This story about Olaplex causing hair loss came out a couple of weeks ago, prior to this lawsuit being filed. When I first saw this story on Buzzfeed, I wasn’t sure I would give up my Olaplex shampoo, conditioner, bond smoother and oil. That stuff costs a lot of money and I have plenty left. My hair has been breaking lately and it’s thinner than usual however. I just assumed that I was going through menopause-related hair loss but now I’m not so sure. Insider interviewed a handful of women who have hair loss and brittleness they associate with Olaplex. Some switched to cheaper hair products and noticed their hair growing back. Dermatologists say that it’s unlikely a topical hair product can cause hair loss, but women experiencing it disagree. Here’s some of both Insider and Buzzfeed’s earlier reports on this as background, with much more on Insider if you’re interested.
Sarah Horrell Richardson battled dry and damaged hair after spending a lifetime curling, straightening, and coloring it for dance competitions. So she was excited to try Olaplex, the TikTok-famous brand that says it can build chemical bonds to repair weakened hair.
But within days of using Olaplex’s Bond Smoother in January 2022, she said her hair began to break in half.
“I would see it all over the counter and my clothes,” she told Insider. She swore off the products after just six uses. “I don’t really have much hair left to lose.”
Richardson is among a number of people claiming in social-media posts and online reviews that Olaplex damaged their hair. The Facebook group “Olaplex Hair Loss/Hair Damage?” is devoted to sharing negative experiences with the brand, and has gained roughly 1,000 members within the past several weeks.
The complaints stand in sharp contrast to thousands of glowing Olaplex reviews from celebrities, influencers, and others that helped supercharge the brand’s recent growth. Olaplex went public in September 2021 at a valuation of more than $15 billion.
Insider interviewed 10 former Olaplex users who voiced concerns about Olaplex on social media and in emails to Insider. Their ages ranged from 26 to 63 years old, from cities across the US and the UK. Some said their hair fell out in “clumps,” or accumulated on sinks and pillows after they had started using the brand’s products. Several said their hair turned dry and straw-like. One said her hairline receded and another said she could see her scalp as her hair thinned. Some feared health problems and sought medical tests. Insider viewed documentation from users such as before-and-after photos, blood-test results, and doctor-visit summaries, as well as correspondence with Olaplex customer service.
Olaplex states its products are third-party tested, and a dermatologist said hair loss from topical treatments was relatively uncommon unless an ingredient caused an allergic reaction. Olaplex has offered refunds for up to 12 months’ worth of products to dissatisfied customers.
“There is so much hair loss now, I’ve never, ever seen in my life so many patients, I see at least 10 patients a day,” Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist at the University of Pittsburgh, told Insider. “And hair fall from shampoo or oil or products is super rare in general, so I would be very careful claiming that.” – From Insider
Olaplex has been around since 2015, and so the fact that there are all these hair loss complaints is unexpected if it’s something in the formula, Wong said. “The formula hasn’t really changed.”Wong believes that reports of hair loss from Olaplex and many other hair products over the last few years may be related to the pandemic. Illness and stress, both of which have been at an all-time high, are two known causes of a sudden and temporary hair loss called telogen effluvium. Researchers also found people who had persistent symptoms after COVID were four times as likely to report hair loss than those who had not been infected.
People often interpret a company’s decision to refund some customers as an admission of guilt, but Olaplex has stood behind the science and testing that goes into their formulations. The company told us that when customers aren’t satisfied with a product, they are willing to “explore a possible refund.”
There’s “no evidence that Olaplex products cause hair loss or hair breakage,” according to a spokesperson. “We believe in the safety and efficacy of our products, which are thoroughly tested in-house and by independent third-party laboratories.”
The experts we talked to unanimously agreed that the products alone are probably not making users’ hair fall out, though they did have other ideas about why people think otherwise.
