I Put K18, Olaplex, Epres, Living Proof & Redken Treated Hair Samples Under an SEM Microscope... OMG

[@emmalewis2237]

So my personal conclusion here is that K18 and Olaplex are our best bets. There's never any certainty in science, but coming from a fellow STEM girl your efforts here are very much appreciated!! That was a very solid experiment and the only one I've seen thus far on this subject. Thank you for taking the time and I hope you're able to do more of this kind of content!

[@AbbeyYung]

I hope so too!! Thank you so much xx

[@imogenminoli238]

I had a look, and I think redken and epres got more damaged strands of hair than the others, and epres did a really good job with it still (of course this is just my opinion!)

[@tamaravogl8605]

omg love how Abby has zero holds barred for marketing claims. I love these independent experiments that are evidence based and she's one of the few content creators I genuinely trust. I'd personally love to see a hairdryer/hairstyler showdown with the leading products in the category. I'm very curious to see the ongoing results with the Repronizer and how they compare to products like Dyson, Shark etc. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO ABBY! xx

[@Whatsupbuddiebud]

I think justifying the price reviews would be even better as 1000 for a hairdryer? Will the next one be 1200.00?

[@AbbeyYung]

thank you so much!!! that would be an amazing showdown... brainstorming on that

[@baileydubs]

@@AbbeyYungI second this, sounds awesome!!!

[@tovah2276]

I “third” it! LOL! I love my Original Dyson and now the Airwrap. STILL too much money but my hair IS in better shape so it is hard to argue when I am wearing the “proof” LOL. Had a T3 for years but my first Dyson blew it out of the water and now the Air wrap just WORKS for everything! I have NO experience with the Repronizer but will look into it. PLEASE ABBEY🙏🏻🙏🏻 Keep that beautiful gray matter 🧠 storming on this one!♥️

[@tasha9817]

My advice, from someone who’s completed their bachelor’s in Science and has done multiple internships in labs, pick tests where you can easily and affordably minimize your standard error. A think that was the biggest weakness of the electron imaging test. Because the visual condition of the cortex greatly varies from strand to strand and within the same strand, your sample standard deviation is inherently massive. Then, because you can only afford to do a few samples of each treatment, it’s basically impossible to say if the treatments had any effect that could not be explained by standard error (ei: random chance). If you were to test tensile strength, you can quantitatively assess if there is a significant difference in your treatment samples using a one-tailed unpaired t-test. You can first run a pilot test on a set of untreated hair to get an approximate mean and standard deviation, and then calculate how many samples you’d need to detect changes in tensile strength. For example , if x̄=200 MPa, SD=50, with 95% confidence you wish to to detect at least a 15% increase in tensile strength, you’d need at least 16 samples per treatment and control. Whereas a 10% increase in would require at least 35 samples per set. Basically, before spending the time and money running the full experiment, in an excel sheet determine what you consider are meaningful parameters/statistics. Like is it actually worth detecting an increase in tensile strength

[@AbbeyYung]

Awesome advice, thank you! I definitely just got excited about the idea of seeing what these samples looked like under SEM instead of thinking through whether or not it was even possible to make meaningful analysis of the results we got lol. But still fun nonetheless!

[@tovah2276]

Well, as someone who has completed their MASTERS in Science…..🙄…….for ALL of the work that Abbey has done for YEARS on every and any hair product that shows any semblance of integrity in their claims to “help hair _____”, it is a bit of a slap in the face to throw that at her and “Chemist Friend” who is a FT Grad Student who is working on his dissertation so he quite clearly has both of us “trumped” in doing ALL of the work he has done to come up with these findings. This is not a Double Blind, Double Peer Reviewed Study with a Million Dollar Grant for FMIC and “Chemist Friend” so just chill……maybe in 28 years (that is how long I have been ‘boots on the ground’ with my Education & 🤏🏼 to my PhD however a wee SNAFU called Ca slowed me down on that so it does prove that G-d has a sense of humor if nothing else….no EIT on that however so, suffice it to say, all of this is wholly IMO only) you will have the humility to appreciate the work that goes IN TO THIS type of quantitative analysis vs a Phase I Clinical trial for Big Pharma. Sheesh. Sometimes you just have to sit back and APPRECIATE the WORK that someone has done for OTHERS at their personal financial expense with zero financial guaranteed or expected ROI. This is HAIR CARE Tasha. Not a cure for Cancer. My apologies if you have a “tone” that I did not pick up in your “advice” that was kind and humble as I did not “feel” that form your Novella. As much as Abbey’s response was SO KIND and incredibly HUMBLE as that is just who she is. (As my Father used to say “When someone tries to show you who they ARE, BELIEVE them”, well, Abbey has done that and I personally BELIEVE that she is by far, one of the BEST and most ethical, moral and honest content creators on YT who truly puts out information that the average layperson can not only understand but put into practice for themselves. She is not attempting to reinvent the wheel here. Not only do I personally feel your “advice” to Abbbey is a bit out of line insofar as what you are saying SHOULD have been done, it is also stepping over the line with “Chemist Friend” as well. Stay in your lane. having done “multiple internships in labs” in no way opens the door for you to give any “advice” from an educational standpoint nor an experienced one and it is really out of line to “SHOULD” all over someone, anyone, who is purely GIVING of themselves with THEIR extensive education in the field that she is speaking on. A Master of MANY vs a Jesters of ALL is an easy title to put at the top of her CV. At the end of ANYONE’s YEAR LONG (PLUS) personal findings that are shared on YT in a way that FULLY EXPLAINS HOW these findings were presented and the evidence in the data collected, is far far more detailed and accurate than the company’s that SELL the product. In closing, MY “advice” would be to not only stay in your own lane as it is clear there are years of experience needed for some humility to set in before you are ABLE to do that vs “sound out” and “SHOULD” on someone with far more experience, access to a lab that is of the caliber that FMIC is as well as tell someone with far far more education and experience as to how they could have quantitatively assessed a significant difference had they just tested tensile strength using a one-tailed unpaired t-test ….. which BTW would not have yielded what the main goal was in this PERSONAL trial study made for the Gen pop. You would know that if you were a FT Grad Student working on their dissertation in this FOS. Again, humility, gratitude for what you have been GIVEN. PERIOD. Anything more……go and pay for YOUR “SHOULD HAVE” POV study out of your own pocket after you have over a HALF A MILLION FOLLOWERS. Gratitude Humility Again, if for any reason I read your “tone” incorrectly, I apologize. Sadly, I do not feel I have. To save you a ton of time, please do not bother to respond as I won’t read it. Truly. Not because I am being rude or uncaring but because I just do not have the time and even THIS response was difficult to do with one arm receiving a large bore IV but I am a fiercely loyal person who appreciates the HARD WORK that Abbey and FEW like her, go to in order to give their followers the information that is needed in a world FULL of overpriced products with far more of their budgets going to “Plebe Marketing” vs “Quality of product and performance”. Abbey has SAVED MANY MANY people not only their hard earned MONEY but educated them on FACT vs FICTION vs OPINION. She has done ALL of this while gaining over a HALF MILLION LOYAL FOLLOWERS. Once YOU obtain even HALF of that, THEN you MIGHT have something to say. Until then, truly remember that ANYONE with ANY kind of education is JUST as IMPORTANT as is “someone who has completed their bachelors in Science”. That does not make your CV rank any higher than a person who may not have a “sheepskin” on the wall but DOES have DECADES of LIFE EXPERIENCE in their chosen field and that includes any and every one from a Janitor, to a Bank Teller to a Tenured Professor at Harvard (who would tell you the exact same thing). We ALL have something to contribute to this world if it is to help others but there is nothing less worthy of a contribution than one that comes with caveats and self anointed Kudos that “SHOULD’s” on anyone. Humility Gratitude Two of the most precious and priceless attributes in life as you can not beg, borrow or steal either of them. They must be learned and earned. IMO, of course.

