Is Olaplex No.3 worth it? Who it suits, and who should skip it
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector is the at-home version of the bond-building treatment that made Olaplex a salon name. It's a pre-shampoo treatment for damaged hair, especially hair that has been bleached or coloured. This is a research-based guide rather than a hands-on test. It covers how it works, how to use it and who it's worth it for, using Olaplex's own product information and UK retailers' listings.
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector 100ml
What works
- Built around Olaplex's patented ingredient, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, which the brand says relinks bonds broken inside the hair
- Contains the same active ingredient as the treatments Olaplex supplies to salons, according to the brand
- Easy to fit in: it goes on before you shampoo, about once a week
- Described by retailers as vegan and cruelty-free, and free of parabens, sulfates and phthalates
Worth knowing
- It's a treatment, not a conditioner: you still shampoo and condition afterwards, so it adds time to wash day
- Olaplex's own guides give different leave-on times, from 3 minutes to 10 minutes or more, which can be confusing
- Healthy, uncoloured hair has less to gain, so it's harder to justify if you don't bleach, colour or heat-style
- Olaplex now also sells a newer N°.3PLUS with different directions, so check which one you're buying
Who it's for
It's worth it if your hair is bleached, coloured or regularly heat-styled and feels dry, rough or prone to snapping, and you're happy to add a weekly step before you shampoo. Skip it if your hair is healthy and uncoloured, or if you want a quick softening fix: a good conditioner or mask will do more for hair that isn't damaged.
Olaplex started as a salon treatment used during bleaching and colouring, and No.3 Hair Perfector is the version you use at home. The idea is that chemical treatments, heat and styling break some of the disulfide bonds that give hair its structure, and Olaplex's patented ingredient, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, works to relink them. Olaplex says the ingredient doesn't coat the hair, and that it can't 'over-bond' hair when its products are used as directed.
It goes on before you shampoo, not after. Olaplex suggests applying a generous amount to damp, towel-dried hair and working it through from roots to ends, then leaving it on before you rinse, shampoo and condition. Its directions for the leave-on time vary between pages, from 3 minutes up to 10 minutes or more, so around 10 minutes is a sensible middle ground. Olaplex calls it a weekly treatment, and its at-home guide suggests using it two or three times a week on badly damaged hair.
If your hair has a build-up of oils or silicones from styling products, Olaplex suggests a light shampoo first so No.3 can reach the hair. It recommends following with its own No.4 shampoo and No.5 conditioner for the best results, but you don't have to: No.3 is sold on its own and fits into any routine.
Olaplex now also sells N°.3PLUS, which it describes as a next-generation formula. It's a cream with a 3-minute leave-on time, used every one to three washes. This page is about the classic No.3; if your bottle says N°.3PLUS, follow the directions on it.
The link on this page is for the 100ml bottle. A few Amazon reviewers have questioned whether their bottle was genuine, so check who the seller is on the Amazon page before you buy, and choose Amazon itself or Olaplex's own store where you can.
How this page was written: I haven't tested Olaplex No.3 myself. Everything here comes from Olaplex's product information and how-to guides, and major UK retailers' listings. If I test it, I'll update this page with a hands-on verdict.
The verdict
Olaplex No.3 is worth it if your hair is bleached, coloured or heat-damaged and you'll actually use it every week: it's the at-home version of one of the best-known salon repair treatments, and it's simple to add before you shampoo. If your hair is healthy, a good conditioner or mask is a better use of the money.
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector 100ml
