Redken pH Bonder vs. Olaplex: after a lot of research, these are their differences

The three most important differences between Redken PH Bonder and Olaplex are:

 

(If you don’t want to read all the differences and want to know which product is better for your hair, CLICK HERE)

 

Do you want to know what the topic of my last stylist friend’s meeting was?

No. It wasn’t the latest Netflix releases, our kids’ school exploits, or our love adventures and misadventures.

 

Our topic of conversation was the famous hair bond rebuilders, better known by their first and last names than their functions.

I bet you five hair strands that you’ve heard of Olaplex and Redken pH Bonder. I knew it!

 

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Anyway, you can’t imagine how excited we all were.

 Some defended Olaplex, others Redken pH Bonder and others agreed with both. 

 

So, after calming the waters, we decided to establish a list of the differences between Olaplex and Redken pH Bonder.

And while we didn’t find many, if you’re about to color or bleach your hair, you might find them useful.

 

First, and before we dive into the differences, let’s agree on something.

Both Olaplex and Redken are the most used brands in beauty salons worldwide because they leave hair completely healthy after any chemical process such as bleaching or balayage.

Also, both are applied in different stages. Some of them are for professional use, and others for home use, which makes users quite happy.

Which one should you choose?

 

Knowing the differences, you can make the best decision for your hair.

 

Difference 1: Olaplex is an eight-step treatment, three of which are applied in the salon. In turn, Redken pH Bonder has two steps for professional use.

PH Bonder helps protect the hair structure as a whole while Olaplex restructures the DNA of the hair by repairing the bridges broken during bleaching or coloring process.

 

 Both Olaplex and Redken pH Bonder will be of great help during the coloring processes you want to apply, whether it’s hair dyes, bleaching, highlights, or balayage. 

Now, as for the application, you should take some differences into account.

 

Olaplex and Redken pH Bonder have several stages. Their first ones are exclusive for professional use.

That is, you should ask your stylist for them, or most likely, she’ll recommend them to you if you bleach or color your hair.

 

What are these steps at Olaplex?

 

What are the stages of Redken pH Bonder?

 

Once you apply either treatment in the salon, both brands offer products to extend the results.

In the case of Olaplex it has 5 subsequent stages of home use for treatment maintenance:

 

Alternatively, pH Bonder has a post-Service stage. It’s easy to apply and you only have to use it once a week.

 

Yes, Olaplex has a more complete treatment maintenance line, but it also involves more money. We’ll talk about that later.

There’s another difference that you should also take into account when deciding: how both Olaplex and Redken pH Bonder act on the hair.

 

Difference 2: Olaplex works all the way to the core of the hair by regenerating it completely, while Redken pH Bonder works on the cuticles and cortexes without reaching the core.

Another difference between these two excellent products is their mode of action.  Redken pH Bonder is focused on the entire hair structure, while Olaplex is designed to act on the hair core.

While both act on key parts of the hair, Olaplex gives you deep repair from the core to the cuticles.

 

 

 

This happens from the inside out. It repairs all the molecular bonds, cortex, and cuticles.

As you can see,  both products work completely differently: one protects the outside to prevent damage in the inner layers, while the other works from the inside to repair the outer layers. 

And now, the last difference: their prices.

 

Difference 3: Olaplex is a more expensive repair treatment than Redken pH Bonder.

For us stylists, getting either product is easy because we’re professionally licensed.

However, if you’re not a professional and don’t have a license, things get complicated. Redken pH Bonder is available through its official website or in a specialized store. The same happens with Olaplex 0, 1, and 2.

 

Now,  treatment maintenance products to be used at home are easy to purchase on online sales sites such as Amazon, for example. 

 

As for the cost, Redken pH Bonder is much cheaper than Olaplex. And the reasons, I think, are obvious.

Olaplex consists of 8 stages. The first 3 for professional use only cost $400, and the price of the remaining stages ranges between $25 and $60.

On the other hand, Redken pH Bonder’s three steps cost 300 dollars.

Yes, the difference is substantial, and you should decide according to your economy. Still, rest assured that both products provide excellent results.

 

Conclusions

After discussing, my stylist friends and I came to a conclusion: