I have been on a mission to repair my hair since I saw my hairdresser last spring and she let me know that my hair was in pretty dire need of some TLC.

I’ve used Olaplex in the past when I had hair issues, but didn’t feel like I’d needed it in the past couple of years, so I dropped it from my routine. Seeing the condition my hair was in, I knew I had to pull the big guns back out.

I did start using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner with my normal Nioxin routine, which does help, but I felt like I needed to do more to repair the structure of my hair that no shampoo (no matter how good it is) can do.

I started having hair loss and texture issues around 2015 when I had mono (it’s so much fun as an adult, btw). Coupled with low iron, vitamin D deficiency, and stress, I lost a lot of the natural thickness that my hair had. Over the years, I’ve managed to stop the health-related loss and actually grow some of it back. My hair will never be as thick as it once was, but I typically don’t lose anymore than normal than the normal person does either.

I’ve had 2 episodes of dramatic hair loss over the past few years; both of which were attributed to significantly high stress periods of my life. Most recently, I had a pretty significant episode last winter after dealing with all of the issues I was having with my family (some of which was living with us temporarily), in addition to the stress of the pandemic and working from home – it caused a huge downward turn in the health and thickness of my hair.

I lost quite a bit and what I had left was really dry, brittle, breaking off – just not healthy in any way. Luckily, my hairdresser was able to get to it before I had too much breakage and was able to cut it to stop the breakage from becoming substantial. She also suggested using a moisturizing shampoo/conditioner and adding Olaplex back into my routine.

Most people have heard of Olaplex because of their No. 3 – Hair Perfector Treatment. It basically has an obsessed cult-following and people that use it are very passionate about everyone using it.

Admittedly….it is that good, though. It kind of pains me to admit that because some people are so over-the-top with it, but it’s honestly amazing for my hair.

This product is designed to be used on wet hair before you shower; it is not a conditioner, it is meant to be a pre-wash restorative treatment for your hair. It works to repair damage to your hair and repair the actual structure of your hair – so it’s working from the inside out – to give you visibly healthier hair.

I use this, almost, every Sunday. I’ve missed a Sunday here and there because I have moments of laziness, but I try to do it every week. I wet my hair and put a quarter sized amount throughout my hair, from roots to ends, and then I twist my hair up and clip it up while the treatment sets in. You only have to leave it on for about 10 minutes. If I’m in a hurry, I leave it on for 10 minutes, but more often than not I leave it on for about 30 while I’m doing other things. Then I rinse it out in the shower and shampoo and condition as normal.

I knew from previous experience this would help my hair immensely and, alone, it has done wonders.

But, I did add one more Olaplex product this time because I remembered from my last stress-related fall out episode a few years ago, that when my hair was in that condition, my ends were worst/hardest to manage part of my hair. They broke so easily, my hair would get so tangled because of how dry it was – it was so bad.

So, I added the Olaplex No. 7 – Bonding Oil, as well, as a heat protectant and to help repair my ends on a daily basis. I use a couple drops (you don’t need a lot) on my wet hair before I blow dry, all over as a heat protectant and to help nourish my hair. I also use a drop or two on my, like, day 2 or day 3 hair. I’m not someone who washes their hair every day, I usually only wash it 2-3 times a week), so I’ll rub a drop or two on dry hair, mid-shaft to ends, to also protect the ends from heat styling and to nourish the ends. You can almost automatically see the hydration in your ends when you use this on dry hair.

I will say, this line of haircare is not the most inexpensive you will find. But the good thing is that you only need a tiny bit of it each time that you use it. I’ve had the same containers since, at least, May and I still have plenty in both containers to last me several more months (especially the oil – I’ve only gone through about 1/4 of it and I use it very regularly).

The results, for me, have justified the cost of these products. Using these two together with my normal haircare routine have made my hair soft and so much more manageable than it was. It doesn’t tangle or get knotty like it did, the ends aren’t breaking anymore, and it just feels stronger.

I have had quite a bit of regrowth since my hair loss event last year which makes me very happy. It also makes me happy to know that the hair that is growing back is growing in healthy and strong thanks to the care I am putting into my hair now.