Olaplex - The ultimate damage insurance?!

[MINAKO]

So, while i was researching updates on straightening methods i drifted off to read about gentle bleaching (my mom is a bottle blonde)
An impressive picture of a girl who had her hair taken from level 2 to level 10 without any visual damage grabbed my attention and i learned about a new product called olaplex, which apparently prevents breakage from chemical processing. It is just added to the color and that seems to be it.
Before i get caught up in explaning some kind of chemistry i don't really understand myself yet, heres a few links

http://www.olaplex.com/
http://www.modernsalon.com/features/hair-beauty/COLOR-CORRECTION--267216761.html
http://behindthechair.com/displayarticle.aspx?ID=3801&ITID=1

Not that i would ever attempt to go platinum myself, but i find the concept an technologie interesting, maybe it's still better to have virgin hair but this stuff look like at least it does what it says. I really curious tho if this would work along with a straightening serve, but it unlikely as it strenghtens the bonds of the hair in the first place. However, it though it would be interesting for those of you who are interested in coloring their hair.

If any of you already used this and can tell about their expirience, or if there are any thoughts on the science behind it and why it would or would no work, please share.

[MINAKO]

I just found out that both steps of this product can be dilluted in water and used prior and after pretty much any chemical service to reduce damage.

Lol, it took me only a few minutes to remember that i wanted gunmetal grey hair not too long ago, but decided against bleaching at any costs.
Now i want to get this for my mom and at least expiriment with my shed hair. http://smiley.nowdararpour.ir/greens/14.gif

[Zebra Fish]

I'm too lazy to read all that text right now, but from your posts sounds interesting. I'm not planning on using anything similar any time soon, but if it works, I could always suggest it to my friends. Waiting to see others opinion and probably gonna read more about it once I finally go on vacation.

[Firefox7275]

All I can see is marketing, no published research, ingredients, microscopy images nor scientific information? "Eliminating breakage" is a bold claim that I would be surprised could be backed up. Hair looking attractive to the naked eye isn't necessarily the same as being healthier/ stronger. Persulphate bleach and peroxide damage the protein structure in the inner cortex not just the outer cuticle.

Research suggests hydrolysed soy and wheat proteins have a modest protective effect against bleach damage, coconut oil *may* too (does reduce structural protein loss when used post bleaching). The name Olaplex makes me think oil, and one of the articles mentions silicones which are artificial oils.

Edited to add
http://www.google.com/patents/US20140102469
It all seems a bit anti-Scott Musgrave and his 'detox from plastics' ethos (http://www.scottmusgravehair.com/scott-musgrave-blog/detox-from-plastics-part-i/)

[MINAKO]

Thank you for chiming in Firefox!
I have seen a few (pseudo?) scientific research resuts on other websited claiming the preserved quality of the hair.
To truly undestand the chemistry of it still is a bit beyond me. I would guess that they would want it to look all fabulous to the client tho and had bad expiriences with other products that claimed likewise properties.
But as a heavy cone user i don't support the "plastic coating" theory either. not-good-for-hair is very relative here imho. I do get build up, but not severe enough to block out other active ingredients or moisture at all. It really depends on the hairtype and wether one chooses to go with the all natural movement i guess. Personally i like the added weight tho, lol.
I'm kind of on the fence, because we all know bleaching isn't beneficial to hair in any way, but some people are going to do it anyways and at shorter lengths the product might still enable a process that would otherwise cause much more apparent damage.
Still it wuldn't be reason enough for me to use anything else but Henna and Indigo, lucky me i love dark hair. My search for the perfect permanent straightening service is another question, but before i am not entirely sure i would never try anything new ever again. Ruined my hair previously to just sit in the chair and trust the promises of a stylist about a certain product. I usually prefer to get my hands on something and expiriment by myself on safe ground first.

I discovered the Olaplex stuff because i follow one of their promoting stylists on Instagram. Guy Tang sure does beautiful coloring jobs.
I will leave the link to his and also the companies FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/GuyTangHairArtist
https://www.facebook.com/olaplex

Would be really great to get a personal review from somebody independent, who got their hair done and can actually compare and review about long term results.

[Firefox7275]

I'm glad you posted, as a science nerd who lightens their hair it was interesting to read about. I'm not in the 'silicones are the debil/ always damaging' camp either - I definitely think they have their place (esp. detangling/ reducing friction damage), and modest use won't block out beneficial ingredients or all water (= moisture) or hair would stay dry in the shower!!

However I do think heavy silicone build up can both cause and disguise problems, and that is from personal experience (pre-LHC). I also think this particular product sounds like it has things in common with a layer of plastic, based on my (limited) understanding of the chemistry and on industrial uses of UV cured silicones. Seems to me Olaplex is practically gluing damaged hair together, and the fact that higher vol peroxide is needed suggests this stuff is forming a poorly permeable barrier.

[MINAKO]

I'm really glad to have your opinion on this Firefox, because i noticed your profound knowledge in other threads already.

I always wonderer in fact how nuild up occurs problematic to one hairtype but not the other.
Of course i would probably go cone free too, if i wouldn't see any benefits to it, but yes all my products still work as hey are supposed to and my moisture levels are great now relating to my naturally-dry-as-the-desert hair.

I agree that it would make sense for the Olaplex to literally glue hair together with some sort of silicone that isn't sensitive to the peroxide or even activated by it's use.
If molecules are packed too dense it could indeed become a problem later on. The stronger peroxide needed makes up for dilluting the color also i guess. 1/4 part of the Olaplex takes away the intended strength of lets say a 40%vol and roundabout turns it into a 30%, just as some people use conditioner to turn down the strength of a developer when the don't want to buy a milder one. However, it's really interesting. I'm one of those people who never stop hoping fr the perfect lab created product, not so much when it comes to color but texture for my part.

[Firefox7275]

Build up is probably a function of hair type and condition (certain ingredients are attracted to negative electrical charges on hair/ damaged areas), how much of a given product/ ingredient is used and how many products in total, cleanser type amount and technique (some shampoo the lengths others only the roots, for example). It seems to be more obvious when fine hair has build up compared with coarse, and low porosity hair compared with higher porosity (often linked to damage).

[ravenreed]

It sounds intriguing but my main concern would be easy removal if it doesn't work well. Having dealt with a flaky, waxy build up from certain conditioners, I would hate to go through all that again! However, if I could bleach my hair without much damage that would be tempting. My hair is ridiculously resistant to lifting color.

[meteor]

Bumping this thread to find out if anybody has tried "Olaplex" (by Dr. Eric Pressly and Dr. Craig Hawker) or knows anything about the ingredients / technology used. :)

Oh, and MINAKO, they claim that it works for relaxers and "keratin" chemical straightenings, as well. ;) My wild guess is that it would deposit some proteins and chemicals to bind them to hair or something, and that it would wear off over time unless reapplied, but I really have no clue at all how this "bond multiplier" works.

Somehow I can't find anything to suggest that Olaplex specifically uses the bonding of silicone polymers technology (http://www.google.com/patents/US20140102469) (which is currently the latest word in temporary "split-end mending" technology, I believe), mentioned up-thread. Could someone please link to that? It simply claims: "Olaplex is free of silicone, sulfates, phthalates, DEA, aldehydes, and is never tested on animals. Olaplex reconnects broken disulfide sulfur bonds in the hair. Hair bonds are broken during thermal, mechanical and chemical services." Reviews by hairdressers do look very impressive in terms of its effect on severely damaged hair, so I'm extremely curious about the technology used.

[kitcatsmeow]

I have been super curious about this as a chronic colorer and lightener! Recently balayag ombre'd my hair but want the ends and front just a little lighter but I was afraid of damage since it had been previously lightened. Well I just found a salon that offers it and talked to the owner and she has every confidence that my hair won't be compromised. I have an appt for Jan 6th! I'll keep you posted.

As a cosmetology student I find myself way more experimental. Also I asked one of my instructors about it and she hadn't heard of it. I'm excited to see the results and hopefully have some level 10 ends and highlights!

[meteor]

I have been super curious about this as a chronic colorer and lightener! Recently balayag ombre'd my hair but want the ends and front just a little lighter but I was afraid of damage since it had been previously lightened. Well I just found a salon that offers it and talked to the owner and she has every confidence that my hair won't be compromised. I have an appt for Jan 6th! I'll keep you posted.

As a cosmetology student I find myself way more experimental. Also I asked one of my instructors about it and she hadn't heard of it. I'm excited to see the results and hopefully have some level 10 ends and highlights!

Yay! That's great to know, kitcatsmeow!
When you have your appointment, would it be possible to write down or snap a picture of the ingredients, if that's not against their rules? It seems pretty impossible to find out online what's in Olaplex products. And since you are a cosmetology student, I hope they'll explain Olaplex technology to you. You'd think they should explain what makes this product different, especially if it's part of their sales pitch. :D

One thing that I find particularly surprising is that Olaplex recommends going higher on developer with it than without it... and yet, hair ends up being less damaged?? How does that work? "Olapex may increase processing time. To avoid this, increase your level of developer." http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public

(Oh and since you are a student, it might be of interest to you that they say that they "like to support students" and it looks like they have a different ordering system for them or something? See their FAQ page :) )

[kitcatsmeow]

OMG. I totally didn't know I could buy this S*&^ as a student! I just signed up and I can now purchase (which I am doing pretty much as we speak LOL) Ahhh I'm so excited. Reporting back as soon as I get it in my hands and start experimenting MWHAHAHAHAHA

[meteor]

OMG. I totally didn't know I could buy this S*&^ as a student! I just signed up and I can now purchase (which I am doing pretty much as we speak LOL) Ahhh I'm so excited. Reporting back as soon as I get it in my hands and start experimenting MWHAHAHAHAHA

YAY! :joy: I'm so excited for you! And I'm really glad that they do this for students! It makes sense, since the founders are university professors and it's a professional treatment that reduces damage, that they should be able to make it available for not just salons, but students, too. :D Hopefully, some day it will be commercially available, as well.

[kitcatsmeow]

Got my Olaplex yesterday and did a treatment. I haven't tried it with lightener yet but I intend to. Results so far are pretty amazing. My hair feels like it did before lightening (bleaching) Smooth, soft and STRONG. I will keep you posted on how it holds up and if I lighten. Very happy girl right now though :)

[meteor]

Got my Olaplex yesterday and did a treatment. I haven't tried it with lightener yet but I intend to. Results so far are pretty amazing. My hair feels like it did before lightening (bleaching) Smooth, soft and STRONG. I will keep you posted on how it holds up and if I lighten. Very happy girl right now though :)

That's so awesome! Yay! I'm so happy for you, kitcatsmeow! :cheer:

I'm very curious: what are the ingredients of the treatment? I just can't find them anywhere online. And does it consist of all three: No.1 the "bond multiplier", No.2 the "bond perfector" and No.3 the "hair perfector"?

[kitcatsmeow]

Well after today wearing my hair down the day after washing normally it would have been super dry by the end of the day. Not so today! It retained moisture like virgin hair and looked great even though it was about 15 degrees out here.

Yes all 3 although 2 and 3 are the same but 3 is meant to go home to use as a refresher once a week. I can't wait to try this with some lightener!

I will try to take a pic and upload the ingredients for ya :)

[kitcatsmeow]

Yay! That's great to know, kitcatsmeow!
When you have your appointment, would it be possible to write down or snap a picture of the ingredients, if that's not against their rules? It seems pretty impossible to find out online what's in Olaplex products. And since you are a cosmetology student, I hope they'll explain Olaplex technology to you. You'd think they should explain what makes this product different, especially if it's part of their sales pitch. :D

One thing that I find particularly surprising is that Olaplex recommends going higher on developer with it than without it... and yet, hair ends up being less damaged?? How does that work? "Olapex may increase processing time. To avoid this, increase your level of developer." http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public

(Oh and since you are a student, it might be of interest to you that they say that they "like to support students" and it looks like they have a different ordering system for them or something? See their FAQ page :) )

From what I can understand, Olaplex bonds broken disulfide bonds back together and in lightening process, the bonds almosst have to be broken to penetrate the layers of the hair and remove the pigment. If they are not breaking, it will take longer to lift the color out. That's just my understanding....

[meteor]

Well after today wearing my hair down the day after washing normally it would have been super dry by the end of the day. Not so today! It retained moisture like virgin hair and looked great even though it was about 15 degrees out here.

Yes all 3 although 2 and 3 are the same but 3 is meant to go home to use as a refresher once a week. I can't wait to try this with some lightener!

I will try to take a pic and upload the ingredients for ya :)

YAY! :happydance: Thanks so much! It will be great to know what's in it!
I'm so happy that it's working so beautifully for you! :D Hair that is smooth, soft, very strong and in virgin-like state sounds absolutely AMAZING after bleach!

[meteor]

So curious about how your hair feels after a few treatments, kitcatsmeow. :) Is it still feeling just as strong? Is there any build-up concern or change of texture? I'd love to hear about more medium- and long-term results. :)

I'm really interested in Olaplex as a stand-alone reconstructor service for previously damaged hair. Sorry to say, I still haven't found the ingredients. :oops:

Here are some bits and pieces I found (can't find anything reputable, and no research, unfortunately, since it's too new):

Here (http://i.imgur.com/gC5CWZx.jpg)

"It's a chain that links sulfur/hydrogen bonds together. These bonds are created when chemicals split sulfur bonds apart and they attract hydrogen's. If Olaplex did not couple and link the bonds, oxygen would interact in two different ways. The good reaction is when one oxygen attaches to the hydrogen and the sulfur kicks it off. These single sulfur's attract back to other single sulfur's reforming the hair bond. The bad reaction is when 3 oxygen's attach to the hydrogen and the sulfur likes them. This new molecule is a sulfate group that leaves the hair dry and damaged." (from here (http://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-6/))
"Olaplex caps the sulfur/hydrogen bonds permanently. The bad reaction of oxygen turning the sulfur hydrogen bond into a sulfate group is prevented." (from the same discussion, here (http://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-13/))


"Looking at the MSDS sheets, there is one main ingredient and water. I honestly am not familiar with the ingredient listed, but it is said that it is non-toxic, free of silicone or oils, and it links broken bonds in the hair during and after chemical services making them stronger than they were before.
The Bond Perfector is basically a conditioner. It has a Bis-(Maleimidoethoxy) Ethane which is a prepolymer ingredient, along with a bunch of other conditioning agents, and also Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine which is a conditioning agent used as a water soluable silicone replacement. The only other thing I would mention about this ingredient list is that it does contain wheat protein and wheat amino acids." (from here (https://organichaircolorreview.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/olaplex-is-this-the-latest-breakthrough-in-hair-coloring-by-melanie-nickels/))

[kitcatsmeow]

So curious about how your hair feels after a few treatments, kitcatsmeow. :) Is it still feeling just as strong? Is there any build-up concern or change of texture? I'd love to hear about more medium- and long-term results. :)

I'm really interested in Olaplex as a stand-alone reconstructor service for previously damaged hair. Sorry to say, I still haven't found the ingredients. :oops:

Here are some bits and pieces I found (can't find anything reputable, and no research, unfortunately, since it's too new):

Here (http://i.imgur.com/gC5CWZx.jpg)

"It's a chain that links sulfur/hydrogen bonds together. These bonds are created when chemicals split sulfur bonds apart and they attract hydrogen's. If Olaplex did not couple and link the bonds, oxygen would interact in two different ways. The good reaction is when one oxygen attaches to the hydrogen and the sulfur kicks it off. These single sulfur's attract back to other single sulfur's reforming the hair bond. The bad reaction is when 3 oxygen's attach to the hydrogen and the sulfur likes them. This new molecule is a sulfate group that leaves the hair dry and damaged." (from here (http://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-6/))
"Olaplex caps the sulfur/hydrogen bonds permanently. The bad reaction of oxygen turning the sulfur hydrogen bond into a sulfate group is prevented." (from the same discussion, here (http://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-13/))


"Looking at the MSDS sheets, there is one main ingredient and water. I honestly am not familiar with the ingredient listed, but it is said that it is non-toxic, free of silicone or oils, and it links broken bonds in the hair during and after chemical services making them stronger than they were before.
The Bond Perfector is basically a conditioner. It has a Bis-(Maleimidoethoxy) Ethane which is a prepolymer ingredient, along with a bunch of other conditioning agents, and also Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine which is a conditioning agent used as a water soluable silicone replacement. The only other thing I would mention about this ingredient list is that it does contain wheat protein and wheat amino acids." (from here (https://organichaircolorreview.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/olaplex-is-this-the-latest-breakthrough-in-hair-coloring-by-melanie-nickels/))


Yes! Correct....not a temporary treatment and thus no buildup. I have used it a second time with lightner and 40vol developer on my ends which were previously bleached. This is a big NONO as we all know however.....my hair lifted beautifully and NOT ONE broken hair. I'm blown away. It feels just as good as it did before the bleach and looks healthy.

[kitcatsmeow]

So curious about how your hair feels after a few treatments, kitcatsmeow. :) Is it still feeling just as strong? Is there any build-up concern or change of texture? I'd love to hear about more medium- and long-term results. :)

I'm really interested in Olaplex as a stand-alone reconstructor service for previously damaged hair. Sorry to say, I still haven't found the ingredients. :oops:

Here are some bits and pieces I found (can't find anything reputable, and no research, unfortunately, since it's too new):

Here (http://i.imgur.com/gC5CWZx.jpg)

"It's a chain that links sulfur/hydrogen bonds together. These bonds are created when chemicals split sulfur bonds apart and they attract hydrogen's. If Olaplex did not couple and link the bonds, oxygen would interact in two different ways. The good reaction is when one oxygen attaches to the hydrogen and the sulfur kicks it off. These single sulfur's attract back to other single sulfur's reforming the hair bond. The bad reaction is when 3 oxygen's attach to the hydrogen and the sulfur likes them. This new molecule is a sulfate group that leaves the hair dry and damaged." (from here (http://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-6/))
"Olaplex caps the sulfur/hydrogen bonds permanently. The bad reaction of oxygen turning the sulfur hydrogen bond into a sulfate group is prevented." (from the same discussion, here (http://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-13/))


"Looking at the MSDS sheets, there is one main ingredient and water. I honestly am not familiar with the ingredient listed, but it is said that it is non-toxic, free of silicone or oils, and it links broken bonds in the hair during and after chemical services making them stronger than they were before.
The Bond Perfector is basically a conditioner. It has a Bis-(Maleimidoethoxy) Ethane which is a prepolymer ingredient, along with a bunch of other conditioning agents, and also Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine which is a conditioning agent used as a water soluable silicone replacement. The only other thing I would mention about this ingredient list is that it does contain wheat protein and wheat amino acids." (from here (https://organichaircolorreview.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/olaplex-is-this-the-latest-breakthrough-in-hair-coloring-by-melanie-nickels/))


Yes! Correct....not a temporary treatment and thus no buildup. I have used it a second time with lightner and 40vol developer on my ends which were previously bleached. This is a big NONO as we all know however.....my hair lifted beautifully and NOT ONE broken hair. I'm blown away. It feels just as good as it did before the bleach and looks healthy.

[meteor]

That's so awesome and mind-blowing, kitcatsmeow! :D

I'm so happy that you can access this kit. :joy: And I'm glad that more and more professionals use it in their salons.
I'm so looking forward to the time when they'll make this product commercially available, too. :pray:
This is the closest to hair repair I've ever even heard of.

Would it be possible to post the product's ingredients, pretty please? :flower:

[Unofficial_Rose]

This sounds revolutionary. I love highlights but they detroy my hair, so I have to compromise with condition vs colour (like a lot of people). When I'm ready for highlights I'm going to look out for salons that offer Olaplex -hoping it's available in the UK.

Salongeek has some stylists reviewing it here: http://www.salongeek.com/hair-geek/262961-olaplex.html

[leilani]

Still no ingredients?

[meteor]

Still no ingredients?

I know! This lack of info is maddening! :justy:
However, if I were ever to go back to my highlighting addiction, I'd definitely go to a salon that uses Olaplex. I am somewhat concerned that they bump up the developer or take longer to lift hair color if Olaplex is used. It seems like a buffering product would slow down peroxide, but I'm not thrilled at the idea of higher vol. or longer processing times, to be perfectly honest...

[Colochita]

I really wish more information were available. I'm interested in it as a sort of re-constructor - just a straight treatment without color. I've seen a bit about its use for that, but not much at all.

[meteor]

I really wish more information were available. I'm interested in it as a sort of re-constructor - just a straight treatment without color. I've seen a bit about its use for that, but not much at all.

I'd be interested in the same thing, too! :D
I'm not even sure if the stand-alone reconstructor would be the 1st product that they mix into chemical treatments (but applied as a "gloss" in this case), or the 2nd/3rd product (which is just the post-treatment mask/conditioner)?

[Colochita]

I'd be interested in the same thing, too! :D
I'm not even sure if the stand-alone reconstructor would be the 1st product that they mix into chemical treatments (but applied as a "gloss" in this case), or the 2nd/3rd product (which is just the post-treatment mask/conditioner)?

On their website they list this for a standalone treatment:

OLAPLEX TREATMENT: IT STANDS ALONE

Mix 1/2oz (15ml) of No.1 Bond Multiplier with 3oz (90ml) of water in an applicator bottle.
Apply from roots to ends. Saturate hair and comb through.
Leave on for 5 or more minutes.
Without rinsing, apply a generous amount of No.2 Bond Perfector and comb through once.
Leave on for a minimum of 10 or more minutes.
Rinse, shampoo, and condition.

So I guess you use products one and two with the treatment and then product 3 in between treatments. They also say to use this for 'damaged hair' a few times in the days before a coloring service, so I guess that's their reconstructor. :)

From the site: What do you do with a client that has very damaged, over processed hair and they want to color? We suggest doing the Olaplex Treatment (Diluted Olaplex Formula followed by Olaplex No.2 on their hair first, a couple of times, the days before, if you can. If you’re not sure, do a test strand!

