Seamless Platinum Blonde Maintenance

Platinum blonde is a timeless look that has us spotting icy manes year round, and we’re not complaining! But what does it take to get to level 10? Apart from joining the ranks of Marilyn and Gwen, going platinum requires a real commitment to maintenance.

Whether you’re a natural brunette, red, or blonde– keeping platinum hair fresh from month to month requires regular root and toner touch ups. We needed to get the scoop on how to maintain platinum hair year round, and to do so, we went to one of our favorite blonde masters!

Jessica Gonzalez, a colorist at Benjamin Salon in LA, makes platinum look easy. Her Instagram, @jesstheebesttcolor, is the place to go for edgy-chic fashion colors and blonde transformations. Jessica broke down seamless platinum maintenance with us, sharing her favorite techniques and tips that we know you’ll love.

Formula & Process

Section in threes: Left, right, and back. Apply each section individually, timing each at about 50 minutes to process. To avoid overlapping and banding, use cotton to separate each section. Rinse.

To remove any unwanted tones or build up (purple shampoo in this case) mix Redken Flashlift + 20 volume + Olaplex No. 1 + a few drops of purple shampoo (Jess uses Davines). The shampoo makes it easier to work through the hair for a quick and easy application. Apply mid to ends for about 5 minutes. Rinse. This process also helps brighten blonde color that has gone dull or flat in between salon visits.

After the bleach cap, mix 1/2 oz of Olaplex No. 1 with water in a bowl then pour over the head, let sit for 5 minutes. Root gloss, using Dialight 10.12 with a splash of 9n. Tone all over with Dialight 1/2 clear, 1/4 10.22, 1/4 9B. Finish with Olaplex No. 2 all over for 10 minutes. Rinse, shampoo, condition, and style.

Use a stiff brush for cleaner application and mix new bleach for each section (back, left, right).

Using cotton in between each section helps prevent overlapping, a huge factor that leads to banding.

Once application is complete, trap in the heat with a plastic bag to promote even lifting.

Adding shampoo into a bleach cap makes it easier to distribute product throughout the hair as it creates a smoother consistency while cutting some of the bleach's strength.

Checking the elasticity of the hair every few minutes helps to ensure there is no over-processing, which is crucial to pre-lightened hair.

To even out tones and prevent hot roots, add a neutral into the root formulation.

Bleach and tones need some extra loving, apply Olaplex No. 2 while roots are processing as a mini-treatment as well as after the final toning stage.

Jessica Gonzalez is a colorist at the Benjamin Salon in Downtown LA. Follow her work on Instagram, @jesstheebesttcolor.

Pro Tips for Beachy Balayage

You know you’ve seen amazing balayage you when look at someone's hair and wonder where they've spent the past few weeks sun bathing. Hawaii? Malibu? Actually, neither. You've simply just spotted beautiful balayage in the wild...and that’s the art of lived-in hair painting. Though, as natural as it may look, it takes real precision– something that always comes to mind when thinking of Bianca Hillier’s work.

Bianca is a colorist at the Andy Lecompte Salon in West Hollywood, widely known for her precise, sculptural balayage technique. Her Instagram page, @biancacolour, greets visitors with all the beachy California inspo one could imagine– all from photoshoots with her cool clientele of models and popular fashion bloggers. Bianca uses Olaplex in all of her formulations to ensure her clients leave with the best hair possible– it’s no surprise we came to her for the ultimate balayage tutorial!

Formulation

Balayage highlight with Redken Flashlift 1:2. + Olaplex No. 1. Bianca uses about 1/16 oz of Olaplex in each balayage mixture, typically starting with a lower volume at the nape, then a higher volume at the top of the head to catch up to the previous highlights painted. Once the highlights have reached the desired level, rinse with luke warm water, then shampoo. (Bianca uses Rene Furterer for moisture). 

Sectioning

Starting from the nape up, carve out a fine hair section from ear to neck and balayage soft babylights for a natural effect. (Tip: Bianca uses Framar balayage brushes for precise lines that keep from smearing.) Section from ear to ear to get the bottom fluent with the top that is lighter. Then, work from the temple up to the part. How the the haircut falls will determine the sectioning and density of each area. Part out a fine frontal hairline all along the skin line, then paint precision babylights to achieve a ribboning effect when hair is later pulled back or worn down. 

Why The Cotton?

Use cotton in between layers to act as a divider. Unlike plastic wrap or foils, cotton does not conduct heat, which makes using it ideal for allowing chemicals to move at the exact speed determined when formulating. Cotton also absorbs wet chemicals, preventing it from making hot spots on the new top sections which can cause hot spots when laid down.  

Once painting is complete, wrap the head with a plastic bag to trap in the heat. This allows the lightener to stay moist, rather than drying out and stopping the process.

If needed, use a diffuser (Bianca attaches one to her Sedu blow dryer) to heat up the highlights that need help processing quicker. Check every 3-5 minutes to prevent over-processing. 