[@tasha9817]

@@AbbeyYung I totally get that! Anyway, I look forward to seeing the continuation of this series. Good Luck!

[@udontevenwannaknowbruv]

​@@tovah2276 You know you could’ve gotten your point across in a few sentences… Was all this really necessary?

[@luckyyyinlove]

@@tovah2276Why are you so angry? …

[@megshuston2132]

The difficulty you had in showing before and afters really makes you wonder how the brand marketing 'before' and 'after' pictures are done! Thanks for all the hard work 👏

[@AbbeyYung]

such a good point

[@melissaharding]

They definitely must pic the worst strand pic for the before, and the best for the after!

[@SunxSurfxSand]

That’s a great point. You know they pick the worst before and best after. Who even knows if it’s the same strand of hair. It’s not like they are being checked.

[@queenkoi]

I think it's very likely they are editing the photos and also picking the worst before vs the very best after.

[@kittysalt2]

our favorite cosmetic vigilante is at it again!👏

[@AbbeyYung]

HAHAHA this cracked me up

[@jadinblackmountain]

Not vigilante 😂🤣

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

@@AbbeyYungyou’re very pretty I love your blonde hair

[@PierfrancoMinsenti]

As for my experience I would say that 4 major variables for evaluating these products are: 1) hair type as to thickness and density; 2) whether these products are meant to be washed off (Olaplex 3; Epres; Redken) or used as leave-in (K18; Living proof) and what other products you use especially in the case of the 3 products meant to be washed off; 3) which kind of shampoo you use, wether a Clarifying shampoo or a milder shampoo; 4) wether damages to your hair have been caused by a chemical treatment or by heat. All these 4 variables make a big difference as to the effectiveness of the treatment in the appearance of the hair and the flattening of cuticles.

[@andreearadulescu9340]

Living Proof and K18 seem like the go-to-s. At the same time, I think the way you include bond repair pre-wash (epres), post-wash (k18) and pre-style (living proof) increases the chances that you'll get more bond repair, more evenly distributed.

[@AbbeyYung]

Totally agree with this! I think that's why I've continued to see improvements every time I've added a new product to my routine!

[@FrenchCocoa369]

I definitely think this is the case when I use Redken’s system, as apposed to just 1 conditioning treatment. It’s coating leaves my hair feeling smoother and stronger.

[@ktj8074]

I was always told that using too much of the same type of product was bad for your hair?

[@Matt_LaLuz]

@@ktj8074it just depends on the particular product

[@Matt_LaLuz]

@@FrenchCocoa369the entire redken ABC line?

[@nataliaherself]

Thanks a lot for the video! I've been really looking forward to it! Here’s what I’ve concluded from the observations: - Olaplex (Pre-shampoo): It improves cuticle behavior more than the others, with noticeable cuticle flattening and fewer issues like lifting and cracks. - K18 (Post-shampoo): It stands out because it doesn’t cause cuticle lifting and it could improve hair condition overall, even though results vary across different strands. - Epres (Pre-wash / overnight treatment): Despite some problems like more visible cortex exposure and chipping, it still improves cuticle behavior more than Living Proof. - Redken (Post-shampoo): There are some issues like product buildup, uneven smoothness, and cuticle damage, which puts it lower in the rankings. - Living Proof (Pre-styling/leave-in): This one is the least effective, with problems like partial cuticle disappearance, uneven flattening, and cortex exposure.

[@alotaibia7982]

so what do recommend to use?

[@steffypineda3329]

So the battle would be between olaplex and k18 ?

[@vivianebernardon9954]

The redken one is pre-shampoo too.

[@Theprincessinyellow]

@@steffypineda3329It seems like everyone is agreeing that those two are the front runners. Since Olaplex is pre shampoo and K18 is post shampoo they can in theory work together in a routine but it doesn’t seem like either is a clear winner

[@prettyvacant1977]

IT'S HEEEEREE!!!!! Edit: Ok now that I've watched the video here are my takeaways: Sad to see that Living Proof didn't seem to perform as well. Perhaps this is something I won't bother to repurchase once my current bottle runs out. The other surprise was how well Olaplex 3 seemed to work! This is something I stopped using about a year ago when I started experimenting with other bond repair treatments. I still have half a bottle of it and I think I will try reintroducing it into my routine. That being said, I think the best approach would likely be using a combination of these products to help get the best coverage of bond repair treatment to the strands. Thanks for doing all of this for us! Nobody works as hard on their content as you do and I know all of your viewers appreciate it.

