The Olaplex 3-4-5 System

Okay, the title may be a little misleading, as I also used Olaplex No. 6, but their main at-home system really is Olaplex Nos. 3-4-5.

Anyway, I bought all of this from Sephora Philippines, in an attempt to rescue my hair from further damage. Was it worth it? Read below to find out.

Before Olaplex, my hair was frizzy and it was awkward to run my fingers through it. Even when brushing my hair, you could actually hear the strands kind of rubbing harshly against the brush. But after, it was so nice I wanted to cry.

Olaplex No. 3: Hair Perfector

You’re supposed to apply this to damp hair for 10 mins or more; I left it on for 30. When I turned the shower on, my hair was immediately smoother. This is a once a week thing, but you can apply it 2-3 times if your hair really is super damaged. It’s basically a deep conditioning mask that has their patented Olaplex formula.

Olaplex No. 4: Bond Maintenance Shampoo

Use it like a normal shampoo. It smells fruity and super nice, and lathers really well. It’s sulfate-free and paraben-free, and is also vegan. It’s color-safe but will still strip some of your color. I love that a little goes a long way with this!

Olaplex No. 5: Bond Maintenance Conditioner

Use like a normal conditioner, and leave it on for 3 minutes. I have to admit I’m not a fan of the smell, but it did help make my hair feel smooth and nice. Same with the shampoo, this is sulfate/paraben-free and vegan. It’s definitely color-safe, it barely strips my hair color regardless which dye I have on.

Olaplex No. 6: Bond Smoother

This is their leave-in product, which supposedly helps keep hair nourished and frizz-free for up to 72 hours. Also vegan and color safe, and helps protect hair from heat-styling. It smells similar to the shampoo and I really like it! A little goes a long way as well, and a bottle lasts me a really long time. On the bottle it says it helps cut down blow-dry time but I don’t have a hairdryer. However, a friend of mine mentioned it did make his blowdry time super quick.

Other notes:

These cost me ₱2,330 each bottle, so this set was supposed to be ₱9,320 in total (with free shipping). Bye, savings! However, I got these at a discount from Sephora Philippines and got 15% off because of a promo (I paid ₱7,922, still with free shipping). If you’re on a tight budget and can only choose one or two, I suggest No. 3, then maybe also go with No. 6 or 7 (Bonding Oil, unavailable at the time) if you style your hair a lot with heat tools. Depending on the vendor, there’s also a No. 0+3 trial kit sometimes, so if you can find that then go for it. No. 0 is a primer that works with No. 3 so hair will more easily absorb Olaplex, apparently. They also recently released No. 8, an intense moisture mask that should be used weekly. I haven’t tried it because I still got a tub of Briogeo (also in my video below).

Where to buy:

Verdict: it’s worth it. While it’s a big purchase if you buy the whole system, depending on your hair these can last for a few months. Overall it should be a good investment – I’ve definitely had my share of repurchases. Olaplex is patented so while there will be similar bond building products out there, you won’t get the same results and quality.

Final note: Do you really need No. 1 and 2? No. Better if you do, but they’re quite expensive and are for professional use. You probably won’t be able to get them unless you’re a licensed professional. The at-home stuff are good enough even if you don’t have 1 and 2. But, if you can afford it all, or find a good smaller repack that’s legit, go for it!