The Toning Ritual

Bianca uses 1/2 oz of Olaplex No. 1 in a bowl with water before toning every client– something she's dubbed as "Ola-Water". This mini-treatment sits for 5-10 minutes prior to toning. 

For a lived-in summer look, two formulations of Redken Shades EQ were used to gloss. One was a deep formula for the roots and the other a sheer formula for the mids-ends. After the toner processes, rinse. Proceed with a generous amount of Olaplex No. 2 for as long as possible. Finally, rinse, lightly shampoo, then condition.  

Save the hairline for last, since it consists of fine hair that may go dark quickly. 

Bianca Hillier is a colorist at the Andy Lecompte Salon in Los Angeles. You can follow her on Instagram @biancacolour. 

How Stylists are Using Olaplex No. 2 for Healthier Haircuts

Routine haircuts are a constant when it comes to healthy haircare. You know the drill, haircuts every few months to chop off split ends and a beauty routine to keep your mane on point in between salon visits. For those with healthy hair, the cut is about maintenance, for those with compromised hair, the cut is about getting the hair to a healthier state. But what they both have in common is the desire to have the healthiest hair possible– something we can all relate to.

How many times have you avoided cutting off an extra inch or two to save some length and steer clear of the dreaded "grow out phase"? Same. Which is why stylists around the globe are proving Olaplex is not just a popular add on for color– it's so much more. Now with Olaplex, stylists are able to cut hair​ and rebuild broken disulfide bonds simultaneously. It's no surprise to see haircuts with Olaplex growing in popularity for clients of all hair types– from compromised to straight, virgin to curly. Everyone can benefit from healthier hair!

This "mini-treatment" in no way replaces the Olaplex Stand Alone treatment (which includes No. 1 and No. 2). Rather, it's a fabulous way to experience a treatment on-the-go or an opportunity to be introduced to the product– with only a few minutes added onto the service. Whether you're a client on the journey to healthy hair or a stylist looking for ways to give your guests an even greater experience– you're going to love this!

Stylist Colleen Duffy (@cleencuts on Instagram) invited us into her space at the Benjamin Salon to see how she uses Olaplex No. 2 as a cutting lotion.

Before.

Step 1: Start at the bowl. If the hair is clean, dampen, towel dry, and apply Olaplex No. 2. Comb through to evenly distribute the product. If the hair is dirty with buildup from product, oils, or minerals– give it a light shampoo, rinse, and towel dry. Lastly, apply Olaplex No. 2 and comb through thoroughly to ensure even distribution.

Step 2: This is the part that doesn’t change at all! Section the hair as you normally would to prepare for a cut, then work your magic! For this model’s hair in particular, Colleen did all solid lines while cutting, without any texturizing. She removed some weight in the hair simply by layering slightly at the top.

Step 3: Once the cut is complete, rinse and shampoo out the No. 2. It's important to remember Olaplex is by no means a conditioning treatment or a leave in– so remember to condition after shampooing based on the hair's needs (dryness, frizz, volume).

Step 4: Style!

For Colleen, her haircuts are typically timed by 30 minutes cutting, 30 minutes styling. That means Olaplex No. 2 sits on her clients' hair for 30 minutes, creating stronger, healthier, more resilient hair– without the extra time it takes for a treatment.

Colleen’s Tips for Healthy Haircuts

Colleen Duffy is a stylist at the Benjamin Salon located in the Arts District of DTLA. You can follow her work on Instagram @cleencuts.

Brassy Yellow Blonde to Shadow Rooted Platinum

This color correction is by Habit Salon Hairstylist, Becky Miller. If you visit her Instagram, @beckym_hair, you’ll find ashy beach blonde inspiration for days and a bevy of color corrections she did with Olaplex! She gave us the formula for this gorgeous yellow to hello transformation below:

Step 1: Full head of highlights using Goldwell Silk Lift 30 volume + Olaplex No.1 on base and 20 volume + Olaplex No.1 on ends.

Step 2: In between foils, apply Topchic 10 volume, 7na and feather down.

Step 3: Go through and paint ends out in a foil, using Silk Lift 30 volume + Olaplex No.1.

Step 4: Shadow the root at the shampoo bowl with Colorance 7na equal to 7n for 10 minutes. Apply Colorance 10p and clear on her ends for 5 minutes. 

Step 5: Finish with Olaplex No. 2 for 10-20 minutes. Rinse, shampoo, condition, and style! 

Black Box Color to Ash Blonde

This client came in with her hair down to her waist and a years worth of grown out box color that had previously been applied layer after layer. Colorist and Olaplex Specialist, Slim, knew exactly what to do and walked us through every step of the way. 

Slim explains, “She came to me with her hair down to her waist– the old box color was caked through the mid shaft to ends. We did a test strand which resulted in the top of her hair lifting beautifully, but the bottom wouldn’t lift past red.