[meteor]

^Thanks a lot, Colochita! :flowers:

From what I read, the reasoning behind providing no information on ingredients was that the company was in the middle of international patents applications... but still, that was a while ago... Wouldn't MSDS Sheets be available by now? :confused:

[MINAKO]

http://beautybycaitlin.com/2015/03/04/introducing-olaplex-hair-perfector-my-new-main-squeeze/

I found this blog entry which at least has the ingredients of the at home treatment in a shot. I really wonder how it is possible that there is absolutely no other information on this to find. Everyone is raving about it but nobody knows whats in it, kinda impossible. I mean disulphide bonds blah blah, it clearly is packed to the brim with proteins we have all known before. I sort of come to the conclusion that this must be some type of self activated keratin treatment, so to speak.
I wonder what would happen if you just add a shot of pure protein to a salon color, obviously some of them have protein in them already, maybe more is more in case.
However, i dont understand how their protein attached to the hair differently then other types of treatments, but i have been reading that the benefits on healthy hair are not really dramatic, so i might as well forget about it and roll with my regular routine as i dont intend to go platinum or relax whatsoever anyways.
Maybe they are putting a whole lot of cheese in the treatment, nothing can beat that, hahaha.

[meteor]

I've finally found the ingredients of all three Olaplex products, and man, are they hard to find! :lol:

No. 1 Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate

No. 2 Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Quaternium-91, Sodium Benzoate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Etidronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

No. 3 Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Quaternium-91, Sodium Benzoate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Etidronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

[meteor]

So yeah, the ingredients I found are from here: http://geb.ebay.com/g//ImportHubViewItem?itemid=251870286492&Olaplex-Bond-Multiplier-Hair-Perfector-No-Part-1-2-and-3-YOUR-CHOICE
No. 2 looks exactly the same as No. 3, but No. 3 is taken home, while No. 2 is used at the salon.

Also, I just found a patent reference (for Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate) that might be somewhat useful here (I don't think it's the same product though): http://www.google.com/patents/WO2010118925A2?cl=en

Doesn't look as revolutionary as I thought... :hmm: Hmm, need to research more...

[MINAKO]

OMG, you are fantastic!! Thank you so much. Not that i would understand what the active ingredient exactly is just by reading the name, but its a great point to start researching further.
As for reviews, most people liked the at home treatment as well, i would really like to get my hands on one of these stylist travel kits tho to see how it performs at maximum strenght.

[meteor]

http://beautybycaitlin.com/2015/03/04/introducing-olaplex-hair-perfector-my-new-main-squeeze/

I found this blog entry which at least has the ingredients of the at home treatment in a shot. I really wonder how it is possible that there is absolutely no other information on this to find. Everyone is raving about it but nobody knows whats in it, kinda impossible. I mean disulphide bonds blah blah, it clearly is packed to the brim with proteins we have all known before. I sort of come to the conclusion that this must be some type of self activated keratin treatment, so to speak.
I wonder what would happen if you just add a shot of pure protein to a salon color, obviously some of them have protein in them already, maybe more is more in case.
However, i dont understand how their protein attached to the hair differently then other types of treatments, but i have been reading that the benefits on healthy hair are not really dramatic, so i might as well forget about it and roll with my regular routine as i dont intend to go platinum or relax whatsoever anyways.
Maybe they are putting a whole lot of cheese in the treatment, nothing can beat that, hahaha.

This is very interesting, MINAKO! :D Thanks so much for sharing! :flowers:

It's kind of interesting that even the ingredients listed there are somewhat different from what I found online (See here (http://geb.ebay.com/g//ImportHubViewItem?itemid=251870286492&Olaplex-Bond-Multiplier-Hair-Perfector-No-Part-1-2-and-3-YOUR-CHOICE)).
Compared to the other formula of No. 3, they've thrown in some hydrolyzed soy protein, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, aloe vera juice, jojoba oil... nothing revolutionary... But the main ingredient is still clearly that Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate. Anybody knows anything about it?

[meteor]

Oops, I keep cross-posting with you, MINAKO, he-he! :lol: Great minds think alike! ;)

It looks like some sort of copolymer, but it can't be permanent in action, right? However, Olaplex founders claimed that it would prevent damage from happening... :hmm:
Maybe the innovation is in the fact that they add it straight to the bleach (or relaxer or other chemical treatment)? But we already know to use penetrating oils and hydrolyzed proteins before & after (or even added to) chemical treatments... I wish I understood the chemistry behind this Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate ingredient... :)

[MINAKO]

I dont understand any of this advanced stuff either. Haha, that must be some bad ass Frankenstein polymer bringing anything back to life it touches. In any case, i thing you are right and it might jsut be that it works particularly well in combination with a coloring process when the cuticle is lifted, or on very damaged hair.
I really dont see a difference to a keratin or strong protein treatment in the way it works tho, apart from the fact that it doesnt straighten. Maybe it would be total overkill slapping all of these on my head or my hair would not take any more than it already has pumped in.
We will have to wait for somebody who actually gets all this to chime in.

[meteor]

And I found the patent! Finally! :joy:

PCT Application No. PCT/US2014/049388 (filed Aug. 1, 2014), Pub. No. WO/2015/017768 - https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2015017768&recNum=1&maxRec=&office=&prevFilter=&sortOption=&queryString=&tab=PCTDescription
Relevant patents that Dr. Eric Pressley and Dr. Craig Hawker filed: 20150034117, Feb. 5, 2015 - Methods for Fixing Hair and Skin http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150034117
20150037270, Feb. 5, 2015 - Compositions and Kits for Hair and Skin http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150037270
20150034119, Feb. 5, 2015 - Hair Color Smoothing Compositions and Methods http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150034119

So yeah, looking at this, I guess it means that in the future we can expect more products coming from these guys, piggy-backing on that technology, specifically probably shampoos and conditioners?... :hmm:

[manegirl]

My hair is so fried from years of flat ironing and bleach! I cut a few inches off and have been growing my natural for the past year. DYYYYIIIIINNNNNNG for a change! If I liked my natural, I wouldn't be bleaching it to begin with. Haha. Time for a CHANGE.

We haven't used Olaplex yet at my salon. Anyone have experience with it? Saw this article yesterday that's REEEEALLY making me want to get it!!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/OLAPLEX-Tested-Again.html?soid=1102356594365&aid=RGJVd8Idfn4
(http://myemail.constantcontact.com/OLAPLEX-Tested-Again.html?soid=1102356594365&aid=RGJVd8Idfn4)
"I will say that after the first two shampoos, all of the swatches were in pretty good condition and it was difficult to tell the difference. The b3 and the Mineral Oil left the hair most shiny after the first shampoo which made me very curious. But after the fourth shampoo, it was clear that the other products were not holding up and seemed to prove to be nothing more than oil and silicone. They were only temporarily coating the hair thus creating an immediate shine, but unable to build or link broken bonds with any degree of quality. The hair felt dry and fragile. At best, they would be better served to call it an additive for shine. Anything more is a far stretch of the imagination. The Olaplex sample maintained its integrity and was the clear winner. We also performed similar tests on live models and Olaplex was always noticeably and significantly superior. The more compromised the hair was, the more Olaplex outperformed the rest. "

[meteor]

Yes, I'm curious about this too, mostly as a standalone treatment.

You might want to check out this thread on Olaplex: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=124721&page=4
All reports of people who've used it seem glowing, but I'm a bit weary of the idea of having to bump up developer so much while adding this "damage-preventing" product.

It's been around since last year (I think), but the ingredients were ridiculously hard to find. I've just found out that its main ingredient is Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, but I have no idea what that is, looks like some polymer... I don't know how the manufacturer's claim about preventing all chemical damage is justified (sounds a bit too good to be true), but I'd love to find out as much as possible about it. :)
If anybody understands the chemistry behind this product, please do share! :D

No. 1 (directly added to chemical treatment at salon) Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate

No. 2 (salon) & No. 3 (home) Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Quaternium-91, Sodium Benzoate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Etidronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Patent link (I *think*): https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2015017768&recNum=1&maxRec=&office=&prevFilter=&sortOption=&queryString=&tab=PCTDescription

[meteor]

OMG, you are fantastic!! Thank you so much. Not that i would understand what the active ingredient exactly is just by reading the name, but its a great point to start researching further.
As for reviews, most people liked the at home treatment as well, i would really like to get my hands on one of these stylist travel kits tho to see how it performs at maximum strenght.

If you can get a hold of only one of these three products, No. 1 is probably the most important one to get. ;) I have no idea how trustworthy this information is, but over at this hair forum (https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/12994/page-3/), it was mentioned that the concentrations of the active ingredient are different:

Number 1 is 100%, 2 is 15%, and 3 is 13.5%. So technically all you need is number 1 and you could mix up your own 2. I didn't know this before I bought 3. It is just for selling to your clients to maintain in between visits. They won't sell number 1 separately because they want people to use the system.
More reviews here (https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/13628/page-2/)and here (https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/12994/page-1/).

[blue_eyes]

I'm very curious about Olaplex too. I want to go blonde in another year or so, when I've got all virgin, healthy hair...and I want to keep it healthy. Olaplex does sound like a dream come true for those who bleach.
I have nothing to add, other than what I've read has made it sound stellar. Thanks for the link to the other thread meteor! :)

[Linguaphilia]

I found another patent while googling "dimaleate". But unfortunately, I'm not a chemist, so I only understand it roughly:

http://www.google.com.tr/patents/US7569634

[Linguaphilia]

Sorry, I googled "diglycol dimaleate" and found it that way. But I also just googled "glycol dimaleate", which turned up more results, interesting stuff. But again, I have no idea whether similar chemical names mean comparable stuff in this case.

[Colochita]

As a Biochemistry major, I should really know what this is. :( I'm tempted to take it in to my good friend and chemistry professor to ask about it.

[meteor]

As a Biochemistry major, I should really know what this is. :( I'm tempted to take it in to my good friend and chemistry professor to ask about it.

Oh yay! That would be so awesome! :D It can surely feel awkward to ask, but if your friend in the field finds the question not too boring, they might be able to help. ;)

Also, I wanted to mention that I saw a couple of reviews (https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/13628/page-2/)by people who bleach & dye frequently mentioning that at first the results are amazing, but they *appear* to wear off after a while. :hmm:
Anyway, personally, I'll sit and wait on the sidelines for now, waiting for more reviews based on long-term use. Also, if you are not a licensed hairdresser, you can't order it, and the prices on eBay "black market" are pretty inflated and without original quality guaranteed. :(

[meteor]

I just saw this video with Eric Pressly and Craig Hawker, the chemists behind Olaplex, and I still don't understand the technology behind it (they didn't go into details, of course).
So from 4:30 they say that hair is composed of polymers, and what Olaplex does to hair is just like bringing a stretched out, brittle old rubber band back to its pristine, virgin state. How is that possible? I didn't know that rubber bands (or hair) can have their elasticity back permanently... :hmm: The only way I could imagine this process working is by coating hair with something, to temporarily reinforce its structure... and it would easily wear off over time with wear and tear, no? So confused... :lol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW3aG_1Fo6A

[lunasea]

Didn't watch the whole video but I do have one question. If this product is such a miracle why doesn't these two guys' hair look a whole heck of a lot better?

[Linguaphilia]

Good one! :p

[meteor]

Didn't watch the whole video but I do have one question. If this product is such a miracle why doesn't these two guys' hair look a whole heck of a lot better?

I don't think hair is what they are into, and the product is for chemically processed (bleached/relaxed...) hair anyway, not for male pattern baldness or something. You don't need a long mane to know chemistry or to know chemistry to have a long mane. ;) I actually find it refreshing that they didn't bother to woo us by hiring a hair celebrity du jour to talk for them (like what these MIT professors did with Living Proof and Jennifer Aniston (http://www.livingproof.com/about/team) - I don't mind it, but I'm not swayed by such PR stunts).

These 2 chemists have no expertise in cosmetic chemistry, which is something important to consider. I might trust a product a lot more if it came from those huge dedicated research teams of L'Oreal or P&G, for example, and then its marketing and distribution wouldn't be so unconventional either... But I won't judge yet, since stranger things have happened in research, and lots of stuff was discovered in serendipitous research. :shrug:

My jury is definitely still out on this one. :)
But I can't imagine the no-damage claim and the permanent effect claim to be realistic. I'd LOVE to be proven wrong on this, of course. :)

[lunasea]

Just being my usual catty self....anyway, I would love this to work too since I have bleached ends I am growing out. It just sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately I only use organic stuff so I probably wouldn't use it anyway. I've been trying to convince a friend to try it, though. She will put ANYTHING on her hair. If it really worked for her I might give it a try. So far I've had no luck in convincing her....:p

[MINAKO]

Thank you meteor! Once again very interesting contribution to the topic. I also appreciate this kind of more simple and direct approach. It reminds me of this liquid repellent spray that went viral two years ago and everyone was just like "wooooah!!". No need to have a celebrity spokesperson or LHC approved hair for these guys to know what they are talking about, i agree. But uhmm, actuallyi think the one on the rght has some nice shiny silvers, even if they are short and a bit sparse. I mean please, even if they could, not everyone is into buttlength hair or a huge volouminous lion mane.

I just wish that the reviews were a bit more convincing. The most part of people who seem tobe raving about this product are definitely hairdressers who can in most cases judge it on the immediate effect. But we all know that leaving the salon looking all fab is no guarantee for anything to last, sadly.
If that stuff lives up to its claim i need a bucket to dunk my head in. Please send any leftovers in that garage my way, lol.

[lunasea]

Okay, now I watched the whole thing. Still not buying it. These guys spent a lot of time trying to impress us with their cred and virtually none trying to explain how the product works. You can bet your bottom dollar that there are hair companies out there with Ph.D.s on the payroll who are trying to figure out how to repair hair- hair repair is like the golden ring in that industry (yeah, I heard their spiel about how they have a fresh approach and all). I've got a Ph.D. myself so maybe I tend to be a little less impressed by two guys in their garage talking about how they can work a miracle and all. I would think if this stuff did what they are saying folks would be falling all over themselves to get it. They seem to basically be saying that they can repair cellular damage by rebuilding DNA. Forget hair, think of the applications in the medical industry. I just don't know.....

[meteor]

lunasea, no worries, it was pretty funny! :flowers: :lol: And hey, I might prefer to see hair-eye-candy from Sissi or the Sutherland Sisters selling good hair stuff, too! ;)

MINAKO, I know what you mean about the reviews :agree: , they are a bit superficial, mostly done by hairdressers and kind of remind me of those reviews when somebody just used a silicone-laden serum or a protein filler on damaged hair for the first time and is jumping up and down, happy with hair supposedly "restored" to virginity. I'm very skeptical about all this. But the fact that it's new technology definitely makes me curious.

The fact that they sell this only to hairdressers supposedly "for our own protection" :rolleyes: is a bit annoying, while they also claim that you can't overdose on Olaplex. After all, it's the real damage-producing bleach and relaxers that they should hide from stores, if they are so worried about damaging our hair. :lol: I suspect the real reason could be either inability to provide large-scale production, distribution and all the additional regulatory paperwork that would be required (since they are a pretty small, new company) and/or it's just a marketing program to give the product more "exclusive" feel and charge premium prices.

Here is something else (besides that mysterious molecule and how it works, of course :lol: ) that I don't understand:
They give instructions to always bump up developer volume when you add Olaplex, because otherwise it would take forever to lift color or may even stop peroxide from working. But bumping up vol. could cause more damage of course, so why not just do an Olaplex treatment right before and then right after bleach, just as what they recommend for relaxers, perms, keratin straightening and standalone treatments? :hmm:
It just takes such a huge leap of faith to actually increase the volume of the developer while thinking that you are eliminating damage via Olaplex. :bigeyes:

[meteor]

Oh yes, lunasea, I've always assumed the degrees are, in fact, a requirement. :agree: It makes me more cautious that this didn't come from large, massively funded research teams of L'Oreal, P&G, etc, but I don't understand the chemistry of this product, so I'm still curious... :)

But yeah, if we have anybody who understands it around here, it would be so awesome if they could take a look at the patents. :D

PCT Application No. PCT/US2014/049388 (filed Aug. 1, 2014), Pub. No. WO/2015/017768 - https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2015017768&recNum=1&maxRec=&office=&prevFilter=&sortOption=&queryString=&tab=PCTDescription
Relevant patents that Dr. Eric Pressley and Dr. Craig Hawker filed: 20150034117, Feb. 5, 2015 - Methods for Fixing Hair and Skin http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150034117
20150037270, Feb. 5, 2015 - Compositions and Kits for Hair and Skin http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150037270
20150034119, Feb. 5, 2015 - Hair Color Smoothing Compositions and Methods http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150034119

[lunasea]

I might give these a look-see when I get time but can't promise any special understanding....

[meteor]

^ Yay! That would be so amazing, lunasea! :flowers: :applause

[lunasea]

Don't get too excited; my Ph.D. isn't in organic chemistry. :silly:

[Beborani]

So I looked at it. At places where the cysteine link on hair is broken, the maleate group forms a covalent bond (which is more permanent than other kinds) and this maleate gorup is bound to polymers by electrophilic bond. Currently the protein treatments that you do are bound to hair by electrophilic and or hydrogen bonds. This products has this added maleate group which binds to that free sulphur in the damaged hair preventing it from unraveling further. Not sure how it all works out in real life longterm. Hope that helps

[meteor]

So I looked at it. At places where the cysteine link on hair is broken, the maleate group forms a covalent bond (which is more permanent than other kinds) and this maleate gorup is bound to polymers by electrophilic bond. Currently the protein treatments that you do are bound to hair by electrophilic and or hydrogen bonds. This products has this added maleate group which binds to that free sulphur in the damaged hair preventing it from unraveling further. Not sure how it all works out in real life longterm. Hope that helps

Thank you so very much, Beborani! :flowers: You are amazing! :applause
So this molecule creates the added bond where a protein filler treatment wouldn't work... Hmm, sounds pretty good to me. :) Even if it's only temporary effect, it's probably still really good to use around times when hair takes a beating. So it kind of sounds like it doesn't totally prevent damage, it just "caps" it, prevents it from unraveling further?
By the way, wouldn't it be useful for mechanical or heat damage, too? :hmm:

[Beborani]

To be honest without looking at all other hair 'repair' product mechanisms out there I couldn't tell you if this is unique in some way. Perming hair is about breaking those cystine's disulphide bonds and rebonding them--some maybe left free or there maybe a reagent that reacts with them. It is not a new or radical discovery that free cystine will cause problems and that hair repair systems have to address it in some way. I have not researched these things to give any more informed opinion.

[lunasea]

^ I'm sure this is way more info than I would give if I read the info.

[tigress86]

I am very intrigued by this product. My hair has been through a lot. I don't want to dye my hair again, I would rather use Olaplex as a reconstructor. If this could truly make the condition of my hair better, I would give it a try. It will probably take forever until this product gets a distributor in my country and they start offering the service in salons over here. If the product didn't cost so much (I read on another forum that the travel size kit starts from 65 dollars) I would beg one of my hairdresser acquaintances to register on the Olaplex website and order it for me :D

[meteor]

Hey, guys! :) So some time ago, I asked a question on Olaplex technology over at the Beauty Brains (http://thebeautybrains.com/about/) and I got a reply from Randy Schueller, so I figured I should update this thread, in case it helps someone with info about the product:) :

http://thebeautybrains.com/bbforum/index.php?p=/discussion/693/how-does-olaplex-work


Olaplex is a 3 step process that is said to rebond/repair hair. As far as I can tell (mostly from the examples in the patent) it looks like they’re chemically treating hair (perming and coloring, mostly) and using Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate as the neutralizer instead of hydrogen peroxide. The idea is that the dimaleate will link to free thiol groups in the hair and leave it in better condition (less breakage, etc.)

I checked with a friend of mine who's an expert on perming and relaxing and here's what he had to say:

"I think your basic analysis is correct. However, no where in the patent examples do they provide any data about strengthening the hair (the effect of re-forming more bonds than peroxide), and all of their results are more anecdotas - "hair looked less frizzy", "there appeared to be less breakage", etc.

I'm sure the chemistry is relatively valid, I'm just not sure that the results are valid. In my esteemed opinion, it's just another way to play into the fears (and actual) regarding damage of the hair during the permanent waving or straightening process and selling products to make a lot of money.

I think that the patent shows a real lack of understanding regarding the entire process of coloring the hair. While coloring does damage the hair and they may be able to reform some bonds that are broken during the coloring process, hair coloring is usually not a reduction process and the purpose of the peroxide is not to reform bonds (-S-S-), but rather to bleach the natice color and polymerize the dye intermediates. In short - I would put this stuff in the category of "More useless products for which you can charge money"."

I know this isn't a definitive answer but I hope it helps.

[Colochita]

Well, that helped me save some money. [puts wallet back down] Thanks, meteor!

