Ever since Olaplex introduced the concept of “bond building” in 2014, fried locks got a new lease on life with products that strengthen and repair broken bonds within the hair.
With brands releasing new bond-building products seemingly every week, here are 10 tried-and-tested heroes that defeat damage and left our editorial team feeling positively healed.
For All-Around Strength and Shine: Amika The Kure Bond Repair Shampoo & Conditioner
This gentle but powerful duo lives up to the hype. Both use bond cure technology to repair breakage-prone hair over time, with plant butters and vegan proteins offering keratin-like strength with a rich, nourishing feel. After just a few rounds, hair is softer, shinier, and more voluminous. It's great for anyone struggling with brittleness, breakage, or post-color stress.
For Curl Rebirth: DevaCurl CurlBond Re-Coiling Treatment Mask
When you need your curls to go from stressed to poppin, reach for this intense reviving mask that restores definition, bounce, and shine. The brand’s proprietary bond-repairing CurlBond Complex banishes frizz and leaves curls soft, defined, lustrous, and visibly healthier. Ideal for dry, color-damaged, and brittle hair.
For Low-Effort, High-Impact Help: IGK Antisocial Time-Release Bond-Building Dry Mask
This overnight dry treatment does its thing while you sleep — no rinse, no residue, no re-style required. This lightweight dry mask is a cult favorite for a reason: it repairs, hydrates, and softens without water or weight, fights frizz even in the hottest humidity, extends wash days, and revives brittle ends. It’s especially good for extensions and color-treated hair.
For a Major Redemption Arc: Joico KBond20 Power Masque
Dead ends — gone. Frizz — gone. This is a thick, creamy mask that deeply repairs and nourishes heat-styled or color-damaged hair, leaving it softer and smoother with ample shine. Works wonders on locks in dire need of hydration, repair, and lasting softness. It gives a nice shine to formerly dull hair.
For No-Rinse Rescue: L’Oréal Absolut Repair Molecular Leave-In Mask
If your hair’s been through it, this leave-in conditioning cream might be your new ride-or-die. It’s a potent salon-grade formula that appears to perform magic on fried, overworked hair — rebuilding damage at the molecular level and leaving strands feeling crazy-soft and shiny. It also detangles beautifully, fights frizz, and protects against heat up to 450°F.
For Flawless Styling: OGX Bond Protein Repair 450°F Heat Protect Spray
We’re obsessed with the unique misting bottle that dispenses the product with a smooth continuous spray. As for what's inside, the formula's short-term styling benefits are amazing: a 450°F shield that leaves even the most hot-tool-tortured hair looking and feeling sleek and vibrant without buildup. Use over time for enhanced shine, strength, and visibly reduced breakage and frizz.
For Thickness with a Quickness: Olaplex Browbond Building Serum and Lashbond Building Serum
The O.G. of bond building brings its iconic science to lashes and brows — thickening, lengthening, regrowing, and hydrating without irritation. With continuous use comes fuller brows, longer lashes, and less fallout in as little as three weeks. The formulas apply easily and stay put, delivering a naturally enhanced look and providing a subtle yet powerful boost for sparse lashes or patchy brows.
For Round-the-Clock Rehabilitation: Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate 24/7 Night and Day Serum
Lightweight but powerful, this leave-in serum comes to the rescue for processed, damaged hair, improving strength, texture, and shine without weighing it down. It makes hair look and feel noticeably softer and stronger after the first use, and restores hair integrity over time. The formula feels luxurious and does deliver on its promise to improve overall hair health and appearance.