I told her in order for us to do this successfully, we would have to cut off 3 inches rather than having to nuke those super stubborn ends. So, in order to break through the color, I applied a full highlight then sent the client home with two bottles of No.3 for her to finish prior to her second session.”

Check out Slim’s killer formula and tips below for this journey from black box dye to rooted ashy perfection: 

Session One

Step 1: Redken Flashlift 30 vol with Olaplex No.1. Balayage with Olaplex  No. 1. Let process until a level 8-9. (According to Slim, “Due to the metallic dye she had layered on, some pieces came out a dirty level 7-8, which I later remedied in the second session by balayaging through.)

Step 2: Rinse and apply Olaplex No.1 + h2o and comb through, then let sit for 5 minutes. Without rinsing, apply Olaplex No.2 mid shaft through ends. While the treatment is still on, apply root gloss Shades EQ 5n + 7 Nb for ten minutes (treatment is then on for 20 minutes).

Step 3: Rinse well, then towel dry. Apply Pravana Express toner ash for ten minutes. Lastly, send the client home with No. 3 to prepare for the next session!

Session Two (2 weeks later)

Step 1: Balayage with Olaplex No.1 and pick through the warm pieces that didn’t lift from the box color. Then, tip out the whole head. 

Step 2: Apply Pravana 1/2 ash 1/2 violet and clear for 4 minutes. Rinse.

Step 3: Apply an Olaplex Stand Alone Treatment for 30 minutes. Send client home with Olaplex No. 3 for weekly maintenance and bond rebuilding. 

Slim is a colorist and Olaplex specialist at the Ramirez | Tran Salon in Beverly Hills, CA. You can follow her work on Instagram @slim_color. For inquiries, e-mail Slim at slimcolorist@gmail.com.

Grown Out At-Home Bleach Job to Healthy Platinum

When this client said she’d been bleaching her own hair at home for the past year, we knew we were in for a major transformation. Color correction and blonde expert, Terra Shapiro, let us into her space at Juan A Salon for the entire session on Periscope! The journey from a grown out at-home bleached mane to Ice Queen was incredible, but not just visually– the hair felt healthier and softer than when she walked in! Terra used Olaplex every step of the way, here’s how she did it:

Step 1: Framesi Diamond bleach + 40 volume + Olaplex No.1. Apply a half inch off of the scalp to the line of demarcation. Process for 30 minutes , lifting to a nice orange yellow. Next, pull the same formulation through roots to scalp. Pull the same formula through to ends until all the hair is lifted to a pale yellow color.

Step 2: Rinse

Step 3: Apply Redken Shades EQ 9t and processing solution to root area (to give slight shadow root). 9t is Terra’s secret weapon!

Step 4: As soon as the desired color is achieved, add 9v Shades EQ to the mixture and shampoo into the rest of the hair. 

Step 5: Once desired color is achieved, rinse and comb Olaplex No.2 through the hair and leave on for 30 minutes. Shampoo, condition and blow dry. 

Follow Terra on Instagram at @terrashapiro_atjuansalon

The Key To Healthier Fashion Colors, with Color Expert Shelley Gregory

There’s no better description than a ‘blank canvas’ to describe hair ready for a fashion color journey. If this resonates with you, you’re probably hip to the bevy of rainbow inspired hair on Instagram and have seen the magical work of Shelley Gregory. Though Shelley’s no stranger to creating a gorgeous icy platinum or dimensional blonde, it’s her dreamy pastel creations that have us and her nearly 50,000 followers swooning for more. Did we mention she can create a braided up do fit for a princess in less than five minutes?

A couple of weeks ago, we visited Shelly at the Atelier Salon in Las Vegas for a live broadcast on Olaplex Periscope and Facebook. We had so much fun watching her do what she does best– CREATE! Shelley is a big fan of diluting her direct dyes with Olaplex No.2 to get that perfect pastel shade. What’s the benefit of mixing like this? You get to treat the hair at the same time! Olaplex No.2 is rebuilding the broken disulfide bonds in the hair and mitigating damage simultaneously, creating a a healthier, shinier, more vibrant color that will last longer. Shelley gave us a step-by-step guide as to how she formulates her direct dyes and some application tips below!

Shelley’s model Kara started with eight weeks of level seven regrowth and pre highlighted hair.

Step 1: Mixed Loreal Blonde Studio multi technique lightener with 25 volume and 1/4 No.1 Olaplex. Schwartzkopff 12/11 and 40 volume. Foiled her entire head with the lightener then used the 12/11 in between the foils. Processed for 30 minutes. Rinse only and dry completely.

