It’s been used on Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez and is in demand in salons all over Melbourne. Fans swear by using it before colouring their hair, and many rely on it to banish breakage and keep hair strong, full and silky. You’ve probably seen it mentioned in magazines or advertised in the window of your nearest salon. It’s Olaplex, of course. But what exactly is Olaplex and what does it do?
To answer this question, you’ll need to brush off your high school chemistry knowledge – but this time for something that’s bound to hold your attention. Olaplex was created by a polymer chemist. At its core, it contains a molecule that can make the broken disulphide sulphur bonds in hair connect again. It’s an incredibly simple solution that can have untold effects on your hair, ranging from preventing chemical breakage when colouring to healing some damage from heat and mechanical stress. Now a patented product, Olaplex is currently tried and tested in salons all over the world, and its fan base grows every day. Its creators are also testing its use in preventing damage during hair texturizing salon processes like relaxing treatments.
If you’ve ever wondered how your favourite hair icon could switch between hot pink hair one day and sun-kissed blonde next, then Olaplex was likely responsible for preserving their hair’s integrity from within between treatments, allowing one to occur after the other with minimal chemical damage to the hair.
Experts do caution that Olaplex is not a guaranteed quick fix and cannot magically repair years of damage in one go. There are certain applications where Olaplex works better, such as high colour lifting situations (in other words when you’re getting highlights, a tint or balayage). If any hair salon promises you the use of Olaplex to escape damage after several bouts of dyeing, treatments and more, they promise something that they cannot guarantee, and that is most likely impossible.
If you want to know if an Olaplex treatment would add to your next hair salon visit, then best speak to your Colourist for expert advice before you proceed.