Olaplex is a bit of a mystery; it’s become a household name among salon-goers, but it’s a product so prevalent that so few people seem to know what it does and why so many salon professionals use it. Using Olaplex can help restore compromised hair, or it can be added to another service to provide the ultimate breakage insurance, according to the company’s website. But what does that mean in practice? Before you decide whether or not to choose Olaplex next time you’re in the salon, we spoke to colorists and a cosmetic chemist to give you the full story on what it can do for your hair. Many hair colorists use Olaplex to retain the health of a customer’s hair during a chemical treatment, which is inevitably damaging.