Step 2: Mixed direct dyes (all Manic Panic) in seven bowls: 

Bowl 1: 3 parts Pretty Flamingo, 1 part Olaplex No.2

Bowl 2: 2 parts Sea Nymph, 2 parts Olaplex No.2

Bowl 3: 2 parts Dreamsicle, 1 part Hellfire, 1 part Olaplex No.2

Bowl 4: 1 part Violet, 3 parts Olaplex No.2

Bowl 5: 1 part Fleur Du Mal, 1 part Pink, 2 parts Olaplex No.2

Bowl 6: 2 parts Blue Angel, 1 part Blue Steel, 1 part Olaplex No.2

Bowl 7: 1 part Orange Red, 1 part Olaplex No. 2

Step 3: Starting in the front, take diagonal sections away from the face working up towards the crown. I like to put the darker tones underneath and towards the base. On this client, I made her entire base the blue color. Then, I used the lighter colors around the face and towards the ends similar to a balayage. 

Step 4: I separate each section with a Meche strip to keep sectioning and colors clean. I also wipe my hands after each color is applied on the sections, since I am blending the color well with my hands. 

Step 5: Process for 30 minutes without heat, then rinse with cold water. Shampoo lightly with a sulfate free shampoo, then condition, blow dry, and style!

TIPS! 

Make sure to use any hot tools on low settings when styling.

Tell the client to always use cold water to shampoo when she/he showers at home. 

Make sure the client goes home with Olaplex No. 3 to ensure they’re rebuilding the bonds in the hair with weekly treatments in between salon visits. 

For more tips and techniques from Shelley, mark your calendars for July 19, 2016 when she takes over the @Olaplex Snapchat account with a day in the life at her salon, full of education and gorgeous COLOR! 

Shelley Gregory is a colorist in Las Vegas, Nevada. Instagram: @shelleygregoryhair.

Olaplex: An Inspiration at the Curly Hair Artistry Spring Symposium!

Hi Olaplex Lovers!

I’m Kelly, owner of Kelly Elaine Inc as well as member and educator of the international group of curly hair artists called Curly Hair Artistry. The group is comprised of over 100 curly hair specialists all over the world from Brasil and Canada to England, Australia and all over U.S.. Many of the curly hair artists I know only perform services on naturally curly hair, meaning they don’t even use or own heat tools such as flat irons or curling irons. Crazy right? When our artists see frizz they know that “frizz is a curl waiting to happen” (a quote from Lorraine Massey’s Curly Girl the Handbook). In our world, frizz just needs a bit of love and moisture to become a beautifully hydrated curl.

Early on, I joined the wonderfully large and supportive Olaplex Users group on Facebook and noticed a pattern– stylists were posting results noticing less frizz on their clients after performing an Olaplex service.

As soon as I caught on, I began experimenting at my own salon with my naturally curly guests and found it true that all hair loves Olaplex but curls REALLY love Olaplex! I created a class to teach to my fellow Curly Hair Artists in order to help spread the word within our professional curl community. We recently had our Spring Symposium at Oasis Hair Salon near Washington D.C.. The years theme was inspiration and I was lucky enough to teach my Olaplex class again to the Curly Hair Artist attendees from all over the world.  

A few things I have taught in the Curly Hair Artistry Olaplex class

Curly hair is dying for strength in order have the ability to grow. Olaplex provides various curly guests with strength to the internal structure of their hair in order to achieve longer lengths faster than they have ever been able to achieve. 

Textured, Coily, Super Curly, 4C natural curly girls, many of whom are transitioning from relaxers, keratin treatments, and heat damage have experienced a revival of some curl in their damaged straight ends after consistent Olaplex treatments. Thus, making their grow-out process less painful. If the hair is too far gone for even Olaplex to visually turn around, the treatment will at the very least help these highly textured guests strengthen their damaged hair, making it less susceptible to split ends that impede on their grow-out process. Robin Sjoblom and her team at Southern Curl use Olaplex all day, every day, at their Atlanta based curly hair salon with great success (as you may have seen from her guest blog posts on this blog).

I chose a s’wavy, wavy model for this particular class. The s’wavy, wavy hair types are often over looked members of the curly hair community, 65% percent of the population has some kind of texture to their hair, with some reports showing even higher percentages. S’wavy, wavies, make up a good bit of that curly population and are the ones most commonly yearning for more curl. Danielle Skroki, a curly hair specialist, has barely noticeable waves on an average day with hair that tangles very easily. We performed an Olaplex Stand Alone treatment in class, (I did the No.1 for 20 minutes minimum and No.2 for an additional 20 minutes directly on top of the No.1, then proceeded with her normal styling routine). Danielle reported immediate results! She had more wave and at least 50% less detangling time for her fine s’wavy hair. Even after a couple of weeks, she told me the results are still evident, making her styling routine much easier. In my experience, the Olaplex treatment gives amazing results to ALL curl types, promoting shine, health, and ease of styling. Other benefits include less detangling time and most importantly, the longevity of their curl sets. All of which make HUGE news in the curly world!

I have watched Olaplex and their revolutionary technology grow from the beginning. They went from being a small group to a worldwide hair-saving community. They have reached new heights in the color world and I am proud to bring my experience and knowledge to this somewhat underground community in the curly hair world. The benefits Olaplex brings to curly hair are expanding one treatment at a time. Curly girls smile along brighter than ever with healthier shinier curls every day because of Olaplex. Ask your Curly Hair Artist for a Stand Alone Treatment or to add Olaplex into color or other chemical service to experience the results for yourself!

