How to Repair Damaged Curly Hair: A Rescue Story

shontae buffington petiteluxlife

A Black woman’s hair is an intricate part of her personality, her mood, her season. It’s a crowning jewel, and its versatility is a story in itself. That’s why it’s so appropriate that during my “Next Chapter” series, we take a moment to talk about the deeply personal topic of hair.

My own hair journey has been a long and winding road but there is one important hair moment we should talk about– hair damage, and curly hair damage at that.

The Salon Disaster That Damaged My Curly Hair

Let me tell you what happened. A few years ago, I went to my regular natural hairstylist for one of my routine services—the Hair Beautox, a treatment I use 2-3 times per year to prep and repair my 4a-4c curly hair.

On this occasion, the stylist had an assistant who was struggling. A disagreement between the two ladies quickly ensued, and my hair was caught in the middle. That’s when it happened. Instead of leaving with stronger, less frizzy locks, I had wavy, 3a limp noodle tresses. It wouldn’t behave and worse, it was shedding like crazy. I needed to know how to repair damaged curly hair, and quickly!

My Quest for a Cure for Hair Breakage

My initial thought was rest. Just leave my hair alone. So, I figured a braid-down underneath a wig was an excellent solution. I wore a beautiful dark wavy bob from LuvMe for a few weeks, and while my hair seemed to appreciate the break, it still didn’t recover. My next thought was a luxurious twist-out. Wrong again.

I was faced with a tough decision: I had to cut it. Then I remembered getting a special treatment at the salon called Olaplex. Could I DIY this? I had nothing to lose.

The Science Behind the Hype: What is Olaplex?

I ordered Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 and, being a scientist by training, I immediately wanted to know what I was putting on my hair. Olaplex is a “bond builder.” The main ingredient, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, is designed to restore broken disulfide bonds in the hair shaft on a molecular level. It works on the inside of the hair, while a protein treatment like keratin works on the outside. This is not a conditioner; you use it before shampooing.

But what else is in it? When I use any beauty product, I first skim the top ingredients for red flags. Here’s a quick breakdown of the other key players in this formula.

A Deeper Look at the Ingredients:

  • Cetearyl alcohol: This is a mixed alcohol found in a ton of conditioners and moisturizers. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), which assigns risk to beauty products, ranks it as very low risk with a score of 1.
  • Propylene Glycol: This is a synthetic that helps things absorb water and prevents them from drying out, so it’s no surprise it’s in a product meant to repair damaged curly hair. It is generally recognized as safe by the CDC and FDA and gets an EWG rating of 2-3 depending on use.
  • Behentrimonium Methosulfate: Found in many conditioners and serums, this is an anti-static agent and surfactant. It can act as a foaming agent or emulsifier. According to EWG, this has a score of 3-4, depending on usage, and some people may have a sensitivity to it.
  • Cetyl Alcohol: Very similar to its cousin Cetearyl alcohol, this is another long-chain fatty acid with a similar function and a low-risk EWG score of 1.

I went natural because chemical relaxers were literally killing my hair. For some naturals, if it’s not from the earth, it’s not going on their hair. If that’s your feeling, this product isn’t for you. For me, the science behind this formula was compelling enough to try.

My Overnight Experiment: How I Used It

When I finally used Olaplex No. 3, I was petrified. I parted my hair into four sections, dampened each with a spray bottle, and applied the product from root to tip. The instructions say to leave it on for about 10 minutes. But then I had a dumb genius idea: What if I slept in it overnight as a hair mask? I placed a plastic shower cap on my head, added a hair scarf, and hoped for the best.

In the morning, I rinsed the bond builder out, followed with my holy grail shampoo (Camile Rose Sweet Ginger Rinse) and deep conditioner (Ouidad’s Kinky Triple Treat), and styled as usual.

The Jaw-Dropping Results

There are no other words: the results were absolutely jaw-dropping.

The crown of my head, where my 4c curl pattern is most fragile, was curly again! Parts of my hair that previously refused to respond to encouragement were forming curls before I even added any styling products. I was able to style my hair with minimal frizz, even where the heat damage was worst.

My Final Verdict

Is Olaplex a miracle in a bottle? It depends. But for me, it absolutely worked. This product is now a permanent part of my holy grail routine. Because healthy hair results from the strategic use of a variety of products, and as with any beauty mishap, prevention is key. But when mistakes happen, it’s good to know how to repair them.