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Our Olaplex review is mostly about No. 3 and No. 7, the two products we tell everyone to start with. But the questions we keep getting are about the wash-day pair: is Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo worth it, is No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner worth it, and do you need them if you already use No. 3? At salon-brand prices for a 250ml bottle each, they cost three to four times what a good drugstore bond-repair shampoo does, so the answer matters. Here is what each one does, who it is for, and the two cheaper pairs we would point you to instead.
The shampoo: Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
No. 4 is a sulfate-free, color-safe shampoo built around the same bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate that is in every Olaplex product. It cleans without stripping, lathers more than most sulfate-free formulas, and leaves hair feeling smoother than it has any right to after a wash. What it does not do is repair much on its own: shampoo is on the hair for a minute or two, then rinsed, so the bond-building ingredient has little time to work. Think of No. 4 as “does no harm” rather than “does the repair”. It is for color-treated or bleached hair that wants a gentle daily shampoo and is already using No. 3. See No. 4 on Amazon (250ml bottle).
The conditioner: Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
No. 5 is the one of the two we would keep. It is a mid-weight conditioner that detangles well, adds slip without silicone heaviness, and stays on the hair long enough (we leave it three to five minutes) for the bonding ingredient to matter. On bleached, snap-prone lengths it reduces the mid-strand breakage you see in the shower drain. It is for anyone whose damage shows up as tangles and breakage rather than dryness. If your hair is fine, use it from the ears down. See No. 5 on Amazon (250ml bottle).
The one to buy first: Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
If you only buy one Olaplex product, this is where the money goes. No. 3 is a pre-shampoo treatment that sits on damp hair for ten to thirty minutes, which is the contact time that shampoo and conditioner cannot give you. Two or three weekly uses is where most people see the difference: more elasticity, fewer snaps when combing. It also makes the “do I need No. 4 and No. 5?” question easier, because once No. 3 is doing the repair, the wash pair only needs to not undo it. See No. 3 on Amazon (100ml bottle).
The drugstore shampoo: L’Oreal Paris Bond Repair+ Shampoo
L’Oreal’s Bond Repair+ line uses citric acid and an amino-acid complex rather than Olaplex’s patented molecule, but the job description is the same: a sulfate-free shampoo for color-treated hair that leaves it stronger-feeling than it found it. In our wash tests the lather, the smoothness afterward and the scent are all a fair match for No. 4. It is for anyone who wants the wash-day step covered without paying the Olaplex premium. See it on Amazon, a drugstore-priced large bottle.
The drugstore conditioner: L’Oreal Paris Bond Repair+ Conditioner
The matching conditioner is where the L’Oreal line gets closest to Olaplex. It has more slip than No. 5, detangles faster, and the amino-acid complex leaves lengths noticeably less brittle after a couple of weeks. It is a little heavier, so fine hair should keep it off the roots. It is for anyone replacing No. 5, or anyone with thick, coarse or curly hair that finds No. 5 too light. See it on Amazon, also drugstore-priced.
The budget treatment: Pantene Miracle Rescue Deep Conditioner
If the thing you like about No. 5 is how hair feels afterward, this gets you there for less. Miracle Rescue is a rinse-out mask with “melting” Pro-V pearls that leaves dry, over-processed hair soft and glossy after one use. It does not claim to rebuild bonds, and we would not pretend it does, but as a weekly softness step alongside No. 3 it is excellent value. It is for dry, color-treated hair on a budget. See it on Amazon, the cheapest pick on this page.
So are Olaplex No. 4 and No. 5 worth it?
Our verdict: No. 5 yes, No. 4 only if you want the full set. The conditioner has enough contact time to do real work on damaged hair; the shampoo is a very good sulfate-free shampoo at a premium price. If you have bleached or heavily colored hair and you already use No. 3, buying No. 5 is a sensible upgrade and No. 4 is a nice-to-have. If your hair is virgin or lightly colored, skip both and put the money into No. 3 plus the L’Oreal pair, which covers the same routine for roughly 40% less. Nobody needs all nine Olaplex numbers.
Ready to try the wash-day pair? Add Olaplex No. 4 and No. 5 to your Amazon cart in one click, or add the L’Oreal pair plus the Pantene mask for the budget version. You can remove anything before checkout.
For the full line-up, including No. 7 Bonding Oil and the numbering system explained, read our complete Olaplex review. For more repair picks, see our post-summer hair repair masks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Olaplex No. 4 shampoo worth it?
It is a very good sulfate-free, color-safe shampoo, but because shampoo is rinsed within a minute or two, it does little bond repair on its own. It is worth it for bleached hair using the full system; otherwise a drugstore bond-repair shampoo does the same job for a fraction of the price.
Is Olaplex No. 5 conditioner worth it?
Yes, more than No. 4. It stays on the hair long enough for the bonding ingredient to work and noticeably reduces breakage on bleached lengths. If you buy only one of the two, make it this one.
Do you need Olaplex No. 4 and No. 5 if you use No. 3?
No. No. 3 does the repair; No. 4 and No. 5 mainly avoid undoing it. Any gentle sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner will maintain No. 3’s results.
What is a good dupe for Olaplex No. 4 and No. 5?
L’Oreal Paris Bond Repair+ Shampoo and Conditioner are the closest drugstore pair, at a fraction of the price, using citric acid and an amino-acid complex instead of Olaplex’s patented molecule.
How often should you use Olaplex No. 4 and No. 5?
Use them at every wash, ideally two or three times a week. Leave No. 5 on for three to five minutes, and use No. 3 once a week before shampooing for the actual repair step.