The Secret to HEALTHY Permanent Beach Waves: Tutorial by Guy Tang!

Permanent beach waves are the new anthem for anyone who has curling wands, salt water sprays, and/or texture creating flat irons within their regular hair regimen. Let’s face it, it takes a lot of work to look that effortless and to wake up in the morning in true “I Woke Up Like This” fashion, sounds only but a dream....except with perming, it isn’t.

The thought of 24/7 beachy waves sounds appealing... but what about the damage caused to the hair through the process? Or even yet, color treated hair that faces the fact of extreme breakage in order to alter it’s texture?

Any beauty school grad will tell you it’s nearly impossible to perm previously lightened or colored hair because the risk of damage is far too high. This has been the case, until Olaplex. With this new chemistry not only comes the ability to push the hair further than ever before, but the ability to make history in successfully perming pre-lightened, colored hair. The end result? Healthy, shiny, gorgeously textured hair– without compromising. 

Back to the ‘do– we’ve come a long way since the sky high, tight curled 1980s perm. Grease: Live! actress and #901Girl, Julianne Hough, nearly broke the internet proving just that after revealing her stunningly beachy Olaplex Perm. The new trend shows no signs of stopping and who better than the ultimate hair bestie, Guy Tang, to show the way! 

BEFORE 

DURING

AFTER

Guy’s performed this service on a client who is currently going through hoops in beauty school. You know what that means– her hair also dubs as an experimental canvas. In fact, just hours prior to the perm, she had a color correction done! Not only does her hair look gorgeously ombréd, but she has bouncy, effortless beach waves sure to provoke hair envy wherever she goes. For the full transformation, watch the complete video here!

If You Fall Into One of These Categories– You Need Olaplex!

Virgin Hair

Hair that has never been chemically treated. Though no chemical changes have been made to the hair, this hair type may experience damage from thermal styling such as flat ironing the hair or curling it. It’s important to point out, virgin hair, thermal styling or not, isn’t safe from damage just by omitting chemical treatments or heat– environmental damage can occur from harsh sunlight or high temperatures.

So, what does Olaplex do for Virgin Hair? It helps repair hair from potential and existing thermal, mechanical and environmental damage. Olaplex also strengthens and prepares it for future services.

Color Treated Hair

This is hair that has been treated with color, lightener, or gloss/toner– if you’ve had any color change to your hair from all over color, vivids, maintenance toners to glistening highlights... you fall into this category.

Olaplex can be mixed into colors and lighteners to mitigate the damage done during the color service. Olaplex No.2 is used after the service to repair the broken bonds in the hair without the chemicals working against it. Using Olaplex in color services also helps lower porosity leading to greater color longevity and shine! We love when we hear people say their hair feels better than before, after highlights with Olaplex.

Curly and Naturally Textured

From waves, big bouncy curls, all the way to tight coils– color treated, natural, or virgin. Perhaps your hair has become damaged from chemical services or thermal styling, leaving you with less vibrant, uniform curls. Don’t worry– we’ve got you!

Olaplex rebuilds and restructures the hair strand to bring back curls after they’ve lost their shape. It also improves moisture retention, but it is not a moisture treatment! For dry hair (which is common in curls), get the Olaplex Stand Alone Treatment in salon, use Olaplex No.3 at home, and follow with a conditioning treatment for optimum results.

Relaxed or Permed

If you have relaxed hair or desire to chemically alter the texture of your hair, Olaplex can get you there in a healthier way! Whether you choose tousled curls or a sleek straight look– Olaplex will give you healthier, shinier results. You can also use Olaplex as a treatment to maintain the strength of your hair, after all, it’s been through the ringer.

Olaplex reinforces all the other bonds that remain allowing a relaxed or permed client to grow their hair even if colored.

Straight

Whether it be treatments, chemical services in salon, or using the No.3 at home– Olaplex will give straight hair the strength it needs, improving manageability and allowing for more styling options.

The "I want healthy hair" Hair Type

Now, we ALL fall into this category and that’s exactly the point we’re trying to make! Olaplex is for EVERY hair type! When used as a system, it has the ability to bring your hair back to a virgin like state. From virgin or processed, to highly compromised hair, the Olaplex system is completely customizable to your needs. Join the revolution!

How To Keep Your Balayage on Point with Olaplex

You or your client walk out of the salon, balayage on point, then some time later it occurs– your color is pulling some warmth, you may be getting a bit brassy, or maybe your hair just starts to whisper in your ear “love me”. We have just the remedy for you brought to you by hair angel, Lo Wheeler.

We visited WheelHouse Salon in San Clemente, California a couple of months ago and spoke to Lo, the salon owner (and balayage queen). She’s loves Olaplex and told us some of her favorite ways to use it including a tip and technique unique to her to ensure her balayage clients are ALWAYS fresh! She calls it “The 3 T’s”– Toner, Treatment (Olaplex), and a Trim.

