This mythical treatment came top in Best Treatment category in the Best of the Best 2021 Awards and it is number one for good reason. I used Olaplex for three months; read on to find out how it worked for my curly hair.
What is it Olaplex?
Olaplex has legendary status amongst the hair community. OLAPLEX is one of the world’s largest independent hair care brands that grew from a grassroots beginning. The brand claims to have paved the way for a new category of haircare called “bond-building.” Olaplex offers a range of products from No.0 through to No.8. Olaplex No.3 is a bonding treatment that can be used at home for salon results.
What Olaplex No. 3 promises
Olaplex No. 3 repairs damaged disulfide bonds in the hair – which give hair structure, strength and stability – at a molecular level from the inside out with Olaplex’s patented single ingredient, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate.
Once all the bonds are repaired, you are promised healthy, smooth, shiny hair.
No. 3 works on all types of hair, but curly hair is more prone to damage from heat, brushing and other external factors; therefore, Olaplex has become a buzzword in curly circles.
My hair before using Olaplex
How Olaplex No. 3 works on my curly hair
My hair type
I have type 2c/3a low porosity, low density curls and I’ve been following a modified curly hair method for a while which includes no sulfates or silicones, so my hair is in relatively good condition. However, it does get dry easily, particularly on the top layers of hair. I also diffuse on a low heat most wash days and occasionally use a temporary colour on my hair (silicone-free”> and my curls need extra attention after I do this.
How I use Olaplex
I currently use Olaplex every three washes or if my hair feels particularly brittle. You can use it more often, but the bottle is quite small, so it doesn’t last long. I clarify my hair first to remove any product build-up so that the Olaplex can access the hair cuticle more easily. Then I apply Olaplex liberally, brushing through with a wet-brush, wrap my hair in a microfibre towel and leave it on for at least half an hour (Olaplex recommend leaving it on for 30-45 mins for maximum efficacy”>. I then rinse, condition and styled as normal. On occasion, if I’m rushing but my hair needs that extra something, I will just leave it on for ten minutes or so in the shower while I get on with other business and then rinse out. It still manages to have some impact.
How it works on my hair
My initial reaction was definitely wow! From the very first wash, there was a noticeable difference in my curls. They felt more solid and less flyaway. The effects felt different to a deep conditioning treatment which makes the hair feel silky and soft. This had the effect of giving the hair more structure and body.
My hair directly after I used Olaplex
The fragrance
The smell is gentle and pleasant, and the treatment gives the hair slip so wet-brushes can run through curls easily.
Would I recommend Olaplex?
I recommend using Olaplex No. 3 after any instances of coloring, use of heat or simply a long period without washing and conditioning to restore the damaged bonds in your hair.
Final thoughts
The only question I have over this product is that, when I went to my curly hair specialist hairdresser, she said she was struggling to get my hair squeaky clean; she felt like there was something coating the hair. As I don’t use silicones or waxes and regularly clarify to remove product build-up, the only thing I could think of was that the Olaplex may have caused some build-up on the hair.
Overall, this product blew me away and I would definitely recommend it, especially for people with damaged and/or curly hair.
Read more: The Pros (and Cons”> of Olaplex, According to a Stylist
