Long story short, I used it three times a week without fail and within three months the softness and elasticity returned. So I've been convinced bythe genuine science behind Olaplex for some time now. A beauty editor's honest review of the Olaplex No.8 Mask Pros & cons Step 1: Work out how much product is needed. Start with 2 pumps for shoulder-length hair; use less or more depending on length. For the most profound repair possible at home, use Nº.8 in conjunction with Nº.0 Intense Bond Building Hair Treatment + Nº.3 Hair Perfector once a week or as needed. Use No.8 weekly for healthy hair. Curly or color-treated hair that needs more moisture can apply 2-3 times per week. You cannot overuse any OLAPLEX products, so treat the hair as often as you or your stylist see fit. Generally speaking, how much damage do you do to your hair? On a scale of 1 to 10—one being the least amount of damage and 10 being the most—how much do you think your hair goes through on a monthly basis?

Hello, my name is Sandra, and I’m a hair-aholic. (I even wrote a story for this magazine about my blow-dry addiction, which turned into a rather mortifying segment on Good Morning America.) I’d put my damage rating at a nine; I used to go to the salon three times a week (which isn’t all that uncommon in New York City) for primping and pressing, and dyed my hair for fun (like the time in the 1990s I had my highlights painted to match a favorite Gucci coat). Now I color out of dire necessity, and am generally deflated by the toll vanity has taken on my fragile and thinning tresses. There’s a new OLAPLEX treatment in town! Say hello to OLAPLEX Nº.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask, the new treatment that moisturizes, smooths, adds body and shine. Infused in Nº.8 is OLAPLEX’s patented Bond Building technology. This highly concentrated reparative mask provides intense moisture to treat damaged hair. I think various stylists have used the salon-strength versions on me post-color, but I can’t be sure as I’m usually either daydreaming or straining to use my smartphone when at the shampoo basin.It's no secret that Olaplex is the church I worship at when it comes to colored hair that is healthy and still manages to be full of bounce and shine.Seven years ago, after a hair color disaster, my new stylist covertly passed me an unmarked white tub while point-blank refusing to color my hair until I had used what was inside. It was Olaplex No 3. It hadn't launched in the UK yet but a Google search convinced me that I'd been handed fairy dust—or, at the very least, a passport out of my current hair crisis (think frazzled, broken, over-bleached ends that not even the best microfiber hair towels could save).

I used it twice. The first time I only used the shampoo and hair mask, and left the mask on for 30 minutes. Once I rinsed, my hair felt really lustrous and soft, but more importantly, stronger and fuller. I used it a second time three weeks later. I was about to get highlights for the first time in 10 months, so this time around I used not just the mask but all of the the Olaplex prep products, too: the No. 0 spray, the No. 3, and the mask; when I got out of the shower, I applied a little of the No. 6 heat protectant styling cream. I loved it. My hair was bouncy and felt even softer, but still maintained body. The result was even better with the pre and post products. Plus, the softness and fullness lasted for a few days, not even changing after being exposed to outdoor weather. I used the Olaplex No. 8 after shampooing and applied it to the middle and ends of my hair. I’ve always had oily hair, and my one hesitation was the mask being too moisturizing, especially anywhere near my oil-prone roots. There is a definite scent to be wary of, but I didn’t mind– in a way, it felt like an olfactory reminder that, yes, I had a hair mask on and it was working. Considering that I haven’t had bouncy hair since seventh grade, I would definitely use the products again. But despite company claims that their “patented active chemistry works on a molecular level to repair damaged and broken bonds,” I will never love any product enough to risk damaging or breaking the bond between me and my hairdresser. Maryam Lieberman, Contributing Beauty Editor If you haven’t heard, Nº.8 is the latest family member of the OLAPLEX line. Bond Intense Moisture Mask is a concentrated treatment that moisturizes, smooths, adds body, and shine. Nº.8 fully absorbs into the hair to treat damage without weighing the hair down. Absolutely! I had only been using the No. 3 product before, but I could feel a distinct difference in the texture and health of my hair with the addition of the No. 0 and especially the No. 8 mask. I’m debating getting some highlights next time I go to get my hair done, and Olaplex will definitely come in handy with any damage that might occur. Erin Meagher, Senior DesignerUse Nº.8 as often as needed to rebalance the moisture in the hair. You can not overuse OLAPLEX Nº.8; many people use it as often as every wash. Olaplex has single-handedly saved my hair while I was still bleaching it—I was blonde for most of college and my first few years of living in New York, and my hair’s quality dramatically changed for the better when I added the bond-building product to my routine. My hair definitely isn’t in as dire shape as it was then, but I was hoping for refreshed, touchably soft hair that has been eluding me lately. I will, but I won’t be diligent and regular with it. I don’t like to use any hair product on too much of a consistent basis because my hair stops responding. I will say this: the whole shebang of pre, during, and post Olaplex products are the way to go for me, to ensure strong hair before highlights. I am certain it kept my hair from breaking until I decide to do something stupid with it next month. Tilden Bissell, Digital Designer Nº.5 is your daily conditioner. It provides the hair with the key components of a conditioner and the repair from the active ingredient. Nº.8 takes it a step further, providing the hair with extra moisture while being lightweight and leaving the hair healthy with body and fullness, including the active ingredient’s hair repair.