[meteor]

^ Yes, I'm sure it's really good and very helpful, but at such a high price tag and being so hard to obtain, it better work miracles IMHO! ;)

[Barnet Girl]

I've been reading a mighty long thread on haircrazy.com where Dean from Olaplex is answering questions about the product. I have to admit I went from sceptic to curious enough to try and get hold of some. If I am understanding correctly, it seems that the value of Olaplex is really in being able to do multiple processing and substantially limiting damage, rather than in reconstructing the hair. The thread gets heated at points and was really quite interesting and informative. I am wondering whether Olaplex + coconut oil would be a winning combination in damage limitation. Kitcatsmeow (sp?) can you update us? Is it easy to use? I love doing my own colouring at home and don't want to visit a salon to try it out.

https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-14/

[Loribelle]

I've been reading a mighty long thread on haircrazy.com where Dean from Olaplex is answering questions about the product. I have to admit I went from sceptic to curious enough to try and get hold of some. If I am understanding correctly, it seems that the value of Olaplex is really in being able to do multiple processing and substantially limiting damage, rather than in reconstructing the hair. The thread gets heated at points and was really quite interesting and informative. I am wondering whether Olaplex + coconut oil would be a winning combination in damage limitation. Kitcatsmeow (sp?) can you update us? Is it easy to use? I love doing my own colouring at home and don't want to visit a salon to try it out.

https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/11225/page-14/

I haven't read the thread yet, but I will.
I just made an appointment for next weekend. I have hennaed hair, and the stylist said she will remove it using (bleach and) the Olaplex system.
She said she's had downright amazing results with it. I'm wanting to let my grey hairs fly free ;)
I'm excited to try...but...I hope I don't cry on you guys too much if it doesn't work :-)
No one else has added to this thread, so I am assuming nobody dared to try? I guess I'll be the Guinea pig for the community :wink:

[Gryphie]

I have to say I've been incredibly intrigued by this product since I heard about it a few months ago. I'l planning 'the big chop' soon and then plan to go purple. I know the lightening that'll be required on my strawberry blonde hair will undoubtedly do a ton of damage and I was/am really hoping this will help my hair out after I go through all the bleaching. Anyone know how much it is when you have a licence to buy it? I have a friend who can get it for me but I have no idea how much it is.

[divinedobbie]

I have to say I've been incredibly intrigued by this product since I heard about it a few months ago. I'l planning 'the big chop' soon and then plan to go purple. I know the lightening that'll be required on my strawberry blonde hair will undoubtedly do a ton of damage and I was/am really hoping this will help my hair out after I go through all the bleaching. Anyone know how much it is when you have a licence to buy it? I have a friend who can get it for me but I have no idea how much it is.

Sorry nothing to do with your question but you say your hair is already blonde - are you sure you can't get away with not lightening before going purple? If you're going to do a big chop anyway, why not experiment with that on the ends right now since it's going to be cut off anyway? I know fellow member DreamSheep has gotten a very vibrant gorgeous red using only manic panic and not lightening her hair at all and her hair is a light brown colour. I'm positive you could get purple without lightening your already blonde hair.

[divinedobbie]

I haven't read the thread yet, but I will.
I just made an appointment for next weekend. I have hennaed hair, and the stylist said she will remove it using (bleach and) the Olaplex system.
She said she's had downright amazing results with it. I'm wanting to let my grey hairs fly free ;)
I'm excited to try...but...I hope I don't cry on you guys too much if it doesn't work :-)
No one else has added to this thread, so I am assuming nobody dared to try? I guess I'll be the Guinea pig for the community :wink:

Let me know how it goes! This product sounds like a miracle but I'm a very healthy skeptic and I'd love a real opinion on it.

[ovalgal]

I haven't read the thread yet, but I will.
I just made an appointment for next weekend. I have hennaed hair, and the stylist said she will remove it using (bleach and) the Olaplex system.
She said she's had downright amazing results with it. I'm wanting to let my grey hairs fly free ;)
I'm excited to try...but...I hope I don't cry on you guys too much if it doesn't work :-)
No one else has added to this thread, so I am assuming nobody dared to try? I guess I'll be the Guinea pig for the community :wink:

Please keep up updated! I read about this awhile back and have been wondering if anyone has had any experience with it! Is the bleach that is removing the hair apart of the opalex system or a different kind of bleach?

[Loribelle]

I have to say I've been incredibly intrigued by this product since I heard about it a few months ago. I'l planning 'the big chop' soon and then plan to go purple. I know the lightening that'll be required on my strawberry blonde hair will undoubtedly do a ton of damage and I was/am really hoping this will help my hair out after I go through all the bleaching. Anyone know how much it is when you have a licence to buy it? I have a friend who can get it for me but I have no idea how much it is.

You can buy it on Amazon...the small kit is around $100. http://www.amazon.com/Olaplex-Traveling-Stylist-Hair-Types/dp/B00SXVVM28/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1431974732&sr=1-2&keywords=olaplex I have been using all natural products for two or three years now, so this is a BIG change for me. I am normally a do-it-yourselfer, but I have watched many videos and tutorials on it, and I definitely want someone who is trained properly to do it on me. I did, however, order a couple of bottles of the #3 weekly conditioner. I figured I do that since it was way cheaper than the salon price.

[Gryphie]

Sorry nothing to do with your question but you say your hair is already blonde - are you sure you can't get away with not lightening before going purple? If you're going to do a big chop anyway, why not experiment with that on the ends right now since it's going to be cut off anyway? I know fellow member DreamSheep has gotten a very vibrant gorgeous red using only manic panic and not lightening her hair at all and her hair is a light brown colour. I'm positive you could get purple without lightening your already blonde hair.

I've done my tips purple before (I too wanted to see if I could get away with it without bleach) and while it turned out beautiful, it was a pinker purple than I was really hoping for. It stayed pretty well and faded to a really nice pink but I'm hoping for a more blurple color. Maybe I could try a blue toner before hand, see if that can counter some of the brassy-ness before I do the purple dye. I'll talk to my stylist about both ideas when I go in for my cut.

[lapushka]

Just heard this news:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pEWFGLESFg

[meteor]

Hey, guys! :) I found a pretty helpful article on how Olaplex works: http://www.labmuffin.com/2015/04/how-does-olaplex-hair-treatment-work/


And it looks like Olaplex started a whole trend (http://killerstrands.blogspot.ca/2015/05/brand-new-hair-restructuring-product-or.html)! ;) (I can't complain: after all, there isn't much out there for restructuring damaged hair and the demand is huge.)

Has anybody heard of this new product called Continuum by DS Laboratories (http://www.dslaboratories.com/continuum/)? I can't find the ingredients anywhere, but it claims to be a restructuring treatment for damaged/processed hair. Really reminds me of Olaplex on many levels (the claims, 3-part products, directions, marketing style, etc), except its formula is supposed to be different and doesn't require bumping up developer or increasing processing times if used during chemical treatments. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment, too.

It claims to "reconnect connections inside the cortical strand", but I don't understand what exactly that means: if it works by cross-linking disulfite bonds, or like a filler (e.g. hydrolyzed proteins, for example), or like a buffer for minimizing damage (like how coconut oil does with lauric acid binding to hair keratin), or something completely different? :hmm:

I can't find any detailed information on this technology at all... Maybe our hair professionals on the LHC have more info on this? Anybody? :)
It would be so great to compare this to Olaplex... especially the long-term effectiveness.

[noteve]

I went to a hair salon and had my hair bleached. It's almost white now. They then used Olaplex on my hair and it's actually in a better condition than it was before.

I bleached my hair myself about a month ago and it got a bit dry and weird. Now, after having it bleached again and the Olaplex treatment it's like it was before I bleached it. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't tried it myself.

[meteor]

^ Yay! Sounds great, noteve! :D Please keep us updated about how your hair feels in the long run! :) Hopefully the results will remain awesome! :pray:

[Cederin]

I want to share my experience with Olaplex, since I've had great results!

This is my background. I have nordic, really fine hair texture which tangles the moment I step outside the door. I have been CO-ing for 2 years now but I have also been bleaching my hair starting at several layers of pitch black box dye. I am now close to platinum after 9 sessions of either highlights or bleach baths stretched over 1,5 years. You guessed it right, my hair is extremely porous and prone to breakage. :rolleyes: Before the treatment, my hair took forever to comb out, and it didn't matter how careful I was, I always ended up with 30-40 tiny pieces of broken hair on my lap. Literally every time I combed it! I got really frustrated because really want to grow it longer, but because of the breakage this wasn't possible.

So then I heard of Olaplex from my hairdresser a couple of weeks ago. I remember I saw Guy Tang use it on Youtube long time ago, but I didn't reflect on it at all, as I thought this was just another mumbo jumbo hair repair product for hairdressers to sell. But when she told me that she now had customers coming in really dark, but walking out blondes in one session without having to cut the ends, I got really interested. So I started to dig deep on the interwebs, reading all that I could find about this molecule. I got convinced and was thinking about doing a treatment at my salon, but found out they charge really much for it. Determined to try this thing I looked it up on the eBay "black market" and got myself a stand alone treatment sample package for half the price I would have paid my hairdresser. I tried to not keep my hopes too high because of the risk of getting non-authentic product.

The package arrived and I immediately tried it out. I left step 1 on for 15-20 minutes, and step 2 for about 30, as I heard the longer it sits the better. I washed it out with shampoo, which my hair normally HATES. It always gets squishy and tangled up in the shower, but this time my shampooed hair felt silky smooth, like when you already had conditioner on it! After showering I blow dried it to see the results more quickly. Usually it takes me a minimum of 20 minutes on medium heat to get it dry, but this time it took me like 5-10 minutes :eek: It felt really smooth and looked more shiny than ever.

I did this treatment 11 days ago and had it washed 3 times since then. I even did another bleach bath since my hair finally could manage with that again. I can tell a big difference, guys! Sure it still gets tangled, but that is my natural texture that I have to live with I guess, it has been like that since I was a kid. The major difference is the breakage problem. It seems that my bonds finally can hold the strands intact during combing, because now I get maybe 5-10 broken pieces instead of 40 :cheer: It also takes like half the time to detangle. I'm really happy I tried this out, because it really did a big change for me! I am tempted to do another treatment sometime soon, as I heard it gets better with every treatment for really damaged hair.

[Quasiquixotic]

oh this is sounding really magical...

[Colochita]

It does sound very promising. I'm wondering whether it's as magical for hair that's already in very good condition. I'd like to use it as a stand alone strengthening treatment but don't want to be bothered if it won't be amazing.

Basically I'm expecting it to bulletproof my hair for those prices and don't want to be disappointed.

[meteor]

Wow, Cederin! Your results sound amazing! :applause Thanks so much for sharing. :D

[leilani]

This is so interesting! I have all virgin hair now but if I want to go back to some highlighting someday, it's good to know there might be a way to do it without damage!

[Thumper]

I'm very tempted to try this out. My hair is also lightened and very fine. It is pricey looking though. Where do you recommend it be ordered from and which ones? It looks like most ppl stick to #1 and #2 only (as #3 is the same as #2?)
Thanks

[SThr]

I just ordered a standalone set off of ebay. I can't wait to see how it works!

[Thumper]

I just ordered a standalone set off of ebay. I can't wait to see how it works!

How exciting!! I love ordering and waiting for it! I did go look at their website and it looks like you can order the travelling kit for $65 - same one is over $100 on amazon.

[meteor]

This is so interesting! I have all virgin hair now but if I want to go back to some highlighting someday, it's good to know there might be a way to do it without damage!

I don't think it zaps ALL damage though. :flower: Olaplex claims that I've seen are that the product just allows to "push the envelope" and do more chemical processing than the hair would otherwise allow, but it's not a magic wand. :)


I'm very tempted to try this out. My hair is also lightened and very fine. It is pricey looking though. Where do you recommend it be ordered from and which ones? It looks like most ppl stick to #1 and #2 only (as #3 is the same as #2?)
Thanks

I'd get only No. 1 via a hairdresser that you trust. Buying through eBay can be dicey, no?

I don't know for sure, but I have seen unchecked references online (here (http://www.labmuffin.com/2015/04/how-does-olaplex-hair-treatment-work/)and here (https://www.reddit.com/r/HaircareScience/comments/37rf0o/olaplex_questions/)) that claim the percentage of the active ingredient is 100% (I'm assuming after water?) in No. 1, 15% in No. 2, and 12.5% in No. 3. (No. 1 contains only water and bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate. No. 2 and No. 3 contain additional ingredients, and have the exact same list of ingredients.) I guess you could contact Olaplex directly to check if those percentages are correct.

But this would imply that there is no basic need for a 3-step system. (It could be there just for convenience of application or because marketing multiple products under the same line with a star ingredient is the norm in this business? :hmm: ) One could simply apply No. 1 with water, as per instructions, and then dilute No. 1 in standard conditioner (maybe with similar ingredients) to make a conditioner with bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate for upkeep. It's advertised as a one-molecule solution anyway.

By the way, guys, the company finally posted their MSDS Sheets, so you can check all the details, including pH, safety, storage, etc etc:
http://storage.googleapis.com/olaplex/Olaplex-No.1%20MSDS-2-17-15.pdf - No. 1 pH 3.5
http://storage.googleapis.com/olaplex/Olaplex-No.2-2-23-15-MSDS.pdf - No. 2 pH 3 - 3.8
http://storage.googleapis.com/olaplex/Olaplex-No.3-2-23-15-MSDS.pdf - No. 3 pH 3 -3.8


It does show that ingredients list in No. 2 are equivalent to No. 3 (individual concentrations could be different though):
"Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Quaternium-91, Sodium Benzoate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Etidronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate"

Something I think is worth noting in their MSDS Sheet for No. 1:
"Section 8 - EXPOSURE CONTROLS, PERSONAL PROTECTION:
For Household Settings: This is a personal care or cosmetic product that is safe for consumers and other users under normal and reasonably foreseen use.
For Non-Household Settings: Use safety glasses or safety goggles if splash hazards exist; use gloves and other protective clothing (apron, boots, etc) to prevent skin contact. Always follow good hygienic work practices. Avoid prolonged contact with skin and clothing."

[SThr]

But this would imply that there is no basic need for a 3-step system. (It could be there just for convenience of application or because marketing multiple products under the same line with a star ingredient is the norm in this business? :hmm: ) One could simply apply No. 1 with water, as per instructions, and then dilute No. 1 in standard conditioner (maybe with similar ingredients) to make a conditioner with bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate for upkeep. It's advertised as a one-molecule solution anyway.


The FAQ states that No 3 is a completely optional take home product, basically something to sell the client to make a little more money.

[meteor]

^ :agree: That's my thinking, too, SThr. It's good that at least they didn't create a bunch of additional masks, serums, shine sprays, finishing creams, etc ... 3 products are easy enough to follow. :flower:

[pastina]

I'm skeptical, but intrigued. And, worse of all, I'm not really sure how to handle that feeling.

eta-- First step, I asked the hair dye forum. I will bow to their wisdom!

[meteor]

I'm skeptical, but intrigued. And, worse of all, I'm not really sure how to handle that feeling.

eta-- First step, I asked the hair dye forum. I will bow to their wisdom!

Yay, great to see you join, pastina! And skeptical & intrigued is exactly how I feel about this, too. :agree:
Thank you for starting the thread over at the Hair Dye Forum. :flowers: I found your thread, and I'm a bit surprised nobody has tried it there yet, but I'll happily wait for the updates from the members there! :D

In the meantime, I think you might find these posts touching on the chemistry behind it interesting:


So I looked at it. At places where the cysteine link on hair is broken, the maleate group forms a covalent bond (which is more permanent than other kinds) and this maleate gorup is bound to polymers by electrophilic bond. Currently the protein treatments that you do are bound to hair by electrophilic and or hydrogen bonds. This products has this added maleate group which binds to that free sulphur in the damaged hair preventing it from unraveling further. Not sure how it all works out in real life longterm. Hope that helps


To be honest without looking at all other hair 'repair' product mechanisms out there I couldn't tell you if this is unique in some way. Perming hair is about breaking those cystine's disulphide bonds and rebonding them--some maybe left free or there maybe a reagent that reacts with them. It is not a new or radical discovery that free cystine will cause problems and that hair repair systems have to address it in some way. I have not researched these things to give any more informed opinion.


Hey, guys! :) So some time ago, I asked a question on Olaplex technology over at the Beauty Brains (http://thebeautybrains.com/about/) and I got a reply from Randy Schueller, so I figured I should update this thread, in case it helps someone with info about the product:) :

http://thebeautybrains.com/bbforum/index.php?p=/discussion/693/how-does-olaplex-work

Olaplex is a 3 step process that is said to rebond/repair hair. As far as I can tell (mostly from the examples in the patent) it looks like they’re chemically treating hair (perming and coloring, mostly) and using Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate as the neutralizer instead of hydrogen peroxide. The idea is that the dimaleate will link to free thiol groups in the hair and leave it in better condition (less breakage, etc.)

I checked with a friend of mine who's an expert on perming and relaxing and here's what he had to say:

"I think your basic analysis is correct. However, no where in the patent examples do they provide any data about strengthening the hair (the effect of re-forming more bonds than peroxide), and all of their results are more anecdotas - "hair looked less frizzy", "there appeared to be less breakage", etc.

I'm sure the chemistry is relatively valid, I'm just not sure that the results are valid. In my esteemed opinion, it's just another way to play into the fears (and actual) regarding damage of the hair during the permanent waving or straightening process and selling products to make a lot of money.

I think that the patent shows a real lack of understanding regarding the entire process of coloring the hair. While coloring does damage the hair and they may be able to reform some bonds that are broken during the coloring process, hair coloring is usually not a reduction process and the purpose of the peroxide is not to reform bonds (-S-S-), but rather to bleach the natice color and polymerize the dye intermediates. In short - I would put this stuff in the category of "More useless products for which you can charge money"."

I know this isn't a definitive answer but I hope it helps.

And a response from Michelle at LabMuffin here: http://www.labmuffin.com/2015/04/how-does-olaplex-hair-treatment-work/

With respect, I don’t think the good people at The Beauty Brains took more than a quick glance at Olaplex – I think they overlooked the fact that it’s not meant to replace the peroxide but rather to repair hair damage in general (which happens to be a particular concern with hair colouring). And I hate to be all “anecdotal evidence, yay!”, but the results are really impressive – the reduction in hair breakage after extreme bleaching isn’t really something that the placebo effect alone can explain.

[...]


Re: Increase in damage – I don’t know, but from people’s experiences the Olaplex seems to compensate for any extra damage the higher peroxide content causes!

Re: Other treatments – I haven’t researched those treatments in depth, but from my brief Googling it sounds like they do interact with free thiols, and hence won’t work on the thiols in hair that have been treated with Olaplex. But in damaged hair, not all of the disulfide bonds are broken, so those treatments should still work with any disulfide bridges that have broken after the Olaplex treatment.

Re: Olaplex link – I’m not sure if it’s water-soluble – there are some ionic bonds which are water-insoluble and can stay around for a long time (e.g. in marble). And it’s hard to say for sure what will make the bonds break faster without any direct studies. But there are a few things which will make all chemical bonds break faster – any input of energy (sunlight, heat, physical movement). And if it’s water soluble, then obviously washing hair less will help.

Also, it looks like now there are other products in that field as well, like this new one called Continuum by DS Laboratories (http://www.dslaboratories.com/continuum/)? I can't find the ingredients anywhere, but it claims to be a restructuring treatment for damaged/processed hair. It really reminds me of Olaplex in many ways, except its formula is supposed to be different and doesn't require bumping up developer or increasing processing times if used during chemical treatments. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment, too.
Have you heard of it?

I did find a few reviews on Olaplex at HairCrazy forum (focused on hair dyes), including some raves and "meh's" :) :
https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/12994/
https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/14195/
https://www.haircrazy.com/forum/products-and-techniques/13628/

And of course, we have a few LHCers who tried it and loved it, you can find their reviews up-thread. :D HTH! :flower:

[Thumper]

Ok so I bit the bullet and ordered directly through the Olaplex website...it is the travelers 1,2,3 step (I know 2 & 3 are the same but that's ok). I've read the directions on their website and I think I will wait for the product to arrive and then bring it with me for my next appointment. I will not be having this put into the lightener - as the product suggestion goes, but will be doing at home treatments prior to my appointment, and then right after she rinses all the lightener out of my hair. I can let anyone know how it goes - might be a couple of weeks until I have the product and then proceed with the coloring though.

[meteor]

^ Oh, that sounds exciting, Thumper! :applause Please let us know how it goes! :D

[ravenreed]

The Beauty Brains lost me when they got everything wrong about Elumen. I wouldn't exactly turn to them for info on anything.

[Loribelle]

I completely forgot to report back, on this thread!:o
So, my Olaplex/bleach journey began at the end of May.
The first bleaching using Olaplex, turned my very red hennaed hair to a lovely safety-cone orange color. I was not a fan...BUT...no noticeable damage from the bleach!!! She trimmed about an inch off, per my directions. Fast-forward a week;
I could not stand the color!!! I scheduled an "emergency" apt. with my hairdresser, and had it bleached again. Within one week of the first bleaching. shudder: Yeah...not a smart idea.
It totally ruined my hair. Even using Olaplex. Two bleachings in one week was just too much.
I lived with that horrid bleached out look for six weeks, and finally went back this past weekend to get it colored back to my natural color, and get an Olaplex treatment. That's a heck of a lot of time (and length!!) to get to where I am, now.
I don't recommend doing what I did. Even WITH Olaplex. My hair was in such wonderful condition to start. I was just at TB lenghth, and now I'm barely BSL. I cried. I admit it. It was such a shock to lose about 2 feet of hair!!! :-( I have pics, so when I think about it again, I'll post them :-)

[leilani]

So olaplex is not damage insurance if you do too much & then too much again, in too short a time frame...

Every single hair salon I pass by is advertising olaplex!

[meteor]

^ Oh no! Loribelle, so terribly sorry your hair went through all that processing so quickly! :( :grouphug:

Are you doing the whole "Coconut & Reconstruct" routine? Lots of deep oiling treatments + hydrolyzed protein fillers/reconstructors (Joico K-Pak or Aphogee 2-Step, for example). It should help with condition a bit, plus silicones and ceramides, as always.
But it will grow out healthy again!

Why did the hairdresser do the re-bleaching so soon? :bigeyes:

Also, can somebody please explain (and maybe link to research if there is any) why it's always important to wait (and for how long exactly) between processing. I know it's true - and I remember that very well from my chemical processing days... but I don't understand the exact mechanism, as hair is dead anyway so doesn't really recuperate (you can only patch-repair, coat it, cover it with "fillers")... :hmm:
Does hair just need to get saturated with sebum? Does pH take a long time to restore (though I thought it's a fast process :hmm: )? Does it have anything to do with chelating metals in water that react faster with processed hair?
What's the mechanism? :)

[Loribelle]

Are you doing the whole "Coconut & Reconstruct" routine? Lots of deep oiling treatments + hydrolyzed protein fillers/reconstructors (Joico K-Pak or Aphogee 2-Step, for example). It should help with condition a bit, plus silicones and ceramides, as always.
But it will grow out healthy again!

