Treatments
Bond Repair Explained: Why It Matters After Colouring or Bleaching
Bonding repair is usually offered in addition to coloring services or bleach and you have been hearing your stylist say "bond repair" when you've had any…
Seo Daiki Media8 September 20266 min read
Bonding repair is usually offered in addition to coloring services or bleach and you have been hearing your stylist say "bond repair" when you've had any color or bleach done. It's normal to think that this is nothing but an additional way to increase the price, but bonding repair actually performs a specific function for your hair. And here's what it is.
What Happens to Your Hair When You Colour or Bleach It
To understand the importance of bond restoration, it is essential to comprehend the mechanism of colouring and bleaching on a molecular level. The strength of your hair depends on the presence of disulphide bonds, which are small molecules that form the internal connection between proteins in your hair. When you use colouring products and, specifically, bleaching products, you cause some of these bonds to break in order to lift your natural colour or add another one.
It is inevitable for the chemical reaction to take place; thus, there is no way to alter the colour of your hair without damaging these bonds. That is why ignoring their existence results in such problems as hair weakening or brittleness.
What Bond Repair Actually Does
Bond repair treatments, like Olaplex, work by helping to relink some of those broken disulphide bonds during and after the colouring process. Rather than just coating the hair (which is what a standard conditioner does), bond repair works from within the hair's structure, helping to rebuild some of the strength that colouring or bleaching disrupts.
| Factor | Standard Conditioner | Bond Repair Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Coats the outside of the hair shaft | Works within the hair's internal structure |
| What it addresses | Surface smoothness and shine | Broken internal bonds from chemical processing |
| Best used | Regular hair maintenance | Specifically after colouring, bleaching, or other chemical services |
Why This Matters More After Bleaching Than Regular Colour
This is not the case with all color services since there are differences in terms of how much strain the treatment applies to the bonds of your hair. For instance, bleaching – especially extensive lightening such as changing from dark brown hair to platinum blonde – damages much more hair bonds than deposit only color and minor root touches.
Services where bond repair matters most:
- Significant bleaching or lightening
- Balayage or highlights involving lightener
- Repeated colour services close together
- Hair that's already been through multiple rounds of chemical processing (colour, perm, rebonding)
Signs Your Hair Might Need Bond Repair
- Hair feels noticeably weaker or more fragile after a colour service than it did before
- Increased breakage, especially around previously bleached or lightened sections
- Hair feels "gummy" or stretchy when wet, which can be a sign of compromised internal structure
- A general feeling that your hair has lost its usual strength and elasticity since your last colour appointment
How Bond Repair Fits Into a Colour Service
The treatments which help to create bonds like Olaplex are best used as an integral part of the coloring procedure, that is, included in the color or bleach mixture or even used during the last step of the procedure. However, the bond rebuilding treatment is not the same as the treatment used on pre-treated hair some time afterwards. The treatment, nevertheless, provides certain results in case if the hair was colored but without the bond protection.
Our salon, Premium Old Skool, uses Olaplex as one of the professional coloring brands together with Kérastase, L'Oréal Professionnel, Schwarzkopf Professional, Wella, Davines, Shiseido, and Nioxin.
Is Bond Repair Necessary for Every Colour Service?
Not strictly necessary for every single visit, but it's particularly worth prioritising if:
- You're doing a significant colour change or lightening service
- Your hair has been coloured multiple times previously
- You've noticed increased dryness, brittleness, or breakage since starting to colour your hair
- You're planning ongoing, regular colour services and want to protect your hair's condition over the long term
If you're just doing a subtle root touch-up on hair that's in good condition, the bond-stress is generally lower, though many clients still choose to add bond repair as a preventative measure.
Bond Repair vs Deep Moisture Treatments
These two are sometimes confused, since both aim to improve hair health, but they address different things.
| Factor | Bond Repair | Deep Moisture Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Internal structural strength | Hydration and surface softness |
| Best for | Hair stressed by chemical processing | Dry, brittle-feeling hair generally |
| When to use | Alongside or after colour/bleach services | Any time hair feels dry or dehydrated |
Many clients benefit from both, especially if hair has been both chemically processed and generally dry, they're complementary rather than interchangeable.
What to Expect During a Bond Repair Treatment
Bond strengthening treatment will either be added to your color service or it can be a stand-alone treatment. The treatment procedure normally consists of applying the treatment to damp hair; it takes some time to process, then rinsing and styling as usual. This treatment takes less time than a color treatment session, but you get the effect over time in the condition of your hair after being exposed to chemicals repeatedly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What exactly is bond repair and why does it do what conditioning doesn't?
While bond repair restores the bonds within the hair internally due to hair being processed chemically, conditioning is primarily used externally on the hair.
2. Do I really need bond repair if my hair isn't bleached?
Even though it is stressed mostly for bleaching or any lightening of hair, even the hair that was chemically processed for colour could use some bond repairing.
3. What is Olaplex?
It is one of the popular bond-repair brands that are used during the colour service in order to help the bonds inside your hair that were broken while bleaching and colouring.
4. Is bond repair helpful for hair that has already been damaged?
Bond repair helps in reducing the damage in the future and strengthening hair, although it is better to use it as prevention during colour services rather than as a repair service.
5. Should I use bond repair every time I colour my hair?
If it is significant lightening, it is highly recommended, but in case of just a touch-up, you may choose to leave it.
6. Is bond repair the same as a deep moisture treatment?
No, bond repair addresses internal structural strength from chemical processing, while deep moisture treatments focus on hydration. Many clients benefit from both.
7. How do I know if my hair needs bond repair?
Signs include increased breakage, hair feeling gummy or stretchy when wet, and a general loss of strength or elasticity since your last colour service.
8. Can I get bond repair as a standalone treatment, not with a colour service?
Yes, though it's generally more effective when incorporated directly into the colouring process itself, since that's when the most bond disruption occurs.
Protect Your Hair's Strength With Every Colour Service
Colour shouldn't come at the cost of your hair's health. Our Bond Repair treatment (RM 95, 45 min) uses professional Olaplex formulation to rebuild strength after colouring or lightening. Ask about adding it to your next colour appointment, or explore our full hair colouring and treatment services. Book via WhatsApp at Premium Old Skool, Avenue Ampang.
