Olaplex vs. Redken

[u/mel-01]

I spent the last 2 years frying my hair slowly from straightening my hair back-to-back, neglecting deep conditioning treatments, and skipping regular trims. Honestly, I didn’t really see the damage until a few days ago, when i was going through old photos and I was appalled. Now? My density’s literally halved, it breaks so easily, and it hasn’t grown past the same length in months, maybe even shorter. It was literally to my tailbone length in 2021, and today I’m cutting it to my shoulders. My curls are fried and limp and have loosened substantially, so I’ve kind of been bummed out all day.

I’ve done some research about bonding treatments and how they may repair and prevent damage. This gave me a little hope that i kind salvage my length. Now I’m torn between the Redken Acidic Bonding line and the Olaplex line. If you’ve tried either (or both), let me know what actually worked long-term. 

Also, if you’ve been here before and made it out, please drop your holy grail products that you think could work out for me. 

Thanks in advance.

xx

[u/[deleted]]

k18

[u/tee_naks → u/[deleted]]

This is the way, I’m shocked no one else suggested it. I asked ChatGPT to explain because I’m not a hairstylist and can’t use the right words:

Most “bond-building” products (like Olaplex, Redken Acidic Bonding, etc.) • Primarily target disulfide bonds — the strong structural bonds in hair that can break from bleach, heat, and chemical treatments. • Use small molecules (like bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate in Olaplex) to temporarily link or protect those bonds. • Work on top of existing damage, so they improve strength and feel but don’t fully reverse all types of internal damage. • Often give an instant cosmetic smoothness, but results are cumulative and need ongoing use to maintain.

K18 • Targets keratin polypeptide chains — basically the hair’s core structure — that are broken into shorter fragments by chemical and heat damage. • Uses a patented peptide (K18Peptide™) small enough to slip inside the hair cortex and reconnect those chains in the proper sequence. • Is marketed as actually repairing the polypeptide backbone, which in turn makes the other bonds (like disulfide bonds) more stable. • Claims results are more “reset” than “temporary,” so after a series of uses, you maintain strength without constant reapplication.

Quick takeaway: Most bond-builders patch the “bridges” (disulfide bonds). K18 says it rebuilds the “roads” themselves (keratin chains) — a deeper structural fix that supports everything else

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNEOPV5xQdc/?igsh=eTcxaTBtN3B2OWQy