Making the choice on hair care products can be frustrating for many, here I have compiled a guide to help you make the correct choice for you and your salon. Below we'll explain the difference between Olaplex and Cureplex that will sure to have you thinking.
There has been a huge debate in the professional field of hairdressing about which of these products is best for repairing hair and rebuilding bonds during and after a chemical service. How do they compare? Why would you use them in a hair service? What types of hair need a 'plex'?
We will answer all those questions and more to help you make an educated decision.
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Olaplex vs Cureplex: Which is Better?
Each company claims that they are the best and that their product is better than others. The truth is that both products have their pros and cons. These products both have a repairing component but even with the help of a 'plex', you can only push the hair so far before it breaks.
Ultimately, you'll have to select the product that best suits you or your salon and clients. No matter which product you choose, there are always going to be things you love and things you might have to sacrifice. So with that in mind here we go...
Where Did Olaplex Start?
Olaplex started out like many other great products before their time, in a garage. It was founded by Dean Christal in 2014. Dean had been working in the beauty industry for some time. His brother had created his own tan line, while his parents were both working in the industry too. His mother ran a home-based salon, while his father was a beauty distributor for 26 stores around the US. Christal had been working on trying to create UV silicon for hair. He was at the point of giving up when he was given the contact details for Craig Hawker, a professor at the University of Santa Barbara. After they had an in-depth conversation, it wasn't long before they were working together in the garage of Dr Eric Pressly's home, a doctor who would help to create Olaplex.
When he finally felt he had the formula right, he met with some celebrity hairdressers and it wasn't long before Olaplex shampoo and conditioner were being used on celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Gwenneth Paltrow. From there, the brand grew like crazy when people noticed the benefits of using Olaplex when carrying out the colouring services, it reduced the risk of hair damage ten-fold, becoming its own specialised patented formula.
What Does Olaplex Do?
While Olaplex is widely loved, many people struggle to understand the complexity of the formulation. Firstly, there are a number of products in the Olaplex range and while most of them carry out a similar purpose, they all slightly vary. First and foremost, the formula aims to repair extremely damaged hair. Secondly, it also aims to help protect the hair follicles when carrying out bleaching and colouring services.
Olaplex helps to restore broken disulphide bonds that can comprise the hairs integrity. When these bonds are broken, hair deterioration is experienced. To help prevent this, the patented formula repairs the hair from the inside out! With the single ingredient Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, bonds are restored and hair is manageable, soft and smooth.
Types Of Hair Damage Olaplex Repairs:
Olaplex is known for bringing all types of hair back to life. Some of the main types of hair damage are:
- Thermal damage: Caused by extreme heat from hot styling tools such as blow-dryers, curlers and straighteners.
- Chemicals factors: Damage from bleaching/colouring and hair treatments like perms.
- Environmental factors: UV exposure and humidity can cause significant hair changes, as does extreme cold.
- Mechanical factors: Brushing, combing and any friction caused to the hair will add stress and compromise the hair's condition.
Hi-Lift Cureplex- Bond Creator
Cureplex has an advantage over Olaplex and this is price, Cureplex is significantly lower in the price for a similar-sized bottle to Olaplex. The price alone is more attractive to a larger group of salons especially if they are trying to attract their customers who are more budget-minded while still offering some repair and care to the hair during a chemical service. Consider purchasing a bond builder kit to save additional money too.
Most Salons that are not able to afford Olaplex automatically default to Cureplex. If your salon can't accommodate the price tag of Olaplex than Cureplex can offer you an alternative as a more affordable option. Using Cureplex is easy to do, with a similar process to that of Olaplex.
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Cureplex Advantages
- Won't change the strength of the lightener and lifting ability as long as you abide by the manufacturer's instructions.
- Buffers the existing cuticle ones delivering added elasticity, strength, enhanced condition and softness.
- Launched in 2015 Hi-Lift Cureplex created by M&U Imports VIC Australia, incorporates a revolutionary proprietary complex of naturally derived actives, encapsulated in niosomes - Innovative delivery technology ensuring 100% penetration into the cortex every time. The Niosomes Complex consists of Soybean IsoFlavones, N-acetyl-L cysteine and Phytoceramide. An innovative AMINO ACID COMBINATION supports the Niosomes actives to LINK IN THE DISULFIDE BONDS.
- Cureplex is compatible with all colouring services, If price is the most important aspect of your service then it is your best option.
- Cureplex offers a range of aftercare products such as Cureplex conditioner to continue conditioning the hair weekly.
Buy Cureplex Products from AMR
Hi Lift Cureplex No3 Bond Sustainer
Hi Lift Cureplex No2 Bond Fortifier
Olaplex- Bond Multiplier
Olaplex is a superior product like no other on the market being the first to launch in the haircare industry and set the bar, used by professionals all around the World. The end results from using this in all your colouring services really speak for themselves. Its patented single ingredient Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate repairs from the inside out on a molecule level.
Its proven technology can noticeably repair extremely damaged hair in just one sitting. Once Olaplex has assisted in repairing the disulfate bonds and they are aligned and intact you will have healthy, beautiful, shiny and touchable hair once again.
Olaplex is free from the following ingredients:
- Sulfates
- Phthalates
- Hemp
- Aldehydes
- Parabens
- Formaldehyde
Olaplex is proud to claim that all its products are produced cruelty-free and are vegan.
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In addition to all that, it doesn't contain copolymers and oils which are present in Cureplex. These two ingredients can't cross-link disulfide bonds in the hair so might be a little shortcoming of Cureplex.
- Olaplex is one of the first few unique hair treatments with patents on the market. It's able to cross-link disulfide bonds, which a lot of other treatments are not capable of.
- Olaplex has grown a huge social media presence, with over 2 million followers!
- Has built a huge trust in the public's eye with professionals filming themselves using the brand and the results they have achieved, many professionals have quoted that the results they have gotten for their clients wouldn't have been achievable without Olaplex.
- Offers a larger range of aftercare products and styling products to help pro-long the treatment and the health of the hair in between salon visits. It does this by building and strengthening the cuticle.
Buy Olaplex Products from AMR
Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
The Overall Comparison - Olaplex vs Cureplex
Olaplex and Cureplex have different ingredients that make up their 'plex' ranges.- Olaplex is a patented product that no one else on the market can produce, it also doesn't contain copolymers, which is the primary ingredient in Cureplex. This ingredient serves as a coating for the hair.
- Olaplex has a larger following and is more popular than Cureplex worldwide.
- Hi-Lift Cureplex is affordable for the salon and client whereas Olaplex comes with a larger price tag.
- Cureplex is an easier product to sell in all your colour services as the price you would add onto a service isn't as hefty, therefore you may have a larger number of people saying yes.
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Final Words on Choosing Olaplex or Cureplex
Your decision will likely come down to a couple of things. Firstly, if you are an industry professional, how well your customers know and trust your opinion. Secondly, how much you or your customers are willing to spend on a product that will protect and treat hair?FAQs
Who Makes Olaplex?
How does Olaplex work?
Olaplex for bleached hair?
Is Olaplex Worth it?
Is Olaplex Cruelty-Free?
Olaplex is proud to say its products are all produced cruelty-free and are Vegan. They don't test their ingredients or finished products on animals. They strive to use safe ingredients in all of their formulations to create quality, non-toxic products for the industry.
This blog post has been written with the help of professional hairdresser Alyce Stallard.
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