Whats the longest you can leave Olaplex on?

Olaplex 3 is Olaplex’s best-selling at-home bond repair treatment. It helps to reinforce the bond repairing benefits of Olaplex 1 and 2, both of which are only available in-salon.

If you know anything about the fantastic results that you can get with Olaplex 3, we’ll bet you want to leave it on your hair for as long as possible.

Some people have stated that you can leave this product on overnight to maximize its results – is this true? Can you leave Olaplex 3 on overnight? In this article, we’ll give you the answer you’ve been searching for. Let’s get right into it! 

Table of Contents

• 1 Can You Leave Olaplex 3 On Overnight?
  • 1.1 How Long is Olaplex 3 Effective?
• 2 What Happens if You Leave Olaplex 3 On Overnight?
  • 2.1 Negative Consequences of Overnight Olaplex 3 Treatment
  • 2.2 Positive Consequences of Overnight Olaplex 3 Treatment
• 3 Our Recommendation: Follow the Instructions
• 4 How to Use Olaplex 3
• 5 Are You a Good Candidate for Olaplex 3?
  • 5.1 Related Articles

You shouldn’t leave Olaplex 3 on your hair overnight. According to the Olaplex website, you should leave Olaplex 3 on your hair for at least 10 minutes, but you can leave it on for up to 90 minutes. 

It’s important to understand that Olaplex 3 isn’t a deep conditioner or leave-in. And that means that you will need to shampoo it out of your hair within the specified time limit. 

Here’s a statement from Olaplex themselves, advising against using any Olaplex products while sleeping: 

“As a company, we do not recommend sleeping in OLAPLEX treatments as it could get into your eyes. However, we have received great feedback from people who have used it this way.”

How Long is Olaplex 3 Effective?

Per Olaplex, Olaplex 3 is most effective at 45 minutes and will continue to work until your hair dries. If you can keep your hair moist, the product will continue to work indefinitely.

But, as you may already know, more is not always better. In the following sections, we’ll take a deeper dive into the topic and look at how what happens if you leave the Opallex treatment on your curls overnight.

What Happens if You Leave Olaplex 3 On Overnight?

Even though the manufacturer does not recommend leaving Olaplex 3 on your hair overnight, that hasn’t stopped people from experimenting. You’ll find many posts, articles, and videos about people trying Olaplex 3 overnight, and the results are mixed. 

Negative Consequences of Overnight Olaplex 3 Treatment

Some people did not get the results they were hoping for. If you leave the product on your hair overnight, you could experience: 

• Scalp irritation. When left on the scalp for several hours, the product may cause scalp itchiness and irritation. According to one woman in particular, the irritation was so bad that she likens it to a chemical burn. This irritation is temporary, albeit distressing. 
• Uncomfortable sleep. Trying not to get the moisture from the product on your pillow as you sleep can be a real drag. This may not be a big deal if you’re used to doing overnight treatments. But if you’ve never slept with product in your hair, you’ll soon realize that it’s not the most comfortable thing in the world.  
• No difference in results. The product is not formulated to be left on overnight. Also, it has already been determined by the manufacturer that 90 minutes is the longest you should leave it on. People who leave it on for longer than 90 minutes vs. overnight may not even notice a difference in their hair. 
• Eye irritation. If the product happens to get into your eyes as you’re sleeping, you could experience severe irritation. It’s for that reason that you’ll want to take the necessary precautions to keep the product from running as you sleep. 

Positive Consequences of Overnight Olaplex 3 Treatment

Leaving Olaplex 3 in your hair overnight is not all bad, according to some. In fact, a representative of Kim Kardashian has publicly shared that Kardashian leaves her Olaplex 3 treatment in her hair overnight.

So, in true fan fashion, many women have tried it out without experiencing the adverse effects mentioned earlier. Instead, they had the following outcomes: 

• Stronger hair. Almost immediately, many noticed that their hair felt stronger and shed less. 
• Less breakage. The strengthening properties of the treatment fortify the strands so they can better handle regular styling and maintenance. 
• Easier styling. Better nourished hair with fewer split ends can make detangling and styling much easier, as there will be fewer tangles to deal with as you’re creating your hairdo.  

