68% more repair when used as a three-part system of N°0, N°3, and N°4 in just one use
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
Olaplex
No.0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment
Mask / Light treatment, lean
- Mask / treatment
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Vegan · label states
- Cruelty-free · label states
Size5.2 fl oz
Price$50–60commonly seen · 5.2 oz
Price / oz$9.61/ozat 5.2 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $30.00–69.99
Manufacturer page: olaplex.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 21 factors we check.
- A personalized routine for your daily life — your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49.00 one-time consultation, no subscription
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
None found
Not in your profile
Oils and butters
None
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
None listed
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 21 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · label states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
No adjuster listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
4 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Salons +2Widely sold
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$9.61/oz at 5.2 oz — more than 92% of the 341 masks and treatments , which mostly run $1.63–5.59/oz.
Great for
no fragrance (parfum) on the label
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Maybe skip if
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Very dry hairno humectant appears in the list
Coarse, very dry hairthis is a light formula for its category
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Wash day
How it fits into wash day
Read from the product’s own directions on the date shown. A step the label leaves out is shown as not stated, never filled in.
- When
- Before shampoo — Bond-care treatment (manufacturer claim)
- Start on
- dry hair
- Where
- lengths, roots
- Label wait
- 10 minutes
- Then
- no rinse — go straight to the named companion
- Needs
- Olaplex N°3 Hair Perfector and a shampoo and a conditioner
- Conditioner after
- yes — the label says to condition after shampooing it out
- How often
- 1–3× a week
- Worth knowing
- A two-part system: No.0 is a primer that only works as directed with N°3 Hair Perfector, which is not yet a verified product in this library.
- On dry hair, apply and distribute evenly from root to tip.
- Leave on for 10 minutes. Do not rinse.
- Apply N°3 Hair Perfector and comb through. Leave on for 10 minutes.
- Rinse well.
- Shampoo and condition (the label names N°4 and N°5).
Not yet complete on our side: the companion product it needs. We list a product here once its label states a before-shampoo use. We only put it into a routine once every step is on record.
This product works as part of a system whose companion we have not verified; it is listed, not recommended on its own.
Browse technique guides (general — not matched to this product’s directions)
Source: brand page · checked 2026-09-16
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Water-binding (humectants)
None found
No humectants found — nothing here pulls water into the hair.
Slip and detangling
Little
Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Fragrance
None listed
No fragrance is listed.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater/Aqua/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate | conditioning agent | Reduces combing force | Detangles |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Recorded as vegan and cruelty-free.
Full ingredient list (4)
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.
-
1
Water
· Water/Aqua/Eau
General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate
General function
A bond-repair ingredient that reacts with sulfur groups in the hair. It is the active in one of the widely marketed bond-building systems.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
- conditioning agent
-
3
Sodium Benzoate
General function
A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- preservative
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
4
Phenoxyethanol
General function
The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 2 preservatives
- 1 solvent
- 1 conditioning agent
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-15. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 5.2 oz
Commonly seen
$50–60
Good value under
$21
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $21 line; products that do this job typically go for about $25 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores
-
Ulta (ulta.com)
$30.005.2 oz · $5.77/ozSep 15Lowest per oz
-
Target
$49.955.2 oz · $9.61/ozSep 16Sale · was $62.00
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Walmart
$49.995.2 oz · $9.61/ozSep 16
-
Mia Cosmetics
$69.995.2 oz · $13.46/ozSep 16
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.
How we work this out
- 5.2 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 5.2 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $21 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.01/oz; at 5.2 oz that is $21. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $25 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5.2 oz.
Formula
1
Formula score
1 of 10
It costs more per ounce than 92% of the 341 masks and treatments we’ve priced, the formula leaves out rich emollients, and 3 close matches sell for at least a quarter less per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 92% of the 341 masks and treatments we’ve priced
- No rich emollients in the formula
- No conditioning agents up front either
- Rich emollientsThe depth a treatment step is built around.3 pts
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
- Protein or amino acidsThe strengthening side of a treatment.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A stated dwell timeThe brand says how long to leave it on.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job, for less
Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.
Alikay NaturalsLowest cost per oz
Avocado Cream Moisture Repairing Hair Mask
$2.25/oz $7.36/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Function
- Also
- Wash day
- this one is not a before-shampoo product
Kinky-CurlyClose function
Perfectly Polished
$4.60/oz $5.01/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- Function
- Also
- Wash day
- this one is not a before-shampoo product
See more alternatives in the product library
These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right person, not the lowest costBest user
People sensitive to fragrance, looking for a formula with no added fragrance and a protein-free formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein, very dry hair looking for water-binding, or coarse, very dry hair that wants real richness
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, against what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
68% better detangling, improved conditioning, and smoother
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
65% reduction in breakage when used with N°4
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
Color safe, vegan, suitable for chemically treated hair
Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.
—
Supported
Matches our researched record.
Free from sulfates, silicones, phthalates, phosphates, paraben, MIC/MIT, protein
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Reviewers who use No.0 as the first step before No.3 Hair Perfector report visibly shinier, softer and more elastic hair, especially on color-treated or bleached hair.
reviewers pairing No.0 with No.3 on colored or damaged hairMany reviewers say the spray nozzle dispenses a hard, narrow stream rather than a fine mist, making it difficult to distribute evenly and wasteful of product.
long-time and first-time users across hair typesSome reviewers on thin or fine hair say the product weighs hair down or gives no volume, especially when paired with the No.8 mask.
reviewers with fine or thin hairA recurring minority of reviewers report the product made their hair drier, more breakage-prone or straw-like, sometimes describing it as an allergic reaction on the scalp or face.
reviewers with curly, fine or previously chemically-treated hairMore from Olaplex
How this page was made
- Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
- The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
- Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
- The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
- 6 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-16.
- Ingredient references are linked for 0 of 1 product-aware annotation on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
- We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-16.