“There isn’t a form of hair loss that occurs from applying a hair product topically once unless you’re allergic to that product,” said Dr. Chesahna Kindred, a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair loss. There are no ingredients in Olaplex products that she considers to be markedly different from other products on the market. Her advice to anyone experiencing hair loss is to see a dermatologist to get to the bottom of it. – From Buzzfeed
How is Buzzfeed minimizing this so much! They’re making it sound like no big deal or like user error. I initially thought it might be just covid-related hair loss that people were attributing to their products, similar to people saying Yankee Candles don’t smell because they can’t smell. I’m going to stop using Olaplex after reading that Insider story though. My hair is a lot softer, I haven’t had the brittleness other people mentioned, but at what cost? Is my thinning hair due to Olaplex? Is it possible that all of these women are going through other health problems and just blaming their haircare products? The personal stories in the Insider article convinced me to take a break from Olaplex for now.
After I wrote up this story, I read that Olaplex is being sued by about 30 different users in a class action suit for hair and scalp damage. Some of it has to do with an ingredient, commonly known as lilial, in their No. 3 hair treatment. Lilial has been banned in the EU, and Olaplex says they changed the formula of No. 3 to remove it.
Oh wow. I used the Bond Builder all the time and noticed how it made my hair look noticeably thinner – I assumed it was because my hair is super fine and if the broken strands were “bonded” together it would look thinner. But I also did lose a lot of hair with it and the rest of the system. Interesting.
Pureoloy on the other hand has NEVER let me down. I prefer Davines Heart of Glass for a conditioning alternative to Olaplex Bond Builder.
But ALSO: a lot of people misunderstand the purpose of No 3 and use it as conditioner, so that can also be a factor.
A year ago the woman who has been doing my hair for a decade gave me olaplex 4 & 5 to use. She told me she was in a study & the idea was to see the effect on blond hair (which tends to be finer than other shades) I saw her 4 weeks later & she spent a lot of time looking at my hair & then said, “go home & toss out the olaplex & don’t use it again.
She sent me a link to the lawsuit for stylists who were in the study this past Saturday. It causes hair to thin & break (which is what mine had done) always beware the hype.
I have No. 3 and use it maybe once every couple of months but I also want to say I just went and looked and it still says that the ingredient that they say they have taken out and is banned in the EU is still on there and I definitely bought this in the last year.
I don’t think I would let that worry me, personally. There are plenty of ingredients that aren’t really safe OR dangerous that the EU has and the US doesn’t and vice versa. Lilial is a fragrance ingredient so not active in any way and given that it’s in a rinse-off product I am less concerned about it (although you have those people who leave in their Olaplex treatment all night, which you can do as long you keep the hair damp).
Even if it were worrying, I don’t think it’s why the product didn’t work for me. A lot of factors go in to testing formulas.
I just checked my bottle of No. 3 and that ingredient isn’t listed. I’ve been using it for 3 years now once a month (sometimes more often) and have loved the results. Maybe it’s different if you’re using their products that go on the scalp? In any case, I’ve only experienced good things from using and plan on continuing.
I love Pureology. And it smells so good.
I use the shampoo and conditioner, which don’t have Lilial/butylphenyl methylpropional, so I’m good. Just stay away from No 3 then?
As a licensed cosmologist, I have to wonder if people are taking more ‘risks’ with their hair, thinking that Olaplex will negate any damage from lightener or color (which it won’t.) I’m not saying Olaplex itself is a blameless product, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard stylists say ‘Olaplex will save your hair’ before they go in for a heavy highlight or full in bleach and tone.
Thank goodness I didn’t put our cash into this stuff. For now I’ll hang onto my black castor shampoo and conditioner.
The beauty industry makes billions yearly.
I aim for clean and stop at that.
I think going back to more natural treatments works wonders too. I aim for clean from my shampoos and then I use one of four things
– black tea rinse (literal tea – just steep a bag for 15-20 min and put in jar, lasts about a week)
– green tea rinse – same
– avocado oil infused with rosemary – crush rosemary in mortar and steep in oil for a week. Strain and off you go.
– egg yolk and brandy mixture – this one I leave on for an hour under a shower cap.
I’ve noticed that even though my hair is very thin, the oil rinses completely and my hair has started to thicken – lots of new hair growth the last three months.
&*&^%$!