[@AbbeyYung]

I wonder if Living Proof is better if you're already using something like K18- like in my experience how I saw further improvement, but by itself it isn't as powerful? and of course!! thank you so much xx

[@bleedingbitzy]

Out of all I have tried, k 18 and olaplex 3 the best. Living proof I admit I was so disappointed with. I get more out of a regular conditioning mask

[@ElizabethM824]

But this experiment didn't prove anything. Use what you have since you already purchased it and then if you don't see improvement, try a different product.

[@mariescott2820]

I’d like to see how the Redken Acidic Bonding Leave In compares to the leave in products by K18 or Olaplex.

[@sarahjones567]

Thank you and your chemist friend for doing this. I appreciate the work put into this and it explains so much as to why I'm not seeing better results than what I'm getting with K18. Thank you for not ignoring the variables and stating "this one is better than the rest". Cheers!

[@AbbeyYung]

of course!! thank you for watching xx

[@mcgoogs]

THIS is the kind of sequel the world needs! 👏👏👏 THANK YOU for your incredible thoroughness, Abbey. I know you're a big proponent of K18. I've never taken the plunge, and based on this video, I think I feel comfortable continuing to alternate between Epres and Olaplex.

[@AbbeyYung]

I think that's a great choice!!

[@BionAvastar3000]

There's a persistent myth that curly hair is thinner where it bends. Since you have access to this high powered microscope, would you be able to get some curly hair samples, get them looked at, and put this myth to bed once and for all?

[@CheeseCoat]

Thank you for your in-depth explanation of how this was done. This research is awesome. No one else is doing it like you to bring consumers the facts to help them make the right purchasing decisions. You’re the best ❤

[@AbbeyYung]

Thank you so so much!

[@caitroseco6752]

I kind of expected we wouldn’t have a clear ranking because it’s pretty much impossible to get hair samples with the exact same level of hair damage. Still, I thought it was really interesting getting to look at the hair after being treated! I’ll keep using my two loves, K18 and L’Oréal bond strengthening conditioner!

[@AbbeyYung]

love these both!

[@sarahelizabeth1487]

I've been reluctant to get into the K18 craze because I did not think it would really work. A couple of months ago I found your page on IG and started binge watching videos, and thanks to you, my anxiety from purchasing hair products has decreased immensely. I have been thinking of getting the Epres bonding repair treatment and I will definitely do now. I used to be so scared of buying any hair product because I had such a traumatic experience losing all my hair and literally staying almost bald, it was horrible. Right now, I am trying the L'oreal bond repair treatment, and also a couple more conditioners from L'oreal. I will be adding Epres and K18. Also, thank you for this video, I think may of us have been waiting for this one for a while🤣💓 you're the best out there✨

[@Uhohlisa]

Both of those products are products I have used for over a year. I think they’re both overrated. You’re better off with Olaplex 2 (you can buy it online if you look) and Redken’s bond line.

[@msacoto268]

Thank you for taking the time to conduct this experiment. I have used all these treatments and honestly the living proof did nothing for me. The K18 works OK after coloring my hair followed by a hair mask. The one I used every time I wash my hair is olaplex and it works relatively well as long as I apply it in sections.

[@AbbeyYung]

of course! thank you for watching

[@AliMaliGK017]

A few thoughts: 1.) THANK YOU for ALL your time and effort to show us the science and takeaways from this experiment as well as your Chemist friend! Even though science and I are not friends lol I have enjoyed learning along with you and this hair bond repair experiment. Very fascinating. 2.) I have always felt that there is just never a "concrete conclusion" on experiments because there are always variables like you stated that have to be considered when analyzing results. To me, anyone who has read through studies know that. The science world is complex, always changing as knowledge continues to grow and technology for experiments improves. 3.) I think we as humans have an innate need to know there is a concrete answer because there is a sense of safety and security knowing what is right and wrong, if that makes sense. For scientists and others who conduct studies, they grow into this space of acceptance for exact answers not existing, and simply explaining or acknowledging the studies out there that have been conducted around a specific topic. 4.) I would LOVE to see you tag team with Alexandra Arriaga on these experiments because she is a cosmetic chemist (as well as a friend of yours in the hair care industry) and I think getting her thoughts and opinions on this experiment as well as future experiments would be AWESOME! 😄 5.) I would be fascinated to see results and analysis for the drugstore bond repair, but it may have to be two separate experiments because of all the ones on the market now from: 1.) L'Oreal 2.) Garnier Fructis 3.) Not Your Mothers 4.) Dove 5.) SheaMoisture 6.) Bondbar 7.) Pantene 8.) Inkey List 9.) Marc Anthony 10.) Nexxus 6.) Side note: I called BS the other day with a coworker who claimed that washing your hair everyday is bad for your hair and hair training is real lol she was not prepared with the knowledge I had from watching your videos! I recommended your channel to the other coworker she was giving this "advice" to and shared your list of favorite hair care products because NONE of the haircare recommendations have failed me. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING ABBEY! ❤

[@AbbeyYung]

OMG this comment thank you so so much. I couldn't agree more about the desire for concrete answers but learning to accept that they often don't exist! I love love Alexandra!! I posted video with her this winter actually 😊 I'd love to do more with her! and LOL at the hair training comment. We've all been there.

[@lovrboi]

i loved your comment and reading all of your thoughts. i appreciate you talking as much as i do and freely sharing all of your thoughts. it’s just something i notice because i often get criticized by people online for talking too much in comments so it makes me happy when i see others doing it. also we have the same name!!😸

[@lovrboi]

also i totally agree with all that you said

[@jeancroy386]

I really like the Redken SEM images. All cationic conditioners will selectively stick to areas of the hair which have damage. And it's possible that given a very acidic environment and time, that film can get much thicker. And thickness means longer lasting results. Possibly both with appearance and protection. I'd not think of it as uneven application. The micron scale is too small for that. Instead I'd think of it as magnet that are attracted to the layer below the cuticles. And damages let that layer show. On the Redken images you basically see scars or filled potholes. So you know repair occurred. On the other images, either there was a more subtle/refined repair, or no damage. We'll never know.

[@TIpa-dz3nz]

I recently bought the K18 detox shampoo and my mind is blown! It's amazing. Previously I have tried Olaplex and Living Proof. Olaplex made my hair weird - it was limp and felt like coated, almost sticky. Living Proof did absolutely nothing.

[@bethquirarte1622]

This emphasized for me that a delivery system that can be used to consistently apply product evenly may end up being "the best" for overall appearance regardless of how individual strands look. Very interesting! Perhaps it's time to try Epres just because it is sprayed on. Thanks for doing this!

