I’ve been using Olaplex haircare products for many years since first being introduced to the brand by my hairstylist when I was getting my hair dyed. Since then, I’ve tried a range of the Olaplex line to see firsthand how good all of their products really are. Of course, to reach the ultimate Olaplex goal, they’ll recommend you to use their full range of products. But I have come to love a few of their products that I will always repurchase and have in my haircare collection because of their ease of use, short amount of time spent, and effectiveness. In this blog post, you’ll find the best products to get from Olaplex to transform damaged and lacklustre hair into beautiful and healthy hair.
Olaplex is a professional haircare line, well-loved by hairstylists and celebrities that repairs, protects, and strengthens hair and one of their claims to fame is that their products work on every hair type. They’re also the first to have a patented bond-building technology that rebuilds broken and weakened bonds caused by chemical, thermal, and mechanical damage to the hair. And this technology called bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate is present in all of their haircare products. They’re also free of all the negative ingredients you wouldn’t want in your beauty products (you can check my K18 Vs. Olaplex blog post to see more details on that!). Their products also have a light, fresh or citrus scent and they all smell amazing to me. Many colorists have Olaplex as their go-to product to help with keeping their clients’ hair in the best condition and to protect it from chemical damage.
For those who are used to professional haircare products, Olaplex’s prices are pretty decent, but for some, it may be considered as an investment. But these prestige products are well worth the money for the outcome of truly healthy hair and you will absolutely see a difference after using them. I find that using Olaplex for the purpose of hair repairing and maintenance produces amazing results. However, if you use it long-term, it may take longer each time to see more results. That is probably because Olaplex has already done its job!
The Best Products To Get From Olaplex
No. 3 Hair Perfector
What It Is
Probably the most popular Olaplex product, the No. 3 Hair Perfector is an at-home treatment that reduces and visibly strengthens the hair to improve its look and feel. It is scientifically proven to have 68% more repair and 3 times stronger hair. This product is good for damaged and compromised hair and for helping with volume. It helps with strengthening and protecting the hair structure and restores its healthy appearance and texture as well.
How To Use
Apply a generous amount from roots to ends on unwashed towel-dried hair. Comb through once so the product is distributed evenly throughout your hair and leave on for a minimum of 10 minutes or more. Then rinse before applying shampoo and conditioner.
How Often To Use
You can use this product weekly, but if your hair is more on the damaged side, 2 to 3 times a week will be more beneficial.
How Much Does It Cost
Standard Size – 100 ml – $30 USD / $41 CAD
Sometimes they come out with limited edition sizes and they’re such a good steal, so if you like this product and use it often, grab it when you can.
My Take
This was the first product I’ve tried from Olaplex and it truly made a difference when I was still dying my hair. It helped restore my hair’s vibrancy and especially so with the dry ends I had. I did leave the product in anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour but I rarely have time to do so anymore, but it’s always good to have the No. 3 on hand when I want to do some hair maintenance.
I also introduced this to my mom who gets her hair blow-dried at a salon about 3 times a week so her hair was very dry with a lot of split ends. When I occasionally blow dry her hair, I noticed how damaged her hair was and after a couple of uses of the No. 3 Hair Perfector, her hair was significantly healthier with a huge reduction in split ends and it looked shinier and more revived.
If you really have damaged and dry hair, I highly recommend using the No. 3 Hair Perfector for healthy results and it’s no wonder it’s such a popular product from Olaplex!
No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
What It Is
The No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo is a highly nourishing, moisturizing, and reparative shampoo. Not to mention, it is color-safe too.This shampoo repairs and maintains bonds within the hair and helps eliminate frizz and flyaways. It strengthens and protects the hair from everyday stresses including damaged hair, split ends, and frizz by re-linking broken bonds. It also leaves the hair easier to manage, reduces hair breakage, and provides shine.
How To Use
Apply to the hair and concentrate on the roots and massage the product throughout the hair. Then rinse the shampoo from your hair.
