Found in top hair salons and cosmetic Instagram “covers”, Olaplex has established itself as an accessible premium hair care brand that delivers professional-grade results even with treatments. at home. Get the virus Olpalex No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector, Eg. Hashtags with # # olaplexno3 has 40.4 million views on TikTok, with videos showing the transformation from fuzzy locks to glamorous strands of hair. With the name “perfector” and shocking results, we had to make sure it wasn’t too good to be true.
Our nine testers each had different hair types, including straight, wavy, curly 3A, curly 3C/4A, thick, thin, long, short, dry, oily, color treated and nature. We each test out the hair mask as often as we see fit for over four weeks – and yes, it has left us with a lot of impressions.
Our favorite moisturizing mask for damaged hair
This treatment leaves hair smoother and shinier thanks to its ability to repair broken bonds in the hair – a difference we noticed after the first use.
How Olaplex No. 3 . Works
Our hair structure has millions of disulfide bonds between the proteins that make up our hair strands, giving them strength and elasticity. When these bonds are broken, that’s when our hair splits and looks dry, frizzy and damaged. Olaplex #3 contains Olaplex’s patented link-building ingredient, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, which penetrates the hair and rebuilds those damaged bonds. This results in healthier looking hair.
Benefits of using Olaplex No.3
“There are so many ways that hair can be damaged, things that we even forget to consider: environmental changes and extreme weather, heat styling and even comb your hair generally. Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector is safe for all hair types and works from the hair’s internal structure to fortify and protect hair from future damage,” explains professional hairstylist and Olaplex ambassador . Bianca Hillier.
Hair masks are said to moisturize and restore hair, thanks to nourishing bond-building ingredients, leaving hair shiny and smoother. Although it is known as a holy grail product among hair dyes, Olaplex No. 3 can be used for all hair types. “The reason why Olaplex is good for all hair types is because the hair bonds are agnostic regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity,” says Hillier.
How to use Olaplex No. 3
Olaplex #3 should be applied to damp hair before shampoo or conditioner and left on for at least 10 minutes. Results may be more noticeable the longer you leave it on (the label says maximum results are achieved in 45 minutes), giving the product time to penetrate the hair. However, you should not leave your hair so long that it dries out, as this treatment only works on damp hair. After leaving it alone, you can shampoo and condition your hair as usual.
“Remember it is not a replacement for conditioner, so you should always wash and condition your hair,” says Hillier. “This is an additive to your daily routine. For damaged hair, I recommend using it twice a week for best results. Since there is no protein, sulfate or silicon in the formula, it cannot be overdone.”
What we love about Olaplex No. 3
It’s not every day that you find a hair product that delivers salon-grade results you can see and feel. Olaplex #3 has been successful in making our hair feel stronger, shinier and softer, on all hair types of our testers. We also love that it has a fresh scent that reminds us of professional products found in hair salons.
After using the treatment, people with straight hair reported smoother curls and less need to untangle – even when their hair was still wet. “My hair would fall out in just a few minutes whereas before it would take much longer, because I have such a long and thick hair,” says Richa Srivastava, business development coordinator. business development coordinator said.
I’ve noticed that my thick and straight hair, which often feels dry due to being incubated in the past, doesn’t get much tangled in the days after using the mask. Instead, it feels soft and silky thanks to Olaplex’s moisturizing factor.
Those who tested curly hair felt that their hair had more moisture and hydration, making their curls more visible but softer and less frizzy. Social coordinator Sarai Thompson has 3C/4A curls that she says are “exhausted and dry” after letting her natural hair fall into high and low buns for a month straight. “I was impressed with how Olaplex restored my strands,” she says. “Even before I rinsed the product off in the shower, I could feel the difference. I plan to use Olaplex on all of my shampooing days, especially since I’m keeping my hair unprotected to make sure that my curls stay strong.”
Across different hair textures, people with color-treated hair reported that their hair looked brighter and less dull after using the product. And those with thin hair will be surprised that their hair doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. Senior editor Rachel Lubitz says: “I generally stay away from thick formulas and conditioners because my thinning hair is weighed down and greasy, thus causing me to have to wash my hair daily to avoid greasy hair. and scalp”. “But notably, Olaplex was able to solve this problem for me. After a few uses, I realized that I could actually go a day or two without washing my hair and still have it clean.
These results make it a great at-home treatment when you notice your hair is drier, duller, or harder to work with. The softening and strengthening action of Olaplex No. 3 makes hair easier to style, and while the product is not a styling product in itself, starting with strong hair will make it easier to work with to style. .
Visible results lasted three days for most testers, but hair felt healthier overall for at least a week after use. We’ve noticed less breakage, less frizz, and longer time between shampooing days after using the product on a weekly or biweekly basis.
What we don’t like
During our testing of Olaplex #3, we found that it wasn’t the easiest to incorporate into our hair care routine. While most hair masks add time to your shower routine, the fact that you have to pre-wet your hair for Olaplex #3 to work makes it a bit complicated. We either had to take a long shower before rinsing, or get out of the shower completely and put our hair up while doing other things during the treatment.
Chelsea Stone, senior editor, whose hair color stands out 3A, said: “One barrier for me was that integrating Olaplex No. 3 into my shower routine wasn’t necessarily seamless. “I tried just getting my hair wet, putting on Olaplex and doing everything around my apartment for 10 minutes before continuing with the rest of the shower, and wetting my hair, applying Olaplex and going right into the bathroom. , which saves all my hair. the last one, but neither option feels entirely ideal to me. That’s why I tend to view Olaplex as a specialty therapy rather than part of my usual routine. ”
The second problem we noticed was that we had to use the product more than we did on the first try to really see and feel the difference. Once we figured out how saturated hair should be – quite a bit – we found that the amount of product in the 100 ml bottle didn’t feel much.
“This formula works great for me,” says Stephanie Griffin, senior digital content strategist, who has thin, straight, color-treated hair. “Since I have a lot of hair, I am forced to use a lot of product, and I think if the formula were a bit thicker, I wouldn’t run out of the mask so quickly.” For some of us with long, thick or just great number of hair, half of the bottle was gone in the second treatment.
Test subjects without color-treated hair also had more average results than those with dyed hair. While the product can be used on any hair type, results will be more apparent on more damaged hair as it will repair broken bonds.
How does it compare to other hair masks
Olaplex No. 3 ranks first among other bonding strengthening hair masks. The Biometric Biomolecular Repair Hair Mask K18 gives the same smoothing, repairing and strengthening results as Olaplex #3, but with a higher price tag – $75 for 50 ml. K18’s treatment is denser and doesn’t require as much product per use, so it can last longer. However, it doesn’t leave hair as immediate and transformative as Olaplex #3, says Hayley Saltzman, head of the social organization, who has thin, color-treated hair. She has been using Olaplex #3 on and off for three years, and recently started using K18. The latter requires more uses to see results, providing better value overall for Olaplex #3.
Key point
Olaplex No. 3 is a worthy addition to your hair care routine. Although you may have to sacrifice another 10 to 45 minutes to apply the mask, you will see and feel the difference almost immediately. If you don’t have the time or money to go to the salon before a big event, applying this mask the day before or even in the morning will help your skin look like you did.
