Olaplex has been a cult-favourite hair-care brand for years, and for good reason: hairstylists and editors alike swear by its products for strengthening the hair and undoing the damage from colour or chemical treatments. Even though some of the formulas can only be accessed by licenced professionals at the hair salon, the brand's at-home products have become favourites among beauty enthusiasts all over TikTok [1] thanks to its reparative properties.
"Olaplex 1, 2, and 3 do one simple gigantic thing: they all relink broken disulfide bonds," celebrity hairstylist Chad Kenyon [2] once told POPSUGAR in a previous article. Each of Olaplex's eight products contain a special molecule that helps repair broken bonds in the hair, essentially making it look and feel healthier after each use. The products are safe to use on all hair types, but they work best on hair that's damaged from excessive heat, chemical processing, or both.
If you're familiar with the brand but unsure of how and when to use each of its products for your individual hair type [3], read ahead for a quick breakdown to everything Olaplex.
Olaplex No.0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment
Depending on how dry or damaged your hair is, you can use the Olaplex No.0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment [4] ($28) to intensify the effects of No.3. (More on that below.)
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector
Easily the most popular product in the brand's entire lineup, the Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector [5] ($28) is so effective that even a few of our own editors have sang its praises [6]. It uses a special bond-building technology to repair damaged or colour-treated hair. Still, it shouldn't be used as a conditioner but rather as an intensive mask for anyone with severely damaged hair from chemical treatments. To get the best results, you should apply it to the hair at least twice a week before following it with your shampoo and conditioner.
Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
The Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo [7] ($28) is a favourite among hairstylists. The shampoo can be used on damaged, dry, colour-treated hair, and it uses a special technology to relink the bonds in the hair to ultimately make it stronger and healthier.
Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
As you can probably guess, the Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner [8] ($28) is meant to be used as a follow-up to the shampoo. It's a favourite among Sephora shoppers, and much like the shampoo, it works to strengthen damaged hair while also making it appear shinier and easier to manage.
Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother
For people with curly and wavy hair, or hair that's prone to flyaways, the Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother [9] ($28) is a solid leave-in product that can be applied to damp or dry hair. It's meant to strengthen and hydrate the hair and can help keep frizz to a minimum for at least three days post-use.
Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil
Often used as the last step in the Olaplex process, the Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil [10] ($28) can be applied before or after blowing out your hair to prevent frizz, heat damage, and split ends. If your hair is colour-treated, you can also use this product to protect the colour's vibrancy.
Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask
The latest product to be introduced to the brand's lineup is the Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask [11] ($28). As the name suggests, it's a conditioner substitute meant to target damaged hair, and according to one POPSUGAR editor who previously tried it out, it's able to work wonders on dry and brittle hair [12].
"After just one use of the mask, I noticed that my ends were not as dry and looked much healthier," she said. "It brought out my highlights and gave my colour a refreshing shine."