Meet the strengthening haircare that sits head and shoulders above the rest
It was a decade ago that haircare brand Olaplex put salon bond-building treatments on the map, using a patented ingredient to repair internal structure broken by colouring (especially bleaching), heat damage, UV rays and daily wear and tear. Now you’ll find structure-fortifying, damage-repairing, bond-strengthening formulations in almost every home haircare range, with other brands using equally powerful molecules that penetrate deep within the hair shaft to repair stressed strands, making them more resilient to further damage. While each treatment uses different technologies, the goal is always the same: stronger, glossier, healthier-looking hair that is more manageable and less prone to breakage. Which are worth the investment? These are the GHI-approved bond-builders that brought damaged hair back to life for our panel and in the lab…
BEST OVERALL
K18 Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask, from £25 86/100 Taking top spot is this leave-in formula that left hair stronger, shinier and smoother, using a patented bioactive peptide claimed by the brand to be the ‘miracle molecule’. This mask reduced frizz without adding greasiness, and was ‘extremely effective’ at repairing damage.
RUNNER-UP
Philip Kingsley Bond Builder Split End Remedy, £26 85/100 Riding a new wave of plant-based peptides that help reverse damage, this formulation uses hydrolysed oat protein to hydrate. Our lab test found it strengthened instantly, while our testers noticed an ‘immediate improvement’ in how healthy hair looked.
BEST FOR COLOURED HAIR
Living Proof Triple Bond Complex Hair Strengthener, £42 82/100 Claiming to make hair eight times more resilient to breakage, this product was a star at str
