Home > Olaplex > Olaplex Range Guide

Which Olaplex Should You Use? The Complete Guide

expert guidance from milajne, founder & president of zennkai — professional hair care across metro vancouver since 1984.

Olaplex's numbered system used to stop at No.9 — now there's a whole 4-series, a 5-series and a No.10, and most guides online haven't caught up. Here's the current, complete map: find your concern, and we'll point you to the exact number built for it — and how they layer together.

FIND YOUR CONCERN

Title

Deep Repair · The Famous One

No.3 Plus (+ No.0)

The reformulated No.3 Plus Treatment — the at-home, pre-shampoo bond treatment Olaplex is known for. No.0 is a primer applied first to amplify it.

 

Use if: your hair is damaged, breaking or over-processed and you want the core repair step. Start here.

 

SHOP REPAIR

Daily Wash

No.4 + No.5

No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No.5 Conditioner — the daily strengthening cleanse-and-condition duo.

 

Use if: you want your everyday shampoo and conditioner to keep building bonds between treatments.

 

SHOP WASH

Blonde · Brassy Tones

No.4P + No.5P

Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo and Conditioner — violet pigments that neutralise yellow and brass while the bond technology strengthens.

 

Use if: you're blonde, lightened, highlighted or grey and fighting brassiness. Swap in 1–2× a week.

 

SHOP TONING

Buildup · Oily Roots

No.4C (+ No.4D)

No.4C Clarifying Shampoo deep-cleans product buildup, impurities and mineral residue. No.4D Dry Shampoo refreshes and adds root volume between washes.

 

Use if: hair feels coated, weighed down or greasy at the roots. Use No.4C as needed, not daily.

 

SHOP CLARIFY

Fine Hair · Volume

No.4FINE + NO.5FINE

No.4FINE Shampoo and No.5FINE Conditioner — the same bond care as the original No.4 & No.5, in a weightless formula that won't flatten fine hair.

 

Use if: No.4 & No.5 feels too heavy and your hair needs conditioning without losing volume.

 

SHOP FINE

Curly · Coily

No.4 Curl · No.5 Curl · No.10

The Bond Shaper curl line — Curl Shampoo, Curl Conditioner and No.10 Bond Shaper Curl Gel for definition and hold, using 3D Bond Shaper Technology.

 

Use if: you have waves, curls or coils and want definition plus bond repair.

 

SHOP CURL

Leave-In Moisture · Split Ends

No.5 Leave-In

No.5 Moisturize & Mend Leave-In Conditioner — lightweight leave-in that softens, detangles and mends split ends after washing.

 

Use if: your ends are dry or splitting and you want daily leave-in conditioning.

 

SHOP LEAVE-IN

Frizz · Smoothing

No.6 Bond Smoother

No.6 Bond Smoother — a leave-in styling cream that smooths frizz and flyaways for up to 72 hours and speeds up blow-drying.

 

Use if: frizz and flyaways are your main concern, especially in damp coastal weather.

 

SHOP FRIZZ

Shine · Heat Protection

No.7 Bonding Oil

No.7 Bonding Oil — a lightweight leave-in oil that adds shine, controls frizz and protects against heat up to 232°C / 450°F.

 

Use if: you want shine and heat protection before styling, without weight.

 

SHOP OIL & SERUM

Deep Moisture Mask

No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask

No.8 adds hyaluronic acid and ceramides to the bond technology for a deeply hydrating weekly mask.

 

Use if: your hair needs moisture and shine, not just repair. Weekly, in place of conditioner.

 

SHOP MASKS

Daily Protection · Styling Serum

No.9 Bond Protector Serum

No.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Serum — a leave-in serum with Red Algae antioxidant that shields against pollution and heat, adding shine and smoothness.

 

Use if: you want everyday protection on wash days and in between. Works for most hair types.

 

SHOP HEAT PROTECTION

Scalp

No.0.5 Scalp Longevity Treatment

No.5 Scalp Longevity Treatment — a leave-in scalp serum that supports a healthier scalp environment, Olaplex's newest addition.

 

Use if: you want to bring bond care to the scalp, not just the lengths.

 

SHOP SCALP

A note on No.1 and No.2: these are salon-only — your stylist mixes No.1 into colour or lightener and applies No.2 during the service. They're not sold for home use, so your at-home routine starts at No.0 and No.3 Plus.

What order do you use Olaplex?

