Olaplex
Olaplex bond building care, from the No.3 weekly treatment to shampoo, conditioner, masks, oils and serums. We explain what each number does, which one to start with and how often to use it for coloured or damaged hair.Read more →
Filters
Availability
Form
Goal
Price
What Olaplex bond building actually does for damaged hair
Olaplex is a bond builder, not a conditioner. That single difference explains most of the confusion around the range. Its patented ingredient, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, is made to reconnect disulfide bonds: the internal links inside the hair that bleach, permanent colour and high heat break open. A conditioner sits on the outside of the hair and makes it feel smooth straight away. A bond builder works inside the hair shaft, so what you notice is strength and elasticity, less snapping when you brush.
The numbers are a system, not a ranking
The numbers show the order in which products were launched, not how strong they are. No.1 and No.2 are salon only and go into the colour or bleach itself. Everything else is made for home use. No.0 is a watery primer that goes on dry hair before No.3. No.3 is the weekly pre-shampoo treatment and the product most people mean when they say Olaplex. No.4 and No.5 are the maintenance duo you can slot into our shampoo range, with No.4P and No.5P adding purple pigment for blonde and grey hair. No.6, No.7 and No.9 are leave-in products for smoothing, shine and heat protection up to 232 degrees. No.8 is the moisture mask.
The range suits you if your hair is bleached, highlighted, regularly heat styled or simply feels brittle at the ends. If your main problem is dryness rather than breakage, a moisture step matters more, so compare it with the hair masks we stock before you buy the full system.
Why we stock Olaplex
We are brand-neutral and outcome-first. We carry Olaplex because the bond building technology is patented, clinically tested by the brand and consistent from bottle to bottle, not because a big range sells well. We buy directly from the brand, without intermediaries, so what reaches you is authentic. Our compliance team checks every product before it goes live, we test products ourselves and independent labs spot-check batches. Inside the range we are honest about priorities: No.3 does the repair work, the styling products are useful extras rather than a starting point. You can read how we select our brands.
Honest expectations before you buy
Bond building is a repair job, not a reset. Split ends cannot be glued back together by any product, they need cutting. Hair that has lost most of its structure will feel stronger but will not go back to virgin condition. Give No.3 at least ten minutes on damp hair, use it weekly and judge the result after three or four washes rather than one.
Two more points people learn the hard way. Olaplex No.3 and No.0 are not conditioners, so hair can feel stiff if you skip the shampoo and conditioner step afterwards. And bond builders do nothing for hair growth or a flaky scalp, which is a different concern with different hair treatments. Used for what it is designed to do, on colour damaged or heat damaged hair, it is one of the few categories where you can feel the difference within a month.
Frequently asked questions
Olaplex is a bond builder. Its patented ingredient, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, is designed to reconnect broken disulfide bonds inside the hair, the internal structure that bleach, permanent colour and high heat damage. A mask or conditioner works mainly on the surface and makes hair feel soft immediately. Olaplex targets strength and elasticity instead, so results show as less breakage rather than instant slip. Many people use both: one for structure, one for moisture.
