Few beauty products can lay claim to achieving cult status. Of the skincare world, there is Estée Lauder's inimitable Advanced Night Repair; Nars' orgasm blush where make-up is concerned, and when it comes to hair: Olaplex's Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Conditioner. Bonding treatments work by reconnecting the broken disulfide bonds in the hair fiber,” says celebrity hairstylist, Sophia Porter. “Hair is made of keratin proteins and proteins are what gives your hair strength and retain shape.” So, when those proteins are broken down, by environmental factors, hot tools, chemical processing or mechanical damage, these bonds break then reform into a new shape. Have you ever tried to brush through your hair in the morning only to realize that it’s just a little bit too damaged? Sometimes this means that it’s particularly susceptible to tangles and knots, other times it just feels a bit too dry for comfort. Odds are this is because your hair has been Depending on the severity of damage, I suggest using a bond builder two to three times a week until you start to see a visible difference in the state of the hair,” Saviano says. “Once hair has begun to improve, you can use it weekly for maintenance.”

With all this knowledge at your fingertips, whichever one you choose should lead to a big "thank you" from your hair. Even if you don’t have visibly damaged hair, most of us have some damage (especially if you heat style often), so it’s still a good idea to use a bond builder. Since the concept of bond building has become mainstream, so many brands have been unveiling their take on bond repairing products — making the market oversaturated. That’s why we consulted with leading hair industry experts to find the bond builders actually worth the money. Unsurprisingly, the original bond builder Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Hair Mask landed our top spot for its remarkable results that will completely change your hair. While Olaplex uses a patented active ingredient to repair disulphide bonds inside the hair, other brands are now harnessing equally powerful molecules that penetrate further within the hair shaft to repair stressed strands, making them more resilient to damage. Apply to clean, damp hair and comb through, then wait approximately 10 minutes and blow dry. Adding the heat activates the permanent covalent bonds, which are the bonds that give your hair lasting results. A full blowout isn’t necessary, since even just a little bit of heat will give you better results. If you’re dedicated to air-drying, you won’t get the full experience, but you’ll still see some benefit.Bond-building treatments were previously only available in professional salons at an additional cost,” explains Petty. “However, with the ongoing cost of living crisis reducing disposable income, salon visits and professional treatments have become less popular in lieu of more affordable home treatment alternatives. A true game-changer in the hair world, this mask is a go-to for pros everywhere. “Olaplex is the original bond protector,”says Tina Deeke, colorist at Maxine Salonin Chicago. “It works great to protect hair from coloring or other chemical services. Their shampoo, conditioner and styling products are great accessories to layer after your coloring service for lasting benefits. I’m a big fan of the No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Hair Mask to use before blow drying hair — [hair] feels great after using [it].” Bond builders repair the protein bonds that make up the keratin structure of your hair,” Petty tells us.

They target three specific chemical bonds: disulphide (responsible for stabilising protein chains and bolstering the strength of individual hair strands); hydrogen bonds (which maintain resistance to elements such as heat and water and give your hair its texture and shape); and salt bonds (which can be prone to breakage if the hair’s pH becomes too acidic or alkaline.)Split ends? This shampoo adds proteins to your hair to help strengthen and repair, while glycerin, castor, banana and anti-oxidant rich Pomegranate Extract help keep it hydrated. Bonded Conditioner Hair is made of a strong protein called keratin. Keratin is complex, and held together by bonds. There are three types: Disulfide, which is a strong connector; and hydrogen in salt bonds, which aren’t as strong but still play a major role in overall hair health. Essentially, the bonds in your hair are what hold your hair together and give it strength.

these treatments were only found in the salon, but recently they’ve been popping up more often in at-home products and treatments. Certified trichologist, Dr. William Gaunitz, FWTS says hair bonding treatments can coat the hair to revitalize damage and breakage. “These products are restoring the microscopic bonds between the protein and molecules that make up your hair.” And since these damages can be caused by day-to-day factors like UV exposure, you may be surprised to find out exactly how damaged your hair may be at its core. Thankfully, these powerhouse bond repairing treatments help to, literally, rebuild and restore damaged strands, so you can have healthier, stronger hair without chopping it all off first. over-exposed to things like heat styling tools and chemical hair products. So what do you do? Are you supposed to just Beauty. The products are specially designed to recreate the bonds between broken pieces of hair and restore them to their previously nourished state. In the same way that you would use a deep Despite being diehard Olaplex fans, it’s fair to say that after a couple of uses, we were left impressed with Aldi’s pre-wash treatment. Our hair did feel smoother and shinier.

