Strengthen & Save: 10 Olaplex Dupes Under $30

No hair routine is complete without a bond-repairing hair mask or leave-in treatment these days.

Nicola Coughlan told Allure she travels with a complete Olaplex hair routine, and even wears the brand’s best-selling No.3 Hair Perfector (usually $54, now $45.99 from Chemist Warehouse) under her Bridgerton wig.

Billie Eilish is equally obsessed with the cult-favourite hair brand: “Well, I’m a big Olaplex nut — I use No.3 before I shower, their shampoo, conditioner, No.6, the oil, No.0 — lots of Olaplex,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. And Drew Barrymore famously saved herself from a chemical cut after her hair colourist, Tracey Cunningham, recommended it to her.

Even Olaplex’s biggest competitor, K18, has a hoard of celebrity fans to it’s name (read: Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Sofia Richie Grainge, and Simone Biles).

But if you don’t have an Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector (usually $54, now $45.99 from Chemist Warehouse) and K18 Leave In Repair Mask (usually $99.50, now $84.99 from Chemist Warehouse) kind of budget, can you still incorporate similar strand-strengthening benefits into your hair care routine?

The short answer is yes — we do live in a world that’s obsessed with dupes after all. But we’d recommend paying close attention to the reasons why Olaplex and K18 are so beloved to ensure you’re purchasing a product that promises just as much, but at a more affordable price point.

What does Olaplex do?

Olaplex No.3 is intended to be used as a part of your weekly in-shower hair-washing ritual, so it only needs to be applied to damp hair for about five minutes to serve it’s function. Olaplex is the perfect option for hair that’s a bit dry and maybe dealing with a few split ends. It’s also a welcome addition to a hair growth routine as it helps to maintain the overall strength of the hair, as well as, promoting healthy-looking locks.

What does K18 do?

K18, on the other hand, is an intensely repairing mask treatment that is intended to be used for approximately six washes, and it is then phased out to be used every three or four weeks to maintain results. It’s meant to be applied to damp, towel-dried hair after shampooing and left in the hair, while Olaplex is applied and rinsed out prior to shampoo and conditioner. If you’re dealing with excessive damage or breakage as a result of colouring, chemical straightening or perms, and heat styling, then K18 is for you.

What is the difference between Olaplex No.3 and K18?

The key difference between the two is the ingredients and technology used to repair broken bonds in the hair. Olaplex contains a patented active ingredient called bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, which repairs and protects the hair, and reinforces the disulfide bonds that are essential for hair strength and flexibility. While K18 contains a biomimetic peptide called K18Peptide™, which repairs hair damage by reconnecting broken polypeptide chains and disulfide bonds.

What to look for in an Olaplex dupe?

Bond-building is the key claim to look for in an Olaplex or K18 dupe. Ingredients such as peptides, amino acids and keratin are also a great indicator that the product in question will perform a similar function. Products that simply promise soft and shiny hair are not enough — look for terms like ‘repair’, ‘strengthen’, and ‘improved hair health’ to find real winners.

Just like Olaplex’s wide range of hair products there are bond-building shampoos, conditioners, hair oils, dry shampoos and more out there to try. But if you don’t want to overhaul your entire routine, we suggest sticking to hair masks or leave-in treatments like Olaplex’s No.3 and K18’s Leave In Repair Mask.

Here are the top 10 you can shop in Australia right now.

The Top 10 Best Olaplex Dupes Under $30

1/ Hi Lift Cureplex No 3 Bond Sustainer

from $19.90 (usually $29.95) at Oz Hair & Beauty

This rinse-off hair mask is the final step of the hair washing ritual. Simply shampoo and condition the hair, apply Cureplex to towel-dried hair for 10 minutes, then rinse and style as usual. Once dry, you’ll notice an improvement in softness, shine, and overall manageability. Plus, with continued use your hair will look a whole lot healthier, especially if you’ve been dealing with a lot of hair damage.

Key features:

Protects damaged strands
Enhances the suppleness and shine of coloured hair
Doesn’t create a film on the hair and can be used in conjunction with chemical treatments such as perms
Contains a rich blend of natural ingredients
Innovative ingredient delivery system ensures deep penetration of active ingredients

Available at:

• $19.90 (usually $29.95) from Oz Hair & Beauty
• $24.95 (usually $29.95) from AMR Beauty Group
• $29.95 from Hair House

2/ L’Oréal Paris Elvive Bond Repair Pre-Shampoo

from $14.99 at Chemist Warehouse

Just like Olaplex No.3, this pre-shampoo treatment is applied to the hair for five minutes, then rinsed off prior to shampoo and conditioner. Additionally, L’Oréal has developed a unique bond repair complex, which utilises citric acid to rebuild and reinforce broken bonds within the hair.

Key features:

Bond Repair Complex with citric acid rebuilds and reinforces broken hair bonds Promotes stronger and visibly healthier hair
Enhances shine
Minimises breakage

Available at:

• $14.99 from Chemist Warehouse
• $15 (usually $30) from Woolworths
• $29.99 from Priceline

3/ Elizavecca CER-100 Collagen Ceramide Coating Protein Treatment

from $16 at Oz Hair & Beauty

This K-Beauty export has been lauded as one of the best Olaplex dupes on the market for years now, but what makes it so special? The ceramide and collagen enriched formula deeply conditions and repairs damaged hair, minimising breakage and split ends, leaving hair smoother, softer and more manageable.

