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Olaplex No.3 vs No.6 vs No.7

Updated

Buy No.3 when you want a treatment you rinse out before shampoo. Buy No.6 when you want a leave-in cream that smooths frizz on damp hair. Buy No.7 when you want a few drops of finishing oil for shine, including before heat — Olaplex states heat protection up to 450°F/232°C.

They are three different steps. You do not have to buy all of them. If you use them in one wash, the order is No.3 before shampoo, No.6 on clean damp hair, then No.7.

Comparison

Olaplex No.3, No.6, and No.7 compared by job, routine step, application, hair type, and limits
 Olaplex No.3 Bond Building Hair PerfectorOlaplex No.6 Bond SmootherOlaplex No.7 Bonding Oil
What it isHair Perfector: a pre-shampoo reparative treatment. Olaplex says it is not a conditioner and does not contain protein.Bond Smoother: an out-of-shower styling cream for frizz, softness, and smoother blow-dries or air-dries. Olaplex states heat protection up to 450°F/232°C and frizz control for up to 72 hours.Bonding Oil: a weightless styling oil for shine, softness, and flyaways. Olaplex states that it provides heat protection up to 450°F/232°C.
When in the routineIn the shower, before shampoo.After washing, on clean hair, before you style.After No.6, or on its own. On damp or dry hair, including before heat and after styling.
How to applyApply to damp hair from roots to ends until saturated. Leave it on for 3–10 minutes, rinse, then shampoo. Olaplex says longer than 10 minutes does not increase the benefit.The directions say one pump on clean, damp hair, then comb through and style. Olaplex also says you can use it on dry hair, and that it does not need to be rinsed out.Turn the bottle upside down and tap out a drop. Apply 2–3 drops to damp or dry hair and style. Olaplex says to match that amount to your hair type.
Hair types it suitsAll hair types and all levels of hair health, including chemically treated hair.All hair types and textures. Olaplex describes it as smoothing without weighing hair down.Every hair type. The brand says to use the amount that suits your texture, starting at 2–3 drops.
What it does not doIt is not a conditioner, not a protein treatment, and not something you leave in to style. You rinse it out and shampoo.It is not the pre-shampoo treatment, and it is not a rinse-out conditioner. Olaplex distinguishes it from a leave-in conditioner: No.6 is the styler.It is not a cream and not the pre-shampoo treatment. Olaplex says it will not stain any hair type or color. It does not take No.3’s place in the shower.

Which one to buy

Choose No.3 if

You want a rinse-out treatment before you shampoo, not a cream or oil you style with. Olaplex calls it a weekly treatment and says you can use it more than once a week when hair needs more repair.

Read the Olaplex No.3 Bond Building Hair Perfector verdict · No.3 on Amazon

Choose No.6 if

Frizz is the problem and you want a leave-in cream on damp hair before you dry or air-dry. One pump is the labeled start; use more only if you need it.

Read the Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother verdict · No.6 on Amazon

Choose No.7 if

You want a few drops of oil for shine, including before a hot tool. Olaplex states heat protection up to 450°F/232°C. Start with 2–3 drops.

Read the Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil verdict · No.7 on Amazon

Using them together

Olaplex’s own directions put these in a fixed order. No.3 is the only one that goes on before shampoo.

  1. No.3. On damp hair, before shampoo. Saturate from roots to ends, leave it 3–10 minutes, rinse, then shampoo.
  2. No.6. On clean, damp hair after you have rinsed No.3 and shampooed. One pump, combed through, then style. Olaplex also allows it on dry hair for definition.
  3. No.7. After No.6, on damp hair: 2–3 drops. Olaplex’s styler-set directions say to layer No.7 over No.6 or mix them, then style. The No.7 page also allows the same drops on dry hair.

Common questions

Can I use Olaplex No.6 and No.7 together?

Yes. On the Iconic Stylers Set page, Olaplex says to apply one pump of No.6 to clean, damp hair, then follow with 2–3 drops of No.7. You can layer No.7 over No.6 or mix them together. No.7’s own page also says those drops can go on damp or dry hair.

Is Olaplex No.3 a conditioner?

No. On the Hair Perfector page, Olaplex says No.3 is a pre-shampoo strengthening treatment, not a conditioner. It also says the formula does not contain protein. Apply it before shampoo, leave it 3–10 minutes, rinse, then shampoo.

Which Olaplex is best for fine hair: No.3, No.6, or No.7?

Olaplex does not name one of these three as the fine-hair product. No.3 is labeled for all hair types and you rinse it out. No.6 is labeled for all hair types and textures, and Olaplex describes it as smoothing without weighing hair down. No.7 is a concentrated oil for every hair type; the directions start at 2–3 drops and say to match the amount to your hair.

Do I use Olaplex No.3 before or after shampoo?

Before. Olaplex says No.3 has to be applied before shampoo. The how-to is: damp hair, roots to ends, 3–10 minutes, rinse well, then shampoo.

Does Olaplex No.7 protect hair from heat?

Olaplex states that No.7 provides heat protection up to 450°F/232°C, and the directions include using it before heat styling. No.6’s page states the same 450°F/232°C heat protection for the cream. No.3’s Hair Perfector page does not make that heat-protection claim.

Can I use Olaplex No.7 on dry hair?

Yes. Olaplex says No.7 can be applied to wet, damp, or dry hair, and after styling for shine. The labeled amount is still 2–3 drops.

Sources

Product facts on this page come from these official Olaplex pages. No.3 here is Hair Perfector, the pre-shampoo treatment in the Glow Ritual Finds catalog. It is not Olaplex’s newer Nº.3PLUS formula.

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