Week 3 · Care Diary
Week 3: Olaplex No.0 / 1 / 2 / 3 — full bond-repair stack
Clients asked at least a dozen Olaplex questions this week: 'What's No.0?' 'Is No.3 different from No.0?' 'Am I using No.3 right every day?' Time to break the entire bond-repair system into a single diary post — saving you from the most common mistakes.
No.0 — the 10-minute pre-bleach prep
No.0 is a water-free concentrate (97% active bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate). Sprayed on dry hair 10 minutes before bleaching, it penetrates deep into the cortex and prebuilds a protective network for soon-to-break disulfide bonds. Clinical data shows the No.0 + No.1 + No.2 trio reduces breakage by up to 99.5%. Salon-only — not used at home.
No.1 — the core repair mixed directly into bleach
No.1 is a salon-only concentrate added straight into the bleach (5-7.5ml per 100g of bleach powder). As the bleach severs disulfide bonds, No.1 simultaneously reconnects them with brand-new covalent bonds. Bleaching without No.1 is like driving fast without a seatbelt — possible, but reckless.
No.2 — the 10-minute post-bleach sealant
After rinsing the bleach, apply No.2 to wet hair and leave it for 10 minutes before rinsing. It's a high-concentration version of No.1, ensuring any disulfide bonds the in-bleach mix didn't reach get sealed afterwards.
No.3 — the weekly home maintainer
No.3 is the famous 'home Olaplex', but its concentration is only 30% of No.1 / No.2. It is not a treatment — it's a maintainer. Correct usage: apply to dry or damp hair before shampoo (not wet, not after shampoo), leave 10-30 minutes, then shampoo out. 1-2 times per week is enough; daily use over-proteinises the strand and can stiffen it.
How to spot fake Olaplex
Watsons HK, SaSa and the official site sell genuine product. Some daigou and Taobao listings at 50% off are 70% likely to be diluted or counterfeit. Real No.3 is a thick milky cream with a faint astringent smell; fakes are watery, scent-free or oddly perfumed. If the price is below 70% of the official rate, assume counterfeit.
If you've recently bleached and want to map a full Olaplex regimen, WhatsApp me your bleach date and current hair condition — I'll send a personalised No.3 + toning shampoo frequency plan.
Further reading
Curious about NEO's full background? Read NEO's profile and 25-year career. Interested in balayage? See Central hand-painted balayage. Ready to book? book a Central consultation.