Key features:

Infused with collagen and ceramides
Lightweight, non-greasy, rinse off hair treatment
Reduces breakage and split ends
Improves hair elasticity and moisture levels
Hair is smoother, softer and more healthy-looking with continued use

Available at:

• $16 from Oz Hair & Beauty
• $16 from W Cosmetics

4/ Goldwell Dualsenses Bond Pro Day & Night Bond Booster

from $29.95 (usually $35) at Oz Hair & Beauty

This booster treatment from Goldwell’s Bond Pro range reinforces hair bonds with soy proteins, which help to minimise breakage and split ends, and improve the hair’s overall resilience. Just like K18, this pick is left on washed and towel dried hair for best results.

Key features:

Contains hair bond reinforcing soy proteins
Minimises breakage and split ends
Improves hair resilience
Detangles hair and improves manageability
Leave on treatment

Available at:

• $29.95 (usually $35) from Oz Hair & Beauty

5/ De Lorenzo Novaplex 3 Bond Defence Treatment

from $26.50 at Oz Hair & Beauty

Formulated to act as an at-home treatment to keep your hair healthy in between salon visits, this pick from De Lorenzo penetrates deep to repair broken hair bonds. Designed to be used just once a week, this is a great low lift option for maintaining healthy hair.

Key features:

Strengthens, conditions and softens hair
Repairs broken hair bonds
Minimises brittleness and breakage
Use once a week for best results

Available at:

• $26.50 from Oz Hair & Beauty
• $26.50 from Price Attack
• $26.50 from Hair House

6/ Revolution Haircare Plex 3 Bond Restore Treatment

from $14 (usually $20) at Revolution Beauty

This Bond Restore Treatment uses a unique triple molecular weight protein cascade system, which targets multiple layers of the hair fibre to repair damage and strengthen the hair from within. It contains three different types of plant protein, phytantriol and provitamin B5, as well as a blend of conditioning agents.

Key features:

Utilises a combination of plant proteins, phytantriol, provitamin B5, and conditioning agents to strengthen and repair hair
Softens, smooths and hydrates
Promotes healthy-looking hair
Minimises breakage and split ends

Available at:

• $14 (usually $20) from Revolution Beauty
• $20 from ASOS

7/ The Inkey List PCA Bond Repair Hair Treatment

from $24 at Sephora

If you have fine hair then this Olaplex dupe should be right up your alley. The lightweight, fine mist contains Granrepair Powerbond® technoloy, which penetrates the hair shaft to repair broken bonds. Plus, it helps to improve shine, bounce, frizz, softness and manageability too.

Key features:

Contains Granrepair Powerbond® complex
Repairs broken hair bonds
Strengthens and protects damaged strands
Improves shine, softness, bounce, frizz and manageability

Available at:

• $24 from Sephora

8/ Palmer’s Amino Bonding Complex Conditioning Masque Pack

from $5.49 at Chemist Warehouse

This single use mask pack contains Palmer’s® Coconut Oil Formula® Bond Repair Complex, a proprietary natural bond repair technology made from naturally-derived amino acid (Arginine), biotin and pro-collagen. It works to support the hair’s keratin structure and reinforces damaged hair bonds.

Key features:

Contains Palmer’s® Coconut Oil Formula® Bond Repair Complex
Enriched with naturally-derived ingredients
Supports the hair’s keratin structure and reinforces damaged hair bonds
Promotes shiny, soft and bouncy hair

Available at:

• $5.49 from Chemist Warehouse
• $6.23 from iHerb

9/ HASK Repair Series Bond Building Leave-In Treatment Cream

from $18.90 (usually $27) from Priceline

This leave-in treatment can be applied to towel dried hair after shampoo and conditioner to reinforce moisture levels, rebuild broken bonds in the hair shaft, and promote smoother, and healthier-looking hair.

Key features:

Contains repairing TripleBond Complex and RepairPro™
Strengthens hair and improves hair health
Promotes smoother and more hydrated hair
Minimises damage caused by chemical treatments and heat styling

Available at:

• $18.90 (usually $27) at Priceline

10/ Thanks To Nature Revitaplex Bond Repair Cream

from $25 at Thanks To Nature

Thanks To Nature Revitaplex Bond Repair Cream uses a blend of naturally-derived ingredients to repair broken bonds in the hair. You can use it solo on damp hair prior to your shampoo and conditioner. But for best results, spritz dry hair with the Thanks To Nature Revitaplex Bond Repair Primer ($25 from Thanks To Nature) first and then apply the hair cream. The combination will ensure better penetration and absorption of all those repairing active ingredients.

Key features:

Pre-shampoo treatment
Repairs and treats hair damage
Bond-building technology improves the appearance and health of hair

Available at:

• $25 from Thanks To Nature

Main image credit: @ashbeann

Have you tried any of these Olaplex dupes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.