Olaplex, the viral haircare line that has become a staple in my routine, was sued by 28 women who claim the products made their hair fall out in chunks and left their scalp with blisters. Despite this being the latest in a string of bad press for the brand in the past few months, I’m not going to stop using it, at least for now.
The brand is strongly defending itself against the allegations, saying in a statement on Instagram that they have “full confidence and believe in the safety and efficacy of our products.”
A quick lesson on what Olaplex is: Olaplex’s products are designed to help strengthen and repair hair, particularly for those who have color treated hair or regularly do heat styling. Olaplex’s signature product, No. 3, is a bond builder, which works to rebuild broken bonds in the hair and improve overall hair health.
I’ve dealt with hair loss and breakage since I started my natural hair journey in 2019 — and I credit Olaplex with making my hair the healthiest it has ever been. The stylists at the salon I go to were the first ones to recommend Olaplex No. 3 to me when I complained of my hair feeling fragile and not retaining length. Leading up to my wedding, I was getting a silk press done often and didn’t suffer heat damage. Why? Because in addition to deep conditioning my hair, I was incorporating Olaplex No. 3 and No. 7 into my routine to keep my strands strong.
I am definitely not trying to discredit the women who have filed the lawsuit. Hair loss is devastating and not something to be taken lightly. Some people can be allergic to certain ingredients in hair and skin products, which is why it’s so important to always do a patch test first. One potential allergen is lilial (butylphenyl methylpropional) which Olaplex removed from its products globally when the European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety categorized the synthetic fragrance as a “reprotoxic” after laboratory testing on rats showed it could have an adverse affect on fertility and fetal development. Olaplex phased out the ingredient in Janaury 2022, ahead of the March 2022 deadline.
Beyond allergies, hair loss can be caused by a lot of factors like covid, stress, and hormonal imbalances. Additionally, I suspect there are many people who are overusing Olaplex and not following the directions. Influencers — especially on TikTok — popularized the “Olaplex bun,” which is slicking your hair back into a bun using No. 3 and even sleeping in the product. The company states on their website that they do not recommend sleeping in the product and that No. 3 reaches max efficacy at 30-45 minutes.
Not every product is going to work for every person. It’s important to research the ingredients in products and make educated decisions on what to use or not use in your hair, not just follow social media trends.
After reading various articles and speaking with my stylist, I feel comfortable continuing to use Olaplex in my hair care routine. That could always change, but for the moment, I’m definitely not throwing my No. 3 away.
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