How Often To Use
You can use this shampoo daily or every time you wash your hair.
How Much Does It Cost
Standard Size – 250 ml – $30 USD / $41 CAD
Mini Size – 100 ml – $15 USD / $20.50 CAD
My Take
When I first used the No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, I thought the bottle size was quite small but it will actually last you quite a while. But much to my surprise, you only need a very small amount and it lathers up enough to cover all of my hair (I have mid-back length hair). I found that it also brought volume to my hair which I was very happy with since it didn’t weigh my hair down and make it look flat.
It has easily become one of my favorite shampoos and I love that it strengthens the hair while also removing frizz and taming flyaways. This was definitely noticeable when my hair was dry. Of course, I also used this in conjunction with the No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner. There are times when I like to mix and match shampoos and conditioners, but the Olaplex system has worked so well that I love using them together.
No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
What It Is
The No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner is a highly moisturizing, reparative conditioner and is also color-safe. Like the shampoo, it protects and repairs damaged hair, split ends, and frizz by relinking broken bonds. The conditioner also leaves the hair easier to manage, shinier, and healthier with each use.
How To Use
After using the Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, apply a generous amount focusing on the ends to avoid over-moisturizing the scalp area, then distribute it through the hair evenly. Leave on for about 3 minutes before rinsing.
How Often To Use
You can use this conditioner daily or every time you wash your hair.
How Much Does It Cost
Standard Size – 250 ml – $30 USD / $41 CAD
Mini Size – 100 ml – $15 USD / $20.50 CAD
My Take
When I use conditioner, I usually need a bit more so I do use up the conditioner faster than the shampoo. It works very well with its shampoo counterpart and I also like that it doesn’t feel heavy on the hair, but moisturizes it enough. It also helps with smoothening and detangling.
No. 6 Bond Smoother
What It Is
The Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother is a highly concentrated leave-in reparative styling treatment that lasts for up to 72 hours and helps with hydration, frizz control, maintaining curls, and a faster blow-dry time. This leave-in treatment conditions and strengthens the hair without adding extra weight.
How To Use
Depending on the length of your hair, start with applying a small amount of product to damp or dry hair from mid-length to ends. Use more for longer and thicker hair and less for finer and shorter hair. Then comb through and style. You can also apply to wet hair and air dry for more texture.
How Often To Use
Since the effects of the Bond Smoother last for up to 72 hours, you don’t need to use this every day or even after every wash. I personally use this about once or twice a week.
How Much Does It Cost
Standard Size – 100 ml – $15 USD / $20.50 CAD
My Take
The No. 6 Bond Smoother is probably my favorite Olaplex product not only because it’s the easiest product to use but the effects have been amazing. Just don’t put too much on your hair otherwise it can feel a little oily or heavy – so use sparingly and add more as you need. It also helped with detangling my hair along with using my Wet Brush. I didn’t even realize I had flyaways but it tamed them completely and made my hair so soft and silky smooth. Even the next morning, I was able to maintain the smoothness which rarely happens.
Bonus Olaplex Product To Get
No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask
Another Olaplex product I would recommend getting is the No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask. The only reason I put this as a bonus Olaplex product to get is that it does take some time, but it does work. You’ll need to shampoo your hair, then apply the mask and leave it in for a minimum of 10 minutes, and then apply conditioner. I like to use this once every couple of weeks when I have time and interchange it with using the Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother as I don’t believe that I need every single step of the line. For more details on the moisture mask, here is a detailed review.
Overall, I truly believe these are the best Olaplex products to have in your haircare arsenal especially if you have damaged hair or want to maintain healthy hair. And if you can only choose a couple of Olaplex products, these would be the best ones to have as they are essential to repairing your hair and rebuilding broken bonds to minimize frizziness, bring back the shine, add smoothness, and restore your hair to as healthy as it can be.