I started using Olaplex after reading about it in one of the product columns here. Over the last two yrs or so, I starting using about 5 Olaplex products (2 different shampoos, conditioner, leave in conditioner, and the bonding oil). And my hair HAS been thinning out like crazy!! I thought it was just aging, but this *has* gotten me wondering!!!! And yes, I just spent about $100 replenishing my “supply”.
But I’m going to do a “test” and not use it for a few months, and see if I still have the same clump of hair loss after each shampoo, and the same amount of hair falling out when I brush.
IF this IS the case, I am gonna be SO PISSED OFF! 😜
I’m so sorry. I use it too and I had no idea. It made my hair super soft and it was great at first.
Same here! *NOT* your fault in the *LEAST*!!!!! I’ve gotten *so* many good things from the product columns!!!!
It made my hair very soft and shiny, too! I loved it! But I am going to take mine and bag ’em; I’ll try using other products (and yes, asking for opinions on the cleanest products other CBs are using!!) and try them for a few months to see the difference.
Besides, as Monty Python sang: “Always look on the briiiiight side of life….” Now, takes a fraction of the time to blow-dry! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 😄 😄
Not your fault at all!! I was an early user of Olaplex back in 2015 and it was a miracle product then. However, a few years ago my stylist stopped using it in her salon, said the company had been sold to a larger company and the quality changed. I still used #3 at home as a deep conditioner but lately my hair has been crazy dry. Going to toss the Olaplex and use something else.
Olaplex IS sold in supermarkets now, so the quality must be…super market hair quality? Hm
If you see it in a supermarket it’s from a “grey market” third party retailer/distributor.
I also invested in a bunch of olaplex products but after reading this I’m not using them anymore. My hair has been shedding like crazy lately so I’ll not risking the hair I do have left. So far olaplex hasn’t had any positive effects on my hair.
I thought it was menopause too! I switched to Pantene and my hair is noticeably thicker & stronger after one shampoo.
Your hair can’t be thicker after one shampoo (it could *feel* thicker), but hair regrowth would take time.
Pantene is a horrible product. So full of waxes and perfumes.
I haven’t used the products, but if you add too much proteins to your hair, past a certain point it makes your hair brittle and it will break. I’m paraphrasing something my hair guy told me years ago, so don’t use this in the lawsuit. I can’t remember what protein treatment we were talking about, but he told me I didn’t need it, and it would most likely damage my hair because… I don’t remember how he could tell, but he didn’t think mine was low protein. Oh, if I use stuff with panthenol (pantene pro v) my hair breaks.
Thank you, this! I was getting really into Olaplex products when it really rescued my hair after I needed to get color stripped out and have it bleached. My hairdresser warned me against using too many of the products at once for the same reason, so I just use 3 once a week or so and only really use 6&7 regularly for styling. I think a lot of people buy so many of the products and overuse them.
Yep! Protein overload is a very real thing and it can cause damage in hair. You really have to understand your hair and what it’s needing at any given time. I can tell when my hair is lacking in protein and an olaplex 3 treatment really makes a great difference. But I’ve also seen people use too many protein products and take weeks or months to get things back to normal. Not all products are for all people.
You have got to be kidding me. I feel like this happens to me all the time lately with everything I’ve been using to try and improve my hair/skin. I’ve been using oleplex for a while and have definitely attributed breakage to my already fine hair just breaking because I put it up in a hair tie so much or perimeno BS. Now I’m questioning it. I’m actually almost out and was about to get some more but I’ll probably take a break too and see what happens. If anyone has any recommendations for someone that has wavy/curly, fine but not thin hair I would appreciate it greatly!
if you don’t mind spending money, Innersense is great for wavy/curly hair. It’s got clean ingredients etc. My fine, medium density curly hair has been much healthier since I stopped using silicones and sulphates.
I have fine wavy hair and I started using SheaMoisture products in my hair during the pandemic and my hair has been SO much healthier ever since. Hairstylists used to tell me I had a natural wave in my hair and I was so confused because my hair was just frizzy and broken. The combo of using Sheamoisture conditioner and leave in products (and reducing how much I use elastic hairbands in my hair) made my hair softer with waves and full on curls.
Aluram products have worked great for me. I also have curly hair where each strand is fine but not thin per se.