[@AbbeyYung]

Absolutely an important consideration!!

[@brooks6348]

I’ve tried them all. I’m a fan of using the combination of Redkin pre-wash and K18 after. This has really worked for me.

[@rosemaryayala6564]

The result seems to indicate that a bonding treatment is not the be all end all. Could hair health be affected by supplements as well as other hair care products? Maybe a multiprong approach is the answer for healthy hair?

[@smileytownSF]

I’m a man with long hair and I LOVE your channel. It’s been so helpful for me, and my hair is proof that your advice is golden! Thank you, Abbey!

[@AbbeyYung]

I love this!! Thanks for watching and so glad to help

[@Hotflash247]

Honestly, I think it depends on your hair, the thickness, coarseness, or how porris your hair is, straight wavy, curly. Meds can effect hair and health. I can't stand olaplex it made my hair worse. I'm in the beginning stages of figuring out what bonding and oiling works for me. I have thick, coarse , wavy , thyroid hair. It's an adventure. ❤

[@thousandwords20]

I use the redkin and my hair did a complete 180. From stiff and dry to silk. It worked miracles!❤

[@Neesha242]

Did you use it before shampoo or did you shampoo first and then treatment then shampoo again?

[@monicasotelo2]

Please tell us 🙏🏼

[@irinaivanovic9792]

What steps did you use your hair products so we can know how you got these great results??

[@thousandwords20]

@@irinaivanovic9792 for me personally I like to use a light shampoo bc I have fine oily hair and then honestly whatever conditioner I want but I wash my hair first then do the redkin treatment then wash again. The directions say do it first but I wasn’t noticing much of a dif. Then I realized I’m putting product in my hair and then just wetting it and applying so I started washing it first and THEN I saw fast changes. I also use bumble and bumble leave in condition (invisible hair oil) and davines hair oil.

[@graceyhitchcock4013]

First of all, thank you Abby your information has been incredibly helpful. After a lifetime of thick, healthy hair I faced some serious hair breakage and loss due to health issues. Fortunately, I had excellent medical help and everything is under control and my hair is almost back to normal. It’s growing its usual 1/2 inch or so a month. It is also much stronger and glossier after following your advice. Hair oiling is a game changer. Thank you for all the great tips! I still use olaplaex while colouring but the best bond builder for me has been K18. Thank you again!

[@AbbeyYung]

yay!! I am so happy to hear this

[@danaevega2802]

Hi! I'm currently going thru hair loss and breakage for 2 months and have an upcoming derm appointment. Would you mind sharing what helped in your case?

[@graceyhitchcock4013]

I found out I had a thyroid issue as well as B12 deficiency.

[@carrives]

I've tried Living Proof and the Redken on my dry, damaged, and multi-processed bleached hair, and neither did it for me. Went back to Olaplex since K18 was also no longer helping my hair like it did before I damaged it so much. Lately I'm trying Epres (only used once), and Amika the Kure in-shower treatment serum! So far I'm liking it and I even saw a comment on Sephora saying they preferred Amika to Olaplex 🙊!

[@aerabellabeau2155]

Ive been using the redken regimen for 3 months and my hair looks amazinggggg... went from upper boob length to upper hip length (6 inches approx) and its thick n healthy.i do also take a generic hair skin n nail supplement

[@shellykozun3813]

This is one of the most fascinating projects I’ve ever seen a KZbinr complete! Thank you for all of your coordination! And a big thank you to chemist friend!

[@denisewright6978]

I was probably a stage 4. I had to eventually cut my hair short about 6 months ago. I’ve been using oliplex for about 2 months. It has helped create a bond to the parts that are still damaged to reduce future breakage. I’m under the assumption, damaged hair will never “repair” itself. You can grow new healthier hair but the part that is damaged will eventually need to be cut off. These treatments only help seal the hair until it can grow out. The thing i learned the most about this video is about distribution!! Thank you for your insight and dedication.

[@Coilylady]

I have been waiting for this!!!!!! I’m going to continue with my Olaplex and K18 because I think they focus on different things and are used in different parts of the process for my tightly coiled hair. Thank you so much for all that you do to educate and engage us! You rock! ❤️❤️❤️

[@kristinesagan6294]

I definitely find the most interesting results are from Redken. It looks like it's not repairing but coating which is not what I am looking for in a repair treatment. I am happy Epress is safer for the scalp than olaplex because I get a very irritated scalp from olaplex so I wont use it on myself or any of my clients. I have not tested the other ones but safe for absorption through the skin is a huge factor for me. Thank you and science guy for taking this on 🙌🏻❤

[@Karyn-276a]

Being a hairstylist for over 30 years, how a product works depends on Several factors. A person’s individual hair condition starting out, if chemicals have been used on the hair etc❤ What works for One person, may Not work for another. Plus, being a stylist I am able to Obtain and Use the Full system- which definitely makes a difference.

[@shelly.v.247]

I’m thankful for the experiment because it lets me know the at least there is some benefit to using them. So then I am going to make the assumption that using Epres, K18, and then Living Proof probably has an even greater cumulative effect and benefit. For me that’s a win win! 💖

[@AbbeyYung]

that's exactly what I'm thinking!

[@brittanyblackburn890]

I wonder what a strand of hair would look like with all of them..

[@karinee007]

Abbey, great video! Please explain the images - what we r looking at...which one is control? Is there one in the images for comparison? Thanks❤

[@JLeigh75309]

Abbey and your chemist friend and lab: THANK YOU!! Science has taken a huge hit in recent years, the implication that it’s a fixed thing. This is a BIG WIN for intellectual curiosity and the journey that is science. It’s muddy. I recall when HRT was “settled” science, then a big study - now itself questioned. It’s learning. Love it!! And I’ll stick w K18 and conditioner because that seems to work for me. It’s possible that the form of Epres helps others coat strands more evenly or that using multiple products helps our user variability. Who knows? Love it - that’s science!!!

[@kmac9181]

Can you do something like this comparing heat protectants?! I never actually know if my heat protectant is working or not!

[@rhiannamcdonald2349]

Love this idea! I always wonder too!

