Our Rating:
4.9
Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner Review
Ranked #2 (Runner-up)
Best Conditioner of 2025!
Authors: Karly R, Paige L, Marc K, Tommy L
Introduction
The Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner is a treatment for your hair, a cornerstone for anyone who is truly serious about achieving and maintaining the health of their hair. When we evaluated the top conditioners for 2025, Olaplex
No. 5 was a constant top performer, easily securing its rank as the #2 runner-up!
Its place at the top is cemented by its scientifically-backed ability to perform genuine, structural repair, combined with an incredibly luxurious and hydrating formula. It’s a specialized, high-potency treatment that works miracles on damaged hair, a fact we can personally attest to. After months of intensive, daily testing, our team concluded that this conditioner is a hair-repair powerhouse, delivering on its promises with such remarkable efficacy that it stands in a class of its own!
The Science Behind the Magic
Olaplex’s power isn't just marketing hype; it’s rooted in a unique technology that fundamentally changes the hair.
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Repairing Hair From the Inside Out: To understand the magic of Olaplex, you have to think about what hair damage really is. Chemical processes like coloring, bleaching, and perms, along with heat from styling tools, break the delicate disulfide bonds that give your hair its internal structure, strength, and shape. Think of them as the rungs of a ladder within each hair strand. When they break, the ladder becomes weak and unstable, leading to frizz, brittleness, and breakage.
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Patented Miracle Molecule: At the heart of the formula is Olaplex’s star ingredient, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate. This isn't just another conditioning agent; it's a patented molecule developed by chemists to perform a very specific job. It is the cornerstone of the brand’s entire technology and what separates it from virtually every other conditioner on the market.
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Molecular Repair Process: Unlike traditional conditioners that primarily work on the surface to smooth the hair’s cuticle, this miracle molecule is small enough to penetrate deep into the hair's cortex. From our first-hand experience, the result is hair that doesn’t just feel stronger—it is structurally stronger, more resilient, and better able to withstand future damage.
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Beyond a Temporary Fix: The repair Olaplex provides is claimed to be permanent, lasting until the hair is subjected to new damage. This is what makes it a true treatment rather than a cosmetic cover-up. It addresses the root cause of damage, not just the symptoms, leaving your hair in a genuinely healthier state than it was before you used it. ​
The Formulation
While the bond-building technology is the star, the rest of the ingredient list reads like a dream team for hair health, working in perfect synergy.
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Hydration Cocktail: The formula is packed with powerful humectants like Glycerin and Pro-Vitamin B5. These ingredients are like moisture magnets, drawing water into the hair shaft and holding it there. In our daily testing, this translated into hair that felt incredibly hydrated, plump, and elastic from root to tip, completely banishing any signs of straw-like dryness.
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Rich, Concentrated Texture: This isn’t your typical, runny conditioner. The moment you dispense it, you understand its potency. It’s an exceptionally thick, rich, and luxurious cream that feels substantial and nourishing in your hands. During our daily use, we quickly learned that you only need a small, dime-to-quarter-sized amount to fully saturate the hair, even on longer styles. This high concentration means that a single bottle lasts a surprisingly long time, making every application feel like an indulgent, salon-worthy treatment.
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Silky-Smooth, High-Shine Finish: Olaplex No. 5 is rich in emollients and nourishing plant-derived oils, including Avocado Oil and Grapeseed Oil. These ingredients work to smooth down the hair’s outer cuticle, reducing friction between strands and imparting a soft, unbelievably silky feel. The result is a healthy, glossy shine that looks like you just stepped out of a salon.
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Truth About Silicones: Yes, the formula contains silicones, but don't let that scare you! The types used here are specifically chosen for their superior performance. They provide incredible slip for detangling, protect the hair, and enhance shine without the heavy, waxy buildup associated with older, less advanced silicone chemistry. They rinse away cleanly, leaving nothing behind but beautiful, manageable hair.
