By now you’ve heard of Olaplex, but who is this newer kid on the block we’ve all been whispering and wondering about? You know, the one with the strange name, K18? Is she really an Olaplex copycat or perhaps a rival? Not in my books! These two are way more like besties, they are uniquely different but belong together. And if it’s healthy hair you’re lusting after then these two will be the best addition to your weekly hair regime.
What causes our hair to feel dry as a desert and as smooth as sandpaper?
Just about everything! Our morning blow dry, heated styling tools, chemical factors like colours, perms and relaxers, mechanical factors such as brushing or antagonising your hair, environmental factors such as sunlight and UV exposure (cold weather conditions are just as bad!) and lastly pollutants which generate free radicals and cause further damage to hair. That’s when we find ourselves reaching for a solution. And Olaplex has a reputation for being one of the best.
Once a treatment, now an entire range has revolutionised the hairdressing industry. The original Bond Builder Olaplex #3, contains a patented Bond Building Technology which works on a molecular level to repair damaged and broken bonds and to rejuvenate the hair. But how does it actually work?
- #3 increases the Tensile strength of hair (how much hair can withstand while being stretched or pulled before breaking)
- #3 restores elasticity of the hair (hairs elasticity determines its overall strength, if you stretch the hair strand a lot does it return to shape or break off) I
- #3 protects the follicle (hair starts growing from the bottom of a hair follicle) from further breakage.
- Olaplex technology repairs damaged and compromised hair by repairing it from the inside out therefore recreating healthy and beautiful hair.
Now, let’s chat about the newbie, K18. Whilst this amazing treatment is still being discovered by hair devotees, it has been developed and perfected for over a decade. K18 is a patented recipe of hair goodness! And it is the first product to utilize biomimetics (which are human made processes used to imitate nature)
How does K18 actually work?
- K18 patches up and hydrates the outer layer of your hair
- K18 works on damp hair in 4 minutes. Leave in, wait for 4mins and style as usual.
- K18 reconnects the broken keratin chains (Keratin: fibrous protein that makes up 95% of our hair)
- K18 repairs broken bonds in the cortex (Cortex: the middle layer of the hair shaft which provides the strength, colour and texture)
In summary, the “magic juice” (patented ingredients) in Olaplex rebuild the broken (disulfide) bonds in your hair while the “magic juice” (peptides) in K18 repair the broken keratin chains.
Your damaged hair will absolutely benefit from BOTH of these products as they are restoring two different elements within your hair in two different ways.
So, if healthy hair is your ultimate hair goal, reach for both of these treatments and you’ll be well on your way to the best, most hydrated, silkiest, smoothest tresses you’ve ever had.