I remember a year or two ago a content creator on youtube was addressing the fact that people were overusing Olaplex. And that it’s very strong and should not be used as a daily conditioner. I think more user education should be done by Olaplex. When something is a science experiment I just leave it to the professionals.
Really? Hmm, I shower everyday hut I don’t wash my hair everyday so I definitely wasn’t over using it I don’t think but I’m still going to switch to see if I notice a difference in breakage.
Wondering if it might be something like that. I thought No. 3 at least was supposed be used like once a month or something. I feel like maybe the Olaplex folks got greedy when the popularity kicked off and just kept making more and more products. If you don’t want people to use it daily, don’t make shampoos and conditioners with it! One or two types of treatment products should be enough.
I only say this because I did not have the breakage problem, but I only used it a couple of times. I thought it made my hair feel really nice, but I cut my hair short again and stopped using it before I ran into any problems.
I heard this a long time ago? I didn’t realize people were still using their product. Like women were making videos of their hair coming out in chunks.
I remember this with monat but not oleplex. I’m no longer on SM though so I don’t see anything like this anyway I guess.
Is Olaplex a heavy protein treatment? I don’t know much about it but if it is, it will absolutely break your hair off. I only used heavy proteins when my hair was chemically treated to help it retain strength. On natural hair, it causes the hair to lose its natural elasticity and snap right off.
It’s not a protein treatment, it does have a tiny bit of protein in it but not enough to classify it as a treatment. You’re absolutely right that protein treatments can make hair break and fall off. Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate is the main ingredient which Olaplex claims rebuilds hair follicle bonds.
This is so interesting! The nerd in me is going to do some digging to find out more about this. Thank you!
If you are looking for a good alternative, I started using Elizavecca CER-100 and it’s just as good for half the cost, and none of the hair falling out bit.
I just got some this week! My younger daughter has very fine, very tangle prone hair and this has already changed the texture with one use!
I got this in my stocking (sent a hint to my husband, lol) and I love it!! I highlight my hair to hide the gray and I use the Elizavecca collagen treatment once a week or every two weeks. I love how my hair feels afterwards and it smells SO good.
I was interested in Olaplex because I do bleach/color and heat-style semi-frequently (usually 1-2 times a week) but my stylist told me I don’t need it and it can actually be bad for healthy hair, so I just use Matrix shampoo/conditioner for color-treated hair and their brass-off blue shampoo/conditioning mask once a week.
Also a fan. Takes forever for it to restock on Amazon sometimes, but I highly recommend it.
It plus a basic clear glossing treatment have helped my frizz tremendously. And I live in Houston, so basically a concrete swamp!
I have been using Olaplex shampoo and conditioner for a couple years now. No issues with my hair. It really helps preserve the color and my hairdresser who does my color, cut, Brazilian blowouts would have commented if he saw something off about the condition of my hair. I have hair on the drier side rather than oily so I typically wash can get away with washing once a week if I am not sweating a lot. I don’t really mess with the bond builder stuff / treatments but when I do use it I follow the directions. Without knowing each individual case about what is going on with someone hair and with their life which could cause something to happen and manifest in their hair – i do notice that anytime there’s a big controversy or complaint about a cosmetic it’s almost like it becomes a fad for everyone else who uses it to complain. Maybe I’m too jaded by people overall now I don’t know.
If it’s a protein treatment, overuse will definitely damage your hair. I found this out using Aphogee. After the first use my hair felt amazing but I used it again the next wash and noticed my hair felt brittle so I stopped using it. I heard some stylists on YouTube say to avoid using liquid protein treatments at home because it can damage your hair if its not in need of protein at that time. I use Wonder Water which is the home version of some salon protein treatment but only when I color my hair.
@msiam I live aphogee. I am going back to it now (from Olaplex). I do the intensive keratin no more than 1x/3 weeks then alternate the shampoo/ conditioner from Aphogee with another product.
No.3 did absolutely nothing for my hair. Thank god I stopped using it.
I use no 6 before blow drying, mix in a pea size amount with other another product in rotation. So I end up using it once a week at most.
I think the problem is overuse. “Bond builder” essentially means it glues your split ends back into place.
