For decades, if someone asked how they could mend the damage done to their overstyled, overprocessed or cold-weatherbeaten hair, the only response was to tell them to put it out of its misery with scissors. And then came Olaplex.
Very few brands can honestly claim to have changed the game, but in the case of Olaplex No3 Hair Protector, there are many – too many – products in its lineup but This Is The One, it’s undeniable. In temporarily reforming damaged bonds in the hair shaft, Olaplex No3 (£28) – applied 10 minutes before shampooing – noticeably improves the texture, condition and appearance of damaged hair in as little as one treatment.
Inevitably, its reign of exclusivity was brief. A new generation of anti-damage bonding treatments are growing at pace, and they’re good. K18 uses peptides to mimic the chemical components of real hair and works more deeply, filling holes and cracks to restore bonds for the long term. Again, there are too many supplementary products here (the market’s obsession with newness, regardless of necessity, is enraging). The only one you need concern yourself with is KI8 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask (from £12).
As with my regular weapon of choice, Living Proof’s Triple Bond Complex, K18’s advantages over Olaplex are that it’s easier and faster. You apply it to damp, shampooed hair, skipping conditioner, and leave for four minutes before using any styling products (it has the added benefit of working as a heat protector). The downsides are that the visual and tactile effects are less immediately noticeable than with Olaplex. K18 should be used for six consecutive washes at first – although the cumulative effects, when they kick in, last longer. If you struggle to grow your hair because of breakage, this is the way to go.
Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Pre-treatment (£24.10 for 150ml) is newer still and adored by many hairdressers I know. Like Olaplex, it goes on to dry hair weekly, 10 minutes before washing and conditioning. After drying, hair should feel more manageable, silky and strong. My fine, lank hair usually hates conditioning treatments but it loved this. The strands were silkier and smoother without flatness.
My curly-haired friend, however, felt her coils lacked definition, and preferred L’Oréal Professional’s very easy-to-use Absolut Repair Molecular Leave-In Mask (£26 for 100ml), which gives K18 a run for its money at less than half the price.