[@dylanchau06]

Hi Abbey, thanks for this super cool video!! I was just wondering how much the tensile strength of each sample changed. I feel that should give more definite results to your experiment because the main goal of bond repair treatments is to strengthen the cortex, rather than to condition or seal the cuticle. I guess relative humidity would become another variable to control, but I'd really like to see how each sample compares. I remember Living Proof did a video testing this a while back. Anyway, thanks for putting in so much time to give us the best info!

[@rubyrosemary1210]

Great content. Thank you for taking the time to do this experiment! It looks like Epres and k18 are the clear winners. I'll stick with those.

[@amyschmidt2765]

I'm an analytical chemist and I love everything about this video. Especially the part where you conclude that results are inconclusive. This happens in science ALL THE TIME. Good scientists get disappointed but continue on. So next up I think you want to find a tensile strength instrument to measure how much applied force it takes to break a hair strand. I suggest an n greater than 1, maybe about 10, then you can eliminate outliers and average the results. Any force testing has a large %RSD so you want to normalize that a bit. Can't wait to see what you do next!

[@natmya243]

Funny how you confirm it's inconclusive but the comments are banging on like K18 was the winner. I haven't watched it yet because I got the best hair of my life back by ditching all bonding repairs and just using shampoo and conditioner lol

[@amyschmidt2765]

​@natmya243 this girl thinks like a scientist. I respect that she had the intelligence (and guts) to not force a conclusion from the data. This is exactly why it can be so difficult to get through a PhD program. Scientific design is tight here. This girl is on her way to publishing.

[@natmya243]

@@amyschmidt2765 I respect her not forcing a conclusion too, my comment was not about Abby.......

[@darthnox4914]

I don’t really write comments very often. But you are the only person I trust in this industry. The products you recommended always worked on me. You don’t praise expensive brands or bad formulas packaged in fancy bottles. Copper peptide and ogx coconut miracle oil changed the game for me.

[@alices6390]

Abbey, great job for this! Even though we didn't get a clear answer, the fact that you invested so much time, energy and money into it is amazing. I am glad that there are curious and honest people out there like you! I really appreciate showing the results as they are and not skewing them for success. Looking forward to part 3 hihi

[@donnamedica9014]

Olaplex lover here ! Will continue to use it as I see really good results with it !

[@randomkevinislasok]

Which ones do you use that you love?

[@AbbeyYung]

yay! so glad it works well for you

[@cathrinaugusti1052]

I have used Olaplex and Redken, and L'Oréal Elvital Bond Pre-Shampoo and personaly the best result was from the last product. But maybe my hair was realy bad when I used the Olaplex, and my hair was still very stiff after a long time with the full treatment. The Redken bond repair was better for me, but the the L'Oréal version, even better, my hair is softer now, and more curly.

[@DRVenard]

I think a person's results are going to depend on what type of damage they are attempting to repair. I had a variety of damage (bleach, chronic ponytail syndrome😉, traction, water hardness, etc.) I began with Olaplex, as did many. I have curly/coily very fine strands but a crap ton of them. It did great. I could tell my hair was much healthier, but not quite there. I started K18 about 1 year ago, every now and then adding an Olaplex treatment in between. It definitely increased my shine and manageability. When I tried the Living Proof, I couldn't see any kind of difference, and honestly detested the blow drying (to get the best results). Now I didn't use Redkin, but when I added the Loreal Everpure Citric Acid line, I could feel my strands get thicker. Recall, I had very fine stands😉) Now, I still use the Olaplex occasionally, K18 after coloring (yep, I stopped bleaching too😆) and once every two weeks after. If I don't use a citric acid shampoo or conditioner, I'll use a glaze with citric acid. I never use the Epres. (I just couldn't justify the price) And, of course, the shower head and filter are indispensable! Along with the Pureology Color Fanatic spray, and the Amika The Cure Mask, yep, nice healthy, shiny, thicker hair😁💗And I have you to thank🥰 So thank you, Abbey, so very much💗💗💗

[@kellydunworth3689]

I would love to hear your overall thoughts on these products as a whole... do you believe in them as a category? I totally understand that you are unable to conclude which product is best... but did you see overarching evidence that bond repair products work to strengthen and improve hair health in general? Thank you so much!!

[@Grace3o8]

So glad the results are finally here! Would love to see a similar in depth experiment comparing the damage of various hot tools such as the Dyson Airwrap vs Shark Flexstyle vs Revlon hot air brush!

[@FaceItGrace]

It all comes down to this: preventing hair damage is a pain in the rear, but so is reversing it but it's way more tedious. Haircare needs to be based on real science and not just marketing and all that jazz. ETA: a HUGE THANK YOU to chemist friend for doing this! I now wonder how the research was conducted by these companies for them to make such claims. I use the Olaplex, Curlsmith, Redken in shower and leave in treatments, Living Proof, and recently bought K18 but have yet to test it. The price tag already makes me want to hate it, along with their marketing as of late.

[@AbbeyYung]

soooo true

[@caitroseco6752]

Speaking from my anecdotal experience, K18 is honestly the best. I wanted to hate it too (the price 😭), but of course I ended up loving it because it was amazing for my hair

[@luisescharley1252]

I’ve been a Redken user for the last couple of years absolutely love it. I really mix it up. I use the pink volume. I use the blue extreme and occasionally I use Philip Kingsley.❤

[@user-qd3nl6lb6c]

Just discovered this, and wow! Would love to see you all doing one on thickening treatments, like Aveda, Rusk, etc and how they work on real people with thinning, fine, female pattern baldness, and do they work on those of us with this type of hair. Maybe try application difference, using a comb, on dry hair, using a scalp brush, etc.

[@meghanc1211]

I appreciate your scientific integrity! Thank you for working to bring academic certainty to a product space that generally so ambiguous. I have some questions: 1. How would I know if my hair was so damaged that the cuticle was gone and the cortex was exposed? What does that look like? 2. Is there a treatment for that level of damage? 3. Would it be detrimental to use multiple bond building products at once?

[@tarski7420]

Hey Abby! On a total side note, I’ve been wearing a new-to-me lip balm and thought I should tell you about it in case you haven’t tried it yet. It’s the Cay Skin Isle Lip Balm SPF 30 - it feels and smells divine. It’s that yummy vanilla brown sugar caramel smell 💕 so good!!! Got it during Sephora sale

[@CC-iv7uj]

Do u need to use the product 5 times/washes in a row when u initially start? I never did that. I just used them every few weeks and now once or twice a month.

