styling products with silicones) this shampoo is designed with you in mind.
This product has a lot of foam when emulsified and I love that about a shampoo. It is also free from sulphates which makes it perfect for more wavy, curly hair as it doesn’t strip the hair of natural oils. A little product goes a long way too but I thought I could get this from more affordable shampoos. I do believe you can get a similar product for less, but if you fancy a touch of luxury in your hair routine I think this is nice. It costs £26 for 250ml.
I’m a firm believer in hair care not needing to cost the earth. I have a post about a hair range which you can buy on the high street which I adore here.
No.5 Bond Maintenance conditioner
Designed specifically, the rest of the collection works hand in hand with No4 and No5. The conditioner retails at £26 for 250ml too.
Personally I thought it was nice. You did still need quite a lot of conditioner to fully coat all of the hair, but a little less than a regular conditioner. Personally I found that it did help tame the frizz a bit but it weighed the hair down quite a lot and made your hair look greasy quicker than usual. I don’t think I would re-purchase the conditioner.
No.6 Bond smoother
Finally is No.6 This one I think is another I would re-purchase. It is very expensive costing £26 for 100ml of product. This styling cream is a very spendy and luxurious product. So if you’re trying to save, you can probably find something similar for less. But all the same I did enjoy this product.
It strengthens, moisturises and helps speed up drying time. I did find it helped with the frizz but still adds to that additional hair weight like I mentioned in the conditioner. But when I tried this product with other shampoos and conditioners, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.