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Protein-Free Perfection for All: A crucial and brilliant aspect of this conditioner is that it is completely protein-free. This is fantastic news for those with protein-sensitive hair, who can find that protein-heavy products leave their hair feeling stiff, dry, and brittle. No. 5 delivers pure, unadulterated moisture and bond repair, making it a safe and incredibly effective choice for restoring elasticity and softness without the risk of "protein overload."
Performance
This is where Olaplex No. 5 truly proves its mettle, delivering transformative results that you can both see and feel.
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Savior for Damaged and Distressed Hair: This conditioner is at its absolute best when used on hair that needs it most. For those with hair that has been compromised by bleaching, frequent coloring, or relentless heat styling, the results are nothing short of miraculous. Our hands-on testing on heavily processed hair showed a dramatic reduction in frizz and flyaways, and split ends appeared sealed and smoothed. It takes tired, stressed-out hair and breathes new life into it.
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Softness and Manageability: The texture that Olaplex No. 5 leaves behind is its most addictive quality. Hair becomes exceptionally soft, smooth, and silky to the touch. It feels healthy, strong, and deeply nourished. This also translates to incredible manageability. Tangles and knots seem to melt away in the shower, which significantly reduces the mechanical breakage that can happen from aggressive brushing or combing.
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A Dream for Thick and Curly Hair: While it's great for many, those with thick, coarse, or curly hair textures will find this conditioner to be a holy grail product. It provides the intense dose of moisture and smoothing that these hair types crave. Curly-haired users on our team reported beautifully defined, bouncy, and frizz-free curls with a healthy, vibrant shine.
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A Gentle Caveat for the Finest Hair: The very thing that makes this conditioner a hero for damaged hair—its incredible richness and potency—is also why it can be too much for some. For those with very fine, thin, or naturally oily hair, the formula can feel a bit heavy, potentially weighing the hair down. It's for this reason—its status as a specialized treatment rather than a one-size-fits-all solution—that it earned the #2 spot. For this hair type, the brand’s lighter Nº. 5FINE version is the perfect, weightless alternative.
Getting the Most Out of Your Bottle
To unlock the full, transformative potential of this conditioner, a few best practices can make all the difference.
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Follow the Foundational Steps: For best results, use it after shampooing with the Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo. Squeeze the excess water from your hair, apply a generous amount from the mid-lengths to the ends, and leave it on for a minimum of three minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
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Use It as a Deep-Conditioning Mask: For an extra dose of repair and hydration, don’t be afraid to leave it on longer. In our experience, letting it sit for 5-10 minutes turns it into an intensive treatment mask. The 10-minute mark was the absolute sweet spot our team found for achieving the deepest level of softness and repair, especially on weekends when we had more time to indulge.
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Less Is More: Because the formula is so highly concentrated, you truly don’t need to go overboard. Start with a small, dime-sized dollop and work it through your hair. You can always add more if needed, but you’ll likely be surprised by how far a little bit goes.
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Ensure Even Distribution: This is a key pro tip! After applying the conditioner, use a wide-toothed comb to gently distribute the product through your hair while you’re still in the shower. This simple step ensures that every single strand is evenly coated in all that bond-building goodness, preventing the product from just sitting on the outer layers and maximizing its effectiveness.
Conclusion: The Runner Up
Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner secures its runner-up title because it delivers a rare combination of plush sensorial indulgence and measurable repair that our team could both feel and see throughout months of daily use. Its patented bond-building approach, luxe hydration profile, and color-safe credentials make it a powerhouse ally for anyone whose hair has crossed the threshold from slightly dry to truly distressed!
Yes, its rich body can overwhelm feather-light strands, and yes, the final drops refuse to surrender easily, but those quibbles pale beside the healthy shine, frizz control, and breakage reduction we logged after every wash. If your locks crave restorative TLC yet you still want that silky, camera-ready finish, No. 5 is the conditioner that does exactly that! 🎉🎉🎉