Why did the hairdresser do the re-bleaching so soon? :bigeyes:

I am not familiar with the "Coconut & Reconstruct" routine...I'll have to look it up! Thanks!
As for only waiting a week to re-bleach? This is why: http://s343.photobucket.com/user/Loribaron/media/Hair%20over%20the%20years/Ooof_zpsbfquf9dc.jpg.html?sort=6&o=17
I couldn't take it ;-)

[Loribelle]

Also, can somebody please explain (and maybe link to research if there is any) why it's always important to wait (and for how long exactly) between processing. I know it's true - and I remember that very well from my chemical processing days... but I don't understand the exact mechanism, as hair is dead anyway so doesn't really recuperate (you can only patch-repair, coat it, cover it with "fillers")... :hmm:
Does hair just need to get saturated with sebum? Does pH take a long time to restore (though I thought it's a fast process :hmm: )? Does it have anything to do with chelating metals in water that react faster with processed hair?
What's the mechanism? :)[/QUOTE]

I want to know this, too!!! :-)

[meteor]

I am not familiar with the "Coconut & Reconstruct" routine...I'll have to look it up! Thanks!

^ Well, the "coconut & reconstruct" is just what I like to call it for short :lol: just because it's standard advice for pre-bleach and post-bleach care.
Here is some info on this:
Coconut oil pre-bleach/pre-permanent dye to reduce peroxide damage by chelating iron and copper: http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-1-of-3-part-series-on-innovative.html; http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10495; http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=3806.0 I wouldn't mind seeing more research into this mechanism, though! :)
Coconut oil pre-wash penetrates hair, has affinity for proteins, reduces protein loss during washes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715094
Coconut oil pre-wash reduces swelling and deswelling of hair, hygral fatigue which can damage hair: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11413497
Coconut oil reduces porosity (damaged hair is porous due to protein loss and chipped cuticle) and increases elasticity (though I think most oils would).
Overview of pre-poo oiling: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2014/03/oil-pre-shampoo-or-pre-wash.html
If you prefer other oils, that would be awesome too. For example, olive, avocado, babassu, palm oils likely penetrate hair, as well. Mineral oil sits on top of hair, but it's amazing at occlusion. Same goes for silicones - they are great at providing slip and occlusion for damaged hair, especially.

For protein treatments, I'd suggest reading here:
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2009/06/size-matters-protein-conditioning-part.html
http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2013/09/more-about-protein.html
DIY gelatin treatment: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2014/04/gelatin-protein-treatment-recipe-update.html or Aphogee 2-step (http://www.folica.com/reviews/hair-care/hair-treatments/aphogee-treatment-for-damaged-hair-four-ounce) or K-Pak Reconstructor (http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6500487)

And here is a good read on ceramides and damaged hair (they are helpful, as well and can be found in many masks/conditioners for damaged hair): http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2010/08/ceramides-patching-up-damaged-hair.html

[pastina]

Meteor, there are more posts on the thread over there now! Seems like it's not all that permanent, which is what I was suspecting.

In terms of wait times between processes, I do what's been suggested to me on the hair dye forum-- one month between full strength bleach and anything else containing peroxide. I always dilute my bleach now, and only use it when I touch up my roots (bleach baths), and they suggest a waiting period of one week between those. Honestly, I think the waiting period is to allow your hair to "rest." The cuticle is forced open during exposure to peroxide, and even though pH balancing conditioners help to close it again, it takes a while.

...Full disclosure, I'm not a chemist, if you haven't guessed. :)

[Asrai]

It's generally recommended to wait a month between bleaches & permanent hair dyes because it can take up to that long for peroxide damage to fully manifest. So pretty much it's a caution so that you don't accidentally overprocess your hair, thinking that your hair is in better shape that it actually is. I've also always heard that you should wait a minimum of a week between bleachings because otherwise you can harm your scalp. The week gives the scalp time to recuperate & reduce the risk of irritation & chemical burns.

[pastina]

^^That's true, too. I always hear people say how they just double or triple processed but it's in awesome condition! And it's like... well, give it a week or two. :(

[meteor]

Thanks a lot, pastina and Asrai! :flowers:
And I'll keep checking on that thread, pastina. :) I really like that forum.

Oh, Loribelle, I just saw the picture (it wasn't loading before) - I'm kind of surprised that the hairdresser didn't just tone it instead of bleaching again. :( Maybe henna can't be toned conventionally? I have no idea... I just thought it's best not to bleach henna at all, since it's so permanent. Anyway, I'm really sorry about what happened. :grouphug:

[Loribelle]

Thanks for all the info, Meteor!!! I'm going to be doing a lot of reading ;-)
Oh, and I believe that photo is after the toning. She tried :-)

[SThr]

I got my kit yesterday and tried it out. It was really tough trying to saturate my hair with only 3.5oz of mostly water!
First impression: my hair feels and looks really nice...but that could be because I deep conditioned right afterwards. Honestly, this feels like I did a protein treatment followed by a deep condition with some cones. My hair might be in better condition now, but I probably won't know until I've washed it at least a couple times. I likely won't do this again unless my hair ends up being nice for a while, longer term than protein/deep conditioning.

[meteor]

Thanks a lot for sharing, SThr! :flowers:
Please let us know how it feels in the long run! I sure hope it will hold up beautifully for you! :D

Also, I'm kind of curious about the differences in the look and feel of hair that was chemically processed with Olaplex vs. hair that was processed over standard heavy coconut oil soak. :hmm: And how does the long-term effect compare to heavy-duty protein reconstructors, like Aphogee 2-step or Joico K-Pak? I guess, we'll find out soon enough... So many people are using Olaplex these days! :D

[Aderyn]

I'd also be curious in seeing some microscopic imaging of the hair before. Like immediately after, a month after and a year after and stuff.

[Thumper]

So I picked this up tonight and could barely get home fast enough! I did #2. I wet then towel dried my hair, then applied and ended up leaving it on for 30 minutes because I got distracted. I rinsed and poo'd and condished as per instructions. I followed my usual routine. The first thing I noticed was the drying time which took FOREVER it seemed. My hair normally air dries in probably 20 minutes and this was closer to an hour. I don't know what that means? Once dry however, in terms of my hair 'structure' I can not tell anything different however if this is on a real microscopic level, then I probably would not notice since my hair is so thin. However, my color looks incredible and it's been over 2 months since my last one. It looks fresh and VERY shiney and lighter. My color was starting to get brassy (I'm a cool blond) and this seems to have taken the yellow right out. The real test will be this Friday as I'm at the salon and my stylist is going to follow the product directions for my touch ups.
It is worth noting; my niece is a chemical engineer and I showed her all the data on this product. She said everything is sound however the real test is in the 'lab' or on a real persons head of hair. If it lasts or not, well I guess I will find out over time. I am happy with the immediate result however.

[*ReiKa*]

Just a quick question girls, I cannot possibly read all the 11 pages, I think I read up to the fifth page and felt overwhelmed and confused.
If I got it right, is it true that this Olaplex can only be used if you want to bleach to very light blonde colors? Because I think I've read that the volumes used with it must be very high (40%?).
what about if I want just a subtle lightening (like, from light brown to dark/medium blonde, just a couple of levels basically or little more)? can this Olaplex still be used or hairdresser will just stick to normal raw bleaching?

[meteor]

Just a quick question girls, I cannot possibly read all the 11 pages, I think I read up to the fifth page and felt overwhelmed and confused.
If I got it right, is it true that this Olaplex can only be used if you want to bleach to very light blonde colors? Because I think I've read that the volumes used with it must be very high (40%?).
what about if I want just a subtle lightening (like, from light brown to dark/medium blonde, just a couple of levels basically or little more)? can this Olaplex still be used or hairdresser will just stick to normal raw bleaching?

Yes, you can use it with even very quick bleaching and with low vol. developer. However, be warned that Olaplex requires bumping up vol. according to instructions. :(

You can use it as a standalone treatment (without any chemical processing) as well. The details for how exactly to use it with or without bleach are here: http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public


So I picked this up tonight and could barely get home fast enough! I did #2. I wet then towel dried my hair, then applied and ended up leaving it on for 30 minutes because I got distracted. I rinsed and poo'd and condished as per instructions. I followed my usual routine. The first thing I noticed was the drying time which took FOREVER it seemed. My hair normally air dries in probably 20 minutes and this was closer to an hour. I don't know what that means? Once dry however, in terms of my hair 'structure' I can not tell anything different however if this is on a real microscopic level, then I probably would not notice since my hair is so thin. However, my color looks incredible and it's been over 2 months since my last one. It looks fresh and VERY shiney and lighter. My color was starting to get brassy (I'm a cool blond) and this seems to have taken the yellow right out. The real test will be this Friday as I'm at the salon and my stylist is going to follow the product directions for my touch ups.
It is worth noting; my niece is a chemical engineer and I showed her all the data on this product. She said everything is sound however the real test is in the 'lab' or on a real persons head of hair. If it lasts or not, well I guess I will find out over time. I am happy with the immediate result however.

Wow! Thanks a lot for this detailed post. :applause Great to know it helped you with toning. :D
I hope it will work great during your salon visit for you, too! :pray:

[*ReiKa*]

Thanks meteor! I got it!
I think that, if I get convinced on getting balayages, I'll choose a salon that uses Olaplex, and since I'm getting more convinced day by day I probably will, and let u all know my experience. Also, I'll probably buy the n.3 product as well.
This is more or less the result that I'm looking for (she's got my same brown color): http://www.martinrodriguez.com/_Media/img_3321_med_hr.jpeg

[Aderyn]

Olaplex doesn't need any sort of bleaching/coloring system. It is a stand alone treatment that is typically reserved for people who ask for Olaplex as a treatment or in conjunction with their coloring, and it's quite expensive.

[*ReiKa*]

Ok, so how it's supposed to be used when bleaching hair? mixed with the bleaching paste, right? Cos from the website I understood that it can be used on its own before the bleaching process, but it's optional.
Mainly I am trying to establish how haidressers use this for bleaching hair. I just want to understand how it'll be used on my hair by the hairdresser.

[*ReiKa*]

I booked my balayage in a salon that uses Olaplex! looking forward to share my experience with you! ;)

[henné]

This scared me a little:
For example, the “Brazilian hair straightening treatment” can involve the application of silicones and/or polysiloxanes to hair, then flat-ironing the hair to melt-bond the polymers to the hair. Although this application process transiently improves appearance, the hair itself is irreversibly damaged. The resultant damage can be so severe that when the polymer treatment wears out, the unprotected strand of hair is at risk of breaking off, possibly even resulting in baldness.

That was taken out of Firefox's link ...

I'm also not against silicones 100% of time, but I am a 99% natural/organic sorta girl and anything that has to do with plastics makes me nervous. I try to stay away from most of them. Not only when it comes to hair, but also when it comes to food/packaging, etc. For me, plastics should be used only when 100% necessary - like medicine, medical supplies, etc. The main problem I have with it is the unresearched impact it has on our overall health. Some of it's already been found to be negative, so I'd rather stay away from it.

If I'm going to bleach, I'll accept the damage rather than to put more chemicals on top of chemicals ... Not at all criticising anyone that doesn't see it the same way though. It takes all kinds :)

[divinedobbie]

I booked my balayage in a salon that uses Olaplex! looking forward to share my experience with you! ;)

Oooh when's the exciting date? I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it.

[meteor]

Here is a pretty detailed post (+discussion) by somebody who regularly uses Olaplex that some Olaplex users might find helpful: http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=15676.0
Interestingly, she thinks hair condition improves with prolonged use (if used as standalone treatments). I've read reports of people mentioning that they needed to thoroughly section hair for this to work (otherwise they didn't see a massive difference), not just sort of slap it on like conditioner and let it sit for a while.


This scared me a little:

For example, the “Brazilian hair straightening treatment” can involve the application of silicones and/or polysiloxanes to hair, then flat-ironing the hair to melt-bond the polymers to the hair. Although this application process transiently improves appearance, the hair itself is irreversibly damaged. The resultant damage can be so severe that when the polymer treatment wears out, the unprotected strand of hair is at risk of breaking off, possibly even resulting in baldness.
That was taken out of Firefox's link ...

I'm also not against silicones 100% of time, but I am a 99% natural/organic sorta girl and anything that has to do with plastics makes me nervous. I try to stay away from most of them. Not only when it comes to hair, but also when it comes to food/packaging, etc. For me, plastics should be used only when 100% necessary - like medicine, medical supplies, etc. The main problem I have with it is the unresearched impact it has on our overall health. Some of it's already been found to be negative, so I'd rather stay away from it.

Just in case, it might be worth mentioning that Firefox7275's comments refer to a very different patent and technology, by different people and for somewhat different purposes. :) Olaplex is silicone-free (http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public). The ingredient responsible for its effect is is Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate (http://storage.googleapis.com/olaplex/Olaplex-No.1%20MSDS-2-17-15.pdf).
(I think the relevant patents by Eric D. Pressly and Craig J. Hawker are:
https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2015017768&recNum=1&maxRec=&office=&prevFilter=&sortOption=&queryString=&tab=PCTDescription
http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150034117
http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150037270
http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20150034119)




If I'm going to bleach, I'll accept the damage rather than to put more chemicals on top of chemicals ... Not at all criticising anyone that doesn't see it the same way though. It takes all kinds :)

Oh by the way, if you want to limit the damage the natural way, make sure you bleach on sebum-y, oily hair (don't wash for as long as you can take before bleach, because sebum is mildly protective), plus, on top of that sebum, do a coconut oil soak pre-bleach (without washing it out), preferably overnight or at least a couple hours in advance. Here is a huge informative thread on this (with many reports on how it worked): http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10495 :flower:


Oooh when's the exciting date? I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it.

Me too! :D I'm looking forward to hearing about how it goes for you, *ReiKa*, and wishing you great and beautiful results! :cheer:

[*ReiKa*]

Oooh when's the exciting date? I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it.

August 27th :o oh I'm sooo looking forward to it, I need to spice up this boooring dark brown!

[eira]

Oh, I am so excited to try this out. I intend to use it as a stand-alone treatment, since my hair has gotten quite fragile and not-so-healthy-looking due to all bleaching and dying... However, in Sweden, we cannot buy it online from Olaplex' website, since only salons are allowed to order from them. I want to buy it from eBay but I am a little worried I won't get the authentic product. :confused:

[meteor]

^ Yes, that's an international problem - only salons, professionals and cosmetology students can order them directly. I think some people go to eBay and others buy via a hairdresser friend. I really wish this could some day become more widely available to public (and affordable! ;) ).

[DollyDagger]

i sure couldve used this a decade or 2 ago...! :) i wonder how if it makes a big difference on hair that is fairly undamaged or virgin hair even...

[eira]

^ Yes, that's an international problem - only salons, professionals and cosmetology students can order them directly. I think some people go to eBay and others buy via a hairdresser friend. I really wish this could some day become more widely available to public (and affordable! ;) ).

Indeed... I will order from eBay but I will try to find a seller on there that someone else has ordered from and received the real deal from so I can know at least somewhat that I get the right thing. I wish I were richer so I could go to a salon and just get it done, but oh well. :rolleyes:

[*ReiKa*]

So, here I am! :D
I got my balayage done on Thursday and Olaplex has been used (n.1 with the 4 or 5 bowls of bleach used for the balayage and n.2 on rinsed hair. I bought the n.3 too).
Boy, this has been expensive. More than I thought. I gasped inside when the receptionist told me of my bill.
And the thing is that right now I don't feel like I can express an opinion yet.
I want to wait to wash my hair more than a couple of times and see how it feels and how it behaves.
My sister (which has balayaged hair too, but didn't use Olaplex) told me that her hair felt okay after the bleach, and that only after a month started to feel some kind of damage and "misbehaviour" from her hair, so I think that even if I used Olaplex I want to wait for my hair to "settle" somewhat and then I 'll be able to tell how Olaplex worked for me.
They used it because I requested it, anyway. The head hairdresser said that since my hair was healthy and unbleached, he wouldn't have ever suggested me to use it.
The whole experience went well by the way. It was apparently their first time in front of real healthy BCL hair and four of the hairdressers there came near me only to compliment me and just say things like "OMG sooo long! beautiful" :D
The head hairdresser said "oh yeah of course I have seen hair this long before....that time when I applied extensions!!"

[DollyDagger]

So, here I am! :D
I got my balayage done on Thursday and Olaplex has been used (n.1 with the 4 or 5 bowls of bleach used for the balayage and n.2 on rinsed hair. I bought the n.3 too).
Boy, this has been expensive. More than I thought. I gasped inside when the receptionist told me of my bill.
And the thing is that right now I don't feel like I can express an opinion yet.
I want to wait to wash my hair more than a couple of times and see how it feels and how it behaves.
My sister (which has balayaged hair too, but didn't use Olaplex) told me that her hair felt okay after the bleach, and that only after a month started to feel some kind of damage and "misbehaviour" from her hair, so I think that even if I used Olaplex I want to wait for my hair to "settle" somewhat and then I 'll be able to tell how Olaplex worked for me.
They used it because I requested it, anyway. The head hairdresser said that since my hair was healthy and unbleached, he wouldn't have ever suggested me to use it.
The whole experience went well by the way. It was apparently their first time in front of real healthy BCL hair and four of the hairdressers there came near me only to compliment me and just say things like "OMG sooo long! beautiful" :D
The head hairdresser said "oh yeah of course I have seen hair this long before....that time when I applied extensions!!"

Thats really awesome that your hair made an impression on them like that. I hope you will update and give your thoughts on the olaplex. Its good that your reserving your opinion until you can really assess it properly. Also great that you and your sister can compare (was her hair in the same healthy condition as yours when she had her balayage)..I bet your hair looks amazing! enjoy and post pics too :)

lol- at the long hair only when he put it extensions..so true :)

[meteor]

^Thank you so very much for sharing your experience, *ReiKa*! :flowers:

I'm sorry about the high cost: it's true that salons can charge massive surcharges for extra length & thickness. :scared:
But it's so great that the overall experience was really nice and friendly and you are happy with results! :joy: Please do keep us posted on how it feels in the long run with Olaplex. :flower: I really hope your hair will feel just as healthy and wonderful in the long run! :D

[*ReiKa*]

No, you're right DollyDagger, our hair are actually quite different, hers is much thinner and weaker than mine, so it might not matter for me to wait, but I still will! At least a couple of weeks ;)
I 'll definitely come back and tell you all!

[Lavendersugar]

*ReiKa* I can't wait to hear the results.

I follow a lot of stylist on Instagram that use Oplex and the hair always looks amazing but yes it's right after things are done & professionally styled.
I'm not in the market for lightening my hair especially not that I'm using indigo with my henna. If I ever did I'd find a stylist that uses Oplex. My thought is that of it cares for damaged hair than it is even better to use on healthy hair to avoid major damage.

[*ReiKa*]

meteor, they haven't charged me more because of lenght/thickness. It was just the Olaplex treatment & n.3 bottle's price itself to be quite high! I think it cost me as much as the balayage thing! So I kinda paid double...

Today I washed my hair so it was my first chance to feel and see my "real" hair (you know, when it's nicely blow-dried by the hairdresser it just ain't the same, you need to wash it yourself to see better) and it feels totally ok! I don't feel any dryness at all....it's nice and soft as it's always been. I encountered a couple of stubborn knots to be really honest, but I haven't been careful before washing with my detangling session and I had still hairspray in my hair, so, nothing to worry...
It isn't my final opinion of course, but I thought I could do a little report :)

[meteor]

it feels totally ok! I don't feel any dryness at all....it's nice and soft as it's always been. I encountered a couple of stubborn knots to be really honest, but I haven't been careful before washing with my detangling session and I had still hairspray in my hair, so, nothing to worry

Yay, congratulations! :D Wow, that's quite promising! :applause I sure hope it will hold up! :D
Thanks a lot for keeping us posted, *Reika*! :flowers:

[Zenity]

Hi,

Today I've tried it for the first time.

I have very long hair that has greys on the top layer (most of it) from the crown to the bangs. Damn it! The under-layers have barely any greys. That makes my top layer super-dry, frizzy, porous and coarse. The rest of my hair is much better except for the ends.
I color ONLY the roots of my hair every 3 or so weeks, meaning I do not color all my hair everytime. I use a home made concoction of wella color touch and L'oreal professionel to achieve the desired color. I only use professional dyes.

I did the stand alone treatment, just the n.1 + n.2. n.1 for about an hour and n.2 for another houre more or less (maybe 45 min)
I took some before pictures of my very frizzy dry and porous hair and, to be fair, after the treatment didn't do anything to my hair, just let ir air-dry (as it was in the before pictures)

I have not taken any pics of the "after" beause I want to use the same camera at the same location with the same light as in the before, to have the most accurate comparison.

My first impressions came right when I was shampoing it out. The texture of my hair seem to be nicer. Less dry, smoother, softer...
I've put some hair mask after towel drying and rinse it out. Then air dry.

As it was drying the water out I noticed the hair itself felt dry, specially at the most pre-olaplex damaged areas... after completely being dry it feels and looks like before: frizzy, dry and tangled. A little bit softer and nicer in the under layers and the areas that were not so dry and coarse before.
I intend to take some "after" pictures tomorrow for comparison.

I have not seen a single "after" picture on natural air dryed hair. It is difficult to objectively compare before and after if the after is a flat ironed or used the hair dryer for brushing.
That can do the trick for most of the hair out there, including mine. It is not what I wanted, plus, 99% of the times I just air dry my hair.

