The next formula added to the bleach was Olaplex, which is to color-treated hair like sunscreen is to sensitive skin — aka, it's very important.
From the moment I sat down, I began hearing this product's name on every colorist and client's tongue, each time with emphasis and never with nonchalance. The girl in the next chair over beamed with pride to her colorist, "I've been putting Olaplex in my hair every day for a month, just like you told me to," she said like a student trying to impress her teacher.
So what exactly is Olaplex? The seemingly miracle treatment is broken down into three formulas. Olaplex Bond Multiplier No. 1 is the salon-only formula that colorists blend into the bleach mixture to rebuild the bonds in your hair as they get broken down during a chemical treatment. Adding Olaplex to bleach slows down the lightening process, but is so worth it to have healthy strands.
Olaplex Bond Perfector No. 2 is a cream treatment used in salons after the bleach is rinsed out and the hair is shampooed and conditioned. Gloria let my hair soak in it for about 10 minutes.
Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 is an at-home treatment that users are recommended to use once a week. Incidentally, once a week is also how often Daniel and other colorists advise one should shampoo after bleaching or coloring in order to not aggravate newly treated hair. However, both Daniel and Gloria wanted me to play it even safer and instructed me to treat Olaplex No. 3 like hair sustenance and use it daily as a leave-in conditioner and strengthener.
