When Kim Kardashian declared that Olaplex was the key to repairing overprocessed hair, saying that 'when your hair is damaged, it really works,' I took notice. My hair - long, blonde, definitely damaged - needed some TLC before I attempted to dye it again this summer, so I booked myself into Billi Currie in Marylebone to see if it was indeed a miracle treatment worth the praise that the A-listers were heaping on it. Here's what I found, and the answers to all your burning Olaplex questions courtesy of Mimi Kobayashi, stylist at Billi Currie...
First things first: how does it work?
The experience of Olaplex is pretty straightforward - you just lie back over the basin as dry hair is covered in Olaplex No. 1 'Bond Multiplier'. This step is left on for 5 minutes. Next, Olaplex No. 2 'Bond Perfector' is applied all over hair and combed through.
According to Mimi, while the Olaplex is on, it'll "permanently rebuild damaged bonds within the hair that have previously broken due to chemical or heat damage. These bonds are what give your hair elasticity and strength.”
So could I do it at home?
The Olaplex treatment always needs to be carried out at the salon as you can't buy it for home use - and you really need to know what you're doing when you apply it. It doesn't take too long, though - mine took an hour, so I managed to squeeze it in before work.
The good news if you really can't make it into a salon but need to help strengthen your hair? While Olaplex is carried out in a salon, there's also a version designed to be used between appointments: "Olaplex no.3 Hair Perfector is the take home product," explains Mimi. "You can apply it to the hair as necessary as a leave in treatment. For best results, wet down hair, apply all over, and sleep in it to ensure you get the most out of the treatment."
How much does it cost?
Expect to pay around £50 for the in salon treatment, while the take home bottle is around £35. You should be able to buy the bottle in your salon.
Can it be used on all hair types or even on virgin, uncoloured hair as a strengthening treatment?
While I have a classic case of damaged hair in need of some Olaplex help, Mimi assured me that you can use it on all hair types - including those that have suffered lifestyle damage: "it's totally compatible with all hair types - even if you haven't had any chemical processes but want to re-bond or strengthen, though it works especially well on coloured hair, or hair pre-colour treatment."
So how long do the benefits last?
This is the best bit of all. The results are permanent until your next chemical treatment, though Mimi cautioned against being too cavalier with hair after having Olaplex as "all heat processes such as straightening will weaken it - don't think your hair will be invincible afterwards! If you colour your hair, I'd recommend a top up every 6 weeks when you have your roots redone."
Our verdict?
After putting the treatment to the test on my hair; which after years of colour has become very damaged and dry, the difference was incredible. I walked out the salon with smooth, shiny hair that felt healthy and swishy. I've been diligent about using Olaplex No. 3 weekly, so a month on my hair is really much stronger and looks lustrous. I'm a convert!