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Once reserved for salon use, hair bond repair treatments come bottled up in at-home formulas that boast a smoother, shinier finish and a softer texture right after use, says celebrity hairstylist Bradley Leake. These hair products work wonders in keeping your hair looking fresh and strong. We found the best at-home bond repair hair treatments — from shampoo for colored hair and deep conditioners to hair masks and leave-ins — to help you achieve your hair goals in 2023 and beyond. The proprietary blend has been clinically tested to ensure that it cuts hair breakage from combing in half after a single use. Simply spritz this onto damp hair — we’re talking all textures and types — before heat styling to activate the anti-breakage treatment. Then it’s ready to work its magic to stop split ends and damage. If you prefer to air dry your hair, you may want to skip this though, because it works best when a little bit of heat is involved. Featuring Jojoba Seed Oil and panthenol, this pre-shampoo treatment can be used weekly, leaving on the formula 10 minutes prior to shampoo. The aim? To nourish, condition hair and reduce damage in the long run.

Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Sulfate-Free Shampoo is Redken's most concentrated all-in-one formula for strength repair for all types of damaged hair. This ultra-rich and luxurious sulfate-free shampoo provides ultimate strength repair, intense conditioning and color fade protection. We all know the health perks that come with sipping a green juice — consider this kale-spiked leave-in the equivalent for your hair. Kale extract is loaded with sulfur, which aids in repairing the sulfuric bonds in hair. The formula features blue sea kale to strengthen and protect from heat and color damage, as well as kelp extract to hydrate, protect hair color, and fortify hair. Amino acids and vitamin B also pitch in to strengthen strands. Featuring Citric Acid, this shampoo contains a concentrated bonding care complex that reinforces weakened bonds within your hair to improve hair strength. This pH-balancing shampoo is specifically formulated with an acidic pH to defend against the negative effects of hair coloring, styling tools, and even water. The result? Hair that looks and feels healthy! Enriched with nourishing avocado and argan oil, the conditioner is designed to add moisture to dry ends and give hair a frizz-free finish. Pre-wash hair treatmentThe concentrated mask is powered by Olaplex Bond Building Technology, which is proven to relink hair bonds damaged by styling, heat, and chemical services. The repairing formula boosts moisture, shine, body, and smoothness on all hair types and textures. It works by penetrating the hair strands and sealing in active ingredients for ongoing effectiveness. The results from a single treatment can be felt for weeks, with overall hair health improving with continued use. The mask is pretty much a miracle in a bottle, but the scent is just okay — regardless, that minor inconvenience is fully worth the end result. Follow up your shampoo with L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid. Apply it to wet hair an inch down from your roots (to avoid scalp congestion and product weigh-down) and massage gently into the hair from the lengths to the tips. Leave it on for approximately three minutes then rinse with warm water. Using the product correctly will allow it to work its magic, repairing hair damaged by color, heat, bleaching and more. While every hair type and texture can benefit from hair bond builders, those who have chemically treated hair (i.e. colored or chemically straightened) or regularly use heat products will see significant improvement in hair integrity when using bond builders. This is because using chemicals and heat styling can severely damage hair. If you regularly color your hair, try L'Oréal Paris Bond Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner — it’s specially formulated for those with colored hair, and rebuilds the bonds severed by continual dye treatments. Though the shampoo and conditioner duo works for colored hair of all types, we recommend trying Matrix Total Results Unbreak My Blonde Reviving Leave-in Treatment for those with blonde hair. Using this won’t just repair hair, but also prevent brassiness, extending your time between salon visits. Formula Type The main benefit of bond-building products is that they repair broken links in the hair’s cortex, providing increased strength and resilience to damage — from heat styling and colouring — which can help to reduce split ends, breakage, dryness, tangles and frizz.” Who needs hair repair treatments? But those obviously aren't the only bond-repair systems out there. If you want to look into other options, you just need to keep an eye out for those amino acids King mentioned earlier. As we've already mentioned, Olaplex, K18, Redken, and In Common's at-home bond-repair systems are great places to start. Amika's The Kure line also features its own amino acid complex. Robinson recommends using bond-repair products from brands that have done (and shared) research on the before and after results. Redken is one example.