If you search on the Internet for Olaplex you´ll find almost nothing but superlatives! Is Olaplex really the miracle cure to color, dye and bleaching your hair – considering we read it everywhere? To find out, we have extensively tested Olaplex during the last six weeks at our hair salon. First, on natural hair extensions and later on models. Find out if Olaplex really lives up to its promise to revolutionize hair coloring.
Here finally our very own personal review. I´m actually surprised by the results!
WHAT IS OLAPLEX?
Very stressed or damaged hair after bleaching, coloring or dying hair, seems to be a thing of the past. Turning dark hair to platinum blonde, without risking hair breakage.
Olaplex even claims that hair is stronger, healthier, and more luscious than ever before, after using it. Distressed – or even broken hair, caused throughout the bleaching or coloring process, now during the same session is promised to regenerate and even repair itself.
Olaplex is not a color and not a lightener. It is an add-on to the color and to the bleaching mixture the colorist use to avoid hair damage. And it is also a special treatment before shampooing.
Check out my blog post “Olaplex: Going platinum blond with no hair damage!” with more detail about what it is and how it works.
Ok, but what´s the truth behind Olaplex? Is it the salvation to bleach, dye and color hair we have waited so long for?
OLAPLEX TO COLOUR AND DYE HAIR
If your hair colorist is using high quality colors, in my opinion there is no need to use Olaplex! In my own hair salon we are using „Tint & Tone Advanced“ from La Biosthetique. Those colors are much milder to your hair and scalp than other conventional hair coloring brands. Stressed hair or hair breakage related to hair coloring, it´s something we don´t have in our salon.
This brings me to my first conclusion: NO, we definitely don´t need Olaplex to color or dye hair at our salon!
OLAPLEX TO BLEACH HAIR
Alright, this is going to be more exciting! Well, we already use great products such as „X.DREAM Powder Plus“ and “X.DREAM Cream ADVANCED” from La Biosthétique Paris. Both bleaching products provide maximum protection for hair and scalp, much more than other traditional ones. But regardless, let´s face it – bleaching hair is nontheless a chemical process! Especially if you want to lighten up very dark hair to a very light blond – doing such a thing affects your hair… more or less!
Thats why my expectations are high! To see if Olaplex allows us to push the envelope further without compromising the integrity of hair. Exactly like Olaplex promises it on their website!
THE OLAPLEX REVIEW
Six weeks of intensely testing Olaplex at our hair salon are over. Bleaching hair on natural hair extensions, on numerous models with different hair colours and hair structures, on European hair and even on Asian hair.
We really made a tremendous effort!
SO WHAT? OLAPLEX YES OR NO?
YES! During bleaching, Olaplex definitely does good to your hair!
Compared to a “normal” bleach, adding Olaplex to the bleaching mixture makes it possible for a much more gentle and hair-friendly chemical process. The hair doesn´t get as stressed as it would without using it. That allows the colorist to push the envelope further than before, making it more likely to shift from a darker hair color to a very blond tone – without straining the hair too much. When we compare a classic bleaching process (without adding Olaplex) to one adding Olaplex, the one with Olapex looks much healthier, more glossy, shiny and has a softer feel. That´s pretty cool!
But: Even if we achieve great results by adding Olapex, it´s still a bleaching process. My expert eye can still identify very slightly stressed hair, even though much less than without using Olaplex. Some people even promise that the hair after a bleaching session with Olaplex is in better condition than it was before the bleaching process. I personally cannot confirm that! But considering that the hair was exposed to a chemical process, it´s still a great outcome.
Nevertheless, for me it´s a very nice add-on to our La Biosthetique Products – when we are talking about bleaching hair of course!
Three important things you definitely should consider. Using Olaplex..:
- requires more time at the salon.
- makes the color service more expensive.
- means continuous hair care and additional treatments at home, after leaving the salon.
BE NICE TO YOUR OLAPLEX HAIR – ALSO AT HOME!
After getting your hair treated at the salon with Olaplex, at home you need to keep on using the right hair treatment product. Otherwise, the whole magic is over pretty soon. During a chemical process, like coloring or bleaching, the so-called disulfide bonds within each hair breaks. Olaplex claims to be able to repair those disulfide bonds. Unfortunately those bonds only last for a certain time. If you don´t keep on using the right treatment, those bonds just break again. That´s it with those healthy, glossy and shiny hair!
You have to know that its not done with one single Olaplex session with your hairdresser. Additional hair care treatments at home means additional time and money. But in return you get rewarded with long lasting and great looking hair!
“Olaplex Nº 3” or “Action 2 Phases” from La Biosthetique are a few convenient hair care products I can recommend.
But in the end, you yourself have to weigh up if it´s worth the extra time and money, or not. Like I said before: The result with Olaplex is better than not using it! Without any doubt! But like everything in life – it has it´s price!
OLAPLEX, MY CONCLUSION!
Olaplex, yes – in parts! Especially for bleaching hair I consider Olaplex a great asset. That is exactly where I will use it. But not generally for all hair. Depending on condition and purpose is whether or not I will recommend Olaplex to our clients.
But don´t forget: Applying Olaplex to your hair needs more time and costs more money! Not just at the hair salon, also as a follow-up hair care at home. Your precious hair only stays nice and pretty if you keep on treating it with the right hair care at home too. I personally think it´s worth!
For coloration, dyes and hair care treatments we don´t need Olaplex at our salon! With all our La Biosthetique products, I see our self quite well set.
In the end I´m quite surprised by the fact that on the Internet you nearly can´t find anything critical about Olaplex. Not one single detail. No “if’s” and “buts”. That´s impressive! Please, don´t misunderstand me. I consider Olaplex a great product – and I will employ it where it makes sense to me, no doubt! But for me it´s not the one and only magic bullet to resolve all problems with one single shot! I know, that´s what we all wanted to hear, including myself!
And yes, I know, such a generic promise is easy to sell to salon clients. That might be the reason for the unconditional euphoria by some colleagues at other hair salons. No wonder if some placebo affect might occur ;-)
Hope this Olaplex review was useful for you!
With sunny greetings from Majorca,
Silke von Rolbiezki
This article was written by Silke von Rolbiezki, hairdresser, hair stylist and owner of ‘Silke von Rolbiezki Coiffure’ in Palma de Mallorca – has been involved and connected for more than 19 years in the high end hairdressing industry. She has perfected her skills over time with top hair stylists in Germany and Spain. In addition to cutting and styling, Silke is very well known for her extensive expertise in hair coloring.
Text © Silke von Rolbiezki Coiffure, 2015
Pictures: All pictures by © Alexander von Rolbiezki, 2015 except Picture No. 2 seen on Pinterest, and Picture No. 1, 8, 10 and 11 © Soravit Lertphiphat, 2015
DO YOU KNOW OLAPLEX? WHAT IS YOU EXPERIENCE?
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