Hair perm is in trend again, mainly because of olaplex. People love getting a perm for various reasons, including adding texture and volume to their thin hair.
But involving chemical processing of manes, perms don’t serve everyone, especially those with already bleached or highlighted hair. However, it is not the case with an olaplex perm.
You can now get the olaplex perm over your highlighted hair just like Julianne Hough got without causing any notable damage to your manes.
Nevertheless, I recommend you get the olaplex perm even if your hair isn’t chemically treated for a few months. It produces excellent curls while keeping your locks soft and frizz-free.
Moreover, using OLAPLEX No.1, the bond multiplier, put an end to the concept of not shampooing or washing your hair after the perm for 48 hours.
You are free to shampoo your hair after an hour or two of getting the olaplex perm.
Further in this article, I’ll explain the step-by-step procedure of doing an olaplex perm over your recently chemically treated or normal hair. So, let’s dive in!
What Will You Need To Do an Olaplex Perm?
Whether you are a hairstylist or a customer doing the olaplex perm, you need 3-4 products. The choice of these products comes down to the condition of your hair.
If you have healthy or previously not bleached or permed hair, you must have the perm kit and OLAPLEX no. 0 for the olaplex perm.
However, you will need two additional products if the earlier chemical treatments, including coloring, bleaching, and perming, have compromised your hair strength.
Olaplex no. 2 or 3 and protein mask are those two products that many stylists employ to strengthen clients’ hair before doing the olaplex perm.
Nevertheless, if you don’t have them, you will be fine with the olaplex no. 1 as it does most of the work to prevent hair damage from perming.
Experts do an olaplex bleach if the hair is relaxed chemically.
How to Do the Olaplex Perm?
Some people go beyond the recommended procedure of olaplex perm for extra protection. While this idea has no issue, your hair might not get the perm properly.
Therefore, it is better to stick with the experimented process of doing the perm with olaplex.
In the following, I have detailed every step involved in pulling off amazing curls with an olaplex perm.
1. Washing Hair With a Clarifying Shampoo
It is mistaken to think that not washing your hair before a perm will protect it from harsh chemicals.
In addition to the sebum your scalp produces, water minerals accumulate in your hair. That’s why you must wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo once a week.
Perm experts suggest rinsing your hair with a clarifying or demineralizing shampoo before perming.
It removes all the minerals and buildup from your manes, allowing the perm solution to work efficiently.
2. Pre-Perm Treatment (skip it if you have healthy hair)
People usually spend a few extra bucks on an olaplex because their hair strength is compromised by an earlier perming or bleaching treatment.
So, performing a pre-perm hair treatment is best if your hair is prone to damage.
Olaplex brand suggests employing the no. 2 or 3 with a protein mask to strengthen your mane.
At the salon, they do it just before the perm. However, if you’re doing the olaplex perm at home, you can execute this step hours before.
There is no need to waste your money on the pre-perm treatment if your hair is already strong enough.
3. Rinsing with Water Only (skip if you haven’t executed step 2)
If you haven’t employed the olaplex no. 2 and protein to support your compromised hair, skip this step.
Those who have undergone step 2 must only wash their hair with water to remove the olaplex no. 2 from the hair.
After washing your hair with water, let it dry, but not entirely. Damp hair wraps nicely on the perm rods.
4. Wrapping Hair Around Perm Rods
Wrapping your hair on perm rods is crucial for determining the pattern and size of the curls you are to get.
So, if you are doing the olaplex perm at home, make sure what curls pattern you are looking at and then select the size of perm rods accordingly.
Also, you will need to use perm endpaper. Ask someone’s help to wrap your manes around the rods properly.
Ensure that your hair is slightly damp but not too much.
5. Applying Perm Solution Mixed with Olaplex no. 1 or Zero
This step is by far the most crucial. According to the olaplex, you must add 1/16oz, which is 1.875ml, of olaplex no. 1 into the perm or waving solution (75ml bottles).
