Nicole Petty, hair expert at Milk + Blush, has noticed a dramatic rise in the popularity of hair bond builders in recent years. “Designed to chemically repair strands damaged by bleach, heat, and styling, they’re a step up from regular hair masks and products that only improve the hair’s surface,” she says. Bond-building treatments were previously only available in professional salons at an additional cost,” explains Petty. “However, with the ongoing cost of living crisis reducing disposable income, salon visits and professional treatments have become less popular in lieu of more affordable home treatment alternatives. When used as a system of Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-In Treatment vs. non-conditioning shampoo You can repair the disulphide bonds by using a weekly bond repair treatment, or using a split end sealer to ensure already damaged ends are temporarily sealed, preventing them from splitting further up the hair shaft and reducing further breakage,” says Petty. After six weeks of using these, I’ve noticed a significant difference in my hair’s health. I feel as if they’re really repairing my hair and giving it what it needs, rather than just putting a bandaid on dryness and breakage with oils or waxes.

Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo is Redken'smost concentrated all-in-one formula for all hair types and textures. This ultra-rich and luxurious shampoo provides intense conditioning, reduced breakage and colour fade protection.Redken’s new formula is acid-based, using a mild dosage of citric acid and alpha hydroxy acid. Much as it is for faces, acid is beneficial for hair too, regulating pH so that the cuticle is optimized to become shinier and softer. When used as a system of Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo and Conditioner vs. non-conditioning shampoo I’m someone who has always thrown all of my efforts into my skincare, but when it comes to hair care, I could do more. I’ve been on a journey of trying to get it into great shape, and that has included a lot of Olaplex—which I think has helped my situation quite a bit, but not in a way that makes me never want to use anything else.

Featuring Citric Acid, an alpha hydroxy acid within our concentrated bonding care complex that helps to protect weak bonds and helps to improve hairs strength and resiliency after a bleach or colour services. This pH-balancing shampoo is specifically formulated with an acidic pH to defend against the negative effects of hair colouring, lightening and heat styling. The result? Hair that looks and feels healthy! I got my hair colored in the middle of trying these products, which also was a huge test since my hair is usually quite dry immediately after. After my first wash post-color, I didn’t feel nearly as dry as I normally did and noticed the difference right away, since it’s something I normally dread as an after-effect of my hair appointments. I know what my hair looks like when it’s bad: limp, flat, oily, and dull. It has trouble motivating itself to exercise. It doesn’t feel like cooking or going out to eat, just microwaving leftovers for days on end. But Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo perked up my hair like a visit from a friend with the personality of a golden retriever. Brushing test. Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-in Treatment vs classic shampoo on bleached hair.As an Olaplex lover but also as someone who loves to try new, innovative products, the Redken Acidic Bonding shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in treatment sounded right up my alley, promising repair to broken bonds that are a result of damaged hair. After six weeks of consistent use, I have a lot of thoughts—and might even have a replacement for my long-time haircare favorites. Here’s how it went: While Olaplex uses a patented active ingredient to repair disulphide bonds inside the hair, other brands are now harnessing equally powerful molecules that penetrate further within the hair shaft to repair stressed strands, making them more resilient to damage. It was a decade ago when Olaplex first put bond-building hair treatments on the map — now you’ll find a structure-fortifying, damage-repairing formulation in almost every haircare range. They target three specific chemical bonds: disulphide (responsible for stabilising protein chains and bolstering the strength of individual hair strands); hydrogen bonds (which maintain resistance to elements such as heat and water and give your hair its texture and shape); and salt bonds (which can be prone to breakage if the hair’s pH becomes too acidic or alkaline.) The products are formulated with citric acid, which leaves it with an absolutely lovely, light citrus scent. I’m pretty sensitive to smells in my products, and this is one of my favorites I’ve come across in that it smells great but isn’t too overpowering in any way.

A couple of months ago, the platform was buzzing about a new shampoo and conditioner that were a surefire Olaplex alternative. After seeing dozens of videos talking about them, it piqued my interest enough to do some digging.I can more or less tell if I like a shampoo as I’m rinsing it out in the shower. A lot of shampoos will make my hair feel immediately dry and brittle, but as I rinsed this one out, it felt sleek and soft. The experience of using it is lovely because of the aforementioned citrus scent, and I feel that it really cleans my hair without leaving it dry whatsoever, which almost never happens for me. I also appreciate that I don’t need to worry about fading my color with it, as many shampoos result in my blonde fading and turning brassy. Featuring Citric Acid, this shampoo contains a concentrated bonding care complex that reinforces weakened bonds within your hair to improve hair strength. This pH-balancing shampoo is specifically formulated with an acidic pH to defend against the negative effects of hair coloring, styling tools, and even water. The result? Hair that looks and feels healthy! Off the bat, I noticed that this shampoo lathers quite a bit less than others, but after getting used to it, I really enjoyed how it felt on my hair. I wash my hair around three times a week (which I wish was a lower number, but with a lot of sweaty workouts, it makes it hard to go further between washes).