I will keep a close look on the evolution of my hair after olaplex and post if there are any news.

[meteor]

Zenity, thank you so very much for that detailed review! Super-helpful! :flowers:


I have not seen a single "after" picture on natural air dryed hair. It is difficult to objectively compare before and after if the after is a flat ironed or used the hair dryer for brushing.
That can do the trick for most of the hair out there, including mine.
He-he! I couldn't agree more! :agree:

I don't even understand the point of "before" and "after" pictures, when "before" is done on unwashed, unbrushed hair in dull lighting and the "after" is freshly trimmed & layered, heavily heat-styled, curled and siliconed to high-heaven, with changed lighting and other hair commercials trickery helping along! :lol:
Heck, Guy Tang even adds hair extensions to his "afters" often! :lol:

[*ReiKa*]

I think that, if there is ever gonna be a true protection of the hair during Olaplex, you're gonna notice it yourself afterwards, with time, not immediately after the treatment and especially not when the hairdresser has blow dried your hair. This is the whole reason why I said that I didn't feel like I could give a verdict yet; I wanted to wash my hair at home first and I want to wait also for at least two weeks for my hair to "settle".

[Zenity]

I have been posting at this place too: http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=15676.msg169456#msg169456

I copy my posts there here:


My theory is that for rebuilding those sulfate bonds there has to be sulfates! Is there are very little it cannot bond as many as in a healthy hair that retains most of those sulfates.

(Below is speaking with another user about the dry feeling she had on her hair)

Well, that happened to me with some keratin.
The first time I used it was terrific, but it had a con: it worked so good because an extra added that contained formaldehyde. When the keratin vanished the effects of the formaldedhyde remained. Making my hair straight as a straw and really, really dry.
I used the same brand again without the formaldehyde and felt like nothing was done in my hair.

Recently I used another brand of keratin free of formaldehyde and worked really good. But obviously the results do not last with any keratin or any protein treatment.

With olaplex I am hopping to see improvement over the time. Hopefully it will have "accumulative" properties.
I was thinking on bleaching my hair with Olaplex... but after trying it I do not feel is that "safe" for my hair.

It does feel slightly nicer but not dramatically. Not at all. Obviously not as it has been advertised everywhere.

Overall I feel quite dissapointed with Olaplex.

I think if we think of our hair as a car, olaplex will fix the engine, but not the paint or the gloss of it, or the tires.
So Olaplex can work in the "main" hair shaft, like fixing the engine, the main heart of it. But for the hair to feel and look totally nice, needs extras, like the tires, or the painting in a car.
That is why the Olaplex people say it dos not replace protein or hydration treatments. They complement each other.
I think Olaplex is great for bleaching/processing the hair, as is where it got all the rave reviews and has become a revolutionary product, but is not that great as a treatment by itself.

[carrie30]

It didn't do anything for my hair sadly. Had it done with lowlights after a bad bleach job so was used during a colour correction. Hair is still incredibly damaged, dry and frizzy. I knew it wouldn't 'cure' my hair, but u was hoping to see a bit of improvement in strength and appearance.

[meteor]

I think that, if there is ever gonna be a true protection of the hair during Olaplex, you're gonna notice it yourself afterwards, with time, not immediately after the treatment and especially not when the hairdresser has blow dried your hair. This is the whole reason why I said that I didn't feel like I could give a verdict yet; I wanted to wash my hair at home first and I want to wait also for at least two weeks for my hair to "settle".
^ Absolutely! :agree: I know exactly what you mean, Reika! :D I could never even get the same results from washing hair with the same products that the hairdresser used, so I know it's easy for me to end up comparing apples to oranges. I think hair shows its true condition after a chemical treatment only after some time of regular treatment/handling/styling... It's normal to wait a few weeks (if not months) before confirming to self the results of a treatment. :)


I have been posting at this place too: http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=15676.msg169456#msg169456

Thanks so much, Zenity! :blossom: That link you shared is very helpful - lots of people have tried it over at the Hair Dye Forum by now, so it's super-helpful to read their long-term impressions!

And thanks so much for your helpful update, carrie30!
So sad that it didn't hold up to promises! :(

I'm curious: how does it compare in results to standard protein treatments/reconstructors? Or penetrating oils like coconut oil? :hmm:

[Zenity]

I'm curious: how does it compare in results to standard protein treatments/reconstructors? Or penetrating oils like coconut oil? :hmm:

Easy: hair does not reconstruct itself as the skin or any other organ in the body does.
When it is damaged is damaged, broken. Compare it to a finger nail. They are both made of keratin mainly. Once a finger nail is bronken there is nothing that can bring it back to its natural unbroken state.
In hair, because of its porosity there are many things that can improve its overall condition by bonding with it, filling it, or coating it. When done in a regular basis and over time the general condition of hair can improve, by:
a) filing or coating it
b) preserving the new growth from damage.

Comes to my mind few ingredients known for its benefits and cumulative effects over time: henna and coconut oil. Henna mimiquing the own keratin and coconut oil coating and filling compatible protein to the hair.

Protein/ keratin treatments do fill and fix your hair but do leave your hair as well once stopped.

Protein and most reconstructors do this to hair:
Fill and/or bond temporarily with the hair.

Some other reconstructors coat the hair as the ones that contain silicones and polymers.

Olaplex promises to bond your own hair, not extras added or filling, just adding the bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate that acts like a bridge linking those bonds again. Now, how that traduces in the general condition of your hair i would say that mostly in the strength of it.

If hair was compared to one of those thick chains coated in rubber to secure bycicles and such, I would say olaplex strengthens the actual metal chain (that could be oxydized by the exposure or the weather or by rupture of the rubber coat), permanently, (they claim) while other treatments do so just temporarily or act just at the external part: the rubber coat of the chain, keeping it nice and smooth.

That is why I feel "feeding" your hair with good nutrients you eat, to start with, can make a big difference. Because once is grown, there is not much you can do...

Do I make any sense???? LOL!

[meteor]

^ Oh yes, absolutely! :agree: Thanks a lot, Zenity! :flowers:

I wish that Olaplex thing really worked... But of course, hair is dead so any "repair" is similar to repairing a silk scarf - the best approach is just to protect it from any fraying in the first place. :agree:
There are other products out there that have similar claims to Olaplex, like this DS Laboratories Continuum (http://www.dslaboratories.com/continuum/), another formula under a shroud of secrecy :rolleyes: Have you heard of it, Zenity? :)

Also, I wish I could find more info on the exact mechanism of pre-bleach coconut oil soaks (+ argan oil) and how it prevents some damage. I guess "the proof is in the pudding", as it does visibly reduce damage, but I want to understand more about the chemistry and maybe measurable info about by how much it actually reduces that damage.
It's supposed to chelate iron and copper (and argan oil supposedly chelates more copper than iron, but less effective overall), reducing oxidative damage during color treatments (involving developer/peroxide):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10495
http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=3806.0
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-1-of-3-part-series-on-innovative.html

[Zenity]

I did use coconunt oil the last time I did ombré in my hair. Did it work? Well, something did for sure, but again, it is hard to say without having something to compare, I mean, in order to be objective I should have bleached one strand at least without coconut oil and see how it compared with the one/s bleached.
I recall Ktani speaking a lot about the uses and benefits of coconut oil and reading some science articles reporting its behaviour, results and info about coconut oil and hair back at the time.

[meteor]

^ Oh yes! :agree: It would be so awesome to see some coconut oil specific research in conjunction with peroxide, e.g. similar to what was done with coconut oil pre-wash when it was demonstrated that it reduced keratin loss during washing/combing (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715094).

Something like: a few strands bleached (some pre-soaked in coconut/argan oil, others not) would show it.
I couldn't find the specific P&G research ktani mentioned, but some references talk about the importance of controlling radicals (http://216.35.217.118/assets/files/newsletters/PG_NewsletterXIII_FINAL.pdf), chelating copper, iron, calcium and how it's even more important for damaged hair (http://www.pg.com/en_US/downloads/innovation/factsheet_Pantene_Antiox_final.pdf).

When copper-containing hair is exposed to UV-light or color treatments, free radicals are produced that degrade hair’s vital protein structure, leading to protein deficiency. What’s more, this can be a vicious cycle of damage, as the more copper present in hair, the more damage can occur to the hair shaft. Increased damage to the hair shaft results in additional copper uptake.
(...)
Pantene Scientists have found that damaged hair can intake higher levels of copper compared to hair that is not damaged. The presence of existing damage on hair and copper in hair sends hair into a vicious cycle of copper damage that current products do not address.
It’s a vicious cycle — the more damaged hair becomes, the more copper it can absorb, and the more free radicals can be produced. The result? Broken protein fragments leak from the hair fiber. Hair becomes more porous and protein deficient. (http://appstaging.pantene.com/en-US/hair-science/how-to-detox-your-hair)

But I think they already incorporate this research into their products (e.g. hair dyes or Pantene Antioxidant line with EDDS - for chelating), and they don't say that specifically coconut oil or argan oil does it, so it would be great to experiment with. :hmm:
I would think that manufacturers would immediately jump on this simple opportunity and sell pre-bleach kits with coconut/argan oils and fragrance, but I haven't seen this development, though many dyes do contain oils (GF Olia comes to mind as one of many)...


With pre-bleach coconut oil soaks, did you notice that your hair felt better in the long run as well, Zenity? Or did it sort of wear off?

[meteor]

^ Oh, I forgot to link the studies on chelating & oxidative dyes:

Copper and calcium uptake in colored hair - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19586601

During hair coloring a number of disulfide bonds in cystine are oxidized to create cysteic acid, forming binding sites for metal ions such as Ca(2+ )and Cu(2+ )from tap water. The increased uptake of these metals can have a detrimental impact on fiber properties-for example, reducing shine and causing a poor wet and dry feel. In addition, the increased uptake of copper can also contribute to further fiber damage during subsequent coloring due to its ability to take part in metal-induced radical chemistry.
(...)
Images [...] of the preferential locations of calcium uptake were obtained, showing a high concentration of calcium in the cuticle region of colored hair, specifically in the sulfur-rich regions (A-layer and exocuticle).

The role of chelants in controlling Cu(II)-induced radical chemistry in oxidative hair colouring products - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22950483

These results are explained using metal speciation modelling and demonstrate the importance of the chelant to be able to specifically bind and prevent the one-electron redox chemistry of copper in the presence of high levels of calcium ions as found in hair. The formation of hydroxyl radicals during the colouring process was shown to lead to hair structure damage as measured by protein loss. EDDS was demonstrated to significantly reduce cuticle damage by suppressing the formation of the hydroxyl radicals in systems with realistic concentrations of calcium and copper.

The effects of chelating agents on radical generation in alkaline peroxide systems, and the relevance to substrate damage - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17454134

Results from model cellulose damage experiments broadly confirm the findings for copper, though experiments with Fe(II) lead to somewhat contrasting results.

Hair coloring systems delivering color with reduced fiber damage - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17938825

These highly reactive species are formed from the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with redox metals such as copper, which are thought to be absorbed by the hair from the from-the-tap wash water. Formation of such radical species has been shown to lead to measurable keratin fiber damage. The incorporation of chelants such as N,N'-ethylenediamine disuccinic acid (EDDS) has been demonstrated to prevent this metal-induced radical formation and thus significantly reduce the fiber damage. This chelant is highly effective due to its ability to specifically bind low levels of copper in the presence of relatively high levels of calcium, as is found in hair.

Nothing on coconut oil... (if somebody finds something on how it chelates, please do share! :D) but certainly explains why chelating is important for dying hair and why there are so many professional salon products for pretty strong chelating.

[Zenity]

Meteor, thank you for posting all that valuable information.

As I said it is hard to tell how coconut oil behaved on my hair not having a "control reference" done at the very same time with the very same hair that had no coconut oil on it to compare.
Besides I have bleached my hair with highlights maybe 3 times in my entire life, so I am not really used to the reaction of my hair to exactly know for sure how did that affect the bleaching process.

I can tell you that at the time I did my best to protect my hair from the strong bleaching process. Did it work? sure! as my hair did not fall in pieces! now, was it because of the coconut oil? or because of the low vol peroxide I used or the brand of lightening powder I use, or the protective oil (professional brand) that was used with the bleach?... That I cannot tell.
I know once a professional hairdresser burned my hair, since then decided to become a DIYer and not to trust anyone else with my hair, so... Extra precautions are always welcome.
But yes, my hair resented the bleach anyway. It is agressive, and I believe CO or olaplex or anything else is there to minimaze the agression, not to avoid it, specially since is the result of that agression what we look for when lightening our hair.

-----------------

Olaplex Update: Noticed yesterday by the end of the day that my hair was straighter.
I have done nothigh since the olaplex. Air dry, wearing a messy updo or a bun, everything as always...
Yet, my hair that has been mostly straight since I can remember, except when changing texture with greys that become coarser, started to curl up a little, making sligh waves. My hair has always being straighter in dry weather and wavy/frizzy in humidity enviroments.

Ok, so nothing change since my olaplex, nor the weather (indeed it has been raining here) nor my routine or care with my hair, nor the texture of my hair dramatically (yes, it feels nice and soft but not beyond any condinitoner effect) nor the look of my frizzy, crazy hair, but! it is straighter!!! I am kind of surprised!!! So it has to be the Olaplex!...
maybe it will have cumulative effects with more applications (I hope so!)
I will keep you posted.

[meteor]

^ Thanks so much, Zenity! :flowers:

When you say your hair got straighter with Olaplex, do you mean straighter than your natural (virgin-hair) texture? Or do you mean closer to your natural straight texture (pre-bleach)?
Bleach (or any damaging practice) can really change the texture quite a bit (waves can get frizzy, curls can kind of "relax", straight hair can turn slightly "wavier"/frizzier, etc...), so if Olaplex keeps the texture closer to its natural state, I guess it's a great sign that the keratin didn't get as damaged with bleach. :thumbsup:

[*Stella*]

I think Olaplex has made my hair straighter. My natural texture pre-bleaching is about a 3a/F/iii, with extremely fine strands. It is fully bleached, to a level 10/white blonde and the bleach plus the length (waist length) pull the curl to more of a 2b/c.
I have recently done 4 stand alone Olaplex treatments and would say my hair is closer to a 2a now. It could be coincidence, and TBH I don't ever encourage the curl in my hair, I try and get it as straight as possible without heat.

Other than the added straightness (which is a huge bonus for me, but could be devastating for curly hair fans) I have seen no change at all in my hairs condition.
To say I am disappointed is putting it mildly. A stylist friend (who has had great results with Olaplex on her clients and is a huge fan of the product) contacted Olaplex about why it hasn't worked for me. (Her words)
"Eric (Pressly) said, and Jordan (Alexander,the VP of Education at Olaplex) agreed, that the thiols on your ends could be oxidized and permanently damaged. That with the age of your hair, that your single sulfur hydrogen bonds have already paired with 3 oxygen molecules, making it too late for Olaplex to prevent that reaction, too late to pair that single sulfur hydrogen with a single oxygen molecule. When the sulfur hydrogen pairs with 3 oxygen molecules it creates SO3 (a sulfate group), which will then go on to create cystic acid. Cystic acid will then eat the protein out of the hair."
This seems like a reasonable explanation, except the Olaplex hasn't improved/changed the condition of the younger hair nearer my roots either. So I am still a little sceptical TBH.
I have yet to try it with bleach, but plan on trying it on some strand tests with and without Olaplex and taking pics, which i will be happy to share.

"

[meteor]

^ Thank you so very much, *Stella*! :flowers: That's super-helpful review!
I'm so sorry that it didn't do anything for you, though! :(


So I am still a little sceptical TBH.
I have yet to try it with bleach, but plan on trying it on some strand tests with and without Olaplex and taking pics, which i will be happy to share.
Wow, thank you so much! :) No pressure, of course, but that experiment would be so awesome!! :applause

[Zenity]

^ Thanks so much, Zenity! :flowers:

When you say your hair got straighter with Olaplex, do you mean straighter than your natural (virgin-hair) texture? Or do you mean closer to your natural straight texture (pre-bleach)?
Bleach (or any damaging practice) can really change the texture quite a bit (waves can get frizzy, curls can kind of "relax", straight hair can turn slightly "wavier"/frizzier, etc...), so if Olaplex keeps the texture closer to its natural state, I guess it's a great sign that the keratin didn't get as damaged with bleach. :thumbsup:

Okay, let me make myself clear.
I DO NOT have any bleach on my hair now. I JUST color the roots and that's it. Actually I color it in a way that my own greys give me "highlights" in contrast with the natural hair color. I do a concontion of wella color-touch and l'oreal majirel with 13% peroxide to give my greys a nice ashy shade that contrast slightly with my own dark brown color.

When mentioning bleaching was about using CO and how it worked for me.

Said this, my hair, virgin and younger, was mostly straight but it easy to take any shape, as in braids, or buns. Top layer has always been frizzier than the under layers and in general was straigh type.
Since the las time I cut it short, (the haridresser that melted my hair with bleach) was never as before. Also more greys have been showing over the years on my top layer, meaning the structure of my hair itself has changed, becoming way more frizzy, coarser and wiry than ever on my top layer. Also dying my hair, even with non super-agresive products and only at the roots, does not help.
So I noticed it would become "wavy" at the beach for an instance, when dry it will have beach waves, and after washing it at home, when air dry is will be wavy.
Also, immediatelly after washing my hair it will be way more puffy and frizzy than a day or 2 after. It needs some time to settle down, and I suspect, sleeping is like "ironing" my hair as it looks like, somehow, tames my hair down.

So yes, the day after the olaplex, my hair was exactly as pre-olaplex, yet 2 days after, it is straighetr, closer to my original-virgin hair yet ages away to how it was, looked and felt.

Tonight I have done my roots and noticed a weird thing: the color seems much darker!!! I swear I did not change the formula of my concoction or anything along the process. After washing the dye out i have done an Olaplex n.2 treatment and let it on my hair for few hours. I thought that maybe after washing it out for the second time the color would get lighter again. Nope! my roots look darker.
I will double check tomorrow in daylight and with my hair completelly dry.

[Zenity]

A stylist friend (who has had great results with Olaplex on her clients and is a huge fan of the product) contacted Olaplex about why it hasn't worked for me. (Her words)

"Eric (Pressly) said, and Jordan (Alexander,the VP of Education at Olaplex) agreed, that the thiols on your ends could be oxidized and permanently damaged. That with the age of your hair, that your single sulfur hydrogen bonds have already paired with 3 oxygen molecules, making it too late for Olaplex to prevent that reaction, too late to pair that single sulfur hydrogen with a single oxygen molecule. When the sulfur hydrogen pairs with 3 oxygen molecules it creates SO3 (a sulfate group), which will then go on to create cystic acid. Cystic acid will then eat the protein out of the hair."
This seems like a reasonable explanation, except the Olaplex hasn't improved/changed the condition of the younger hair nearer my roots either. So I am still a little sceptical TBH.
I have yet to try it with bleach, but plan on trying it on some strand tests with and without Olaplex and taking pics, which i will be happy to share.

"

Stella THANK YOU so much for posting this information, it does make sense and explains why it might not be working for some people, except I do agree with you that in your new/younger hair something should had happened.

This is kind of weird.
I do think Olaplex should warn people about some potential cases in which could not work as it is too late for the product to actually have anything to fix. And I wonder if in that case protein + Olaplex would give better results.

[meteor]

^ Thanks so much, Zenity! :D I got it! :thumbsup:
Wow, it's so odd that the hair color in the roots area got darker... :hmm: Maybe it's worth asking Olaplex customer service about this phenomenon?

[Zenity]

Hmmmmm I don't know... It is "slightly" darker... I have to check tomorrow in day light to make sure it really IS darker.
I recall watching some of Olaplex webinars and they mentioned the dyes would seem more intense, brighter and last longer when used with Olaplex. It could be the case.

[SThr]

I used Olaplex about 6 weeks ago and it's definitely felt nicer since then. I haven't been great about using the no 3 treatment, but I've since bleached my ends to dye them pink, and the very tips of my hair have been bleached even further to near white, and I have much, much less damage than I expected. I have found one single hair broken, and that was from when I forgot that my hair was still in foils and over bleached it. I will probably get another stand alone treatment and redo it in the coming weeks since I'm being pretty hard on my hair, else I'll trim off the over processed inch or so.
10/10 would do again (in conjunction with a protein treatment followed by a deep condition)

[meteor]

^ Great stuff! :D
And if you don't mind me asking, which protein treatment/deep condition do you like to use post-bleach? :)

[SThr]

^ Great stuff! :D
And if you don't mind me asking, which protein treatment/deep condition do you like to use post-bleach? :)

I've been using henna and placenta as my protein treatment and pantene intensely hydrated masque as my deep condition. In both cases I leave them on for around half an hour and rinse with warm water.

[meteor]

^ Great! :D Thanks a lot for that, SThr! :flowers:

[Zenity]

Very intesting about damaged hair: http://beauty-review.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/A-study-of-damaged-hair.pdf

Apparently whas causes most damage in our everyday routines to hair is rubbing it when washing it.


---------------------


Olaplex update: yup, my hair is straight even after wearing a bun. That makes me nervous because the only time that happened to my hair was due the use of formaldehyde contained in one keratin treatment.

Found this: http://www.philipkingsley.co.uk/hair-guide/hair-science/the-biology-of-your-hair/


While the curliness (or straightness) of your hair depends on the shape of the follicle, it’s the disulphide bonds that keep the hair in the shape it was formed, and they can only be altered by perming or relaxing.