Olaplex No.3 Overnight On Curly Hair

Note: Many of these effects could have been due to the other products in the Olaplex system vs. just the overnight application of Olaplex 3. However, many attribute them to the fact that they left the product in their curls overnight. 

Our Recommendation: Follow the Instructions

With both positive and negative consequences following the overnight application of Olaplex 3, we recommend that you avoid leaving the product on for longer than the manufacturer suggests.

Keep in mind that just because someone says that something works for their hair doesn’t mean that it will work for yours. Although, if you still want to see how it will work for you, you can give it a try.

Just remember the potential adverse effects that can occur should you go through with an overnight treatment. If your hair or scalp feels odd after using Olaplex 3 overnight, you should probably use the product as intended.  

How to Use Olaplex 3

Hair products are most effective when used correctly, and that’s the case with Olaplex 3. Although Olaplex 3 is relatively easy to use, people still run into issues when using it.

Olaplex No. 3 Before & After Results - How to Use Olaplex to Repair Damaged Curly Hair

So, we’d like to help you out with a quick rundown of how to use the product for the best results: 

1. Check your hair for buildup. If it’s caked in gel or product buildup, then you’ll need to wash it before using this product. Excessively dirty hair may be covered in a barrier that stops the product from doing its job. If you don’t have any buildup problems, move on to the next step. 
2. Your hair should be damp before applying Olaplex 3. To achieve the right amount of dampness, rinse your hair thoroughly and then towel dry it with a microfiber towel. This step is recommended because Olaplex 3 works best on wet hair, so it’s important to ensure that your hair remains moist (e.g., hair stays damp).
3. Apply Olaplex 3 to all of your hair, starting at the scalp and moving towards the ends. Ensure that all of your hair is covered in the product. 
4. Allow the product to sit on your hair for 10 to 90 minutes. After that time, rinse it out thoroughly. Note: some ladies like to rinse cover their hair with a plastic shower cap during to waiting period.
5. Shampoo and condition your hair. The manufacturer suggests you do so with Olaplex No. 4 shampoo and Olaplex No. 5 conditioner. These products are designed to repair, strenghten, and hydrate all hair types (including kinky, curly, wavy, and straight hair).

You can use Olaplex 3 as part of your weekly wash day. But if you wash your hair more often than once per week, you can use the product as often as three times a week. 

Are You a Good Candidate for Olaplex 3?

There’s conflicting information out there regarding who should use Olaplex no. 3 and who shouldn’t. So, we’d like to address that in this section.

Olaplex 3 is for anyone with damaged hair that needs a boost. It can provide the following benefits to any hair type:

• Hair repair – When used as directed, Olaplex 3 can repair the broken bonds in your hair strands to increase their strength and minimize hair loss and breakage. 
• Soften hair – Many who use Olaplex 3 realize that their hair is much softer after use. 
• Enhance shine – With smoothed cuticles, your hair will catch the light, revealing a natural luster that you’ll love. 

If you thought you had to have color-treated or bleached hair to benefit from Olaplex 3, you’d be relieved to find that it’s not true. You can use Olaplex 3 for heat-damaged and overprocessed hair as well. 

Related Articles

• What Happens if You Leave Olaplex on Too Long?
• Is Olaplex Bad for Your Hair?
• What Does Heat-Damaged Hair Look Like?
• Why Does My Hair Feel Like Straw?

We hope that this article has been helpful to you and encourages you to follow the instructions given by Olaplex when using Olaplex 3. Good luck with your hair’s health!

Kenneth Byrd holds a BS in Accounting and Management Information Systems and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is a serial hair blogger that has been writing about hair care since 2008, when he co-founded Curl Centric and Natural Hair Box. Curl Centric is a website operated by a husband and wife team that encourages healthy hair care.