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With such a wide range of products—more than a dozen in all—cult-favorite hair repair line OLAPLEX can feel a bit daunting to a newcomer. If you’re wondering what the best OLAPLEX products are for beginners, the truth is that any and all of the product line is suitable for any hair type and texture, and the products are so easy to use anyone can do it. Ready to learn more? We’ll break down everything you need to know about OLAPLEX for beginners, including:
OLAPLEX products feature a unique bond-building technology that works on a molecular level to help repair damaged hair. The key to this process is a patented ingredient called bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, and it functions by repairing and strengthening disulfide bonds in your hair. “Damaged hair often looks dry, rough and frizzy, and one reason for that is broken disulfide bonds in each individual strand,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “The bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate goes to work repairing these broken bonds, which results in smoother, shinier hair that’s more easily styled and managed.”
Two of OLAPLEX’s most talked-about products are OLAPLEX No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment and OLAPLEX No. 3 Hair Perfector. Even though the numbers in the product names aren’t sequential, these two formulas are meant to be used as a two-part weekly pre-shampoo treatment. Together, they work to help reduce hair breakage and split ends and leave hair looking smoother and softer.
OLAPLEX No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment is a spray-on primer, and it’s the first step in this hair-strengthening duet. It’s designed to be used on dry hair and comes with a squeeze-nozzle applicator so you can spray on the primer until your hair is lightly saturated from root to tip. After a ten-minute wait, you’re ready to apply OLAPLEX No. 3 Hair Perfector on top of No. 0. Apply No. 3 from roots to ends and let the treatments mingle together for another ten minutes before rinsing and shampooing as usual.
There’s been a lot of chatter on social media about keeping OLAPLEX No. 3 on your hair longer than ten minutes, so you might be wondering: Can you leave OLAPLEX No. 3 on overnight? “Using products according to the manufacturer’s instructions is really important,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “If a product is intended to be rinsed out after a short amount of time, I would not recommend using it as a leave-in product overnight or otherwise. The product is designed to work most effectively during the treatment time that’s recommended on the label, and leaving it on for longer does not mean you will get better results.”
You might also be wondering how often to use OLAPLEX No. 3. “This is a situation when the common wisdom of ‘More is more’ does not apply,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “OLAPLEX No. 0 and No. 3 are intended to be used once a week, and I recommend following those instructions for the best results.”
After you’ve mastered the once-weekly application of OLAPLEX No. 0 and No. 3, you can follow up with OLAPLEX’s own shampoo and conditioner, which both contain bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate to support strong, healthy hair every time you wash.
OLAPLEX No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo is a daily shampoo that’s safe to use every time you wash your hair to help guard against dryness, frizz and breakage. After shampooing, you can apply OLAPLEX No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner to the ends of your hair. A combination of biotin, vitamin B5 and vitamin E helps moisturize and nourish, leaving your hair feeling easier to manage and style.
OLAPLEX offers some fantastic formulas to help make styling your hair a breeze. First up, OLAPLEX No. 6 Bond Smoother is a leave-in treatment to help smooth and strengthen your hair without weighing it down. If you prefer to air dry your hair, this product helps guard against frizz and define texture and curls. If heat styling is the way you prefer to go, No. 6 will actually help reduce your blow-dry time. To use it, just apply to wet hair after you shampoo and condition, before you start styling. You can also dab a bit on dry hair to help smooth flyaways.
If your styling routine includes numerous heat tools, you’ll want to have OLAPLEX No. 7 Bonding Oil on hand. Drizzle a few drops onto your palm and apply to wet or dry hair before you begin heat styling. A blend of moringa, sunflower and pomegranate seed oils help brittle hair feel softer, smoother and easier to style.
To achieve major volume during your next blowout, OLAPLEX Volumizing Blow Dry Mist is just the right product to have on hand. This heat protectant formula helps protect your hair from temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit during styling. If you live in a humid climate, you’ll also appreciate that this formula helps guard against frizz and flyaways in high humidity.
When you need a quick refresh to perk up your hairstyle, OLAPLEX No.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo is ready to come to the rescue. The dry shampoo contains super-fine starches to absorb oil and give hair that freshly washed look when you don’t have time to wash your hair and need your style to last another day.
The OLAPLEX line features even more treatments to help give your hair some extra TLC.
OLAPLEX No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask is a once-weekly mask that gives your mane a major boost of moisture. In a clinical study, users found that hair looked twice as shiny and six times as smooth after using this mask. Once a week, you can apply this mask from the middle to the ends of your hair and leave it on for ten minutes before rinsing.
Another fantastic treatment is OLAPLEX No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum, which you can use daily to help protect your hair from the damage of pollution and other environmental stressors with red algae extract. As an added bonus, it also helps reduce static and tangles as well thanks to hydrating hyaluronic acid. To use this daily hair serum, apply a small amount to damp, clean hair from ends to roots before styling.
Looking to make the most of your curls? Learn more about how you can use OLAPLEX products for curly hair on the LovelySkin Blog.
Aaron serves as Editor at LovelySkin. Since graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2016 with degrees in Creative Writing and English, he has immersed himself in the beauty industry. When he’s not writing about the latest beauty trends, he spends time cuddling his dogs, scouring antique stores, playing tennis and hiking.
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