How To Use Olaplex On Curly Hair

How To Use Olaplex On Curly Hair:

Did you know that Olaplex can actually bring your curls back to life? The most likely reason that you’ve lost your curls is because of four types of damage, thermal, chemical, environmental, or mechanical.

They can be a combination of the four.

You may be following the Curly Girl Method, hopelessly trying to fix your curls. But sometimes, what we need is Olaplex to fix the damage.

I don’t know about you, but when I was younger, I killed my curls off with my flat iron, desperately straightening the frizz and curls out of my hair. In the past couple of years, everyone has started to embrace their curls, while mine was as dead as a dodo after years of heat damage.

I was going through a “Texture Identity Crisis”!

While some parts were tight coils, others were straight, dead waves where you could clearly see I’ve fried my hair with the flat iron. But that’s when I came across the Olaplex treatment; it was my saving grace. It is like the liquid gold of salon treatments!

But I’m not messing you around here; the Olaplex treatment is the screaming SOS savior for damaged hair and damaged curl pattern; Olaplex is ripped and ready to take on compromised hair.

Fun fact before we get started. Over 65% of the population has curly hair, but many of us hide it because of the frizz-filled curls; I think Olaplex is the answer to frizz-free luscious curls.

Don’t believe me? Well, your shiny, bouncy curls await, so keep reading.

Is Olaplex Good For Curly Hair?

Olaplex is a well-known brand in the beauty industry, known to revolutionize the hair care game. Its proven technology is known to repair damaged hair from the inside out.

Olaplex’s Patented Bond Building Technology works on a molecular level. Their main ingredient, “Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate,” is a single molecule that dramatically improves hair strength, protecting and repairing from the inside out.

Our hair is made up of millions of disulfide bonds that make up the structure, giving your hair its strength and stability. When these bonds are broken, that is when damaged hair occurs.

These bonds are responsible for holding together the keratin fibers that make up your hair. So for fragile curly hair, it is extremely beneficial to use Olaplex, especially for those who have suffered from chemical and heat styling damage.

Or years of straightening our curls, for that matter…

When our hair is damaged, it connects to three oxygen molecules which result in damage and breakage. Olaplex works by helping the hair pair the single sulfur hydrogen faster so the three oxygen cannot pair with this molecule to prevent damage.

The Olaplex treatments work together to repair bonds and damage caused by chemical treatments, thermal damage from thermal styling, environmental factors, and mechanical damage. It works to strengthen hair and repair broken disulfide bonds within the hair follicle.

While some Olaplex products contain silicones, not all do. All silicones are not good on the curly girl method, but the silicones used in Olaplex products are water-soluble silicones, so they rinse out with water, so you don’t need sulfates to get rid of them.

Plus, all the ingredients within Olaplex are sulfate-free, so they are ideal for curly hair. So while silicones are forbidden in the CGM, water-soluble silicones are still good for curly hair as they help with moisture retention.

But if you’re strictly following the Curly Girl Method, then you can use Olaplex No. 0 – 3 as they do not contain silicones. These products offer superior damage repair to repair broken bonds so you can have healthy curls.

How To Use Olaplex On Curly Hair Based On Curl Type:

As we all know, there is more than one type of curly hair. Every curl is different in shape and texture, so for a treatment that states that it will work on “every hair type” is quite a challenge.

There are three types of curls: wavy, curly, coily. These three types can each be broken up into three further curl types from 2a (loosest waves) all the way to 4c (tightest coils).

Then we have hair type in general, whether it is long, short, porous, oily. Hair porosity has a lot to say about how well a product will work on your hair.

For example, if your hair is highly porous, then you’ll want a product that will seal the cuticle to help retain moisture and prevent frizz, while low porosity hair will have trouble opening the cuticle.

Luckily Olaplex is backed up by in-depth scientific research and has been proven to work on all different types of curls, so you don’t just need to have straight hair to benefit from Olaplex.

Type Four: Coily:

So there are three different types of coily hair: 4a, 4b, and 4c coils; it is the tightest curl of them all.