Also this is related to gray hair and UV light that does apply directly to me, from the book Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair:https://books.google.es/books?id=WLq0mUHSU7cC&pg=PA121&lpg=PA121&dq=Therefore,+lightly+pigmented+hairs+exposed+to+u ltraviolet+radiation+for+a+sufficient+period+will+ show+lower+levels+of+cysteine+and+correspondingly+ higher+levels+of+cysteic+acid&source=bl&ots=3xitJadM9s&sig=naT6TyYjyu4mn19aeRHnSycM8Ls&hl=es&sa=X&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAGoVChMIsJTAlLzdxwIVxlsUCh3HgQCq#v=on epage&q=Therefore%2C%20lightly%20pigmented%20hairs%20exp osed%20to%20ultraviolet%20radiation%20for%20a%20su fficient%20period%20will%20show%20lower%20levels%2 0of%20cysteine%20and%20correspondingly%20higher%20 levels%20of%20cysteic%20acid&f=false


Less pigmented hairs, such as gray hairs [68], blonde hair or bleached hairs are also more sensitive to light radiation than heavily pigmented hairs. Therefore, lightly pigmented hairs exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a sufficient period will show lower levels of cystine and correspondingly higher levels of cysteic acid particularly in their outer layers when compared to heavily pigmented hairs. In addition damage to the cell membrane complex and tryptophan and other amino acids should occur at a faster rate in gray hair vs. heavily pigmented hairs. Such exposed gray fibers will also provide lower tensile stresses to achieve a given strain level in load-elongation tests and lower bending stiffness see Chap. 5 in Hair Pigment Structure and Chemical Oxidation.

So if Cysteic acid is formed on grey hair exposed to UV light and Olaplex cannot fix it

the thiols on your ends could be oxidized and permanently damaged. That with the age of your hair, that your single sulfur hydrogen bonds have already paired with 3 oxygen molecules, making it too late for Olaplex to prevent that reaction, too late to pair that single sulfur hydrogen with a single oxygen molecule. When the sulfur hydrogen pairs with 3 oxygen molecules it creates SO3 (a sulfate group), which will then go on to create cystic acid. Cystic acid will then eat the protein out of the hair."

That is the answer to why I did not notice much improvement on my hair's worse part: the top layer

----------------------------

Color: yes, it looks darker on the roots I touched up yesterday. I would say that I am use to the color to fade and loose intensity when I wash it out, but it looks like more color has been reatined this time. I will check on progress and fading over the next weeks.
That actually sucks! because one of the things I really liked about coloring my hair this way was that, by doing only roots, and letting the color strip away as it grows gives me a much more natural blending on my greys, that look blonder than the rest of my hair, resulting in a tridimensional color and a very natural effect without having to do highlights and such.
We will see.

As per the texture, is prettty much the same: super nice and soft at the bottom layers with no grey and super frizzy and wiry at the top layer.

I might do a keratin treatment soon.

[meteor]

^ Wow, that's very interesting, Zenity! Thank you so much for sharing! :flowers:
I didn't know about that difference between white hair and pigmented hair... Interesting stuff! :thumbsup:

[Zenity]

Yes! That does not only apply to greys, but to blondes and bleached hairs, so it is something to keep in mind when exposing your hair to UV lights.


An interesting study on hair damage:

http://beauty-review.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/A-study-of-damaged-hair.pdf

[Zenity]

Thanks to Wicked Pixie from the other forum who directed me to this link:http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=15661.25

I have found alternative ways to apply olaplex (quoting katiesiepierski)


I personally find using just No1 and water really hard to apply and I feel like I waste it sometimes, mix No1 in with No2, like 1oz 2 to 1/4 oz No1 and use that as your treatment, you can even mix a little bit of water in to make it go farther. Be sure you're really saturating the hair well with it, using the creme form of No2 really helps make it "stick" for lack of a better term. Make sure your hair is clarified beforehand, don't condition, towel dry it so it's damp, then apply, and I always leave it on until it dries. A minimum of an hour with your hair I'd say to leave it on.

Sometimes with the first treatment you don't get that huge wow factor, it all depends on the hair. With some hair the first treatment, sometimes even the 2nd doesn't make a dramatic difference that you can feel, it's working internally, starting the repairing process. With every application you still have the repairs from the previous applications (obviously except for any damage you may have gotten since then), so you're getting more and more repairs every time, until at a point there's really not anything left to repair (which every time we touch our hair we are breaking bonds pretty much, but for the MOST part it's pretty much all repaired) and it's just maintaining that health from then on.


-----------------

I did a keratin treatment and my hair "seems" now to be wavy and textured as pre-olaplex, except that now is way less frizzy and coarse. Much more soft and manageable, as it does happen when I do a keratin treatment.

[meteor]

^ Great tip by katiesiepierski! :thumbsup: Thanks so much for sharing! :blossom:
And which keratin treatment did you do, Zenity? :)

[Zenity]

Is one of the healthy keratins, (no formaldehyde) really nice and easy to apply: Unic keratin.
Love, love, love how simple is to use it! The one I used before took hours with my lenght - brushing and ironing - besides it did have harmful chemicals. This one does have some chemicals, of course, but is much easier to apply, less time consuming and delivers great results.

[meteor]

^ Oh great! :D

And if you still have Olaplex left since your previous treatments, it might be worth using it before keratin straightening like that, to reduce any potential damage. According to their website (http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public):


Keratin Treatments:
The Olaplex System works great with keratin treatments. Due to these treatments smoothing and sealing the cuticle, we recommend doing the Olaplex Bond Strengthening Service beforehand.
- Perform the Bond Strengthening Service - Mix up 15% of the Olaplex Bond Multiplier No.1 and 85% water in an applicator bottle. Apply all over at the shampoo bowl and saturate thoroughly. Leave on for 5 minutes and without rinsing, layer the Olaplex No. 2 Bond Perfector over and comb through thoroughly. Leave on for an additional 10 to 20 minutes.
- Thoroughly use clarifying shampoo

[*ReiKa*]

I used Olaplex n.3 three days ago and wasn't too happy with how my hair turned out.
I dunno, it looked so frizzy, and static-y.
When I rinsed my hair from it it felt so smooth and slippery, but then I dried it and, meh, it wasn't great.
I think I'm suffering from build-up too by the way, cos I'm having some trouble detangling my hair.
Does this treatment impart some kind of proteins anyway? Or it behaves like one? is it possible that it makes the hair stiffer? cos it feels like it, my hair ain't elastic when I detangle it, it tends to snap instead.
Probably a SMT on my next wash is a good idea, don't you think?

I wanna finish the bottle but I feel afraid that I'm going to get the same result again.

[Zenity]

I would clarify first to remove possible build up. Then do whatever suits you either olaplex or SMT.
It does not contain any protein. Check olaplex FAQ for further information.

[Zenity]

^ Oh great! :D

And if you still have Olaplex left since your previous treatments, it might be worth using it before keratin straightening like that, to reduce any potential damage. According to their website (http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public):

Is exactly what I did.
i didn't have enough keratin to do my whole hair, so I did what I could.

After the keratin my hair gained its previous shape, somehow wavier.

A couple of days after I did another Olaplex using katiesiepierski mehtod. I also cut a big chunk from my ends, it was hips lenght and now is under my bra.

My hair, air dried still looks frizzy at the canopy and top layer. Yet it feel super-nice at the under layers, shinny and super-healthy.

So, in my ok hair everything has enhance it, in my greys-dry hair, not so much difference in appeareance and little bit in how it feels.

Also, my top layer from the crown to ear lenght feels and looks way better than before. Probably being the most recent grow wasn't as damage as the older lenght and ir shows improvement.

That gives me hope on keep taking care of my hair. I have to confess that I have been neglecting it so much, not realizing that it has changed and does need "special care". So, having olaplex at home I think I will do one or two treatments per month in my hair and definetely take good care of the new growth. For the lenght I will do keratin treatments and oils and proteins... as I realize greys do need something to fill them and the colored hair needs help too. It is a long run commitment but is worth to try. Otherwise I will end up chopping it, but before I want to use all the products and stuff I have around.

[*Stella*]

I used Olaplex n.3 three days ago and wasn't too happy with how my hair turned out.
I dunno, it looked so frizzy, and static-y.
When I rinsed my hair from it it felt so smooth and slippery, but then I dried it and, meh, it wasn't great.
I think I'm suffering from build-up too by the way, cos I'm having some trouble detangling my hair.
Does this treatment impart some kind of proteins anyway? Or it behaves like one? is it possible that it makes the hair stiffer? cos it feels like it, my hair ain't elastic when I detangle it, it tends to snap instead.
Probably a SMT on my next wash is a good idea, don't you think?

I wanna finish the bottle but I feel afraid that I'm going to get the same result again.

I think it made my ends a little stiffer. Hard to judge as my hair is fine and floppy usually. The stiffness seemed to wear off in a few days though.
I had some strands from before the Olaplex and compared the strength by snapping. The Pre-olaplex strands and the Olaplexed 3 times strands snap under the same amount of pressure. This is why I don't think it has made my hair any stronger.

[*ReiKa*]

Mine hasn't really worn off and I washed it normally today but it seems to me to be as stiff as before.
It makes me uncomfortable, cos I'm used to very elastic hair that take little time to detangle.. and also I'm sure that I'm breaking a lot of hair, I can "hear" it.. so, next wash I'm gonna clarify and SMT it absolutely.

[*Stella*]

I find the loss of elasticity interesting, as mine didn't have much before due to being bleached. Lots of tangling and snapping is my normal, that I was hoping the Olaplex would improve.

[leilani]

I'm glad you guys are posting, it's invaluable information!

[*ReiKa*]

I find the loss of elasticity interesting, as mine didn't have much before due to being bleached. Lots of tangling and snapping is my normal, that I was hoping the Olaplex would improve.

I don't think Olaplex is capable of improving elasticity of the hair, actually, it isn't its job at all, it provides the opposite, since anything that strenghtens the hair (or that aims to do so) will result in stiffness (for a while). Just like proteins. So I think it's very wrong to expect Olaplex to give you elasticity.
There are quite some products in the market that provide good slip and elasticity to the hair, especially bleached hair, the first that comes up to my mind is Philip Kingsley's Elasticizer.

[*Stella*]

Not sure I agree with that logic TBH. It isn't adding something to the hair like protein reconstructors do, it just links up the broken bonds that are already in the hair. You can't really compare Olaplex to other hair products as nothing works in the same way.

[*Stella*]

It was actually the tangling and snapping I was hoping it would help with, I don't really expect bleached hair to have the elasticity of virgin hair. I found it interesting that you felt you had lost elasticity, mine is exactly the same as before.

[*ReiKa*]

I tend to think that anything that aims to strenghten your hair will result in stiffness. That's what I established with my own experience.
That's why I asked "Could a Olaplex treatment behave as a protein treatment?", not saying that it does what a protein treatment does, but more suggesting that maybe the results are similar, in terms of elasticity afterwards, not in terms of what they impart and do to the hair. I know that they do different things, but maybe this "reconstruction" of sulfur bonds too results in stiffer hair.

[Zenity]

My update, actually, updates, as I have to report on dry, wiry, coarse grey and semi-virgin hair.

After chopping 6-7 inches of my ends, 2 olaplex stand alone treatments (and 1 only with n.2), a keratin treatment and applying coconut oil after washing and on pre-washing the conditon of my hair seems to be really nice.

On my greys: looks like they are "behaving" more like my natural color hair, actually I have noticed they have improved in terms of retaining humidity. Before they, along with my ends, would dry super-fast when air dried while my virgin color hair would take way longer to dry.
Now all my hair seems to be drying at the same time and holding humidity much better. I take that as a good sign, as my colored hair does take longer to dry. It also looks like greys absorb coconut oil, hair masks or any other products much more than before.
Its appereance is not as silky and smooth as the virgin hair. Still frizzy and fly aways, but with it has improved too.

On my semi-virgin hair: if feels like heaven. Super-soft, nice, shiny and healthy

Notice that I call it semi-virgin, because when I color my roots I do all my scalp, but not all my hair. That means that my natural colored hair does get some dye too, but that does seem to afect it in a negative way although I am aware it is not 100% virgin .

All my hair has regained its wawy texture. Not super-straight at all. I noticed that after doing the keratin.

I need to figure out a formula that works for both of my hair types: greys and semivirgin.
Thankfully greys are on my canopy and that would make easier to apply olaplex, proteins or whatever mostly there without saturating my semi-virgin hair when needed.

Reika I have been testing my own hair elasticity and it doesn't seem to be more elastic than before, at least not my greys. I am not sure about the stiffness... but It could be the case.

Also, my hair does not tangle and snap that easily at all.
Probably the combination of all the things I've done helped to really make it a little bit healthier.

[AutobotsAttack]

I honestly forgot if I've commented here already lol.
But I've been following a blog of an African American woman who just uses the Olaplex system as it is. Without mixing it with a chemical or color or anything. She says it's a heck of a lot better just by itself because there's no chemical to undo its purpose I suppose? But she said it pretty much diminished her breakage. So I think it would be best if people used it just by itself as an after treatment? I've been saving to buy all the steps. But I'm nervous because I'm not sure how my hair is gonna react to it. :shrug:

[Zenity]

Why don't you strand test first?
If you can get one sample of olaples that would be wiser.

I do not think is going to make your hair weaker or ruined it.

I have just read that olaplex doesn't beahave well with Aveda http://www.hairbrained.me/group/haircolormagicwithlupevoss/forum/topics/olaplex-and-aveda-tried-it-having-issues
and some direct dyes, Pravana to be exact: https://www.reddit.com/r/FancyFollicles/comments/2ysn2q/olaplex_burned_my_hair_off/

So just make sure you clarify to remove any build up from your hair previous application of Olaplex and then you could test it.

[Colochita]

I honestly forgot if I've commented here already lol.
But I've been following a blog of an African American woman who just uses the Olaplex system as it is. Without mixing it with a chemical or color or anything. She says it's a heck of a lot better just by itself because there's no chemical to undo its purpose I suppose? But she said it pretty much diminished her breakage. So I think it would be best if people used it just by itself as an after treatment? I've been saving to buy all the steps. But I'm nervous because I'm not sure how my hair is gonna react to it. :shrug:

Would you mind mentioning the name of the blog? I'm thinking about using it the same way.

[Zenity]

Extract from:http://www.labmuffin.com/2015/04/how-does-olaplex-hair-treatment-work/


If the hair was virgin/healthy- our experience showed us that- We wouldn’t recommend these products -They slowed the colour development and affected the end result, in some cases the colour development didn’t work at all!

If the hair is fine and healthy the cuticle layer is very tightly shut and a ‘Plex’ treatment will add a barrier and we have seen a bleach application with 12% barely lighten the hair.

In my experience during this trail with these products they have a limited place but it is not a Miracle cure that Marketing would have it be.

The Plex’s ingredient if over used can make the hair feel brittle, was something we defiantly saw in our Trial clients hair

It does seem penetrate the cuticle layer and the ingredient seemed to act like a support system for the disulphide bond, this however is not permanent and it
left the hair and the damage already existing remained in all the cases we saw.

[*ReiKa*]

Interesting, Zenity, thanks.
Funnily enough, my instant thought when I applied the n.3 was: "isn't it maybe too soon?", cos it was just a week after the bleaching with Olaplex. And because in my mind I kept thinking that Olaplex strenghtens the hair (strenghtening=more resilient hair, somewhat "harder"), I thought that maybe that wasn't a good idea, just in the way that it happens with a protein overload. Too much strenghtening stuff = stiff, hard hair.
Now, I don't know what the n.3 at home treatment does exactly (reconstructing more bonds? sorry, don't know), BUT, regardless of this, what I'm saying is, maybe it wasn't necessary and it did strenghten my hair that bit too much that made it stiffer/brittle.

[meteor]

^ Very interesting! :D Thanks for sharing, Zenity! :D


Also, the same page had something else interesting mentioned, also in the comments section:


Olapex Represenative: I apologize about such a terrible experience you have had with your hair. [...]
As for lightener, it may also be added directly in as well. By doing so, you are actually able to rebuild bonds as they are being broken during the lightener process. When you lighten hair, you lose about 50% of the bonds. The next time you lighten, you lose about 50% of the 50% leaving you with 25%. It gets exponentially worse from there. By adding Olaplex to your lightener, you are actually able to rebuild at the same time allowing you to push hair farther so there are more bonds to be broken. So instead of initial 50% or so, your losing 10% give or take dependent on hair type etc leaving you with the ability to push hair farther. I can get into specifics of mixing etc if you like as well, this is just a generalized explanation.

http://www.labmuffin.com/2015/04/how-does-olaplex-hair-treatment-work/ (http://www.labmuffin.com/2015/04/how-does-olaplex-hair-treatment-work/)

I'm very skeptical about the percentages the sales rep mentioned, by the way, but it does seem to somewhat negate their "Never Break Another Hair Again" marketing claim, doesn't it?
Also, I'm not a fan of the idea of bumping up the developer by 10 Vol. every time one uses Olaplex... I wonder how the added damage from increasing developer vol. compares to the added protection provided by Olaplex. :hmm:

[*Stella*]

Olaplex's marketing has been extremely misleading.
It clearly states in the user instructions to not lighten hair with Olaplex that you would not normally lighten. So if the hair is too damaged to bleach, Olaplex will not stop the hair from being wrecked if you decide to proceed. There is no product that can make multiple processing safe.

As for increasing the volume of peroxide, that is purely to counteract the dilution factor from adding the Olaplex, so a sledgehammer to crack a nut

[leilani]

Hmmmm. Disappointing.

[*ReiKa*]

It's been more than a month since my bleaching process with Olaplex so, I'd like to make the review I promised you.

For those that don't remember, I went to a salon and got a balayage done with Olaplex. My hair was healthy, not 100% virgin (I had done a semi one year ago) but yeah, in solid good condition. I decided to use Olaplex as a prevention, thinking that it would be better than using just traditional "raw" bleach.

So, how's my hair now?
My hair is ok. But I gotta be honest here, it's not EXACTLY the same as it was before bleaching it.
Something I totally expected, when you bleach your hair you can't just expect that it'll be the same.
What Olaplex did, in my opinion, was preventing that my hair core got damaged even more, so on the inside. I truly believe that it manages to keep it as strong as possible, but you will see the effects of bleach on the outside. My bleached hair is thinner than my untouched hair.
Which is just understandable, bleach lightens your hair by "scraping" the it somewhat.
So overall, I'm not disappointed with my Olaplex experience. It could have been worse.
I think that it's very important to know that it won't do miracles, but it will definitely try to minimize the damage that bleach does on its own. I'm convinced that my hair would be in a worse condition without Olaplex, because I have bleached my hair in the past and I know what it does.

[Zenity]

Best explanation so far about what to expect from olapalex on your hair
http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=15676.50


katiesiepierski

There's always going to be broken disulfide bonds in the hair, there's millions of disulfide bonds in our hair. Like I mentioned, damage happens in two steps -first the disulfide bond breaks, then later in time, it pairs with 3 oxygen molecules, creating SO3, which creates cystic acid, which eats away at the protein in the hair. Olaplex intervenes to prevent that 2nd part from happening. If you don't have many broken disulfide bonds, it'll repair them, but you're not going to see a super dramatic change because you didn't have much broken bonds to begin with. Likewise, if your broken disulfide bonds have already negatively arranged, Olaplex can't help those specific bonds. Just because your disulfide bonds have already negatively arranged doesn't mean that your hair is fried. It's the Amount of broken disulfide bonds you had that will determine that.

Like with Wicked pixie, her hair is very long, what broken disulfide bonds she had over the years have already negatively arranged, but she takes fabulous care of her hair, so it's not likely she has many broken disulfide bonds on her "younger" hair, which is why she's not seeing a difference really. If she took care of her hair like the average person - heat styling, sulfates all the time, silicones, hairspray, back combing, heat styling, etc, she would have more recent accumulated broken disulfide bonds, and she'd see a huge difference, getting her to the state her hair is in now, which is it's highest state of health possible. Olaplex cannot fix damage that has become permanent (negatively arranged), it will repair any disulfide bonds that are currently broken though. The important thing to remember is that the level of difference you'll see all depends on how many broken disulfide bonds you have. If you take good care of your hair and don't have many broken disulfide bonds, you're not going to see a dramatic difference. If you abuse your hair more daily, you have more broken disulfide bonds, you're going to see a bigger difference. If your damage is very old, like say you overprocesssed it years ago and that's grown out to your ends, it's likely those broken disulfide bonds have already negatively arranged and have eaten the protein from that specific area.

I really hope I don't sound confusing, I'm just trying to explain why most people see a dramatic change, but some don't. It all depends on how many broken disulfide bonds you have, that amount directly reflects the results you'll see from Olaplex. If your bonds have already arranged negatively, olaplex cannot fix that. or if you have a low % of broken disulfide bonds compared to unbroken, you won't see a huge difference. If you have a higher % of broken disulfide bonds that haven't negatively arranged, you're going to see a bigger difference. The older the damage, the less likely those bonds are still freely broken, they're likely already negatively arranged. The better care you take of your hair, the less broken disulfide bonds you're going to have.

There's always going to be some broken disulfide bonds no matter how well you take care of your hair. The % of broken bonds you'll have depends directly on the daily stresses you inflict upon your hair.

And Olaplex cannot alter our pre determined texture of our hair. Greys can often be wiry, frizz out, feel coarse, some hair is naturally porous, some hair isn't, which goes into other reasons someone may not be seeing a huge change Zenity - there could be mineral deposits, product residue, etc.

I'm not sure if it's available in other countries, but Ion has a Crystal Clarifying Treatment for mineral deposits, it's identical to the professional Malibu C Crystal gel treatment, plus a few more ingredients. mineral deposits can make hair very dry, discolored, they can oxidize in the hair just like they would anywhere else on earth. The air can oxidize them, water, hydrogen peroxide, etc. These deposits can hinder Olaplex, oils, conditioners, etc from penetrating. So can residue from products like silicones, artificial copolymers, waxes, heavy surface coating oils, etc. So it is always a possibility someone could have mineral deposits, and if you're aware of the ingredients in the products you're using you'll know if it's possible product buildup or not.

