Olaplex was the result of years of research conducted by husband-and-wife team Dean and Darcy Christal. Dean grew up within the beauty industry, as his brother ran a tanning shop, his dad was a distributor for several retailers, and his mother operated a hair salon. Before our Olaplex shampoo review digs into the brand’s game-changing products, let’s get some initial pros and cons on the table: Pros The ingredients included in Olaplex products vary depending on the specific product. However, the following information provides insights into the ingredients used in Olaplex products and their purpose: Redken pH-Bonder: Redken pH-Bonder is another brand that offers a bond-building system to repair and protect the hair. Their products are designed to maintain the hair’s integrity during coloring or bleaching processes, minimizing damage and breakage. Whatever you do, do not use their products. I used olaplex years ago and didn’t seem to have any problems that I noticed, however after buying and using it recently I noticed my scalp became extremely red, itchy and irritated. My hair felt so dry and brittle and started thinning and breaking a lot!!

Despite having a minute concentration of lilial of less than 0.1%, which according to experts is “not enough to directly impact fertility”, Olaplex clarified that it will be excluding lilial from its products from here on, and no products containing lilial have been sold in the UK or EU since January 2022. The ingredient lists are strikingly similar. First up, you’ll find propylene glycol, which softens hair and makes it easier to comb. Then there’s polyquaternium-37, which acts as an antistatic. And finally, panthenol, which works to strengthen hair, retain moisture and improve the texture of damaged hair. But despite the acclaim, there still seems to be a little confusion around what the products actually do. We'll clear things up: Unlike other hair treatments that add moisture and shine to the outer layers of damaged hair (pretty straightforward stuff), Olaplex works on the molecular level to repair the disulfide bonds that give hair its strength and break through heat-styling, color, and chemical treatments—and was the first brand to make this bond-building technology available in an at-home treatment. (The secret? A little active ingredient called bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate.) By restoring these broken bonds, it offers lasting hair repair, which is how Olaplex came to be recommended by almost every hairstylist out there. This technology is particularly beneficial for anyone with bleached or color-treated hair, but it can also help reverse damage done from brushing, chemical processes, intense hairstyling, and environment aggressors. Hair Repair: Olaplex works on a molecular level by restoring the hair’s broken disulfide bonds, which can be damaged during chemical treatments like bleaching and coloring. It helps to repair and strengthen the hair, making it less prone to breakage and damage.Much like no.3, Aldi’s pre-wash treatment, and in fact the entire bonded range, is silicone-free. This is particularly impressive because silicone is commonly used in cheaper haircare products, as it gives the appearance of looking shinier, but in actual fact prevents moisture from being penetrated into the root.

Bis-aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate: This is the main compound in Olaplex and is used in their patented bond-building formula. It works to repair and restore damaged disulfide bonds in the hair, which can be broken during chemical treatments. Despite being diehard Olaplex fans, it’s fair to say that after a couple of uses, we were left impressed with Aldi’s pre-wash treatment. Our hair did feel smoother and shinier. Or maybe you’ve heard of it via social media, where TikTok users began to spread the word that Olaplex was allegedly set to be banned in the UK because it had been using an ingredient that could potentially link to fertility issues. And while there was no truth in the Olaplex ban, there is an EU-wide ban on an ingredient previously found in the Olaplex formula, with the UK expected to follow suit. The secret behind OLAPLEX’s incredible success? The brand’s patented bond building technology and bond maintenance system. Working on a molecular level, the brand’s bond building innovation is the first of its kind, repairing strands’ broken disulphide bonds, caused by heat and colour damage. This active system works by repairing and realigning the torn disulphide links, rather than just increasing the density of the hair, like typical repair systems do. The ingredient in question was butylphenyl methylpropional – also known as “lilial”, a synthetic scent that’s used in several cosmetic products as well as laundry detergents and household cleaners. Under the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, it’s listed as a possible concern for developmental/reproductive toxicity, and having been monitored for the past few years by the European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, in 2020 the EU regulatory authority announced its intent to have it phased out by March 2022.Matrix Bond Ultim8: Matrix Bond Ultim8 is a professional hair care brand that provides bond-building treatments similar to Olaplex. Their products help to strengthen and protect the hair from damage caused by chemical treatments and heat styling. Schwarzkopf Fibreplex: Schwarzkopf Fibreplex is a hair care range that focuses on repairing and strengthening the hair’s internal structure. Their products, including bond boosters and bond maintainers, help to prevent breakage and maintain hair health. Water (Aqua/Eau) ,Cetearyl Alcohol,PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride , Cetyl Alcohol,Octyldodecyl Ricinoleate, Quaternium-91 , Cetrimonium Chloride, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer , Behentrimonium Chloride , Glycerin , Isododecane Cetyl Esters , Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate , Panthenol , Phospholipds, Dimethicone PEG-7 Isostearate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Glycine Soya (Soybean) Oil, PEG-45M, PEG-7 Amodimethicone, Amodimethicone, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Disodium EDTA, Polysilicone-15, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, C11-15 Pareth-7, Sodium Polyaspartate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Laureth-9, Trideceth-12, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Silica, Acetic Acid, Etidronic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Acetate, PEG-4 Laurate PEG-4 Dilaurate, BHT, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, PEG-4, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate, Pseudozyma Epicola/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Ferment Filtrate, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Quaternium-95, Propanediol, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, PEG-8, Punica Granatum Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract , Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, PEG-8/SMDI Copolymer, Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate, Sodium, Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Biotin, Phenoxyethanol , Chlorphenesin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Iodpropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Fragrance (Parfum) , Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene