Olaplex No. 3 vs 8 (The Definitive Guide)

Founded in 2014, Olaplex has achieved cult-favorite-status in the last five years or so. The NPD Group—an American market research company—even deemed Olaplex the “#1 product in prestige haircare” just last year.

What makes this haircare brand so special, though, is the “invention” of Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, which Olaplex credits for making their products so effective.

Well, what the heck does Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate do anyway?

According to Olaplex’s site, this complex chemical makeup rebuilds the disulfide bonds of damaged hair from the inside out. That said, whether you’re someone who heat-styles, dyes, or chemically treats your mane, Olaplex’s special ingredient can restore your hair back to optimal health.

Two Olaplex products in particular that have received considerable hype—Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector and Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask—are a couple of our go-tos, too.

Formula No. 3 has been scientifically proven to make your hair 3x stronger, while Olaplex claims that No. 8 will leave your hair “so visibly healthy, you can skip the styling.”

Below, we’ll give you a detailed breakdown of each.

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Olaplex 3 vs 8 Comparison

Comparison

For starters, both products are cruelty free, gluten free, nut free, paraben free, phosphate free, phthalate free, sulfate free, and vegan. They’re also suitable for all hair types.

One notable difference between the two is that Olaplex No. 3 is not a conditioner or mask, but a treatment to be used on wet hair before shampoo. In contrast, Olaplex No. 8 is a moisture mask that should be applied after shampooing and before conditioning.

While both formulas aim to repair damaged hair, No. 3 works to strengthen your strands and reduce breakage and split ends, whereas No. 8 provides hydration, smoothness, body, and shine to parched tresses.

Further, Olaplex No. 3 can be used two to three times a week, but Olaplex instructs consumers to only use Olaplex No. 8 once a week. (And though this pair works together beautifully, you can expect equally amazing results if you’re using one over the other.)

Moreover, it may not be surprising to learn that the ingredient list for No. 8 is quite a bit longer than No. 3, including several essential oils, rosehip seed extract, and ceramides. No. 3 still contains some familiar favorites, though, like aloe vera and jojoba seed oil.

Pricewise, Olaplex No. 3 and Olaplex No. 8 will both run you ~$30 for a 3.3oz bottle. But, based on their thousands of positive reviews, they’re worth every penny.

Conclusion

Both Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector and Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask have become global sensations for plenty of reasons. But, in short, they seem to check off literally every box you can think of while delivering second-to-none results.

Though this brand is a tad pricey, you can rest assured knowing that you’re not only paying for a quality product, but a quality company, too.

Olaplex’s pledge to sustainability includes limiting their use of secondary packaging for most of their products. Thus, each product without a box saves water and (thousands!) of trees and eliminates a substantial amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

So, if you haven’t joined the bandwagon already, welcome.

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