These curls are also called z-shaped curls because of this zig-zag-like pattern as they don’t tend to wrap around themselves as ringlets do.

Type 4 curls are beautiful, but they’re most prone to dryness. The natural oils from your scalp struggle to travel down every coil on your hair shaft, making it prone to dryness, breakage, and frizz.

They’re also more prone to shrinkage; some tightly coiled hair will shrink up to 75% of the hair’s actual length– that’s insane!

Because these hair types are so textured, it also means that this hair type is the driest and most fragile out of all the curl types. Heavier, intensely hydrating styling products are a must for type 4 hair.

This hair type is likely to suffer from heat damage as no matter if you use heat protection, it is the most fragile curl type out of all curly hair; plus, since it is so dry, it makes it more prone to damage.

How To Use Olaplex On Type 4 Hair:

So if you’re a hairdresser like me and want to offer Olaplex No 1 and 2 treatment on this hair type to revive lifeless, limp, shrunk curls, then this mix will be your life savior.

You’ll want to use Olaplex No 1 and 2 as a detox for the hair, as a stand-alone treatment. Since both of these products are free of silicones, you can offer these salon treatments to every hair type.

Start with No.1, apply all over the hair, and leave it on for 20 minutes but you can leave it on for longer, then apply No.2 for 20 minutes, and you’ll be shocked by the results.

If your client has colored hair, chemically treated hair, or suffers from heat damage, this treatment will exceed your expectations without needing to chop off any precious curls.

The longer you leave on No. 2, the better, the recommendation is between 10-20 minutes, but I’ve achieved amazing results by leaving it in all day; it offers some serious TLC for your curls.

Then offer the client No. 3 Hair Perfector to use once or twice a week at home. Just damp down your hair, comb through and apply a small amount over your whole head.

Then after at least ten minutes (I like to leave it on for an hour as it penetrates deeper), you can rinse and condition it. The Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner is recommended, especially if you’ve had your hair lightened with bleach; it offers that little extra repair between salon treatments.

What about if your salon doesn’t offer Olaplex?

For those who are struggling to care for their curls and their nearest salon doesn’t offer Olaplex in their salon treatments, then while you cannot use the No. 1 and 2, you can utilize No. 0 and 3.

Olaplex No. 0 and 3 are intense reparative treatments; they go hand in hand to repair the broken disulfide bonds within your hair using ingredients from professionals No. 1 and 2.

This treatment is part of the two-part system; these products are the perfect pair.

You can apply Olaplex No. 0 to wet or dry hair, but it works best to saturate dry hair with this treatment. So apply a generous amount, soaking your hair from root to tip, and leave on for 10 mins.

Then apply Olaplex No. 3 over the top; this will help keep the hair damp so they can work together to work their magic to repair broken bonds within the hair, so you’re left with healthy curls.

If your hair is in some serious need of some TLC, then you can use Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector and No. 0 together in between your salon treatments– if the salon recommends this.

You can also use Olaplex 3 as a leave-in conditioner, following the cleanse and condition. Just apply a small amount of No. 3 to your soaking wet curls, and then apply cream or gel over the top.

You’ll be shocked by the bounce, curl definition and slip it will give your curls. Plus, you will have fresh curls for 2-3 days after!!

Type Three: Curly/ Tight Curl Pattern:

Suppose your hair is more like ringlets, then it is most likely that your hair lies within the type 3 bracket. These types of curls can range from loose loops to tight and springy corkscrew curls.

The curlier your curls are, the harder it is for your natural oils to travel down from the roots, making type 3 hair more prone to frizz and loss of curl definition if not cared for properly.

Hydrating type 3 natural hair is super important, so using Olaplex 3 and 8 will be your new best friend for caring, repairing, and hydrating these curls.

Now I know when you’ll look at the ingredients of Olaplex No. 8, you’ll find some sort of silicone. But don’t panic. These are water-soluble silicones that will wash out with water.

