As a wannabe redhead, frequently dyeing my hair has taken a toll on my hair’s healthy appearance. It’s dry on the ends, oily on the roots, and often looks frizzy. On top of that, I am a fine-haired gal prone to grease, so I’ve gotten into the habit of washing my hair nightly. Because of that, I’m always looking for shampoo and conditioner that’ll make my overprocessed hair look moisturized and healthy without heavy residue. This pursuit has often been something I felt discouraged by—that is, until I attended the Biolage Bond Therapy launch event.
Despite my hair care struggles, I have always been a fan of Biolage Professional. I was excited to see what was coming next from the brand, though I wasn’t sure if any of the new in-shower products would be for me. As soon as the panel started speaking about how the line included not one but two conditioners depending on your hair’s thickness, I decided to keep hope alive. Admittedly, I sometimes skip conditioner because it tends to weigh my hair down, so testing their more lightweight foam conditioner was especially compelling. Keep reading for the rest of my Biolage Professional review on the new Bond Therapy system and how it fared on my fine, ginger strands.
What are hair bonds?
To fully grasp the benefits of the Bond Therapy line, it’s important to understand what hair bonds are. Hair bonds are amino acids responsible for hair’s shape, strength, elasticity, and shine. There are three types of hair bonds: hydrogen, ionic, and disulfide. Broken hydrogen and ionic bonds are temporary and easier to fix (think straightening curls with a flat iron). In contrast, broken disulfide bonds permanently change the hair’s structure (like with bleach or chemical treatments). These bonds are the ones requiring more extensive repair.
How do bond repair treatments work?
Bond treatments work by reinforcing weakened bonds from the inside out. They often contain acidic ingredients that target porous strands, excessive breakage, and deep dehydration caused by overprocesses and severely damaged hair.
What is Biolage Professional Bond Therapy?
Biolage Professional Bond Therapy is a bonding haircare line that offers internal bond and surface care for overprocessed hair. The star ingredients are citric acid, a repairing acid, and conditioning coconut oil. Anyone with damaged or dyed hair craving strength recovery is a great candidate for these products. Biolage Professional ambassador and hairstylist Sunnie Brook gave a breakdown of how the formula works during the Bond Therapy event:
“Citric acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid, a very small molecule that can get into the fiber of the hair. [It helps] drive the coconut oil [deep into the hair to] deliver hydration and moisture, rebuilding bonds from the inside out.”
She expanded: “If you’re in a home and the walls have holes, you’re going to want to prime the wall before you paint it. Bond Therapy rebuilds that fiber of the hair so that when we go in and style or color the hair, we have a great foundation for beautiful, lasting, healthy hair.”
The five-piece collection is perfect for mixing and matching to get your desired result. However, since each product is designed to work in harmony, they should be used as a complete routine (intensive pre-shampoo treatment, shampoo, your choice of conditioner, and leave-in) to experience the most robust repairing benefits.
Biolage Professional Bond Therapy Intensive Treatment
Often called “pre-shampoo,” or a product applied to your hair before washing it, the Intensive Treatment is the first step of this routine. The treatment reduces breakage, helps visibly reduce the appearance of split ends, and leaves hair more manageable. Not to mention, locks will look and feel intensely conditioned after use. You’re supposed to massage it into damp hair and leave it on for 5-10 minutes, depending on your hair’s damage level. Those with an oily scalp (like me) should avoid the roots. Otherwise, you can apply the product from scalp to ends.
Biolage Professional Bond Therapy Shampoo
Next in the line is the shampoo. With a non-stripping, sulfate-free formula, this shampoo gently cleanses, leaving hair softer, intensely conditioned, and easier to style.
Biolage Professional Bond Therapy Conditioning Foam
Out of the two conditioners in the Bond Therapy range, the Conditioning Foam is the ideal conditioner for fine hair. The lightweight foam detangles hair while reinforcing bonds and provides airy hydration without making hair flat or heavy. Paired with the Bond Therapy Shampoo, you can experience hair that is 10 times stronger and 11 times easier to detangle.
Biolage Professional Bond Therapy Conditioner
The second conditioner option in the line is a more traditional one for anyone with medium-to-thick hair. After just one use with the shampoo, hair will have three times less breakage and be 16 times more conditioned without feeling weighed down.
Biolage Professional Bond Therapy Smoothing Leave-In Cream
The Smoothing Leave-In Cream completes the Bond Building hair regimen by taming frizz, amplifying shine, and repairing hair bonds. Plus, it provides heat protection up to 450°F to protect your locks from future damage, or it can be used as an air dry formula.
How often should you use hair bonding treatment?
According to Brook, this hair bonding treatment is safe and gentle for daily use.
“If you have really dry and damaged hair, you’ll want to use it every single day,” says the Biolage hairstylist. “If you have just chemical damage (like from your iron), use it once a week. No matter what hair type you have, it’s definitely something that [will] give you incredible-looking hair.”
My Biolage Professional Bond Therapy Review
Between dyes and heat styling, I had high hopes going in to using these products. Before I made any decisions, I wanted to use the line at least two times to see the full results.
Per the brand’s guidance, I began my routine with the Intensive Treatment. There’s one difference that makes the Biolage Professional Bond Therapy range stand out from other bond-enhancing lines I have used: The Intensive Treatment is supposed to be left in while you shampoo, and then both products get rinsed together. Others I have tried require a full pre-shampoo rinse before the actual shampooing step. Since the Intensive Treatment is the first step of the process, I felt like letting the products come together as a duo made it feel like a system working together, not just individual formulas.
I applied a quarter-sized amount of the shampoo next and noticed it had a fabulous lather and feel. But honestly, just this shampoo's subtle, fresh smell will make you love the wash day experience.
The real hero product for me was the Conditioning Foam, which comes as the final in-shower step of the routine. As someone who sometimes stays away from conditioners for fear of being too heavy for my fine hair, this product is just what I needed to give my hair a boost of hydration without any compromise. The mousse-like formula is unique and unlike anything I have ever tried before. A little product goes a long way and reaches areas of my roots I can sometimes miss.
It’s worth noting that I didn’t use the Smoothing Leave-In Cream during my few tests of the Bond Therapy line. That’s only because I didn’t feel like I needed any more shine or conditioning since my hair already looked so fabulous from the other three products. That said, I can see how those with thicker, coarser hair may want to use the leave-in for that extra dose of repair and moisture.
I was extremely happy with the results, as my hair was visibly softer and more hydrated. After doing my hair with just the Biolage Bond Therapy line, applying a heat protectant, and blowing it out with a round brush, I posted my usual OOTD on my Instagram story. Usually, I’ll get a few comments on my outfit, but this time, I received multiple messages asking about what I did to my hair because it looked so good. For me, that’s a telltale sign the products are working how I want them to.
Use our salon locator to discover more Biolage Professional products at a salon near you. Don’t forget to bookmark Hair.com to discover the latest trends and tutorials.