[@ginabina1218]

I really appreciate all the research and work you put into this. If anything, it tells us that these products are not one size fits all. People are going to have a slightly different starting point and level of damage before using these products. Then you have to take into consideration the other products they may be using in their routine, or even the water they're washing with. The results are going to be so different and I think with anything making claims like bond repair products do, it's trial and error.

[@cessiahc]

I think the problem with any hair product is people using right. I met several people who were using wrong, in various ways. While they still got results, not as dramatic as me. It’s the same with all other products. They use them incorrectly. What’s common sense to some is not to others in the hair & skincare world. Some of us are really into & it’s simple & for others it’s physics. That’s why these videos are great. Thanks to Abbey. I still learn, & I also confirm my suspicions… 😅

[@theateam4777]

Abbey, you’re grandmother would be proud. Kudos. Great job!

[@AbbeyYung]

oh my goodness thank you so much for this sweet comment 💗

[@michellescott3730]

As a stylist I would love to see the k18 mask used alone vs the salon only treatment that includes the molecular repair mist

[@shana625]

Thanks Abbey for making this video. I was a bit surprised about the images for Redken because I've been using consistently this product for 4 months (which means, wetting my hair, applying the product for 10 min, rinsing it and washing my hair - doing this once a week) and boy did it do an amazing job!! I definitely notice a difference in softness and thickness if that make sens (less hair lifted I think), but I still have a lot of frizz. After that bottle, I'd probably try k18 since it's a different way of rebounding the hair.

[@audreyMatangi]

I love the Redken one too. It works wonderfully for me.

[@shana625]

@audreyMatangi I tried Olaplex after stopping for a while redken and didn't like it. I didn't really see a difference honestly and the consistency is more liquidity. Definitely prefer Redken and the L'Oreal one as the same ingredients, but cheaper and does the same amazing job. Saw a difference on the first try.

[@G_Elyse]

Fellow lab rat and final year doctorate student here! 1) I've been watching your videos for years and your growing passion behind understanding the science of hair care has been so inspiring! 2) May be the nerd in me but if you were able to take your qualitative data (what you see) and generate quantitative data based off certain criteria it might help to figure out which is actually best. For eg. I take patient neurons, take pictures of them, and assess the health of them based on measuring neurite length, cell body size, branching ect. Measuring specific criteria tells me more about their health - since looking at a picture is subjective and up to individual interpretation! 3) Controlling for confounding variables will always be easier if you increase the repeats of each treatment group eg. Amount of hair follicles per shampoo. Obviously these things increase the complecity of the research design but I'm keen to see this investigation continue 🧐🧐🤣🤣

[@YAcostaSolutions]

This is completely anecdotal, after I started using Olaplex 8 (the mask), I had a hair appointment in which my hair dresser, unprompted, asked me what I was doing differently because my hair seemed healthier. Since then, I’ve also began using the Garnier pre shampoo treatment and the Ouidad bonding drops to mix in my hair gel. In the end, consistency is key.

[@MiriLiberzon]

Dear Abbey. Please please tell us what YOURE personal opinion is about which product you felt did the most to repair your own hair. I would love to know which one you prefer out of all of them. Love watching you! Miri ❤

[@Kelly1237]

Over all of her videos she seems to have praised k18 as the most beneficial for her.

[@lavayuki]

I have only used Olaplex, Redken and K18, and I like Olaplex the best. Living proof is crazy expensive without any decent results. Epres is not in the UK easily but i see it online, seems interesting to try

[@tredjesongen]

Excellent! Me myself😅have tried all of these with remarkable similar result. Least favourite: living proof. K18 helped a lot. BUT I got shiny hair for the first time in my life with redken acidic bonding. Pre treatment shampoo conditioner and leave in. Phew! The struggle is real. Have very fine thick porous hair with waves/curls whatever I style it. I think a period first with k18 to build up hair and then proceed with redken. Imho. Heck even olaplex is a huge help. Sooo..maybe variation is best?

[@MrAshtonone]

Sorry if this comment is a duplicate. I was just about to hit return and was immediately pushed to a commercial and the next video 🤬(YT). We should all use what we find works best for our hair. I loved Olaplex before the formula change, the new Olaplex formula dried my hair out and caused breakage (I tossed a full super-sized bottle out). I learned about K-18 at a salon when I started experiencing severe breakage and hair fall (telogen effluvium) after a severe illness. K-18 definitely made a difference and stopped breakage. However, whatever was going to fall out was going to fall out. I have not used the other three products mentioned so I cannot speak to them, but am happy with the K-18 and what it was able to do for my damaged hair. My hair eventually grew back and naturally got longer and thicker over time. Thanks for keeping this honest, Abbey. Lynn

[@finurra3905]

I just recently started redken acidic repair like 3 weeks ago and have already seen somewhat of a difference but definitely after seeing this vid, I want to get olaplex, I can clearly see the difference!

[@ms.h.6851]

You’re really not seeing a difference in three weeks your hair has grown. It grows about a half an inch a month some people a little more. When your hair is damaged, it just has to repair itself in time. Show the chemistry behind all of this stuff might appear real, but like one of the responses listed above indicates it depends on your hair, the damage, and the history of how you take care of your hair.

[@racheldudt]

Interesting🤔 I will say for my hair, the Redken was WAY more effective than Olaplex. I saw some improvement with #3 but I still had quite a bit of fall out on wash day. Redken cut my fall out in HALF!!!

[@Nessa2Bea]

This was definitely useful in understanding that application has a huge impact on how well the product works and serves as a telling reminder that sectioning during application should be the best practice. Having said that, is there anyway to mark off or bracket sections of the strands (maybe with dye?) to capture the difference after application to that specific spot?

