What is Olaplex and Why all the Hype?

Olaplex has been made famous by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Reese Witherspoon, to name a few - so now everyone is hearing about it and wondering what the hype is all about!

Basically, Olaplexs patented technology allows you to bleach and color your hair with much less damage from behind the chair - but also has an array of products to take home to maintain your healthy hair from the comfort of your own bathroom.

I'll start by explaining a general overview of what Olaplex is and then move on to what we use as hairstylists during your color services as well as at-home products and how they will change your life!

 

An Overview of Olaplex

Olaplex was founded by Dean Cristal and created by Dr. Eric Pressly and Dr. Craig Hawker. These incredibly talented humans found a way to maintain the integrity of hair during chemical services. As we all know, coloring and bleaching your hair can take a toll on the overall health of your strands - but Olaplex is changing that!

One of the main hype points is that Olaplex is one of the first products that actually helps repair hair bonds that have been over-processed with bleach and color and also can keep the damage at bay when used during these services. We used to try to just add moisture back into the hair after it was over-processed, but ultimately that didn't actually repair the broken bonds, just masked some of the issues.

So as a hairstylist AND a client - Olaplex truly feels like a magic potion for maintaining my and my client's hair even if they want to go platinum!

It all started with in-salon products but thankfully there are also products to take home after these services and for ALL hair types (not just colored hair) to enhance the overall health and liveliness of your luscious locks. Let me tell you about the products we use behind the chair and then we'll move on to at-home products.

Behind the Chair Use

Olaplex liquid bond multiplier is actually mixed into your color or lightener by your colorist to help rebuild bonds within your hair while it processes, it works at the molecular level by getting inside the structure of the hair. After shampooing the color/bleach we follow up with the bond perfector. The combination of these products helps your hair retain its natural bonds during chemical treatments, which softens the blow of changing/lightening your locks.

The bonds I'm talking about are called disulfide bonds - when these bonds remain broken from chemical processing it leads to frizz, split ends, and overall dry hair. The bond multiplier we put in the bleach is literally repairing these bonds as it processes to mitigate the usual risk of damage.

As you can imagine after hearing how this works - the use of Olaplex behind the chair has been an absolute game-changer in maintaining the integrity of your hair while lightening or coloring - making for happier stylists and happier clients.

Olaplex can be used in combination with any color line and are all sulfate-free, phthalate-free and cruelty-free - which we LOVE.

At-Home Use

I am SO grateful for the take-home Olaplex products to ensure everyone can keep their hair lush and healthy until their next appointment. Let's talk through some of the product functions and how to use them.

Olaplex No.5 and No.6 are the bond maintenance shampoo and conditioner. These are used as your regular shampoo and conditioner (if you're a blonde and like a purple shampoo there is also a new purple bond maintenance shampoo). Amazing shampoo and conditioner to maintain your hair between treatments.

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector is a weekly 10 minute treatment to minimize split ends and strengthen your hair - it is great for taming frizzy, flyaway hair and hydrating dull, dry locks! This is absolutely a product that can be used on all hair types (straight or curly), including extensions. This treatment is taken to a whole new level when used alongside Olaplex No.0 for a two-part treatment that your hair will thank you for.

Olaplex No.6 and No.7 are the Bond Smoother and the Bonding Oil. I use these in a "cocktail" in my damp, clean hair before styling. I first put the Bond smoother in my hand and then do a few drops of the oil on top and mix them together to run through my hair before brushing it. This helps to detangle and smooth my cuticle so my hair is fresh and frizz-free when styled. I also use the Bonding Oil once in a while on the ends of my dry, styled hair to add some shine.

Last but certainly not least is No.8 - the Bond Intense Moisture Mask. This is my holy grail mask. It has truly rehydrated my hair but the kicker for me is, it doesn't weigh my hair down as all other masks do. I've never found another mask that hydrates AND adds body to my hair at the same time. This one is an absolute must for me.

Using all of these products in unison is truly transformative. I'm speaking from watching my own hair transform, but also seeing the intense difference in my client's hair after having them switch to this amazing new brand.

Wrapping Up

I could have written an actual novel on Olaplex but I tried to keep it short and sweet. Olaplex is truly revolutionary in the hair coloring and styling industry. I also love that it is truly made for EVERYONE - there are no harsh chemicals in these products which makes it is safe for all hair types including colored hair, keratin-treated hair, bleached hair, relaxed hair, weaves/extensions, braids, damaged hair, etc.. We LOVE a versatile, inclusive product.

You can find all of these take-home products in my store linked here - and don't forget to check out these Olaplex kits to jumpstart your journey to healthy hair!