It used to be that in order to get the colour you love (icy blonde highlights just in time for your summer hols? Yes please) you had to sacrifice the condition of your hair. Well, if like us, you’ve never been totally happy with that pay-off, then listen up. There’s a new treatment in town that’s set to revolutionise the way we, and our colourists, think about our (over-processed, over-coloured) hair: welcome, Olaplex. Originally from the US and formulated with the help of two top scientists, this intensive bolt-on treatment has finally made its way over to this side of the pond and is all set to give our frazzled locks the rejuvenation they’ve been looking for. Read on to discover how it works and why you’ll be clamouring to book yourself in…
By Georgia Day
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1 Olaplex is more than just a hair treatment
The beauty of Olaplex is the simplicity of its premise. When hair is chemically or thermally altered (read: heavily coloured, treated or heat-styled), the disulphide bonds within each hair strand break, causing hair to look weak and damaged and feel brittle and rough. Olaplex works by creating a chemical bridge between the broken bonds, thus mending hair from the inside out. A word of caution though: Olaplex is not a conditioning treatment or a protein treatment, so even if you’re diligent with regular doses of it, your hair will still require moisture masks and deep conditioners to stay looking its healthiest, strongest and softest. ‘Think of it as the key to protecting the internal integrity of your hair’, says Issie Churcher, Head of Technical at Hob Salons and Academy. ‘Once it’s been applied, your hair will take on a natural weightlessness. It’s how hair feels before it’s ever been coloured and will make your ends feel like roots.’
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2 Coloured hair will benefit most
The best news about this particular treatment is that although it’s particularly suited to coloured hair (frequent dye jobs really do take their toll on your hair), it will help restore the health of any hair. Those who have really damaged locks are likely to see the biggest change though – whether it’s excessive straightening, extended UV exposure or regular bleach jobs since you were 16. ‘This is our go-to in the salon when bleaching hair’ says Issie. ‘Even though colourants are gentler than ever before, it’s still a process that weakens the hair. Olaplex stops it looking and feeling unhealthy.’ What’s even better, is that the whole process couldn’t be easier either – simply ask for it to be added on next time you head to the salon, sit back and enjoy visible benefits in no time. While it’s great to have at the same time as your usual colour treatment (it’ll help counteract any immediate damage being done and add a softness and shine boost to your fresh colour), it’s also worth trying it next time you have just a cut or a blow-dry. A 3-step process with the final stage applied in the comfort of your own home, it also wins bonus points for the ease and speed of application too. Step 1 is the Bond Multiplier, which can either be mixed in with your hair colour if you’re topping up your highlights, or sprayed on as a standalone treatment. Once that’s developed (roughly 5 minutes if used alone but longer if you’re adding it to your colour), it’s time to comb through the Bond Perfector; 10 or so minutes later and your hair is ready to be rinsed, shampooed and conditioned. The final part of this strand-saving trio is the Hair Perfector; use it in the same way you would an at-home deep conditioning treatment – once a week on towel-dried hair for at least 10-15 minutes and you have a fool-proof way of ensuring hair stays strong, soft and healthy-looking between salon visits.
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3 Boost the effects of Olaplex with at home conditioning masks
As with anything, it’s worth pointing out that although it’s an ingenious way of giving hair some natural oomph, it isn’t a complete miracle worker and shouldn’t be used as an excuse to go crazy with heavy-duty chemical or thermal alterations. ‘You can only push your hair too far’ advises Issie. ‘Too much of anything will undermine the health of your hair and will make it much harder to bounce back from.’ The efficacy will of course depend on the condition of your hair to begin with, but everyone will see an immediate benefit, which is what makes it so appealing. What’s also important to note is that once you start using Olaplex, it pays to carry on ‘ I always relay the importance of the at-home follow-up service to clients. Think of it like a long-term investment for your hair and try and have it regularly to maintain its reparative ability.’
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4 Need-to-knows
Longer equals better: Although it says a minimum of 10 minutes, the longer the at-home treatment is left on, the better the results will be. Kim Kardashian advocates leaving it on overnight, so we’re game.
It’s not a mask: Unlike masks and deep conditioners, which work on the surface of your hair, Olaplex works inside the hair, hence the transformational results.
Not just for coloured hair: Yes it’s a Godsend for coloured hair but it’ll even help bring non-coloured hair back to life if it’s looking dry on the ends.