Bold Uniq vs Olaplex

Who doesn’t want strong, healthy, fabulous hair? I’m always on the hunt for products that combat the cruelty I inflict on my poor strands and recently did a test-drive of the new BoldPlex range that claims to do just that. I was sent this new range of hair strengthening products from a company called BoldUniq.  

My hair story 

Essentially, I am Cruella Deville to my hair. In order to run away from greys, I have spent the last 2 years slowly going blond (my hairdresser’s idea as she was sick and tired of my constantly complaining). 

This means I’m bleaching a half head every time I go to the salon. They always use Olaplex mixed with my colour for added protection at point of application and that led me to start using their at-home products for maintenance. I use the No 0 + No 3 once a month, No 3 treatment on its own once a week and also the No 6 styling product before I blow dry. I love these guys and they’ve managed to help keep my hair in pretty condition despite the constant cruelty I inflict. Coola boola.

Bold Uniq background

Bold Uniq got in touch and asked me try their products and do a review. I’ll be honest - I was skeptical. I’d never heard of the company and I’m quite a loyal user of Olpalex products.

So I did some poking around and learned they have an iconic purple shampoo that’s gotten some real attention in the press and stellar consumer reviews. Oprah Magazine hailed as one of the best you can buy for maintaining blond hair. Ooh, I’m interested now.

I also like their commitment to things that matter. They care about sustainability.

·      Only use ethically-sourced ingredients

·      All products are cruelty free/vegan

·      No nasties – parabins, sulfates, mineral oil

·      Fully recyclable packaging

·      Use 100% of ocean waste plastic in their packaging. Each bottle equals 8 plastic bags reclaimed from ocean waste. They operate a circular supply chain.

BoldPlex range

I received 3 products: treatment, shampoo and conditioner.

What Bold Uniq say about the range:

“The Boldplex Regime was scientifically developed to work on a molecular level by repairing hair proteins — penetrating deep into each strand of hair, strengthening, conditioning and repairing dry and damaged hair from the inside out.”

This where things start to get funny. The names they’ve given to the products directly come from Olaplex’s naming structure. The treatment is No 3, shampoo No 4 and conditioner No 5. Olaplex does this because No 1 and No 2 products are for salons only. So in my opinion, it makes absolutely no sense for the Bold Uniq to use the numbers 3, 4 and 5 other than to say….Olaplex, we’re coming for you. 

Here’s what they say the products do:

Bold Restore Treatment – No 3

-       Designed to rebuild, relink and repair broken bonds

-       Repairs dry and damaged hair from the inside out

-       Use once a week or 2-3 per week if seriously damaged

-       Use on wet hair before shampoo and conditioner

Shampoo – No 4

-       Gently cleanses and clarifies stressed-out locks

-       Strengthens bonds between salon visits and styling

-       Great for curly, dry, colored, frizzy, broken and bleached hair types

Conditioner – No 5

-       Smooth and refine overly processed and damaged hair

-       Great for curly, dry, colored, frizzy, broken and bleached hair types

I’ve been using the shampoo and conditioner for 2 weeks and have used the treatment 3 times, which is enough to get a real feel for it. 

Product costs

I did compare costs against the comparable Olapex products to get sense of value for money. 

No 3 Treatment

Bold Uniq – 200ml, $30

Olaplex – 100ml $28

No 4 Shampoo

Bold Uniq – 273ml  $30

Olaplex– 250ml $28

No 5 Conditioner

Bold Uniq – 273ml $30

Olaplex – 250ml $28

The verdict

I actually really like this range. I think the No 3 treatment is as good as the Olaplex and you get twice the amount of product for the same price. To me, that’s a no-brainer.

But the big surprise were the shampoo and conditioner. I’m absolutely bonkers about them. I tried the Olaplex products last year and thought they were ok. But not good enough to repurchase. If I’m going to shell out $60 for a set, I expect it to be pretty damn good. Well, these are. I’m constantly trying new ranges and have yet to repurchase any of them. Until now. My hair is super soft, every single day and I put it down to the daily use. But the true test for me is when I don’t blowdry. Air drying my hair tends to leave it a little straggly and brittle. But now my strands are soft and look really darn good. I’m truly in love. 

What’s next?

I’d be very interested to hear if Bold Uniq intend to grow the range. I’d be interested in styling products, maybe an overnight leave-in mask. 

Next for me - the purple shampoo range. I’m always trying out new ones to kick the brassiness and this honestly looks to be mac daddy. So stay tuned I’ll be picking that up in the next few months…