Press samples
How many of you remember screaming when Olaplex No.3 was finally accessible to us normal people?! I had only used Olaplex products when getting my hair done in the salon and the No.3 Hair Perfector was all I heard about! So far, No.3 is the only Olaplex product I have used and I have been happily testing three others to see how my hair responds for the last couple of weeks. Spoiler alert – I have found both a must-have as well as a “this isn’t working for me and I need to give it away” product!
Years ago, what made Olaplex so appealing to those of us with colour-treated and/or damaged hair was that the products were about rebuilding disulphide bonds in hair (bonds that give hair shape and body) and slowly restoring and repairing hair. Now, I feel like there are a lot more products that do this, but 5+ years ago I don’t remember seeing many.
No.4 and No.5 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Conditioner*
I was VERY excited to start using this and something I found interesting right off the bat is that Olaplex has kept their packaging very minimal with almost a “medicinal feel” in that we’ve got some plastic bottles with a black and white label on them. Nothing fancy just straight up, “here is the product” which I don’t hate. In a world revolving around Instagram-worthy packaging, it’s kind of refreshing to have brands that don’t cater too much to that kind of aesthetic.
Firstly, the scent of both the shampoo and conditioner is subtle, a little citrusy and pleasant. I did not bother to showcase the consistency of these or any of the Olaplex products in my hands because there wasn’t anything too revolutionary. The shampoo lathered well and is meant to be used alone or to rinse out No.3. It did a good job of helping my scalp and hair feel clean, but it did leave the ends of my hair feeling a bit dry and then oddly enough felt like it weighed down my hair at the roots.
Here we go, No.5 the conditioner. I tried so hard with this one, but this is a product that just did not get along with my hair!
Attempt #1
On the first usage of No.4 and No.5, I usually apply a bit of conditioner to the top of my hair as well because I have generally dry hair with a ton of flyaways especially around my roots. I used a dime-sized amount and instantly when I was blow-drying my hair, I could see that I had zero volume at my roots to the point where it looked like I had a helmet head! I thought that maybe I need to rinse it out more next time (though my scalp and hair felt squeaky clean) because it leaves behind a bit of a residue.
Attempt #2
I used No.4 and No.5 on their own and rinsed it out thoroughly and still, my hair was super flat even with blowdrying and using the Olaplex Volumizing Dry Mist at the roots (which normally works!).
Attempt #3
I used No.4 and No.5 ONLY on the ends of my hair which was better after blowdrying, but by morning even with sleeping with my hair up in loose bun, I had lost quite a bit of volume at the roots again. I stuck with this combination for the next few weeks and just dealt with the decrease in root volume even with a thickening cream that I used from root to tip. Then a few days ago, out of habit I used a leftover bit of No.5 on my roots and bam I was back to hair from Attempt #1!
The other thing I noticed when using No.4 and No.5 was that my hair was always tangled and a little rough feeling which was totally the opposite of what I was expecting from this duo! You have no idea how sad I was that these did not work for me! I switched back to another shampoo and conditioner last night (JVN Embody) and immediately I could see a change. I didn’t even need to blow dry my hair and it had volume at the roots and I was able to comb through it no problem.
No.3 Hair Perfector*
I gave a mini review of this back in 2020 and my thoughts haven’t changed. I wish this mask/treatment were a bit more shower-friendly and didn’t take 10 minutes, but it is fairly unique in the sense that this mask is supposed to be used on unwashed, wet and towel-dried hair. I feel like it suits the salon atmosphere much better as at home, it does require more planning to do this treatment. Still, it is an intensely moisturizing one and is a bit of a hair reboot if you feel like it is not looking its best.
Volumizing Dry Mist*
I have saved the best for last! This is the newest product from Olaplex and I LOVE it! I have been using this since the summer and I have raved about it on my IG stories as I love the volume it adds while being a heat and humidity protector. This has been my go-to prior to curling my hair and I find it incredibly helpful in giving my thin hair some body!
Final verdict: In short, some surprising revelations for me here, but also the discovery of a new favourite! I already have a backup of the numberless Volumizing Blow Dry Mist so that should indicate to you how much I have been enjoying it!
You can purchase all Olaplex products at https://ca.olaplex.com