[@SheReaDelSol]

Thanks for your hard work and partnering with chemist friend and the lab to do this important work. We love you forever ❤

[@AbbeyYung]

awwww you are the sweetest ❤

[@sophiemay9645]

Finally a video that includes a product without parfume/common allergens - Epres! I love how you dive into hair care science, but when I check out your recommended products I am often disappointed that I cant use them due to my allergies. Would be amazing if you could make more videos on allergy friendly products or DIY hair masks and conditioner options. Btw what are your thoughts on clay washing? I've tried it in an effort to make my scalp less dry, it did get my hair clean but my scalp was just as dry as with shampoo. Went back to shampoo because its more convenient, but would consider giving ghassoul clay another try if it has hair benfits (especially in my case where the only shampoo I can use afaik is from Physiogel. (Ingerdients: Aqua, Polysorbate 20, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Methyl Gluceth-20, Citric Acid, Tocopherol)

[@Sileste17]

Hi Abby! With the distribution there is a sulution I believe, just after applying condition on your wet hair, and comb it in! It's a game changer! Hope it will work for you :)

[@marianne8352]

Very interesting to see… really does raise questions about how the brands themselves make the claims they do? I wonder if a 1000x compound microscope would show enough to be able to view the cortex? It would then be possible to view the same piece of hair pre and post treatment as the only preparation required is to put it on a slide with a cover slip… no idea if it would be sufficient magnification to see it, but would be great if it was!

[@AbbeyYung]

I completely agree. This makes me VERY curious to know how they are testing in order to make the claims that they do. And from what I understand, to see the level of detail required to make meaningful analysis, we do need SEM 😩

[@MsAugie]

Thanks, Abbey, chemist friend, and lab for conducting this experiment. Takeaway I won’t be repurchasing Redken bond repair treatment. I will, however, repurchase K18 and Epres. Glad I didn’t purchase Living Proof during Sephora sale now. Appreciate the due diligence as always babe!! 🥰

[@jonespink]

I didn’t watch the video. I saw the short a couple of days ago. I realized that short was a year old so I went on a binge on your shorts and was like WHERE ARE THE RESULTS!!?? lol. I did learn a lot while watching the shorts. Here I am days later and was like finally !!!! lol TY for all the knowledge!

[@secretsnoopy]

I love your channel. Have you ever considered doing this test or another experiment on holistic hair care methods? (Amla, henna, flax seed gel, etc.) Loved this video as well.

[@storybookfloralproductions]

I’ve tried them all and for me it’s all about Epres! I get such such such soft hair after each use

[@purpledragonfly313]

I love this. Of course it isn’t perfect, but things rarely are. I have tried K18, Olaplex and Redken. I have great results from the first two, while Redken on MY hair felt like a temporary band aid at best 🤷🏻‍♀️ For me Olaplex is still #1, with K18 a close second. They just work differently, so I love them both and use both. Great video!

[@Zoe-cs7ho]

The takeaway for me is that no one bond repair can conclusively be rated the best so, that being said, use as many different ones (as you can afford) to get the best possible result. Because even though the Living Proof in this test was rated lowest, Abby still uses it, along with Espres spray and K18 in one single hair wash day... and that is on her perfect undamaged hair too. Is there ever a thing as bonding overload?

[@serenatina]

I feel like k18 and Redken make the most noticeable difference on my hair but I really don’t have a ton of damage. Are these treatments even necessary if you don’t color treat or use excessive heat? p.s. as a fellow science girly. Thank you for your thorough approach. The scientific method is always the way to go! 🤓😎

[@beckyseizert7557]

Thank you!! As a fellow science dork I very much appreciate your adherence to the scientific method and for not coming up with some over simplified conclusions that would ultimately be misleading. I think what others have said is probably the best policy - using multiple products in multiple parts of your routine is probably the best way to increase your chances of better distribution on the hair strand. Maybe we can also say among these 5 it matters less (but not none) which product is used and more that the hair strand is getting an even coating? Which is great because taking extra time and care when applying products is free of charge!

[@bonnierodriguez2491]

I am just speechless... almost 😂 I am inspired and impressed by your commitment to this project. I'm amazed at how far you were able to get with this topic, and the creativity involved in finding the best solutions to mitigate all of those uncontrollable variables. It makes me feel like I'm a bit lazy in my own professional pursuits lol, but it makes me believe that I really can do more and go further if I resist the urge to settle for the status quo and just keep on going. Good on you, girl, I can't wait to see what you do next!!!

[@JR-wq4ij]

Very interesting video. Thank you. Confirms that what works for some doesn’t work for others possibly for a number of different reasons. I’ve tried all of the products in the test. K18 and Redken never worked for me so I went back to my once a week wash being Olaplex 3 as a mask before washing and added in Living Proof as a leave in treatment before adding my styling products. This seems to work for my 64 year old blond highlighted (for the last 35 years) hair. Currently using Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo and Conditioner but that gets switched up.

[@martham7198]

I have 4 of the 5 products you mention and use them all. I do think k18 is the best but it’s expensive so I use it every 4 washes (I think what they recently said about using it 3 times after color is b.s. and a ploy to get people to use more product ) if I am using k18, I don’t use the other 3 products but always use at least 1, sometimes 2 when I wash my hair every 5 or 6 days. My hair is long and in great shape. I like applying oil before shampooing too but have challenged myself to get hair wash routine under 1 1/2 hours including blow dry because a longer routine just isn’t practical, at least for me.

[@MaineMan2023]

I was super excited to see this! Great video. I think that the way K18 instructs you to do treatments for the first 6 washes after a bleaching is to get the product across all of the damage figuring that people would miss some strands on each treatment. K18 still seems great. But living proof and Olaplex are also effective.

[@Alexandra_J.A.]

Thanks so much for the analysis. Do you know why some treatments can be used on dirty hair while others can only be used on recently washed hair (no use of conditioner) ? for example K18 mist work on dirty hair but mask can only be applied on washed hair. Epres and Redken also work on dirty hair as pre-treatment. Thank you Abbey !!!