To anyone ever experiencing less noticeable results, always consider what the actual health of your hair is- the amount of broken disulfide bonds you likely have which is dependent upon the stresses you put your hair through daily, and to consider the age of the hair and it's damage. Troubleshooting wise, I always recommend doing a chelating treatment, and clarifying, And be sure you're applying Olaplex liberally to completely clean, product free hair. If you don't see a big change still, it's either because your bonds have already negatively arranged, or you don't have many broken disulfide bonds to begin with, or both.


And my update:

Zenity


Other than you, I have found nothing online or from the olaplex info itself explaining how it works in such detail.

Thank you soooo much!!!!

Actually my hair feels and looks much better since starting this trip. I have to say that other than coloring my roots no extra damage has been done to my long hair over the last years. No mor than the actual sun from the beach. No heat, bleach, wearing it in updos and protective styles, yet neglecting it a lot.
I have done 4 olaplex treatments so far plus one keratin treatment and I do use CO and intense moisturizing deep treatments. Also i chopped a big chunk of my ends that i believe were damaged to no reversal stage i am afraid...The texture on my hair has improved a lot, it feels and looks better, also it has some "weight" on my greys that was inexistent before.

I think in my case olaplex can help with my greys in the new growth, to prevent further damage noticing how fragile they are.
Will keep experimenting to adjust the formula that works better for me.

Also I have started wearing a tucked in french braid as a protective hair style and I really love how it holds my hair in place without adding any tension from pulling (as a regular bun does) and keeps the more damaged layer of my hair (the top one) wrapped under the healthiest and much better looking side layers if my hair.

I guess I will have to wait few months to see "real" results in my new growth.

Thanks again for your valuable input.

[spotsb4myiz]

I just had my hair highlighted using olaplex 1 and 2. Now I'm confused as to what I should use. Do I continue to use Olaplex 2 as a conditioner and olaplex 3 as a weekly deep conditioner? I'm really mixed up with what I should purchase for maintenance? Can anyone guide me?

[meteor]

I just had my hair highlighted using olaplex 1 and 2. Now I'm confused as to what I should use. Do I continue to use Olaplex 2 as a conditioner and olaplex 3 as a weekly deep conditioner? I'm really mixed up with what I should purchase for maintenance? Can anyone guide me?

I haven't tried it, but I would choose Number 2 over Number 3, if that's an option. :) You could use both, but they are similar, and number 2 is for salon treatments, while # 3 is for clients to take home.
Both are supposed to be applied kind of like a masque: on towel-dried hair, 10-20 minutes (or longer for very compromised hair), then rinse, shampoo and condition. http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public underlines that it's not a conditioner, so don't forget to moisturize properly after.

The ingredients lists in both #2 and #3 are the same, but % concentrations of the bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate (main ingredient in Olaplex) could be different? :hmm:
This is what I found in the discussion here: http://www.labmuffin.com/2015/04/how-does-olaplex-hair-treatment-work/
You could contact Olaplex (http://www.olaplex.com/pages/faq-public)to check, to be sure. :)

Olaplex states that the percentages of active ingredient are 100% in No. 1, 15% in No. 2, and 12.5% in No. 3. No. 1 contains only water and bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate. No. 2 and No. 3 contain additional ingredients, and have the exact same list of ingredients.
Olaplex’s directions for a standalone treatment include saturating dry hair with a mix of 15% No. 1 and 85% water, i.e. 1/2 oz (15 ml) of No. 1 and 3 oz (90 ml) of water, or 1/4 oz No. 1 and 1.5 oz water, etc.
Scientifically, there’s no need for a 3-step system. One could simply apply No. 1 (diluted to 15%) or No. 2 (already 15% in bottle) or No. 3 (already 12.5% in bottle) individually and repeatedly. In fact, Olaplex states that it’s fine to use each step individually and repeatedly if you run out of a certain step.



Ingredients of both #2 and #3: Water, Bis-Aminopropyl Digycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinol Palmitate (Vitamin A), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phytantriol, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Wheat Amino Acids, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Quaternium-91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Magnesium Nitrate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone, Etidronic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil.

[diddiedaisy]

I've just ordered some olaplex. I probably won't use it for a few weeks until I do my roots, but it will give me chance to work out how best to use it. I use box dye in light ash blonde, I don't use the lightest ones. However, as all of the companies I have emailed will not tell me the volume of peroxide used, it would make adding no. 1 to the dye a bit hit and miss.

I have read that some people have used 1 & 2 without putting in the dye so I may go that way.

I will update when I've used it.

[Scarlet_Celt]

I bought Olaplex no. 3 to use at home as a standalone treatment, and I've used it once a week for the past 4 weeks. I paid £30 for a 100ml bottle, and at first I thought this bottle would only last me one or two applications. However, I still have over 50% of the bottle left, so I am pleasantly surprised by how much product is needed to treat all of my hair. Before each treatment I've washed my hair with shampoo, and then towel dried it and applied the no. 3 for approximately 30 minutes, then washed out and applied my preferred conditioner. My hair is 100% virgin, but I figured that it can't hurt to give my hair some tlc, especially coming into the Winter period. In terms of results, there hasn't been a huge change in the health of my hair, which is realistic given that it was already in good condition. I have noticed improvements both in terms of how it feels and looks, and will definitely repurchase it when I run out. Obviously Olaplex is relatively expensive, so if you're on a tight budget and your hair is in good condition, it might not be something that you think is worth adding to your routine. However, if your hair's health is compromised from bleach/dye/heat styling, or you just want to give your hair an extra bit of pampering, then I'd definitely recommend trying Olaplex. I would love to try no. 1 and no. 2, but there are no salons in my area that stock it yet.

[jazzhands]

For those who've used it, does it reduce frizz as well?

[diddiedaisy]

Ok, so here's my update.

I dyed my hair a few days ago. I use box dye level 9. I put about 3ml of no 1 in the dye of which I have no idea of the peroxide level in. I rinsed and applied 7.5ml of no 2.

My hair came out a little darker than usual but that's not a problem as it will lighten up again over time.

My hair was already soft and shiny, but elasticy is low so it could be stronger. At the moment I haven't noticed a difference in my hair, but as it wasn't severely damaged to start with I didn't expect to visibly see a difference. What I am expecting is my hair to become stronger. I have enough no 2 and enough no 3 to do about 4 weekly treatments.

I have read that some people need a couple of treatments before they feel of see a difference and I am hoping to fall into that catagory. I will be keeping my eyes open for a reduction in the shorter pieces of hair that fall when I brush my hair. Some of these though have a root and tapered end so I think some of them are just short terminal hairs.

If I do get stronger hair after these next four treatments, I will purchase the no 3 again. I will update again in a couple of weeks.

[diddiedaisy]

Update.

I used the first lot of olaplex on Tuesday but didn't really notice a difference. Being impatient I applied no 2 last night (Saturday) onto clean dry hair. I only used about 5ml and I left it on overnight.

I washed my hair this morning and left it to air dry. This time I can see a difference. The last couple of inches are quite dry and would air dry with a bat of an eyelash. This morning the ends didn't dry as quick, didn't look as dry and have kept moisturised all day. Normally I need to spritz them throughout the day. They also feel the same as the rest of my hair.

I am extremely pleased with this outcome and will continue to use weekly.

jazzhands, it seems to have reduced the frizz on the normally dry ends.

[*Stella*]

I finally got around to bleaching 6 months of regrowth using Olaplex for the first time. I am disappointed to report that I still see no difference. I am pretty experienced with bleach so I don't do a lot of damage anyway, (I don't overlap, always bleach over coconut oil, and use a professional quality bleach with a low vol developer) but it doesn't feel any better/different for including the Olaplex. I even added Olaplex to my direct dye, which I left on for over an hour.
Maybe I will see some difference when the hair that is newly bleached now becomes my hemline in about 3 or 4 years time (I trim regularly to stay at waist length or thereabouts)

[Zenity]

My update:

I have only done one more stand alone treatment since my last post... yup, not so excited about olaplex anymore.

Since using olaplex (maybe 4-5 stand alone treatments by now) I have noticed my youngest hair -from root line to about ears length- on my top layer (from temples-bangs to crown level which is mainly grey, porous, coarse and frizzy) is slightly better, more like a "normal hair" feel and look. It has more body, shine, and weight.
For the rest of the length -ears to waist- it terms of coarseness, porosity, and frizz, I would say it has improved about 30% but! does not tangle as much as before, therefore it does not break that much either.

I have been taking better care of my, mostly neglected hair for the last years... I see good results from oils and deep moisturizing treatments like snowy's. I have also changed my protective hairstyle to a french braid tucked in, to avoid breakage and keep my ends fuller while it grows, it also helps in keeping my top layer protected and close to my scalp to get all the natural sebum produced acting as a moisturizing agent.
I do, almost everyday, an inverted scalp combing with a wood comb, to stimulate my scalp. I do not comb all the way down to the ends of my hair to avoid breakage. I just focus on my scalp.
My hair grows sooo much, it always does, but looks like the new growth, and the younger hair has improved a bit. Nothing dramatical but it feels better. Also, it is thicker, so the inverted combing along with the rest of the routine I've described is paying off, yay!
I am recovering little by little the thickness of my hair and improving its texture.

I think olaplex has made my hair "slightly" more resistant. It has, somehow, changed its texture to what it feels straighter, and not so tangly, however, I do not credit olaplex by itself about the improvement of my hair, I would say is maybe responsible for an overall 25% of the results I am getting. I have also noticed the roots of my hair get much more color (resulting in a darker brown) when I do them. Not so cool. I use a level 6 that now looks like a 4...
On the lower layers of my hair, where my hair is still natural color and not grey and hair is just nice, I have not noticed any special change. It is pretty much the same.

Another, slight change that tells me a lot about the condition of my hair is how long it takes to dry. Now it takes much longer, retains much more water, except for the ends and the sides around my face of my hair. This, to me, means I have healthier hair. When it has been damaged it dried really fast.

I thought I could use Olaplex for maybe doing some ombré highlights but I will not take any chances on that... at least not yet. Based on your reviews and my results I do not trust Olaplex to be as good as they claim to not ruin my hair if I decide to bleach it...
By now just being conservative and protective is the path to follow. Depending on how it evolves, maybe by the next summer I will ombré my hair again. In the meantime, I will keep doing this and possibly adding a little bit of keratin to my hair every few months as well.

Said this, I do not think Olaplex is the "miracle" product everybody is raving about, it is good, but over-priced and over-marketed. That is my humble opinion. If it wasn't because I have the salon kit size i doubt I would repurchase it.

I will keep posting in the future about any progress.

[HairFanson]

I bleach my hair from VERY dark brown to warm honey blonde using full highlights and balayage and Olaplex. This is after going back to my very dark color after 2 years of bleaching and dying my hair red. So, thats new bleach (To lift out dye) and lift about 6 inches of dark regrowth, on top of old bleached hair from my shoulders to past bra strap length. Should be crispy hair city!
To prepare, I oiled my hair with Coconut oil and put in a braid 2 days before my first appointment. I added oil everyday for 2 days, and LEFT IT ON FOR THE APPOINTMENT (this is ***VERY*** important). She then bleached OVER the Coconut oil with the Olaplex No.1 in the bleaching mixture. I lifted so fast (from nearly black), she had to rinse the first section after only 20 minutes or so. Then do my hair is sections from there. The Olaplex and coconut oil absolutely IMPROVED my hair texture when used in the bleach. We did a 40 on 40 vol process the first day (Balayaged), and then a 10vol full head highlight (over 150 foils) only 7 days later. I was seriously expecting my hair to just fall out in chunks I was SO nervous!

Nope- a little bit of breakage in the brush (maybe 200 hairs or so), and then lovely, smooth, shiny, gorgeous honey blonde hair!
I have the No.3 for home use, put it on damp hair, sleep in it, and wash out in the morning, and my hair keeps its bouncy, beautiful shine.

I will never be a brunette again (it does nothing for my complexion), and I will never ever bleach without coconut oil and Olaplex.

[pastina]

Bleach damage can take up to a month to show. That's all I'm going to say.

[Zenity]

I bleach my hair from VERY dark brown to warm honey blonde using full highlights and balayage and Olaplex. This is after going back to my very dark color after 2 years of bleaching and dying my hair red. So, thats new bleach (To lift out dye) and lift about 6 inches of dark regrowth, on top of old bleached hair from my shoulders to past bra strap length. Should be crispy hair city!
To prepare, I oiled my hair with Coconut oil and put in a braid 2 days before my first appointment. I added oil everyday for 2 days, and LEFT IT ON FOR THE APPOINTMENT (this is ***VERY*** important). She then bleached OVER the Coconut oil with the Olaplex No.1 in the bleaching mixture. I lifted so fast (from nearly black), she had to rinse the first section after only 20 minutes or so. Then do my hair is sections from there. The Olaplex and coconut oil absolutely IMPROVED my hair texture when used in the bleach. We did a 40 on 40 vol process the first day (Balayaged), and then a 10vol full head highlight (over 150 foils) only 7 days later. I was seriously expecting my hair to just fall out in chunks I was SO nervous!

Nope- a little bit of breakage in the brush (maybe 200 hairs or so), and then lovely, smooth, shiny, gorgeous honey blonde hair!
I have the No.3 for home use, put it on damp hair, sleep in it, and wash out in the morning, and my hair keeps its bouncy, beautiful shine.

I will never be a brunette again (it does nothing for my complexion), and I will never ever bleach without coconut oil and Olaplex.

I have done coconut oil prebleaching my hair and I think it helped too. I do not have much experience bleaching, so I cannot tell how bad the damage would have been without the oil. Except for one time the hairdresser burned my hair and I had to cut the damage off, I have not had crazy bleaching/processing in my hair.
I am glad this has worked for you.
In my case, olaplex has done not much for my semivirgin hair. I am considering bleaching my hair, but I am not sure about relying on Olaplex to avoid damage. I think I will do strand tests trying coconut oil and olaplex when I decide to go ahead.

Thanks for posting your results.

[MINAKO]

My mom brought me a sample kit cause she remebered me talking about the product and i used it as a standalone treatment.
I have to say i'm very friggin much impressed. Even after the keratin i do get slight tangling near the ends cause they're just too old to be absolutely smooth and healthy, but this stuff did something.
My hair has never been better than it is right now, but my life is really a rollercoaster on the other hand, so i don't find much tome to post here.
Hugs and kisses to all my fellow LHCers

[Valwalla]

I went to the hairdresser yesterday to get a nr. 2 treatment and right after the treatment they were (and still are) very greasy in the roots. they just failed to wash it out properly, right? anyone having the same problem? Also all my waves diasappeared.
I'll wash them again tomorrow although it's against my intentions...

[Zenity]

My Update.

Since I have the big Olaplex size, I figured I would continue using it until I run out of it.

I have forgoten about olaplex in my hair since the last time I wrote, but, I did 2 more treatments weekly for the last two weeks.

I do think my hair is "slightly better" specially and the new growth, closer to the roots. But also that is the portion of hair that is more "fresh" and new, not as old and the rest of it
In the next pictures you can see my hair a day after I dyed my roots (an inch or so) the rest of the hair has no recent dye, just the "old dye" corresponding to that hair when was growing at the root
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/ZenityNadir/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200943_zpso42dlfas.jpg (http://s203.photobucket.com/user/ZenityNadir/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200943_zpso42dlfas.jpg.html) http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/ZenityNadir/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200932_zps3ek57szx.jpg (http://s203.photobucket.com/user/ZenityNadir/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200932_zps3ek57szx.jpg.html)

Also the texture of my hair feels a little bit better, specially at the back, from the roots to, I would say, "pixie" lentgh.
However, the sides, framing my face, are much drier, as it is rest the length. What is really worse are the 10 or 15cm of my ends.
These pics are from yesterday, after undoing a french braid. No hair dryer or heat. Air dried. I have some jojoba oil (my hair fav, serum) and some coconut oil (that my ends just drink up) from the middle to the ends of my hair. No oils close to the scalp. After I dye the roots they always look shinier than the rest of my dull hair.

A quick note: I did clarify my hair prior applying olaplex to make sure my hair had no buildup. I applied olaplex on dried hair to make sure it would saturare and absorb the product as recommended. I applied as the protocol suggests and mixing n.1 and n.2 as someone did suggest on the other forum as well. No difference in results from either method.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/ZenityNadir/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200544_1_zpsyh5dmrol.jpg (http://s203.photobucket.com/user/ZenityNadir/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200544_1_zpsyh5dmrol.jpg.html) http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/ZenityNadir/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200628_1_zpswmrttyss.jpg (http://s203.photobucket.com/user/ZenityNadir/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_200628_1_zpswmrttyss.jpg.html)

A close up of the sides of my hair and the ends (the worse condition)

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/ZenityNadir/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_201027_zpsrpsxnayl.jpg (http://s203.photobucket.com/user/ZenityNadir/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_201027_zpsrpsxnayl.jpg.html) http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/ZenityNadir/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_201016_zps04rnhtuv.jpg (http://s203.photobucket.com/user/ZenityNadir/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160311_201016_zps04rnhtuv.jpg.html)

Keep in mind my top layer of hair is mostly grey, so it is different in texture than the layers underneath. My hair is not a reference for people with natural color hair.

So at this point, I think if Olaplex would have done something to recover the texture of my hair, it would have been proven by now

It is my hair feeling better that when I begun? yes,

It is olaplex credit? hmmm, not so sure. I do think it has done "something" but I started, oils, protective hairstyles and deep conditioning treatments simultaneously to Olaplex. Also, it is winter, and usually my hair suffers way more on summer. The beach does dry and bleach my overall dry and fragile hair.
So... I think I see progress, and certainly Olaplex is not doing harm. However, for me, it is not the "miracle" product everybody has been raving about.

I will keep using it. My theory is simple: maybe Olaplex will help the new growth of my hair to be more resistant and get stronger so, when it grows longer will be much better and protected to avoid disulfide bonds to break beyond the repair point.

According to the research I've done posted here http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=124721&page=16 post# 154
I think this has to do with the fragility of grey and light colored hair to the UV light. So it is worth to see how olaplex can help with this in the new grow. The hair that has been damaged beyond improvement for olaplex to act (top layer from middle to the end of length along with the sides of my face) don't think will use Olaplex help. Maybe protein and deep conditioning will help better. But the new grow could use olaplex for preventing that damage to happen more and more as the hair grows. I think it is worth testing it, before i decide to chop it.

It is going to be a "long term" experiment. Summer will be the "hard" test for my hair. I will keep using it and see if there is any difference in my hair this summer, after all the beach and sun exposure.

I will post again if something changes or I observe any different progress.

[MermaidKatie]

I really hoped Olaplex would have been a miracle worker for me.. But it really wasn't. I have a long history of chemical colouring, on the scalp bleach, highlights, balayage.. I've done it all and, sometimes over and over again - and I have never ever had an issue with breakage.
Olaplex when used on virgin hair.. For the first time in my life I had serious breakage. Not straight away, mind you. My hair felt normal, no better than usual, at first. The take home no. 3 made my hair feel horrible and crunchy and it would dry into a frizzy mess so I stopped using it after about 2 weeks. After that.. My bathroom floor was covered in long light blonde strands that had just broken off. Never happened before, same stylist.. Only difference was Olaplex. I will never use it again, but I am much too scared to rehighlight so I have an ombré thing going on at the moment and will probably grow out my virgin hair. So.. I think it may be one of those things that you absolutely have to keep using if you start.
That was my experience anyway - I know others rave about it and have baby soft hair after using it. :)

[Petulia]

Not sure if this has already been discussed, but how exactly is everyone getting hold of Olaplex? I'm in the UK, but from what I've seen on their website, it's only available to salon professionals. I was desperate to try it out last year when I was attemping to balayage my own hair, but I couldn't work out where people were getting it from, and just came to the conclusion that it's only salons who have access to it. Is this true?

[bilbolongtail]

Hi Petulia, I'm in the UK, I've seen Opalex available on amazon.co.uk

[*Stella*]

It is technically only available to stylists, there is only one company that imports it directly from Olaplex into the UK.
It is being sold on Ebay and Amazon, but often these products are fake or else very overpriced.
Olaplex have no plans to make it available to the public sadly.

[ooo]

you could order it from hagel shop (http://www.hagel-shop.de/olaplex-hair-perfector-no-3-100-ml.html) in germany. at the moment they only have n°3, but that might change. it is a legit shop and shipping costs a reasonable. with a little research I'm sure that we could come up with more legitimate shops.

[Zenity]

I got mine from a cosmetologist. Reliable 100%.

[lapushka]

I really hoped Olaplex would have been a miracle worker for me.. But it really wasn't. I have a long history of chemical colouring, on the scalp bleach, highlights, balayage.. I've done it all and, sometimes over and over again - and I have never ever had an issue with breakage.
Olaplex when used on virgin hair.. For the first time in my life I had serious breakage. Not straight away, mind you. My hair felt normal, no better than usual, at first. The take home no. 3 made my hair feel horrible and crunchy and it would dry into a frizzy mess so I stopped using it after about 2 weeks. After that.. My bathroom floor was covered in long light blonde strands that had just broken off. Never happened before, same stylist.. Only difference was Olaplex. I will never use it again, but I am much too scared to rehighlight so I have an ombré thing going on at the moment and will probably grow out my virgin hair. So.. I think it may be one of those things that you absolutely have to keep using if you start.
That was my experience anyway - I know others rave about it and have baby soft hair after using it. :)

Maybe it wasn't the Olaplex and your hair was bleached one too many times? Could that be it? That it would have happened regardless.

[MermaidKatie]

Maybe it wasn't the Olaplex and your hair was bleached one too many times? Could that be it? That it would have happened regardless.

It was virgin hair. :(

[PixieP]

I've been reading through a lot of links and this thread now.