Back in the 2000s, I read that JLo swears by rotating her products so her hair/skin “doesn’t get used to it” and I think there’s some truth to it. Efficacy drops when the same product leaves residue that builds up.
And those glued-in place split ends eventually ALL spring apart, making it seem like “all of a sudden” your hair is breaking off. It’s the hair that would have broken already combined with new splits bc the product stopped working.
Just my two cents.
Dammit. I use the shampoo- and notiiced in the first days how shiny and pretty my hair looked- but that did not last. My hair is super thin (a hairdresser told me once i have just as many individual hairs as other people, but my individual hairs are smaller than most peoples).
I am kind of glad to not spend another $30 on a bottle of shampoo.
Back to herbal essences, or something else- i really want to know if those – shampoos for grey hair- are any good. They are so expensive!!
Ariel, Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo and conditioner are both great for gray hair I’ve been using it ever since my hair went silver. It knocks the yellow tones right out. I love my silver hair and I get loads of compliments on it.
Thanks Carmen- i will try that!
I have fine hair, not too thin but not thick (my sister has thick hair). Years ago, when we noticed my hairline receding (started at perimeno and continued through complete meno and to this day), especially at the part, she told me to shape my hand to a ‘claw’ and tap tap tap the area to bring blood to the surface of the scalp. Which brings food (blood) & oxygen to the hair root, and encourages regrowth.
At every red light, I take a drink of water, practice my Kegel exercises and tap tap tap my head at my part. I definitely notice tiny hairs growing, they grow and others fall out so I keep tap tap tapping so as to slow my receding hairline down. Sounds crazy, but IMHO it works.
Curly heads, I’ve heard the same thing about Deva curl. Not sure if it’s true, but it scared me enough to only use once a week. We have so much emotional attachment to hair. The beauty industry needs better regulation.
I stopped using DevaCurl when my curl pattern started to disappear and I lost more hair than usual when washing. I too thought it was hormones because DevaCurl products had truly been great for years. My stylist was Deva-certified and used Deva products. She confirmed the hair loss and the salon discontinued the entire product line as more stories emerged online. My stylist still does a curly cut, but does not use the name DevaCurl at all. Something definitely happened to those products, but DevaCurl would not acknowledge it other than to issue a ton of refunds if you sent them any of your remaining products (which I did). I could never afford the Deva products, but I bought them because they were so good. It took my hair a long time to recover–at least a year, and plenty of folks had way worse damage than I did. I don’t know if I will ever be willing to take a risk on very expensive products again. My hair has slowly recovered using the Not Your Mother’s products and freaking Suave clarifying shampoo!
Yeah this is how they took down Devacurl – beware, Olaplex, beware!
I received Olaplex for Christmas and I love it. My hair is shiny, for the first time since I was a teen. ARGH do I keep using it and risk hair loss…it looks so good.
I think if it makes your hair look good you’re okay. It NEVER made my hair look good, so I remained a skeptic, lol.
My husband has had a huge head of very thick hair his whole life, this summer he had COVID for a second time and 6 weeks later his hair started to fall out. Crazy, hair loss. He has consulted his stylist and doctor both of whom attributed it to COVID and only now it is stopping and his hair is beginning to fill in again. Thankfully, he had plenty to lose. He is using a rosemary shampoo (Oway) and a rosemary spray to encourage new hair growth as the possible side effects from rogain were something he did not want to deal with.
That’s my experience exactly. Second Covid bout started Labour Day weekend and a month or so later my hair started falling out in handfuls. I lost probably half the volume and had to chop length off since I was left with sparse strands at the bottom. Thankfully within the last month it’s stopped, but it will take years for my hair to recover length and volume again. Also using castor oil and rosemary and crossing my fingers.
I read alot of good things about this one, but opted for Prose instead and I love it! My hair has never been thicker or softer or my curls more defined. I tried function of beauty a few years back and didnt see the results I have with Prose.
Has anybody tried the newish K18 hair treatments? It supposedly uses a different molecular repairing mechanism than Olaplex. I was about to try it, but now I’m thinking maybe I should wait to hear if people report any long-term effects from that one too!
