If you read my post about ‘things I wish I knew when I started my curly hair journey’ you’ll know that I once dyed my hair blond. In one sitting. From dark brown to blond. It took around 8 hours (insert expression of devastation from Brad Mondo).
I went blond whilst freelancing away from home at a salon I’d never been to. I returned to my usual hairdresser a few months later who, after dishing out the mandatory rollicking and looks of disapproval, saved my life with Olaplex.
Olaplex, isn’t a deep conditioning treatment, but it does look like one. It’s a bit more science-ey than that.
On their website it says:
“Our patented active chemistry works on a molecular level to repair damaged and broken bonds in the hair that are caused by chemical, thermal, and mechanical damage. You can use OLAPLEX to restore damaged and compromised hair, or add it to another service to provide the ultimate breakage insurance.”
It’s essentially a 3-step system – in the salon, my hairdresser applied the first steps, Olaplex, No.1 and No.2 before and after adding colour to my hair.
The Olaplex No. 3 step is for maintenance at home, in between salon visits, to help repair the broken bonds caused by damage from styling, colouring and the environment, from the sun or really cold temperatures – and damage caused whilst you’re sleeping caused by friction on your pillowcases.
Back then, I only used it when going to get my hair coloured to help prevent/repair chemical damage and afterward I would always see improved condition and manageability.
Fast forward to now, and I decided to give the Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfecter a go on its own to see if it can give my transitioning curls a boost.
Now this stuff isn’t cheap, it’s £26 for 100ml on Look Fantastic (this is a Californian company) for that price I definitely expect to see some good results.
When it came to applying the product, I washed my hair and sectioned it, applying a generous amount of product to each section, combing through any knots and smoothing my hair out.
I then braided it and left it to work its magic overnight. I used half of the bottle, so for my hair length (a little past past my shoulders) and thickness a 100ml bottle will give me two good, solid treatments.
The next day I shampooed it out and deep conditioned. I then applied my usual hair products, let my hair air dry and then gave it a gentle blast with the diffuser to finished it off. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was really impressed with the result.
Everything I was aiming for, less frizz, a more defined curl pattern and easier manageability was achieved. I actually reviewed this over 3 wash days to see how the results lasted over the space of several weeks and yes, my hair is still easier to manage.
I like to refresh and set my hair each day when it’s down, even when working from home during these strange times, to make sure I’m looking after it. This is quicker and easier after the treatment than before it was before with my curls bouncing back into shape more quickly. I’m also finding that my hair has been responding better to my products too!
My ends are smoother and the shine is insane! Overall, I’m very happy with the way this product performed and would definitely recommend to those looking to freshen up their hair – at least until the the next trip to the hair salon! This stuff is like a trim in bottle.
Visit the Olaplex website to find out more.
parveendevi.com 