Im planning a bleach job on my hair late april. Not to go blonde! But my hair has darkened to a wine red, and I want to be more cobber-like. So bleach it is (with a hairdresser). I'm thinking now to buy Olaplex to use after to attempt to minimize damage. I'm confused if it's the No 2 or the No 3 I'm supposed to buy, but I have some time to figure that out XD

[MermaidKatie]

I've been reading through a lot of links and this thread now.

Im planning a bleach job on my hair late april. Not to go blonde! But my hair has darkened to a wine red, and I want to be more cobber-like. So bleach it is (with a hairdresser). I'm thinking now to buy Olaplex to use after to attempt to minimize damage. I'm confused if it's the No 2 or the No 3 I'm supposed to buy, but I have some time to figure that out XD

If you're going to do the whole treatment yourself you will need no 1 and 2, with the no 3 as a continuing treatment to maintain the bonds. If you're having it done in the salon, they will use no 1 and 2 and you will need no 3 only. No 2 will do nothing used alone, it needs to be used after no1. Hope that helps!

[PixieP]

I'm not doing the bleach part myself, that I'm going to a salon to do. No salons here offer Olaplex, so it'll be a good ol' fashioned bleach job. I was thinking to use it after the bleach at home to negate some of the bad effects. Sorry I wasn't clear enough there!

So it's the number 3 I need to buy then :) Thank you MermaidKatie!

[MermaidKatie]

I'm not doing the bleach part myself, that I'm going to a salon to do. No salons here offer Olaplex, so it'll be a good ol' fashioned bleach job. I was thinking to use it after the bleach at home to negate some of the bad effects. Sorry I wasn't clear enough there!

So it's the number 3 I need to buy then :) Thank you MermaidKatie!

Oops! Sorry, I didn't realise that. I'm not sure the no3 will do anything if you haven't had the full treatment of no1 and 2 beforehand. But I could be wrong!

[Horrorpops]

Hey guys, does anyone have any thoughts about how olaplex affects hair long term? I haven't been able to find longer term reviews from anyone who has used it for 3mths+. I really want to bleach my hair for a balayage but don't want to go to the terrible bleach damage I used to have. I'm concerned because as pointed out previously bleach damage can take a few months to show up and I am curious if the effects of olaplex might 'wear off' after a while, even with continued application.... Thoughts? :)

[PixieP]

Oops! Sorry, I didn't realise that. I'm not sure the no3 will do anything if you haven't had the full treatment of no1 and 2 beforehand. But I could be wrong!

I read reviews on amazon from people who didn't even have bleached hair, who tried the no3, and spoke highly of their results!

[PixieP]

I actually found a hairdresser in my town that does Olaplex (they're quite new, so I forgot to check them, walked past the salon today and saw an ad for it in the window). So I booked an appointment for the 29th to bleach my hair so I can hopefully get a lighter, more cobbery colour on my henna :D Of course she freaked out a little when she heard my hair was henna'd *rolls eyes* Oh the propaganda hairdressers are told.

[*Stella*]

All 3 products contain the same ingredient. #1 is the pure product, it is highly concentrated and can be added to bleach or dye, or diluted with water to be used as a stand alone treatment. #2 and #3 are the same product diluted in a cream base. The #3 is just slightly more dilute than the #2.
So you don't have to use all three, they all contain the same ingredient (Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate) just in differing concentrations

[meteor]

^ That's exactly right! :agree:

PixieP, here are the ingredients:

No. 1 Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate

No. 2 Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Quaternium-91, Sodium Benzoate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Etidronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

No. 3 Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Quaternium-91, Sodium Benzoate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyquaternium-37, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Etidronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

It seems that, if your plan is to get just one product, the most cost-effective option (highest concentration of Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate) would be to get Olaplex No. 1. :)

As for lightening henna, I think it's worth mentioning that it's much harder to lighten henna than to lift natural pigment or chemical dye (chemical dye can be removed even by shrinking the dye molecule with a peroxide-free product like Color Oops/Color B4 and washing it out multiple times). But henna is very resistant, even to bleaching, especially if there were multiple henna treatments done. :flower:

[butterflybutton]

Of course she freaked out a little when she heard my hair was henna'd *rolls eyes* Oh the propaganda hairdressers are told.

That is because some types of henna can have a violent chemical reaction to the peroxide and absolutely destroy the hair. It isn't propaganda as I have seen it happen first hand, thankfully it was on a test strand and not on the ladies head.

[PixieP]

I have blached my henna before with super cheap drug store bleach, I have done it three times (2 times ombre and 1 time highlights/stripes), so I know my henna can deal with bleach. I have only ever used 1 brand of BAQ henna, so I am confident this will be just fine. And if not, well then that's life!

This is how my hair looked like after 2 rounds of ombre bleach:

https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10269425_10152366534951830_579096460046959683_n.jp g?oh=b841ec6ddd8a294287b082c307a986dc&oe=57BB847D

[*Stella*]

If you want to avoid damage, avoid the cheap drugstore bleaches. Using a really good, professional quality bleach will give you a lot more lift, so you can use a lower volume peroxide, which means less damage.
Colour removers have also been proven to be effective on henna, so try that first.
Bleach will always damage to some extent, even with Olaplex, so use the less damaging options first

[PixieP]

If you want to avoid damage, avoid the cheap drugstore bleaches. Using a really good, professional quality bleach will give you a lot more lift, so you can use a lower volume peroxide, which means less damage.
Colour removers have also been proven to be effective on henna, so try that first.
Bleach will always damage to some extent, even with Olaplex, so use the less damaging options first

I know there will be damage, I don't care if my hair is slightly damaged. I blowdry my hair 1-2 times a week and heatstyle it 3-4 times a month. I'm an impatient soul, when I want something I want it done right away :P My hair is still getting longer even with how I treat it, so it's all good for me :)

[summergame]

I have an appointment with a local hairdresser to do this treatment with coloring my hair in color melted techniek. I am really curious about it! :D

[PixieP]

Today's the day! I'm getting my hair bleached with olaplex!

summergame, how did your appointment go? ^_^

[summergame]

Today's the day! I'm getting my hair bleached with olaplex!

summergame, how did your appointment go? ^_^

Well the hairdresser told me that I could not bleach my hair due to the copper tints in my hair :( He chose to darken up my hair and said that Olaplex wasn't necessary for a normal coloration so I didn't do it.
I am curious about your appointment PixieP! :D

[PixieP]

Aw that sucks :(

My appointment went very well! My first time with this hairdresser, the salon only opened a year or so ago. I liked her alot and I'll absolutley go back there if I'm gonna get it profesionnaly cut or do any other treatments!

She exclaimed over how well my hair delt with the bleach process, she showed me by pulling (gently) on my hair right before rinsing it out, she said normally the hair will look and feel more stringy, but mine acted exactly the same as before she started! So yay, my hair is strong! Now if only I could manage to have enough patience to actually do a full S&D session so I would get rid of my splits, lol.

I am very happy with the colour! Just like I wanted (I'll post a picture later). I am not sure yet if my structure is different, my hair feels VERY different right now, but then she's washed my hair with something completly other than what I used, and she also had some styling product in it which I never use. So we'll see after I wash it myself, probably on Monday :)

The only thing I didn't like was when she brushed my hair after washing it, with a brush that had both boar bristles and normal bristles, she was YANKING that brush through my super wet hair, so I'm pretty sure I am quite a few strands poorer...

[PixieP]

Here is my colour:
https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/13125028_10154001803701830_6901703152965783689_n.j pg?oh=a079394af93bb47668a1a423e0580eb0&oe=57B5659C

[summergame]

Wauw, I really like your color! It suits you very much and your hair looks healty!

[adastra]

I am very happy with the colour! Just like I wanted (I'll post a picture later). I am not sure yet if my structure is different, my hair feels VERY different right now, but then she's washed my hair with something completly other than what I used, and she also had some styling product in it which I never use. So we'll see after I wash it myself, probably on Monday :)

I'm really curious - how does it feel after a few washes?

[MINAKO]

I'm using it as a standalone treatment, given my hair is very healthy to begin with the difference is not a "game changer" but quite noticeable right after. It feels softer and heavier, any roughness in my ends is gone and i expirience close to no tangling at all. The effect wears off however leaving the hair in the condition it would actually be if you hadn't used the Olaplex. So i suggest being carefull with high volumes and intensely lifting colors unless you are will to keep using it and probably slow down a bit in the process of growing longer.

[adastra]

I'm using it as a standalone treatment, given my hair is very healthy to begin with the difference is not a "game changer" but quite noticeable right after. It feels softer and heavier, any roughness in my ends is gone and i expirience close to no tangling at all. The effect wears off however leaving the hair in the condition it would actually be if you hadn't used the Olaplex. So i suggest being carefull with high volumes and intensely lifting colors unless you are will to keep using it and probably slow down a bit in the process of growing longer.

Thanks for the feedback! Is this the Number 3 for home use?

[MINAKO]

I only have the 1 + 2, since they are the more concentrated, 3 is a bit more dilluted i guess, just enough to make the effect last slightly longer and to keep peoplehooked in the product but essentially useless since you can technically just buy the 1 and add it to any cinditioner you like in a concentration that works for you.

[PixieP]

I'm really curious - how does it feel after a few washes?

My hair is back to it's normal structure :) I can see the bleach damage in the fact that I have more split ends, but my ends were already pretty tired before the bleach, so no surprise there.

So far I have not experienced any of the things I am used to with bleach; my hair is not more frizzy, it does not feel slightly crunchy, and it's not limp or flat. So so far the Olaplex does seem to be working! My hair is still quite soft (as soft as it ever gets, lol) and doesn't feel any different to handle. I don't see an increased shed or breakage yet either.

[adastra]

I only have the 1 + 2, since they are the more concentrated, 3 is a bit more dilluted i guess, just enough to make the effect last slightly longer and to keep peoplehooked in the product but essentially useless since you can technically just buy the 1 and add it to any cinditioner you like in a concentration that works for you.

Ah, ok! I've been trying to understand the difference between the three types... I've been wary of buying any of these online, due to knock-offs, and all my local salon offers is No. 3.


My hair is back to it's normal structure :) I can see the bleach damage in the fact that I have more split ends, but my ends were already pretty tired before the bleach, so no surprise there.

So far I have not experienced any of the things I am used to with bleach; my hair is not more frizzy, it does not feel slightly crunchy, and it's not limp or flat. So so far the Olaplex does seem to be working! My hair is still quite soft (as soft as it ever gets, lol) and doesn't feel any different to handle. I don't see an increased shed or breakage yet either.

Thanks! Your hair looks gorgeous and I'm glad to hear that it seems normal! I never expect miracles with haircare products, but I'm eagerly watching updates on Olaplex experiences to see if it'll help me maintain healthy red hair. :)

[diddiedaisy]

I've been using no 3 for quite a number of months now, I can't remember how many but possibly since January.

What I have noticed is that when i leave my hair to do its own thing my waves are much neater. Prior to using olaplex my 2a waves would do their own thing, I would have parts that were curlier and some straighter. Also when I wear it straight (which I do with the odd comb while wet and a quick finish off with the dryer on warm) it goes straighter. My frizz has also reduced greatly to the point that I wouldn't call it frizzy anymore.

I will definitely carry on using it.

[MINAKO]

It's totally worth the money cause it goes a long way and it's pretty much impossible to do any harm with it, unlike a protein treatment it won't turn hair crunchy, it doesn't seem to cause any buildup and my hair seems to hold more moisture using it.
Any chance you can get your hands on the no.1 go for it and just mix wih your favorite conditioner or plain water.

[diddiedaisy]

It's totally worth the money cause it goes a long way and it's pretty much impossible to do any harm with it, unlike a protein treatment it won't turn hair crunchy, it doesn't seem to cause any buildup and my hair seems to hold more moisture using it.
Any chance you can get your hands on the no.1 go for it and just mix wih your favorite conditioner or plain water.

That's a good idea, but if you mix it your conditioner for a normal wash how long do you leave it on for?

[MINAKO]

I don't use it with every wash but if i did i'd go by the ten minutes it takes to shave legs or something. If its used freqwuently i don't think it needs that much time to penetrate.

[diddiedaisy]

I don't use it with every wash but if i did i'd go by the ten minutes it takes to shave legs or something. If its used freqwuently i don't think it needs that much time to penetrate.

Thankyou :)

[Vanilla]

I purchased Olaplex #2 on Amazon about a week ago. #1 wasn't easily available, and I figured I could dilute #2 with additional conditioner to make #3.

My hair is not bleached, but I do color my hair occasionally with direct dyes. I was experiencing quite a bit of mid-shaft breakage (about 1-2 inches from the ends), despite taking really good care of my hair. I've been microtrimming 1/8 inch every week for the past 3 weeks to try to get ahead of the splits, but that hasn't helped.

I left #2 in my towel dried hair for about 6 minutes, and my hair felt substantially stronger and smoother afterwards. It's been nearly a week since I did the treatment and my hair still feels great.

I did S&D today, and I found far fewer splits than normal. I would compare the Olaplex treatment to a heavy duty protein treatment, but without the extreme dryness that usually follows.

[Betazed]

I just finished reading all 24 pages of this thread (We need a brow wiping/hard work emoticon!) and I wanted to thank all you awesome LHC'ers for contributing. :flowers: It was very informative.

[Beatrice]

Olaplex success story here, at least so far--as others have pointed out, the damage from bleach can take a while to surface. Which is why I'm not toning my hair until about a month has passed since I got my first ever highlights. Meantime, I am crazy brass--literally dark brown and gold! Knowing my daily washes would kill an ash color, the stylist barely toned my hair at all. I just tell myself I'm rocking the metallic look that is SO on trend! :rolleyes:

Wish I had read the success stories about Olaplex over coconut oil. I deep oiled daily for a week before the treatment, but washed out my oiling the day before, because the Olaplex company can't say whether the oil would affect their product. Also went to a new stylist, and didn't want to freak her out in case she hadn't heard of bleaching over coconut oil.

My hair is pretty strong and coarse, so hard to say how it would have reacted without Olaplex, but I have had no new split ends, no breakage at all, and no extra shedding. My hair is maybe 5% drier, with more "clingy" ends, but it also feels less fly-away. It seems thicker and more substantial, which may be an illusion resulting from dryness. It doesn't look any different, though, and I can't feel any difference between my highlighted and virgin hairs. It's so shiny that when I went to Sally's to pick up a toner, the gals gushed over how healthy my hair looked.

The reason I think even the "5% dryness" is an illusion, is that I had unusually soft hair for about a week, a few days before and a few days after bleaching. Before the bleach, I left tons of coconut oil in my hair all night and even into the day, with my hair twisted up, which gives me straighter and softer hair for up to three days even if I wash and blow dry. Then my hair was flat ironed after the bleach, and the softer, thinner feel from that always lasts about three days (the two or so times a year it's done, after a haircut--I haven't used a flat iron on myself in years).

I'm keeping up my coconut oilings each night, and plan to switch back to a sulfate-free shampoo, despite my hatred of the oilies, just because I want my toner to last. If my hair suddenly freaks out in a month, or two, or three, I will try to remember to post! Before the bleaching, I was frustrated that I couldn't really find anyone saying whether Olaplex had prevented that long-term deterioration.

Not convinced the at-home treatment is worth it. Convinced from what I've read that the vast majority of the bottles purchased are fakes. Even if it's real, the at-home is a much, MUCH lower concentration of the active ingredient, and I doubt it does much if, like many here, you are generally taking good care of your hair on a daily basis.

[*Stella*]

I have been using Olaplex or around a year now, and have an update.
It hasn't improved the condition of my hair in any noticeable way, it is the same as ever.
BUT (and it is a big but!) I am noticing fewer split ends these days. My ends feels the same, ie pretty damaged and ragged when they are ready to be trimmed, but when I S&D there are fewer splits now.

[Akville]

Hi guys!

Im soo confused.. I've read many many negative reviews out there but it seems like everybody loves it in here!!! wow!!! that unusual.. :D..
I was reading the chemical stuff to really understand how it works and it seems that it does restore the hair from the inside.. the question is why in the world would people complain about cutting there hair afterwards and about olaplex making there hair dry and frizzy and all kinds of stuff. (google: negative reviews olaplex)
Im totally sold after reading this whole thread.. is it really that good? Is there anyone out here that had a problem with using it?

Stella you wrote you have been using it for a year.. I would think that in a year it should have restored hair to almost virgin, damage free state, but it doesn't seem like it did? Can you tell us more about how did you used it and how often and witch product( no1 2 or 3)..

I m really confused.. I was burning to buy it then it first came out in 2015, but I though Id wait and see.. and now there are plenty of complains and plenty of happy people that says that olaplex did a great job..
I dont trust folks out there you never know they could be both everyone :D... (kidding) But I do trus LHC.. So I want to hear from you guys, what do you think about whole olaplex thing, is it good for anything?

I have many splits and I will eventually have to cut a bit, but if I will start to use olaplex maybe it will restore so I dont really need to trim as often?

:)

tell me ..

[lapushka]

Hi guys!

Im soo confused.. I've read many many negative reviews out there but it seems like everybody loves it in here!!! wow!!! that unusual.. :D..
I was reading the chemical stuff to really understand how it works and it seems that it does restore the hair from the inside.. the question is why in the world would people complain about cutting there hair afterwards and about olaplex making there hair dry and frizzy and all kinds of stuff. (google: negative reviews olaplex)
Im totally sold after reading this whole thread.. is it really that good? Is there anyone out here that had a problem with using it?

Stella you wrote you have been using it for a year.. I would think that in a year it should have restored hair to almost virgin, damage free state, but it doesn't seem like it did? Can you tell us more about how did you used it and how often and witch product( no1 2 or 3)..

I m really confused.. I was burning to buy it then it first came out in 2015, but I though Id wait and see.. and now there are plenty of complains and plenty of happy people that says that olaplex did a great job..
I dont trust folks out there you never know they could be both everyone :D... (kidding) But I do trus LHC.. So I want to hear from you guys, what do you think about whole olaplex thing, is it good for anything?

I have many splits and I will eventually have to cut a bit, but if I will start to use olaplex maybe it will restore so I dont really need to trim as often?

:)

tell me ..

Is your hair dyed/bleached? Or are you planning to use this on virgin hair? I'm not sure by what you wrote.

[Akville]

I do highlights once a year, so Its damage at the ends.

I have TBL and planing on grow to classic.. But I mean is it only bleach that hair gets damaged of? I dont blowdry I dont use flatiron I dont dye but we still have UV, washing, detangling, combing sometimes brushing and all that kind of stuff that damages hair..

[lapushka]

I do highlights once a year, so Its damage at the ends.

I have TBL and planing on grow to classic.. But I mean is it only bleach that hair gets damaged of? I dont blowdry I dont use flatiron I dont dye but we still have UV, washing, detangling, combing sometimes brushing and all that kind of stuff that damages hair..

Olaplex was designed for bleach and dye, I think.

The rest is just wear & tear we all go through, which is fairly normal, IMMHO; bleach & dye is not.

[BroomHilda]

I depends on your base color and how much color lift takes place.
I would say a lift of 2 color levels is safe as long as you take care of your hair and you avoid other forms of damage (direct heat, relaxers etc). But of course it depends on the hair quality. For example curly, fine hair are very susceptible to breakage already.
If you ve reached TBL no problem, you can propably reach classic as well.

[Akville]

I have thick and coarse hair. So it can take a lot more then Ive been putting it through..

I will eventually need to trim few times before classic to maintain thick ends but I thought that if olaplex will restore all the damage that was done, then I will not need any trim, so I will reach classic sooner... and have healthy ends...

I mean the ends has been through several bleaches, its possible that its more like 4 - 5 color levels lighter at the ends then my natural color..
And Im taking care of my hair as much as possible but Im getting splits all over the place, i love to wear it down as well. So its a lot of wear and tear and and a bit of bleach damage its both parts.

what do you think?

[Akville]

lapushka, IMMHO is it "In my most humble opinion" or does it mean something else on this forum? :D

[BroomHilda]

Ι have coarse hair,too, but its curly. Mine is very dry naturally and due to is stifness/coarseness it breaks easily. You have straight hair as I can see, so I would bet that your hair is pretty resilient.

HOWEVER: The longer it gets the less damage it can handle. 4-5 levels sound like a lot to me.
I wouldn't advice doing any more chemical processes. Do some protein treatments and CO pre-poo which helps with protein loss during washes.
I m not very familiar with olaplex but my best bet is that, in the longrun, the damage will appear.
Nothing can actually restore hair damage, only mask it shortterm. Especially if its main target is to alter the texture/color of the hair.

So IMO don't put anything on your ends. Try Olaplex on your new-virgin growth

[lapushka]

lapushka, IMMHO is it "In my most humble opinion" or does it mean something else on this forum? :D

Nope that's what it means.

I don't think Olaplex magically makes damage disappear, if that's what you mean by repairing the damage.

[diddiedaisy]

You can use olaplex on any hair, it doesn't have to be dyed. It doesn't repair damage as such eg split ends, but Olaplex claims to “reconnect broken disulfide sulfur bonds in the hair.” The treatment is labelled a “bond multiplier”. This in turn makes hair stronger. I use No 2 as it's stronger than no 3, but I read somewhere recently that they both contain the same ingredients as no 1 but at a weaker level. I may switch to using No 1 as an at home treatment when I've used No 2 up and checked the ingredient list.

[Akville]

You can use olaplex on any hair, it doesn't have to be dyed. It doesn't repair damage as such eg split ends, but Olaplex claims to “reconnect broken disulfide sulfur bonds in the hair.” The treatment is labelled a “bond multiplier”. This in turn makes hair stronger. I use No 2 as it's stronger than no 3, but I read somewhere recently that they both contain the same ingredients as no 1 but at a weaker level. I may switch to using No 1 as an at home treatment when I've used No 2 up and checked the ingredient list.

Yes!.. Im planing on buy no 1 too.. Can you tell me how did you used it and how long and have you seen any positive results or everything is the same? Does it helps to grow hair longer?