It is the tested ratio of the olaplex bond multiplier and one-time use waving solution. Adding extra volume of olaplex no. 1 might hinder the action of waving lotion on your hair.
In addition to mixing the olaplex bond multiplier into the perm lotion, you will need to follow the perm kit’s instructions and add the activator if mentioned.
You will need to let the waving lotion sit on your hair for the time mentioned on the perm kit, which is usually 10-15 minutes.
6. Rinsing Perm Solution Away
After checking the hair strands to see if the curls are fully developed, rinse away the mixture of waving lotion and olaplex from your hair.
And don’t remove the perm rods yet!
There is no need to shampoo. Just employ the gentle warm water to clear the thio perm lotion.
Before proceeding with the next step, towel blot followed by paper towels to dry the hair.
Giving your hair some time before you apply the neutralizer is inevitable. It is five minutes for normal hair, but if you have compromised manes, this can take 30 minutes.
Allowing your hair time before neutralizer helps it settle in the new conformation. Plus, it ensures lasting results.
7. Applying Neutralizer Solution Mixed with Olaplex no.1
After letting your hair sit for the suggested time, apply the neutralizer mixed with 1.875ml of olaplex no. 1, the bond multiplier.
And don’t remove the perm rods!
After you have sprinkled or sprayed the neutralizer, give it 5-10 minutes to set the curls perfectly into the new shape.
8. Using Olaplex no.1 and Water Solution at the End (Optional)
While it is optional, hairstylists go for an extra round of using olaplex no. 1 mixed with water on the permed hair after completing all the steps.
You can also employ this step if you think your locks are weak.
According to olaplex, “Mix 1oz (30ml) OLAPLEX No.1 BOND MULTIPLIER with 3oz (90ml) water” if your hair is fragile.
Use 15ml olaplex no. 1 for tinted hair.
After five minutes of applying the neutralizer, you must use this mixture for each perm rod. Wait for five minutes, and again apply this solution.
9. Washing Hair with a Light Shampoo
It is recommended not to wash or shampoo your hair for 24-48 hours after the regular perm to allow the broken disulfide bonds to reform and settle in new conformation.
However, this is not the case with an olaplex perm. Olaplex no. 1 reforms all broken bonds within a few minutes and creates newer ones.
Therefore, you don’t have to wait two days to wash your hair. Use gentle shampoo and rinse the neutralizer and olaplex away just an hour after the perm.
If your hair feels dry and the curls are not as defined as you wanted, you can use curl cream that moisturizes the manes and defines the waves.
How Much Does an Olaplex Perm Cost?
The amount of money an olaplex perm cost depends upon three factors:
- Are you visiting the salon?
- You are doing the perm at home.
- How many products are you to employ?
Doing the olaplex perm at home will cost you 40-50 dollars, including the money you spend on the perm kit and olaplex no. 1.
But if you also do the pre-perm treatment, you will have to spend an extra 30-35 dollars on olaplex no. 2 and the protein mask.
I suggest you get the olaplex perm from a professional at the salon. It may cost you 100 dollars, but the results will be excellent.
Difference In Results of Olaplex and Normal Perm
After getting the regular perm, your hair always has some degree of dryness and frizziness.
The healthier your hair is, the less likely it is to get dry and prone to damage after the perm.
While comparing the results of a regular and an olaplex perm, you will observe apparent differences in your manes.
An olaplex perm produces tighter curls and makes your hair feel as soft as before the perm.
Not shampooing after the olaplex perm does not improve the results. So, shampooing and washing your hair after 30-50 minutes of the perm is recommended.
Wrapping Up
Olaplex perm is an excellent option to curl your hair without any notable damage or dryness. While you can’t perm your already processed hair too soon again, olaplex no. 1, the bond multiplier, enables you to wave your hair within the weeks of your earlier bleaching or perming treatment.