“This concept is perfect for maintaining balayage clients that pull warmth in between visits or ANYONE with previously lightened hair.” Says Wheeler.

“After consulting hair goals for this particular maintenance service (photographs above and below), I infuse Olaplex No.1 into my toning glaze.” 

Lo then follows the Olaplex toning service Olaplex No. 2, left on the hair for 10-20 minutes depending on the client’s needs.

“Once rinsed and blow dry styled, I dust the ends of the hair with a light trim to keep the hair looking fresh. Note: this is just maintenance, not a style change.”

After the service is complete, Lo sends the client home with Olaplex No. 3 if they don’t already have one. The No.3 is essential for regular, at-home maintenance to be done weekly or more based on how compromised the hair is. This is essential as there’s plenty of damage that occurs in between salon visits such as thermal styling, mechanical styling, and environmental damage. 

This is a fabulous maintenance service to ensure your artistry is walking around as gorgeous as it did they day your client left the salon! #Olaplex and let us know if you try it!

Lo Wheeler is a stylist and owner of WheelHouse salon. You can find her on social media @lo_wheelhouse.

The “Natural” Approach to Olaplex Stand Alone Treatments

Written by Guest Blogger: Robin Sjoblom

Olaplex is a great way for multi-textured, and natural curlies to revive and transition their curls without having to do the “big chop”. Heat and chemical damage on curly hair can break off curls and also cause unsightly straight pieces that hang limply around the face. Many Naturals feel that the only answer is to do… The Big Chop (that major haircut you have to get )– but Olaplex is a game changer! We at Southern Curl salon are now able to save inches more than ever before thanks to the Olaplex Stand Alone treatment! 

We do a pre-consultation with every client at our salon which includes photos via text and conversation of needs over emails. If it is decided that the client needs to come in and do an Olaplex Stand Alone before before.

The “Natural” approach to Olaplex stand alone treatments: they have their first appointment, they will come in and we will send them home with the No.2 in their hair along with the instructions that they must cleanse and condition after rinsing out the treatment. Some of our clients even sleep in the No.2 and have told us they have had amazing results. The next step is the curl by curl dry cutting visit, followed by another Olaplex treatment if needed, cleanse, condition, then our bootcamp curl lesson, and style. We have seen curls that were limp and non-curling come back to happy curl formations through this process! 

Here is our step-by-step tutorial for Olaplexing Multi-Texture and Natural Hair. 

(Since we are dealing with curls, the approach is going to be slightly different.)

Prior to anything: Take a before photo on a clean, neutral wall. 

1. Place a couple of towels under the client’s neck. Detoxify hair with a demineralizing shampoo and add a clarifier/de-mineralizer (equal parts) with it to help remove the silicones and sulphates from the curls.

2. Lightly towel dry the curls to remove excess water.

3. Apply Olaplex No.1 to the hair with your fingers– not a comb! Work the No.1 thoroughly into the hair until you see it is fully saturated. (Combing through the hair typically snaps and breaks up the curls, making detangling very difficult. This is why we use fingers to separate, saturate, & smooth the product into the curls.)

4. Place a bowl under the client’s head to catch excess drips, so that you can re-apply product with non-spray applicator bottle a few times to ensure that the hair is thoroughly saturated.

5. Leave in for 20 minutes then apply Olaplex No.2 directly on top of the No.1.

6. Olaplex No.2 is also applied directly to the hair with fingers (no combs or brushes). Take small enough sections to ensure the head is covered with product. Process for an additional 20 minutes. (The client can sit up at this point or go home with product in the hair to be cleansed and conditioned out later.)

7. Cleanse and condition, then style and process! Send the client home with Olaplex No.3 to use weekly as a refresher. Now you can take the after photo!       

Robin Sjoblom is an award winning curly hair specialist based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the founder of Southern Curl ATL and guest editor for a umber of publications. You can find her on social media @SouthernCurlATL.

JULIANNE HOUGH GOT AN OLAPLEX PERM!

And it’s not your frizzy ‘80s perm. Promise. 

Leave it to Julianne Hough to break the internet with yet another hair trend... but this time, it’s not her choppy lob or sun-kissed balayage... it’s her new wavy permed hair texture. You might be thinking, “A perm? The ‘80s are over!”, but let me tell you– this isn’t your glam rock meets a scene in Heathers perm. It’s the perm that saves you the 30 minutes it takes to add texture to your hair with a flat iron for that effortless loose beach wave look like Kim Kardashian or wrapping your hair around a wand to get the sought after Victoria’s Secret model hair. Perms have come a long way and are now customizable to current hair trends, without the extra baggage.

