Hair-care brand Olaplex has launched two new products in its signature bond-building line, focused specifically on fine hair. The No. 4 and No. 5 shampoo and conditioner set hydrates, repairs, and strengthens. So what exactly are bond-building treatments? How do they interact with hair? And who are they ideally suited for?
Chemical processes like bleaching and perming can be extremely harmful for hair for a number of reasons, not least of which is that they damage disulfide, hydrogen, and ionic bonds. These are part of protein chains in the cortex (the centre) of hair. Every time your hair is chemically processed, the bonds get weaker. Frequent heat styling, aggressive brushing, and pH changes can have the same effect, though to a lesser extent. And damaged bonds can make hair lose its elasticity and moisture, leaving it frizzy and eventually prone to breaking.
The first bond-building treatment came out around a decade ago, developed by Olaplex. It contained an ingredient called bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate (BADGD), which repairs broken disulfide bonds. Initially, this was just an in-salon treatment applied by your hairstylist. Olaplex later launched a full range of hair-care products. Since then, many hair-care brands have followed suit. Products can be applied either before chemical processing to prevent future damage or as a standalone treatment afterward. “It’s like going in with armour versus mending things on the other side,” says Benjamin Raine, an owner and stylist at Toronto’s John Steinberg & Associates.
Different varieties of bond-building tackle different types of damage. “The right bond-builder for you depends on which type of bond is damaged, so understanding the cause of your hair’s weakness (chemical, heat, or both) will help you choose the most effective product,” says Cindy Duplantis, a celebrity hairstylist for Chatters. “A trained stylist can accurately assess which bonds in the hair are broken and select the right treatment to target those specific needs.”
Raine says demand for bond-building treatments has skyrocketed over the years they’ve been available. “When they first came out, they were just for the salon and were mostly for really severe bleached blonde hair that had gone awry,” he says. “And then, like everything, everyone just wanted it after a while.”
If your hair is damaged, you’ll see quick results from a bond-building treatment. “After the treatment, you may notice that your hair feels smoother, looks healthier, and retains colour for longer, making your salon results last,” says Duplantis, who recommends an in-salon treatment followed by at-home bond-building products to maintain results—these are available from both salon and drugstore brands.
There’s an important caveat here. If you don’t really need bond-building, treatments and products could have a negative effect on your hair, making it brittle and breakage-prone, Raine says. “It causes the damage once you’ve overdone it, like all good things, and that’s something that’s very hard for a consumer at home to balance but easy for us [hairstylists] to be in control of.” Duplantis says ingredients can also build up on your hair, leaving it feeling greasy and heavy. This can be more of a problem if you have fine hair, though some brands, including Olaplex and Kerasilk, are now launching products aimed at solving this.
Raine says you should consult with your hairstylist before using at-home bond-building products. “I’m dealing with your hair, so I want to talk to you about something you’re doing outside of the salon,” he says.
With that guidance from your stylist, you’ll have plenty of options—here are six products you can use at home.
Joico Kbond20 Power Masque
Duplantis is a fan of the Kbond20 range. This mask is used instead of conditioner a couple of times a week and has arginine for bond repair, plus keratin for strengthening and moringa seed oil for moisture.
Kerasilk Strengthening Bond Builder
Use this on damp hair after shampooing and conditioning once or twice a week. It has ingredients that are designed to repair hydrogen and ionic bonds, and it is good even for fine hair.
L’Oréal EverPure Bond Repair Shampoo
Citric acid is the key ingredient in this shampoo—it repairs ionic bonds in hair, which can be damaged by pH changes.
Marc Antony Repair Blonde Purple Toning Glazing Mask
This is a once-a-week mask that does double duty: purple pigments tone down brassiness in blonde or grey hair, while the brand’s proprietary Rescuplex complex works on all kinds of bonds, including disulfide.
Olaplex No. 4 Fine Bond Maintenance Shampoo
Olaplex has recently released its first products specifically targeting fine hair. This shampoo has the brand’s signature bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate ingredient, plus hyaluronic acid for hydration and polymers that are designed to deliver volume.
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask
Another Duplantis favourite, this is a mask that can be applied to hair after washing and conditioning to repair ionic bonds. The brand says that its liquid texture allows for easier distribution and better absorption in the hair.
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