You don't need every number — but if you're layering several, this is the sequence that works:

  1. No.0 → No.3 Plus — the pre-shampoo repair step. Apply No.0 to dry hair, then No.3 Plus on top, leave, then wash. Weekly.
  2. No.4 Shampoo → No.5 Conditioner — your daily wash. (Swap in No.4P/No.5P for toning, or No.4C to clarify, as needed.)
  3. No.8 Mask — weekly, in place of conditioner, when hair needs moisture.
  4. No.5 Leave-In — on damp hair after washing.
  5. No.6 · No.7 · No.9 — your styling finish: Smoother for frizz, Bonding Oil for shine and heat protection, Serum for daily protection.

SHOP ALL OLAPLEX

FAQ

Which Olaplex should I start with?

For most people, start with No.3 Plus — the pre-shampoo bond treatment Olaplex is known for — plus the No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No.5 Conditioner as your daily wash. That's the core routine that covers repair and maintenance. If your hair is badly damaged, add No.0 before No.3 Plus to amplify the treatment. Everything else is added by concern.

What's the difference between Olaplex No.3 Plus and No.8?

They do different jobs. No.3 Plus is a pre-shampoo bond repair treatment focused on strength — it reconnects broken bonds before you wash. No.8 is a post-wash moisture mask that adds hydration and shine with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. One repairs, one moisturises. Many people use both: No.3 Plus for repair, No.8 weekly for moisture. If you can only pick one, choose by whether your hair needs strength or hydration.

Which Olaplex is best for blonde or brassy hair?

No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo and No.5P Toning Conditioner. They use violet pigments to neutralise yellow and brassy tones while the bond technology strengthens lightened hair. They suit blonde, highlighted, grey and even brunette hair that needs brass control. Use them in place of your regular No.4 and No.5 one to two times a week, leaving them on longer for more intense toning.

What order do you use Olaplex products?

Pre-shampoo: No.0 then No.3 Plus, weekly. Then wash with No.4 Shampoo and No.5 Conditioner (or No.8 mask in place of conditioner). On damp hair, apply No.5 Leave-In, then finish styling with No.6 Bond Smoother for frizz, No.7 Bonding Oil for shine and heat protection, or No.9 Serum for daily protection. You don't need all of them — layer only what your concern calls for.

Which Olaplex is best for damaged hair?

Start with No.0 followed by No.3 Plus as a weekly pre-shampoo repair treatment — this is the deepest at-home bond repair Olaplex offers. Maintain with the No.4 Shampoo and No.5 Conditioner daily, and add the No.8 mask weekly for moisture. For severe or ongoing damage, that combination rebuilds strength over repeated use rather than in a single wash.

What's the difference between Olaplex No.6 and No.7?

No.6 Bond Smoother is a leave-in styling cream that controls frizz and flyaways for up to 72 hours and adds moisture — better for smoothing and blow-dry prep. No.7 Bonding Oil is a lightweight oil for shine and heat protection up to 232°C / 450°F — better as a finishing and heat-styling step. Many people use both: No.6 to smooth, No.7 to add shine and protect from heat.

Which Olaplex is best for curly hair?

Olaplex's Bond Shaper curl line: the No.4 Curl Hydrating Shampoo and No.5 Curl Hydrating Conditioner cleanse and condition while enhancing your natural pattern, and No.10 Bond Shaper Curl Gel adds definition and hold. They use 3D Bond Shaper Technology to strengthen the internal structure so curls spring back more defined. Layer No.7 Bonding Oil for shine if needed.

What does Olaplex No.0 do?

No.0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment is a primer, not a standalone product. Applied to dry hair before No.3 Plus, it saturates the hair with bond-building actives to boost the repair No.3 Plus delivers. Leave No.0 on for about 10 minutes, apply No.3 Plus on top without rinsing, wait, then wash. It's the step to add when your hair needs the most intensive at-home repair.

Does Zennkai carry the full Olaplex range?

Yes. Zennkai is an authorized Olaplex retailer carrying the complete range — every number from No.0 through No.10, including the 4-series, 5-series and toning products — across six Metro Vancouver locations and online, with free shipping on orders over $50 and Beauty with Benefits loyalty points on every purchase.

EXPLORE MORE

Title

K18 vs. Olaplex →

How Olaplex compares to the other big bond-repair name

Explore all Damage Repair →

The full routine for repairing breakage and over-processed hair