You heard right — Olaplex tweaked the No. 3 formula. Same purple bottle, different juice. I’ve been using it for three years, so I noticed the second it touched my hair.
The old version felt thicker, almost like a hair mask. The new one? It’s runnier — think thin conditioner. That’s not a bad thing, but it changes how you use it.
Still $30 for 100ml. Still the “take-home bond builder” your stylist pushes after every bleach session. The claim: repair broken disulfide bonds in 10 minutes.
New pH balance
Slightly more acidic now — that’s why it feels lighter.
Watered-down texture
Pours faster, spreads easier, but you need less product to cover your lengths.
Faster absorption
Sinks in within 5 minutes vs. 10 before. My fine-haired friends will love this.
Photo: averie woodard / Unsplash
They kept the patented bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate — that’s the bond-repairing hero. But they swapped some silicones for lighter emollients. The result: fewer “heavy” feelings, same reconstruction power.
- Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate: Rebuilds broken bonds deep in the cortex
- Water (Aqua/Eau): First ingredient, still — it’s a rinse-off treatment
- Cetearyl alcohol: Gives slip without greasiness
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein: Adds a temporary smoothing effect
Photo: Tim Mossholder / Unsplash
It feels like water going on. I panicked. But after rinsing, my hair had that same squeaky-clean-but-not-stripped feeling. No tangles. Shine was immediate.
By week three, my bleach-damaged ends looked less frayed. Not a miracle — but the new version does the job without weighing down my roots. My one gripe: the thin texture makes it easy to over-apply and waste product.
Photo: TYMO Beauty / Unsplash
My split ends didn’t vanish, but new breakage stopped. Color stayed vibrant for an extra week. The reformulation is gentler on fine hair — less buildup, same strength.
Photo: Lindsay Cash / Unsplash
The reformulation isn’t better or worse — it’s just smarter for more hair types. If you loved the heavy feel, you’ll be disappointed. If you have fine hair, this is your upgrade.