As another science-oriented gal, It's been fun coming along this journey with you, and I appreciate you making transparent some of the trials and tribulations that many scientists go through. It can be really difficult to come up with a really useful study that gives you the answer you're looking for! I understand you were limited to a visual assessment of the cuticle, but whether a cuticle lies flat or not can be greatly affected simply by the pH of the product/solution, which is actually working on the salt/covalent bonds of the hair, and most conditioners use a low pH to do that. Simply getting the hair wet breaks hydrogen bonds, which are rebuilt when the hair dries. Bond building products that claim to work on all three types of bonds don't seem like such a big deal when you put it that way, do they? (I'm looking at you, Living Proof!) It would have been interesting to compare the bond builders to a hair sample that just used a regular conditioner that doesn't claim to offer any repair benefits. But ultimately, the major difference between conditioners and bond builders is that bond builders are supposed to work more deeply in the hair, and make longer-lasting improvements to the hair, whereas most conditioners work at the surface level, leaving a coating on the hair shaft that is temporary because it can be washed off. Because of patents held by some of the major players, other brands would get sued for creating something too similar (and some have!), so each bond builder uses a different mechanism to have a different effect on the hair. Even though the marketing videos all show a flatter cuticle, the mechanism by which at least some of the bond builders are supposed to work is known, and it's not something that could be seen on the cuticle. It doesn't seem like you did much research to learn about how each of these products is supposed to work. For example Olaplex supposedly works on the disulfide bonds that help connect the keratin strands in the cortex, which wouldn't affect the cuticle. Redken ABC ties up hydrogen bonds so that it changes how the hair responds to water (makes it more water resistant), which in turn reduces protein loss when washing in high porosity hair (again from the cortex) and helps prevent frizz caused by humidity. I don't think that can be seen on the cuticle either. If we take a step back and think about what our real goals are from using bond builders, it's so that our hair can withstand the abuse that we put it through, and still feel reasonably soft and manageable. Would it be possible to test the tensile strength, then put the samples through some abuse, and then test the strength again? How about doing blinded tests of how soft/manageable it feels (you'd have to recruit several volunteers for that one)? The benefit of having so many bond builders available, each of which work differently, is that we can potentially use multiple bond builders to improve the hair in different ways instead of having to choose one. Perhaps some bond builders would be better in some situations, and other products would be better in others. For example: someone who lives in a humid climate and/or has highly porous hair would probably get a lot more benefit from the Redken ABC line than someone with low or medium porosity hair and low humidity.

[@shalizalacombe6330]

What kind of hair repair product would you suggest for someone who uses henna hair dye with low porosity, wavy hair type that has breakage & no hair length retention?

[@dawnsaito2992]

Thank you for this. I like Olaplex and am happy to see it has pretty good performance. Also K18 seems to have a similar result, so I would use that if looking.

[@AndreeaMihai]

I think it has to do with the way you apply it maybe? I don't know, obviously I wasn't there for the application part, but even with things like conditioner you can tell when you've done a good job or not, visually or by touching it. Someone else said applying a bond repair product is like applying sunscreen, if you enjoy using it and are willing to use it consistently, it will make a difference.

[@karenover50]

I would looove to hear the companies proof and back up comments. You’ve done a lot of work. How did they come up with their claims. Thank you for your honesty. Unbelievably refreshing Please do a grwm on your whole look today. Just beautiful.

[@poetical12]

The biggest question I have since this was done on extensions, as someone who has used extensions for years, why when I use bond repair do my 100% human hair extensions seem to deteriorate / shorten / break off WAY faster then when I am using brands with just a plain ‘hydration’ focus and nothing special? My extensions do contain the cuticle unlike some that do not. I had high hopes for bond repair (and used all of these at various times) to keep my extensions long and strong, but that was not the case.

[@natmya243]

exact same experience with bond repair products on my own human hair!

[@summersadie3687]

me too! 😞

[@heathermccuin9555]

Olaplex 1&2 used correctly by my stylist in my color every 5 weeks caused scalp sores and extremely brittle “plastic doll-like hair”. We stopped adding Olaplex to my color service (nothing else changed) and I have never had the scalp sores again. She used Olaplex for about 2 years in my color and I had so much breakage. Now it has been a year and a half of (still) coloring without Olaplex and my hair looks great again and no scalp sores since the last time I was exposed to Olaplex. From my experience of using Olaplex in the salon only, Olaplex did not live up to its claim of preventing damage. In fact, I think it caused damaged. Now I don’t trust anything that claims to “bond”. The market is saturated with repair, reconstruct and bonding products - added to everything from shampoo to styling products. Some people get brittle hair from bonding products and companies need to provide options for hair that needs no site and hydration too.

[@heathermccuin9555]

Moisture

[@SHFMIA]

You should try the new Kerastase Premier line for damaged hair.

[@milenabellotti9771]

Nautilique bond treatment (3) is brilliant. I use Epres, workout, shampoo, K18 leave 10 mins, Nautilique & leave as long as possible (at least 20 mins or overnight), rinse and style as usual… give it a go!

[@Firkant2]

Impressive results for K18. Especially considering that these results are more permanent, than say, Olaplex. But. K18 did get a headstart by setting the standard with 6 consecutive wash-applications, and that might not be recommended or lead to build up for other products. Having said that, I just had my first application of K18 and the results are amazing. From stubbornly matt to shiny! strands seem to fall straighter, it’s like my hair quality changed over night! And that without any of the masks, conditioners and treatments that I thought I NEEDED for it not be a tangly stack of hay, also there’s allready a bit less hairbreakage and frizz. Ittl be interés to see which additional results will show up. So far I’m sold.

[@lyssajane6]

What did you take from this and which ones would you continue to use after this research? Curious to know if this changes up the products you use?

[@CaitlinPadmore-wh7yf]

So cool! Been so excited for this video!! What about the products that claim to penetrate the cortex, like k18 and living proof. Would those products be measured well by somehow getting a cross section of a strand as well to see the impact on the cortex? Would be incredibly more tedious maybe to the point of being impossible but theoretically what do you think?

[@DoraH16]

Thank you so much Abbey for all your efforts! I've already tried Olaplex and Redken, they definitely helped a lot my damaged and highlighted hair, but I feel that I need more and after this video, I'm pretty sure,I'm going to purchase K18. I hope the best 🙏🏻🥰

[@pamorama]

I think this was a great video. We don’t always get clear answers in experimentation. I think it kind of indicates at least what I got out of it is that it really depends on the application to some degree. I use Ola Plex and 0:15 Epres, and I don’t see much of a difference. The thing I do see a difference with, and you don’t, and for some reason, it doesn’t seem to bother your hair, but is why I use a drugstore shampoo, my hair just instantly frizzes with just about any inexpensive shampoo to such a degree that I just won’t chance it anymore. For repair I really have settled on Ola Plex and Epres.

[@kianalundeen4969]

I love this and i think it would be super cool to do the same thing with heat protection start with healthy hair and then see how much damage the hair has taken over the testing time

[@ginabryson-prieto7436]

So Abbey, which of these products do you plan to continue with and which do you plan to discontinue based on these results?