I use the K18 mask treatment 1x/wk and it makes my hair softer-I hadn’t realized it was similar to Olaplex. My stylist used it and I liked the results.
I’ve been using Living Proof Triple Bond Complex, which was recommended by Sali Hughes, the beauty writer for The Guardian. You use it once a week and blow dry after letting it sink in for ten minutes. I’ve used it for two months and it’s been great so far. My hair is fine and tangles easily. It helps make it much less tangly and feel stronger.
I used it for probably six months to a year and had the same issue. Super dry hair with a lot of fly always and breakage. I tossed it and my hair is finally starting to look better. I thought it was turning 40 that had ruined my normally thick, healthy hair, but it was just the Olaplex!
I have been using Olaplex for a year or more, however, I never used the shampoo (didn’t want to spend the money and I read somewhere to skip it, so I use Kenra’s moisture building shampoo). I use the conditioner (pea sized amount) and the #6 bond smoother (again only a pea sized amount) and honestly, my hair has never felt better. No thinning (but I am on thyroid medication, so that might be helping that!), it’s very thick and full and I’m in the throes of peri-menopause. Somewhere on TikTok there is a gal that tells exactly how she uses it for the best results, she tells you what to skip and what to use and how much. Though after hearing about this recent issue, I’m not sure I’ll keep at it once what I have runs out…I may just go back to Kenra products, I’ve been using those for years without issues.
This makes me want to cry. I lost around 3/4 of my hair going through menopause. I had a lot more than normal to start, or I would be bald. My hair also was breaking for no reason. I have been using the bond oil and no 6 leave in. My hair was feeling like thin straw, and now it feels so much softer. I can’t say it’s breaking more b/c it’s been breaking off for years. Now what. So depressing. This is part of what has made aging feel so shitty for me. UGH
For what it’s worth I haven’t read negative reviews of the oil and I did like the leave-in when I owned it. Seems like it’s mostly the bond builders and shampoo/conditioners.
Thank you @ C, that makes me feel better.
See my comment below – I also am menopausal, and for me Olaplex No 3 has worked well…. I don’t think you should stop using it if it works for you!
I bought it because my stylist recommended it. It made my hair so dry and dull. I threw it away even though it was so expensive and there was still a lot in there. I didn’t even “gift it” to a friend because I thought it was so bad!
I use Olaplex #4 and #5. I did notice that the shampoo #4 acts like a clarifying shampoo so not meant to use everyday or every wash. The conditioner is great though. I wanted to chime in about the recent hair loss people are experiencing and wanted to say that I had the same thing happen following my bout with Covid -19. Went to my dermo in a panic and she immediately asked if I had Covid-19 in the past 2-3 months. That is how long it takes to start having hair loss. She said she has seen many people in her office for this reason. It’s another awesome side effect of Covid. Of course after about 2 months of crazy hair shedding it stopped. My hair has thinned considerably but I already see baby hair regrowth all over. I started using Olaplex after my hair stopped shedding and I have had considerable regrowth so I don’t think Olaplex is to blame. I also wanted to say that I do use Kerastase everyday and it is wonderful! Makes my hair soft, shiny and detangled. Highly recommend!
Nooooo! FFS. I use all their products especially cause I go to the salon every 6th Saturday to keep my platinum silver blonde hair looking kinda, sort of, semi *natural* lol
I thought it was cause I was stressing my scalp out bleaching my hair all the time that my hair was falling out 😭
Thank you to everyone upthread who has shared their stories and recommended other products 🫶🏻
Strange. My sister gave me Olaplex No 3 a while ago and I started using it for the first time this year, but only once a month (if that) and a dime-to-quarter size at most. I work it through the ends, leave it in for 30 mins then rinse out. My hair is super strong now and the breakage/loss every time I took a shower is gone, gone, gone…it’s growing nice and long lately and I’m delighted with the results.
I think it’s a great product, better than other expensive hair masks I’ve used (Phyto, I’m looking at you) but I am careful not to overdo because of the chemicals involved – maybe these ladies are using it too often/using too much product?
