Olaplex Review: The Secret to Healthy, Revived Hair with No. 3, No. 4 & No. 5

About a year and a half ago, I decided that black hair was a thing of the past, and I was going for red. I naively thought henna would help me achieve that. Those in the know are probably already aware of how unrealistic that expectation was. While henna is amazing for hair care, it does not lighten your hair. Not even by a fraction.

Henna dyes, but it doesn’t lighten. And if you layer too much henna on your hair, it gets darker. No amount of holy water mixed with peroxide is going to fix that. Your options are either to let it grow out or go back to black. And that’s exactly what I did after six months of fruitless coloring and three kilograms of henna.

The Call of the Red Wild

However, about a month ago, my red-haired dream came knocking once again. The urge was so strong that the midnight screeching of cats outside my window seemed like a quiet whisper in a library in comparison. I decided that this time I would be red, no matter what. I scratched henna from my plans and headed to the drugstore. I came home with a classic bleach and red shampoo. You can probably guess what happened next.

I ended up with beautiful red on the bleached blonde roots, but the lengths stayed dark brown. So, I went ahead and tried another shampoo. Mahogany. That one turned my hair red. The funny part was, I actually liked the color! But when I noticed the saleswoman at DM staring at me with wide eyes, it occurred to me that maybe it wasn’t the best look. (A shout-out to the DM staff :o)

Biokap and More Blond by Balea – the Gentlest Lightening

I bought a brown shampoo to tone down the red glow. It almost turned my hair black, and I nearly lost it. Then started three weeks of desperate lightening attempts. I tried everything: vinegar, baking soda, honey, chamomile, dish soap, lemon, and even peroxide. And let me tell you—home remedies are completely useless, and you shouldn’t waste your time on them.

If you want visible lightening and don’t want to use hardcore products like Syoss bleach (though no offense, it worked wonders on my darkest black hair), try two things. Biokap lightener and the More Blond line from Balea. I highly recommend both. The former lightens your hair by 2-3 shades with no sign of damage (made by Italians, and it’s 92% natural). With the latter, you can lighten your hair by several more shades and even create highlights.

[At this point, I imagine the more sensitive readers are lying unconscious under the table] :o)

The Wild Lightening Trials Survived ONLY Thanks to Keratin

The only “small” downside of all of this is that if you have weaker hair, this procedure will bury it alive, and you’ll have no choice but to cut it. The last time I saw my stylist was in June in Croatia, and looking at the ends of my hair after all this lightening, I’m pretty amazed that they’re not broken, split, or damaged in any way. How did that happen? A significant part of the credit goes to the keratin I use regularly. But I couldn’t use keratin during the lightening process. It would have been counterproductive. Keratin coats the hair—I needed to “strip” and “bleach” my hair (stylist’s face palming ceases here, I’m explaining it like a layperson :-D). And it worked. [Knock on wood] How?

How to Save Damaged Hair? With Olaplex!

Thanks to OLAPLEX, which I’m testing out from Elnino.cz! You’ve probably heard of this word in connection with bleaching and protecting your hair during such procedures. Before I dive into describing the three products that I’ve been treating like precious treasures at home, let me explain a bit about what Olaplex is.

Official description of Olaplex: “Olaplex’s innovative hair care products are based on a unique active ingredient that strengthens bonds in the hair fiber and restores damaged disulfide bridges. These bridges are damaged during chemical treatments and hair styling. The professional Olaplex No.1 and No.2 products, which are free of silicones and oils, create a complete treatment system. This treatment can be applied on its own or added to other salon treatments like bleaching, balayage, or coloring, where it serves as a preventive measure against damage. The Olaplex No.3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 products were developed for easy home use. They help treat the structure of the hair fiber and prepare the hair for further styling.” /source/

How to Navigate the Numbered Bottles

Olaplex is divided into salon and home care. Salons and professionals use the No. 1 and No. 2 bottles. You can use the No. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 products at home. You can buy all Olaplex products at Elnino. However, with the first two, you need at least a basic knowledge of hairdressing, as these products are added to color, bleach, or other hair treatments, and you need to know what you’re doing.

I found a perfect explanation on the Glamot website: “Olaplex No. 1 is the foundation of the Olaplex system and the starting point for hair restoration. It contains 100% of the patented ingredient Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, which is the only one that can repair broken hair bonds. It’s added to pre-mixed color, highlights, or bleach mixtures. Never the other way around! Olaplex No. 2 contains 15% of this magical compound. It’s applied at the end of the process, after all chemical treatments, to close the process and continue repairing broken bonds. It does not replace a treatment or a mask. Afterward, you should use your favorite conditioner, and it’s also recommended to apply a hair mask.”

Today, I’ll show you how the No. 3, 4, and 5 products worked wonders for me at home. That’s the Hair Perfector No. 3, Bond Maintenance Shampoo No. 4, and Bond Maintenance Conditioner No. 5. And how, thanks to them, I didn’t just have some hair left after my red hair adventure, but it’s in such great shape that it doesn’t even need cutting! Here’s how to save damaged hair in three steps.

Okay, so what’s inside the bottles, how I used them, and my impressions?

Regenerating Hair Treatment (No. 3)

Official info: “Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 restores the structure of the hair. It penetrates deep into the hair fiber, regenerating and repairing the hair. It’s ideal for color-treated or chemically treated hair. It prolongs the life of the color without weighing the hair down or causing additional damage. It leaves the hair strong, flexible, and healthy.”

Usage: Apply once a week after coloring your hair. Apply to towel-dried hair. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with shampoo and conditioner.

Right off the bat, I want to point out that I don’t use this treatment every time. I save it for after the most intense experiments, like when I used bleach or a homemade peroxide and lemon wrap… Don’t ask 🙂

The serum smells like diluted red Schauma shampoo. It’s a pleasant, lightly fruity, and subtle scent. Apply the serum to towel-dried hair to keep it from dripping down your back and becoming diluted by water. It makes sense. I recommend applying the serum in small amounts, and if necessary, adding more. You don’t need gloves for the application, by the way. Make sure to cover the hair completely with the serum. It’s good to gently massage the entire head with your fingers (as if you’re washing it) and also comb through your hair to make sure the serum reaches every strand. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes (or up to 20, depending on the need). Then rinse with shampoo.

The Serum Works Like Magic

Even during rinsing, you’ll feel like someone swapped your hair for new strands! They’ll be soft, silky, and smooth to the touch. And this is even if your hair was rough and dry as straw before washing, and you were seriously considering grabbing the clippers. Hair Perfector is like a magic wand – apply it, leave it on, wash it out, and voilà! “Wow, did you get new hair?” “No, I just washed it with Olaplex” :o)

It’s a miracle. A MIRACLE!

Regenerating Shampoo (No. 4)

This shampoo contains the same ingredient as in Olaplex No. 3, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate. It helps regenerate, repair, and hydrate the hair fiber. It gives the hair a natural shine. It’s suitable for all hair types. It contains no sulfates, parabens, or gluten. It’s perfect for anyone with a vegan lifestyle. To achieve the best results, it’s recommended to use the complete Olaplex system. With Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, your hair will be regenerated, shiny, and healthy.

Usage: Apply a small amount to wet hair. It can be used for regular washing or as a preparatory step after Olaplex No. 3. Massage gently to create lather. Rinse thoroughly. If necessary, repeat. Then use Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner.

Less is more has never been truer. No matter how much shampoo you usually use, here, use just a quarter of what you normally would. Maybe even less. Start with a pea-sized amount. If it feels like there’s not enough shampoo, add a bit of water. Twice or even three times. Only if that doesn’t help, try using a little more shampoo. Olaplex shampoo is incredibly thick and rich and foams so much that dish soap seems watery in comparison. Diluting is a good idea not only for financial reasons but also for practical ones. Otherwise, it will be harder to massage the shampoo evenly through all your hair because of its thickness.

Super foamy care for light, airy hair

Compared to the hair serum, the shampoo has a fruitier scent. And it’s the one I like most of the three products. It’s amazing how shampooing relieves and soothes the scalp, giving you the feeling that someone just poured a bucket of aloe vera gel on your head. It’s SO pleasant! I could shampoo forever!

While I usually shampoo twice, here, once is enough. The hair feels light, clean, and airy. I feel like I wouldn’t even need to use a conditioner. Which would be a mistake. Because the conditioner would further enhance the effects of the previous two products! And the mission “how to save damaged hair” is now complete 🙂

Bond Maintenance Conditioner (No. 5)

The conditioner is enriched with the same ingredient found in Olaplex No. 3, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate. It helps restore, regenerate, and hydrate the hair fiber. Suitable for all hair types. It’s sulfate-free, paraben-free, and gluten-free. It’s also suitable for all users with a vegan lifestyle. To achieve the best results, it’s recommended to use the complete Olaplex system. With Bond Maintenance Conditioner No. 5, your hair will be restored, shiny, and healthy.

Use: Apply a small amount to damp hair. Leave for about 3 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

A luxurious final touch to an already perfect routine is the conditioner with number 5 on the bottle. It contains the same “building” ingredient as the hair serum (No.3) and helps to repair and keep hair beautiful and smooth.

A miracle in a bottle with the number 5

The scent is similar to the shampoo, just a bit less fruity and more creamy. Use the conditioner the same way you did with the serum – better to start with a little, and add more if necessary. Comb the conditioner through your hair to make sure it’s evenly distributed. I know, you’re not supposed to comb wet hair to avoid breakage and such. But I have a special wide-tooth comb and it works for me like this.

The ideal time for it to work is 3-5 minutes. The result after drying your hair? Do you remember that commercial where a guy explains to a woman how a moka pot works? She holds a cup of coffee, her gaze fixed in the distance, and once he finishes explaining, she admires the whole thing with a sigh of: “Miracle…” 🙂 That’s exactly how I feel about Olaplex. A miracle!

Overall rating of Olaplex

After my first Olaplex session, I felt like I had just straightened my hair with keratin. It was beautifully straight, shiny, smooth, and light, but didn’t fly all over the place. This was about two months after my last keratin treatment. When I last used bleach and ended up blonde, I had to cut my hair because it was totally destroyed. Now, my hair after that harakiri not only isn’t damaged, but it looks really good!

And my impressions after testing? WOW EFFECT, no other way to describe it. If you’re reading this with scissors in hand, tears in your eyes, and wondering how to save your damaged hair, put the scissors down and try Olaplex. Film your wallet crying and send it to me by email. I’ll play it for mine, so it knows it’s not alone in this :-).

Before I started, the marketing slogan about a revolution in hairdressing seemed exaggerated. I mean, what could be left to invent in hair care? But after trying (just the home!) care, I’m on board. Olaplex IS a revolution!

What about you? Have you tried Olaplex? What’s the most radical color change you’ve ever done to your hair? And do you have any personal experience with how to save damaged hair? 🙂

*This gem was sent to me for review – but the love (or eye-rolls) are all mine. 🌞