While the Curlsmith Bond Salve was released in 2021, Olaplex No.3 was first patented in 2014. So is the NEW Curlsmith Bond Salve worth trying over Olaplex 3?! Let’s figure –
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Common objectives & similarities between Curlsmith Bond Salve and Olaplex no.3
Remember to use Olaplex or Bond Salve on non-buildup hair. That means if you have oiled your hair, then wash it out and try these treatments on your next washday. You can also just wash your hair and don’t style with butter or heavy hair creams. Then try these preshampoo treatments on your next washday. Both treatments are very similar, see below a quick list. It’s no wonder they are compared so much.
- Vegan & Cruelty Free.
- Texture is creamy-white.
- Use on damp hair.
- At-home special hair treatments.
- CG Safe: silicone-free
- Pre-shampoo – use before shampoo.
- Formulated to repair hair fibre strength.
Major differences between Curlsmith Bond Salve and Olaplex no.3
| Curlsmith Bond | Olaplex no.3 | |
| Size & Price | 8oz. for $29 | 3.3oz for $28 |
| Protein | Yes! | Protein-free |
| Ingredients | Superfoods fruit extracts like chia, pumpkin, shitake, prickly pear. | Patented, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate |
| Ideal Type | For Medium-High Porosity hair | For All hair types |
| Fragrance | Sweet (may be overpowering) fruity | Neutral (muted) chemical smell |
| Shrinkage** | Visible tighter curls | May or may not tighten curls |
| Frequency* | 1 per month | 3x per week! |
| Heaviness | may weigh-down fine-wavy textures | Lightweight! |
| Results** | May cause protein overload. | Turns brittle hair soft, and shiny. |
| Usage | Use alone. | Prime with Olaplex no.0 for better results. |
| Postpartum Safe | NO! | Yes!* |
| Overnight | NO! | Yes!* |
| For Styling | NO! | Yes!* |
**Depends on after-care products.
Curlsmith Bond Curl Review
“Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Salve is an intense pre-shampoo treatment, rich in proteins that target hair bonds to strengthen and repair from the inside out.” It smells lovely and its a bigger bottle for the price but it didn’t work for my virgin low porosity hair as it should. This is a good option for colored hair or high porosity hair IMO. Here’s the frequency the brand recommends:
- Low Porosity: every 4-5 washdays for 15 min.
- Medium Porosity: every 3-4 washdays for 20 min.
- High Porosity: every 2-3 washdays for 30 min.
Olaplex No. 3
“The only patented system to noticeably repair extreme damage—turn dry, brittle hair into soft, shiny, and more resilient hair”. This patented formula works on a molecular level. I’ve been using it since 2018 and recommend it to my salon clients with color damage, or fine hair that’s looking for more strength. Here’s what I recommend for frequency:
- Low Porosity: 1-2x per week for 20-30 min.
- Medium Porosity: use weekly for 20 min.
- High Porosity: weekly for 20 min to overnight.
PRO TIPS!
For best results, and if you have coarse texture like mine:
- Deep condition with protein-free mask after.
- Use protein-free stylers after Curlsmith Bond.
- Try a protein leavein after Olaplex treatment.
- Low Porosity postpartum hair opt for Olaplex.
PS: is Aphogee comaparable to these treatments?
Aphogee is an actual protein treatment with Hydrolzed Vegetable Protein and Silk Amino Acids. So it should never be compared to these treatments. I tried it on my virgin low porosity hair last year, and ran into terrible protein overload. However, if your high porosity hair that’s bleached (think the new peacock hair trend!) or want to fix extreme damage on your fine texture then Aphogee can be a better bet for you. Buy it here.
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Have you used either of these treatments? How was your experience? Let me know 🙂
Thank you for watching & reading!
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Thanks for this incredibly insightful article, Liz. I’ve always wondered what the difference was between the two and this post clears everything up and makes the decision to choose the right one for my hair so much easier! 🙂 Elizabeth to the rescue as always!
Thank you Liz! This has just answered all possible queries I had in mind and it’s so helpful!
Much needed comparison!!! Every other blogger is actually promoting curlsmith instead of comparing it with Olaplex. Thanks Liz 🙂
This is so informative, was looking forward for something like this
Thank you for your efforts in explaining so well and helping us get a good understanding
More strength to you
Keep up the amazing work 🥰💯
Thank you Liz for this! I remember asking this in one of your ‘ask me a question’ story 😍😇 It’s so helpful..
P.S. It’s so nice to know a question gets answered by a detailed blog! 😌
Thank you for this! Super helpful
This is exactly what I was trying to figure out on my own! 💕
Amazing ! Thank you so much Liz !
Thank you so much for the detailed yet concise comparison! I noticed that– unlike most curl experts– you regularly point out products that aren’t suitable post-partum, which is useful to know for women of childbearing age. What are the ingredients that you usually screen for when determining post-partum safety? That would be a really helpful post!
Hey Diya – Thank you so much for that suggestion, ill get right on it! A dedicated guide for postpartum curls is needed, I agree
Sodium hydroxyde is used to control pH and it won’t cause hair loss unless the product pH is very alkaline (which would straighten hair) and/or you have allergies to it. Funny people say it is NaOH, but not the hundreds of components in each of the plant extracts used in natural products.
Thank you for saying that, I am no scientist. But I will stand by what I said because of the real life cases I am seeing in my DMs, on facebook groups, and also my 1:1 consultations. There are very many reasons for hairfall but if all of these people are only using the same brand and having similar problems something’s got to give. Keeping you comment here to help readers make the choice for themselves. Thanks again for taking the time to share
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Olaplex 13?
13 differences!