‘My Hair Felt Amazing After 3 Uses’ – This New Haircare Brand Is Being Hailed As The Affordable Alternative To Olaplex

Love Olaplex, but not the prices? Let us present to you the newest brand to beeline bond-repairing tech: K18. And it's good news all round: it's now shoppable from the UK, and you can try the brand for as little as £9.

Olaplex, that promises to build and repair broken hair bonds, has amassed quite the fanbase. Clocking up 700m views on TikTok, Olaplex is not just a hair product anymore; it's a lifestyle. Styling your hair in a bun drenched in Olaplex has become a key component of TikTok's 'clean' girl uniform.

But because we're always on the lookout for the next best thing (and well, Olaplex is expensive), there has been plenty of hype surrounding this new range that claims to repair bonds and reverse damage. The brand in question? K18, of course. And you're about to see a whole lot more of it...

What is K18?

Upon first look, it's a haircare brand that doesn't feel too dissimilar to Olaplex. Like the latter, they've spent a decade researching hair and the damage it withstands (heat, chemicals, colour). Scientists at the brand examined deep inside the hair's strands, and saw how the polypeptide chains were impacted by damage.

They spent years analysing the hair genome to test all peptide sequences, looking for a breakthrough to reverse damage in the chain. They finally found a sequence that successfully repaired the broken polypeptide chains in question: their patented K18 peptide. This is the patented technology that reverses damage and restores hair health.

What will it do for my hair?

In short, it'll repair it. The brand say you only need a tiny amount of product (think a 50p size) to notice a difference. It's a leave-in mask: apply to damp hair and wait for it to dry. In 4 minutes, hair will look - and feel - considerably healthier. Expect that post-salon swish: glossy, soft, manageable.

How does it compare to Olaplex?

So far, there is only one product available to UK shoppers from K18: the Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask, from £9. If you were to compare like-for-like to Olaplex, it would be most similar to to the No.3 Treatment: both options offer intensive repair qualities to hair.

Olaplex place emphasis on a 3 step treatment regime: start with a repair treatment, then shampoo, and follow with conditioner. K18's offering is decidedly more fuss-free. You can apply a small amount to damp hair, and don't need to rinse out afterward.

What are the results like?

Impressive. But see for yourself, and watch these TikTok reviews, below:

You can sample the treatment for £9, and bigger bottles are available to buy for £25, too. Remember, you only need a tiny amount of product, so you'll burn through this much slower than you do your ordinary leave in conditioner.

SHOP: K18, The New Treatment That Promises Healthier Hair

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