Julianne has been asking her stylist, Riawna Capri of Nine Zero One salon in Los Angeles, to give her a perm for upwards of six years now. However, Jules is a highlight client and any beauty school grad knows– you do NOT perm highlighted hair without expecting serious breakage and damage. We’re talking hair melting off here. Forget what you thought you knew about perms, this is where Olaplex comes in.

For the first time in hairstory you can perm previously highlighted hair without compromising it’s integrity... and that’s unheard of. Perm master, Joe Santy put Olaplex to the test on the Dancing with The Stars and GREASE: Live! starlett Monday afternoon and the end result was fabulous, healthy, California beach waves. 

Jules posted a photo the next morning in true “I Woke Up Like This” fashion loving her healthy style ready waves! We love them too and see the beach wave perm here to stay. Who’s next?

TUTORIAL: OLAPLEX AS A CUTTING LOTION WITH RAMIREZ TRAN STYLIST, BUDDY PORTER!

Your haircuts may never be the same again... and you won’t want them to be. Using Olaplex as a cutting lotion is what we like to call a “Mini Treatment” and it happens to be one of our favorite off the grid ways to use Olaplex. This service is perfect for your clients on the go– no mater what their hair type is. Olaplex works on ALL hair types from virgin, fine, textured, to highly compromised. 

Using Olaplex as a cutting lotion allows you to rebuild the broken disulfide bonds in the hair while cutting by using the No. 2 as a mini treatment. It’s also a fabulous way to introduce your client to Olaplex for the first time. Everyone’s hair could use some extra loving, right?

Hair Stylist Buddy Porter of the Ramirez Tran Salon in Beverly Hills demonstrates how he uses this mini No. 2 treatment in his haircuts step by step below!

The first thing you need to do is ensure your client has clean hair. Dirty hair with product or oil build up can act as a barrier for Olaplex. In this case in particular, Buddy’s client had product build up, so he gave her a light shampoo. 

Towel dry the hair. 

Apply Olaplex No. 2 on the towel-dried damp hair. 

Evenly distribute a generous amount of the No. 2 throughout the hair.

Comb the product through to ensure even distribution. 

Cut the hair AND rebuild broken disulfide bonds in the hair at the SAME time!

After the cut, ensure sure you shampoo the Olaplex out, then follow with a conditioner.

Style and whip your healthy hair back and forth. 

Buddy Porter is a stylist at the Ramirez Tran Salon in Beverly Hills, California. You can find him on Instagram @buddywporter and vernonwporter@yahoo.com

THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO FOR YOUR CURLY CLIENTS!

We teamed up again with curly hair expert, Robin Sjoblom of Southern Curl to talk about what to do with that gorgeous head of curly hair even before the consultation! Robin calls it “pre-qualifing your clients,” and it wouldn’t be possible without Olaplex.

Hi everyone! This pre-qualifying service ensures that your appointment is customized for what your Curls need and a great partner to this is to pretreat the hair with Olaplex before anything else. This way, the curls can begin their journey to health and healing before coming in to see the stylist– which will allow the stylist to see the curls in their healthiest state. For some transitioning Natural clients, they may be able to save a lot more length because the damaged bonds will have been restored... which means avoiding the dreaded “BIG CHOP” in many cases.

This client arrived at the salon and immediately had the No.1 put on her hair for 20 minutes and left home with the No.2 on (she later shampooed and conditioned it out). At her next appointment she had a cut and followed with another Olaplex treatment of No.1 for 20 minutes and No.2 on top of that for 20 minutes.

Another benefit to prequalifying a clients is that you can book ANOTHER Olaplex treatment to be done IN Salon after the cut to try and take the hair further along. I believe that two back to back Olaplex treatments can greatly benefit a damaged curly head of hair.

After you’ve done the Olaplex treatment as part of your pre-qualification. I like to do a little something called a “Curlscription”... it’s a product and treatment prescription for daily maintenance. Now, as you know, curly hair needs to be handled much differently than straight hair. During this process I review with my client their current hair product regime and go over the ingredients in each bottle to let them know how it interacts with the hair. I do this because we all know Olaplex can do amazing things, but caring for curls everyday outside of treatments is just as important. That’s why understanding labels and ingredients on the products you use at home is crucial for the sole purpose of knowing what goes on your hair and how/why it’s affecting it. For example, products containing silicones and sulphates can be very harmful to a head of curls. Be conscious and use good judgement... education is your true #hairbestie.

Just a little TLC and you’ll have a gorgeous and HEALTHY head of curls in no time. Have your clients email or text you photos of their hair to help determine what their needs are before they come in and make time for that Olaplex treatment. Take before and after photos and repost them... I’d love to see your results! 

TIPS FOR CURLY & TRANSITIONING HAIR!

* My Curly Hair Artistry friend and Curl Bar Salon Owner, Trudie Mulalu gave us a very successful transitioning tip this weekend while we were visiting Kelly Elaine's Curl Collaboration in PA this past weekend. Trudie said she takes the straight pieces of transitioning hair and uses clips to bend the pieces into a curl shape before applying the Olaplex No. 1 and No. 2! We can't wait to try this tip this week and let you all know the results! Thanks Trudie!