Details are always needed for hair opinions because everyone’s situation is different: I’m an old, and have always had fine wavy hair (but a LOT of it, as my hair salon guy used to say lol). I had terrible problems with breakage from hair colour when I was going through menopause so I stopped colouring it during the pandemic and have never been happier. I also swim regularly so my hair takes a beating from that. I use a gentle shampoo after swimming and some Argan oil and that’s it for product. I never ever blow dry my hair as I pin it up in a chignon for work….gentlest is best for my hair. The Olaplex seems to fill in the gaps and give my hair greater strength now that I’m older so for me it works great…
Thanks for sharing @Lady Esther, this does also make me feel better.
I think the issue with these protein treatments is that they don’t include any metric for determining if your hair actually needs it. They just make sweeping claims that it will work for everybody. And too much protein is damaging to hair 🙁
Lush has some great hair masks that make my hair super soft. I don’t over use and also don’t use leave ins.
I had completely forgotten until reading this that many years ago i was using Wen products for a few months. Some of my curly haired friends at work liked it – it’s one of those no shampoo deals. I stopped and gave away all that I had after I noticed my hair thinning. There was a class action suit and I received the grand sum of $25.
But what I don’t understand is why it doesn’t get better after you stop?
I had a similar experience with Wen. The first time I used it, my hair was beautiful and soft. The second and third times I tried it, my hair was a dry, sticky, gummy mess. My hair did get better with lots of tlc. Pureology conditioner for the win. I used gentle shampoo, and old school balms from Aveda and DuSharme (with lanolin). I’ve been on the fence about trying Olaplex — both because of the price and because I thought it would be best to get recommendations from the stylist who really knows my hair well (but works for another brand-associated salon). I think I’m back to leaving well enough alone. This thread has been extremely informative.
I use the shampoo and conditioner, which don’t have butylphenyl methylpropional, so I’m good. Just stay away from No 3 then.
Thanks for this info. I have much more breakage than loss. But have noticed loss when showering. I am getting rid of all of mine. I went 4 months with no color treatment and bare minimum heat on my hair and the breakage is huge! Back to Aphogee for me. Like other have said with protein treatments less is more.
This is crazy, that brand is a huge deal.
I tried the Olaplex system all together when the Kardashians were talking about how they used it. Their hair looks like mine when I straighten it.
It turns out that they wear hair extensions, and I didn’t like how using 0-6 made my real hair feel. I have curly/wavy hair, and I was surprised that it seemed to make my hair brittle. My hair gets really long when I use any oil, but I found that the Olaplex oil seemed to dry it out, so I stopped using it.
I mix products. I am finishing my Olaplex #3, but I use a range of products and switch them up depending on how my hair is acting. I like JVN oils, castor oil, and Shea Moisture products. I use oil on my scalp and hair before shampooing, and I use a little of the leave-in Olaplex before I use a curl cream or JVN air dry cream. I like Davines curl cream and Quai products, too.
I was told by my hair stylist to buy Olaplex for my hair. I used twice l, and it changed the texture of my hair horribly. Never used again after that, but it took months to get my hair back again to how soft it used to be. Never understood the hype and not shocked by these claims.
Color tech here
I used to travel all the country teaching color and hair chemistry
Any heavy keratin based product is going to make your hair wake up and screech happy healthy hair
Most king hair is keratin starved
Trouble is there is a fine line before you over proteinize it’s it becomes brittle and starts breaking
Start add deep moisture to your hair
Am in the UK so not sure if am affect by the particular ingredient that seems to be causing the issues.
I have the No4 shampoo and No5 conditioner (as well as the leave in serum and oil). I only use the shampoo once a week (sometimes twice) and the same with the conditioner but don’t have any issues so far. I’ve stopped using the leave in serum as it left a sticky film on my hair but maybe I was using too much. I like the oil but I only use it before I use straightening irons and it helps the frizz. I have the moisture mask but haven’t used it yet.
