Olaplex Might Not Be All It’s Cracked Up To Be

Olaplex Might Not Be All It’s Cracked Up To Be

Is Olaplex all it is cracked up to be? The answer is yes it is, but with all salon services, problems arise when human error enters the mix.

It’s Hump Day! Whoop, whoop, welcome to this Wednesday’s Q&A with Ask the Pro Stylist. Before I embark on an Olaplex question from a reader, I have to start with: I love my students, and have fun with them everyday. I am blessed to be a part of their future in beauty.

A reader, Mrs. Riley, recently wrote in about a problem she had with Olaplex.

I have a question about Olaplex. I was so excited to try it at my salon. I had full highlight and lowlight with Olaplex treatment. My hair is super dry and frizzy!!! I used the follow up at home Olaplex a week later and the hair is still dry and frizzy plus the skin on both my ears started peeling. I wrote the company and they said there was wheat in their product, which I am allergic to. But what happened to my hair???? I get high/low lights all the time and it was never dry or frizzy before. Why did Olaplex not work for me? And how can I fix my hair to be healthy smooth and not need so many products to calm it down? Thanks.

I wanted to respond immediately, and sent Mrs. Riley the following answer, but asked my professional beauty colleagues some of their opinions as well because I have not personally used Olaplex.

Thanks for reaching out. Sorry for your experience. I am going to write this up in full on my blog in a few weeks, but to give you the short answer…The developer needs to be adjusted when using Olaplex, meaning there was most likely some type of human error, which then combined with a wheat allergy could cause a reaction. Other than a healthy hair cut, only time and patience will resolve this issue. You will need a few good hair care items to help, but unfortunately that is the only way. With your recent reaction I wouldn’t recommend a Keratin or smoothing treatment. Invest in a good cleansing conditioner like Matrix Biolage Cleansing Conditioner for your hair type and the Redken Frizz Dismiss line works wonders on smoothing hair.”

Mrs. Riley then wanted to know if there was a way to “remove the disulfide bonds Olaplex put” in the hair, and asked if a clarifying shampoo would help. A clarifying shampoo would aid in ridding the hair of product buildup, however it will not penetrate the cortex, where the product lands during the color process. Additionally, overuse of clarifying shampoo will dull the lowlights.

The patent and ingredients in Olaplex remain a mystery…understandably as they have attempted to corner the market on healthy hair. A little research unearthed that protein is a main factor, which when used on hair that is already frizzy, and/or dry; will only create additional frizzy/dry hair. Proper education on the product and experience would have allowed the salon professional to be aware of potential issues. However, Mrs. Riley insists her hair was healthy prior to the application.

Also, there could have been a mistake in the measuring process. Other professionals have turned to Continuum, which alleges to produce the same result as Olaplex without upping the developer. Again, I must insist upon stating that I have not used either. This is based on colleague opinions and research.

It is my opinion human error played a role in Mrs. Riley’s Olaplex issue, not the product that has received unbelievable raves in the beauty world. If you have a question for me you’d like to see answered here, please email me at DeirdreAHaggerty@aol.com. Until then, happy styling!

©Deirdre Haggerty, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this article may be reproduced without prior written permission and consent from the author. 

***I highly recommend reading the content before making asinine accusations. I will be sampling Continuum on a guest this week. A full write-up will follow.***