While these are not allowed on the strict Curly Girl Method, water-soluble silicones help with moisture retention, so they are actually very beneficial, plus they don’t build up on hair.

It’s the non-water-soluble silicones you need to worry about for curly hair.

Type 3 curls tend to get frizzier because the curls are in between a tight spiral and loose wave, so be sure to focus your efforts on moisture and invest in the right gel based on your hair’s porosity.

How To Use Olaplex On Type 3 Hair:

As an in-salon treatment, you can use Olaplex No. 1 or 2 as a treatment for this curly hair type, especially if the curls are damaged. It should repair the broken bonds, which will help the hair absorb moisture.

As an at-home treatment, you can use Olaplex 3 and potentially 0 too for extremely damaged curly hair. But for and in between treatment between salon treatments, No. 3 will be enough.

You can also use Olaplex No. 8 to reduce breakage, eliminate frizz and help give your curls that little moisture boosts it needs. It also helps to add body and promote the natural curl.

I have this hair type, and I personally love using the Olaplex No. 6 Leave-In Cream; despite it having silicones, these silicones don’t build up on hair. It provides slip and bounces to my curl, which is needed when styling.

Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother works wonders with my styling gel. I will hop out of the shower after shampooing my hair with Olaplex no. 4 and treating with no. 8 and apply.

I work in sections and dampen down each section and apply the smallest amount, remember that you only need a pea-sized amount for your whole head, so only use the tiniest bit.

Olaplex No. 6 even has heat protection for blow-drying, but if you are doing more thermal styling, then I would recommend using your regular heat protectant for curly hair.

So for damage control, No. 1 and 2 will be your life savior in the salon. But for at-home, No .3, 6, and 8 will work wonders for this curly hair type.

Which Olaplex Products Are Curly Girl Method Approved?

So not all Olaplex treatment products are Curly Girl Method Approved. However, this doesn’t mean these products are not brilliant for curly hair.

Olaplex No. 4-8 contain water-soluble silicones, which are not necessarily bad for curly hair. They are just not Curly Girl Method approved. Unlike their friend non-soluble silicones, water-soluble silicones wash out with water and do not build up on hair.

They also help aid with moisture retention and hydration within the Olaplex treatment, which is super important for curly hair as it is the driest hair type of them all.

But if you are strictly following the curly girl method, then here are the approved Olaplex products.

• – Olaplex No. 0: Curly Girl Approved
• – Olaplex No. 1: Curly Girl Approved
• – Olaplex No. 2: Curly Girl Approved
• – Olaplex No. 3: Curly Girl Approved
• – Olaplex No. 4: No Contains Silicones
• – Olaplex No. 5: No Contains Silicones
• – Olaplex No. 6: No Contains Silicones
• – Olaplex No. 7: No Contains Silicones
• – Olaplex No. 8: No Contains Silicones

But don’t be put off by the last five products containing silicones; these are water-soluble silicones that wash out. The only product I would avoid from the Olaplex range is No.7, as it contains oils.

Water-soluble silicones aid with hydration and moisture retention; since curly hair is the driest hair type, this is a super important feature for keeping curls healthy and hydrated.

Summary:

So there you have it, you don’t need to have straight hair in order to enjoy the benefit of Olaplex. Olaplex repairs damage eliminates frizz and helps hydrate curls.

Plus, by upkeeping this Olaplex routine, you can help prevent further damage, so every day is a good hair day. Their active ingredient “Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate” works wonders for repairing broken bonds within the hair.

For those wanting the treatment benefits without having to use silicones, then using going to the salon for Olaplex No. 1 and 2 when going to the salon and then Olaplex No 3 at home will massively restore and repair damage within your hair so your curls can flourish.

You can also use Olaplex No. 3 as a leave-in treatment before styling, so if you don’t fancy the No. 6 bond smoother, then Olaplex 3 is a brilliant alternative!!

But that being said, check out my latest guide of the Best Olaplex Products For Curly Hair. Your perfect curl goals await!