* For those unfamiliar with the how-tos of cutting curls, a great place to look is www.curlyhairartistry.com, a non brand based group of curly hair artists focused on educating stylists on HOW to cut and care for curls.

You can follow the amazing Robin Sjoblom on Instagram @SouthernCurlATL, Twitter: @SouthernCurlATL. Southern Curl will be opening in West Midtown, Atlanta GA in the Summer of 2016. Visit www.southern-curl.com to book an appointment or call 770-490-6485. For curly love letters and inquiries e-mail  robin@southern-curl.com.

The Consultation: Lightening Natural Hair with Olaplex (and a little TLC)!

Virgin, to compromised, straight, wavy, to coily– all these heads of hair require tender love and care that is specific to them. One would carefully assume compromised hair requires the most care... but what about hair textures that are innately fragile? I sat down with Natural Hair Specialist Amena BelledeSoleil to get the real on understanding the fragility of curly hair and how lightening it with Olaplex has changed her game forever. 

Now, because this is a topic we could talk about for DAYS (because we’re obsessed), we will literally do just that and today focus specifically on understanding the process of lightening natural hair, precautions, volumes, and more of Amena’s recommendations.

Throughout the article you’ll find photos of kinky and curly hair lifted to levels 8-10, then colored with direct dyes for their unique color looks. All color by Amena.

Lightening hair with a high degree of curl and kink is an extra special process as these types of hair are innately more fragile. Every point along the strand where the hair forms a curl or a coil (super small curl) with or without kinks (permanent crimp in the hair) is a point where the hair is more fragile due to the bend required to give the hair it's shape. Add in the torsion twist that occurs in kinky hair and you have an even more fragile strand.

These types of hair are commonly referred to as Afro hair and are often classified as coarse. However, high shrinkage hair, also known as, Afro hair comes in a variety of types - moderate to high shrinkage - and the following textures - fine, medium and coarse, and all must be handled accordingly.  

In the color world, most of what we do is texture driven. Keeping that in mind, coupled with the characteristics of the hair I'm working on, my go to developers when lightening are 10-30 volume when using Olaplex to ensure I get no higher than a 20 volume effect on the hair with the least compromise of it's integrity. Coarse hair is best suited for the higher volumes as there are more cuticle layers to lift through. 

One day transformations? YES! Level 9 and 10 hair are completely capable in one process with a 20 volume if you’re working on virgin hair. I recommend foiling if level 10 is the goal on the first round. Remember, you know your client’s hair the best– even if you’re working with a new client with high expectations, make it your absolute goal to realize them while putting the integrity of the hair first, always using your best judgement. Some transformations take time and that’s okay. 

Adding Olaplex No. 1 in every step of the lightening process is key to ensuring the bonds are being actively repaired while processing. No matter what the desired level is, this is not an option for my services rather a requirement. 

I have my own steps for after the hair has been lightened and toned. First and foremost Olaplex No. 2 is a MUST to continue rebuilding the broken disulphide bonds in the hair. This process is extra special because unlike the No.1 mixed into my lightener, the No. 2 is working free of any additives with no chemicals working against it. It’s important to know although the hair feels amazing after using No.1 and No.2 on the hair, protein and moisture are entirely different issues in the hair that need to be addressed as Olaplex’s sole purpose is to rebuild bonds, it is not a conditioner, nor is it a protein treatment. So following the No.2 (again after the lightening and toning) I ALWAYS apply a protein mask as the conditioner before styling. This is essential especially for hair that is lacking these properties on a regular basis. 

Next in our lightening natural hair series, we will take you through a step by step lightening process with Amena complete with a photo tutorial. Any color requests you would like to see her work with on natural hair? Tweet them to us @olaplex!

Follow Amena on social! Instagram: @amenabelledesoleil and Facebook: Hair Polish by Amena BelledeSoleil.

NO. 3: AT-HOME BEARD CARE?

You know those go to items at home like vinegar or baking soda that literally solve everything? We’re here to vote the No.3 into that category. Treatment? No.3 it. Leave-in? No.3 it. Beard? No.3 it..? YES!!

Our Senior Educators Vanessa Schneider and Anthony Maslo put this to the test and we just had to share the results!

Turns out the No.3 works wonderfully on beards! The treatment softens the appearance of the beard and improves it’s manageability. Some men even feel it helps thicken their beard, making it feel more dense and full. While others love how it helps their beard feel less wiry and itchy. The amazing scent doesn't hurt either.

Beard Treatment Instructions

1. Cleanse beard and pat dry.

2. Apply a moderate amount of No. 3, AVOIDING areas around mouth. (We love the No.3 but it’s definitely not a snack.)

3. After a minimum of 10 minutes, cleanse and condition.

Have you or someone you know tried this? If not, are you going to find the nearest beard and try this? We’d love to hear your feedback!