I found that it's the perfect booster product and I like to rotate it with No.3, a repairing treatment with a higher percentage of bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, so I get the best of both worlds: happy bonds and that light-reflecting sheen that you normally have to sacrifice if you want bleached blonde hair. Until recently, I’ve always had something of an au naturel approach when it comes to hair care. I would most definitely be shamed by any beauty guru for my excessive shampooing, and I’ve never dyed my hair, let alone styled it regularly. My hair doesn’t hold product or style well, so my ethos for a majority of my life has been to let it live as it pleases. That is, until the last two years, when I simultaneously grew out my hair and discovered the blow dryer. Nowadays, I blow dry my hair after every single shampoo, and as a repercussion I’ve noticed newfound damage.

Sandra Ballentine, Beauty and Wellness Editor at Large

If your hair is seriously compromised, Jenni Mennella, senior director of global education at Olaplex, recommends a three-step application combining the brand'sNo 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatmentand No 3 Hair Perfectorfor deeper repair, followed by Olaplex No 8. The verdict: Is the Olaplex No.8 Mask worth it? After washing the Olaplex off and immediately blow drying, my hair was incredibly voluminous. Truly, it was like nothing I had seen before—not untamed and most definitely not coarse. On the second day, my hair settled and was so much silkier, shinier, and smoother. Most impressive of all, my hair wasn’t as oily as usual. A win-win. This product definitely worked for me. OLAPLEX Nº.8 goes a step further by using top-quality ingredients powered by OLAPLEX Technology. The weightless texture fully absorbs into the hair and provides residual benefits that last multiple shampoos. It performs most economically and efficiently with an airless pump to control the proper dose for your hair type and texture.

How much damage do you do to your hair? On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you think your hair goes through on a monthly basis? I’ve known about Olaplex for many years. I used to get highlights with Tracey Cunningham, and about four or five years ago, my hair was in bad shape (not from the highlights, but from too many heat styling products and what I think was a bad application of a Keratin treatment—never again!). She used Olaplex No. 3 on me and my hair changed completely. It was soft to the touch and it was as if my split ends disappeared. But of course, like everything else, I forgot about using it and really stopped when I went through my no-highlight phase for a year. Olaplex No.8 is a highly concentrated repair mask; one push on the airless pump will dispense the right amount of product to add shine and body as well as infusing copious amounts of moisture into frazzled, damaged hair when the cuticle is open.

This concentrated formula absorbs deeply to treat damage without weighing the hair down. With Nº.8, you can feel the difference as soon as the product works; the hair becomes smooth and soft. Less is more with Nº.8! It performs most economically and efficiently, so no need to coat the hair excessively and waste product.