I bought a No. 3 but haven’t gotten around to using it. I had a haircut last month and asked the stylist if he recommends the Olaplex shampoo, they sell it at the salon and he said he doesn’t recommend them for my hair type as it’s “too heavy” or something. He suggested instead Keune derma sensitive shampoo & conditioner. I have been having an itchy scalp and have switched to Body Shop’s ginger shampoo after years of mostly using their shea shampoo and conditioner. I have straight (south east Asian) hair and it also frizzes from time to time. I bought the derma sensitive shampoo, it smells nice but I wished that I bought the conditioner instead as I can’t get it from Amazon or anywhere else. The salon I went to is in a different city so I’ll probably buy the conditioner when I’m back.
For what it’s worth, I’ve been using the Prose system, which is formulated on a per-user basis, and it’s been lovely. Can’t speak to its hair-regrowing properties (I have issues a topical product probably can’t fix) but my hair feels stronger. I hadn’t realized how much my scalp was in pain until I started using Prose, too (I think they use CBD to address that).
I found that after pregnancy, my hair became very dry no matter what I tried. It was so frustrating and I tried many different products. The shampoo and conditioner that worked for me to get my hair back on track was Shiseido Tsubaki Premium Moist. Years before my pregnancy I had been using the regular Tsubaki line and tried the Premium Moist line when my regular shampoo and conditioner was out of stock and was too much. It weighed down my hair (which is fine and has a tiny bit of waviness) and made it feel greasy. I decided to give Premium Moist another chance due my hair being so dry and am glad I did because it’s helped my hair a lot. My hair feels so soft and it looks like it’s in much better condition. In addition to the shampoo and conditioner, I also occasionally use the hair mask product.
I have fairly thick curly hair that tends to dry out (not so badly now since I stopped colouring it about 8 years ago and rarely use a blow dryer). I’ve been using the drugstore brand OGX Argan Oil of Morocco shampoo and conditioner, and Garnier Fructis curl air dry cream. Yes I’m cheap but as a retiree I can’t afford to spend $20+ on hair care stuff. Anyway, cheaper isn’t always worse and I find these products better than some of the more expensive stuff I’ve tried.
I have had fine hair my entire life, I have always had plenty hair but the individual hair follicles are thin. I’m past menopause and turned completely silver by the age of 55. About 3 years ago I bought Olaplex at the recommendation of my stylist and a couple others. I initially loved it and proclaimed it far & wide. I used the shampoo & conditioner. Also, about 2-3 years ago, I started seeing a lot of hair loss and breakage. Several things were going on at the same time, Covid, I was on a diet and lost a substantial amount of weight (a good thing) so I was unsure what might have caused the hair loss primarily – literally hand fulls in shower. I assumed it was my gray hair and weight loss so I thought Olaplex would help. As it turns out, it only got worse so I researched gray, brittle hair & hair loss. I found a shampoo & conditioner called Routine and started using it about 8 months ago and within 30 days saw an immediate change in my hair. I now have little to no hair loss, and the breakage is minimum as long as I don’t use heat on my hair. I also use Keratese once a month. My hair is long (1st time in 30 years, it’s an old lady thing) and in better shape than since I was young. I still don’t know if it was any one thing in particular but I don’t use Olaplex and probably will never again. Everyone’s hair is different and you just have to find what works best for you.
A note on “strengthening” or “repairing” hair treatments – they contain protein. If your hair is sensitive to protein it will cause a ton of breakage, dryness, dullness, and a hay-like quality. In my experience, it is more pronounced with fine textured hair. I would be exceptionally careful with it! I’m just an amateur hair care enthusiast, but I have low porosity fine textured very long hair and find that olaplex and the like just don’t work for me. If you’re looking for softness, silkiness, and preventing tangles (the bane of fine hair!) – try an apple cider vinegar rinse. 3 parts water to 1 part ACV after shampooing, don’t rinse it out. Hair will only smell until it’s dry, I promise! You’ll be amazed how vinegar works its voodoo as a conditioner.
I have curly hair and spent around 15 years straightening it. I stopped in july 2019 after a colorist gave me talk and made me realise what I was doing to my hair. It took around 1 year of low-poo and hair mask treatments accompanied with 0 heat in order for my hair to grow back, lose all the frizz and just be healthy. I only use regular products, nothing fancy or expensive like Olapex because usually these products are shit. They cause more damage than anything else due to all the ingredients they have in them. There are no miracle ingredients and no one should pretend to sell them.