Olaplex No.3PLUS: what to know before you buy
What Olaplex says about No.3PLUS, the pre-shampoo treatment it says is replacing No.3: how it is used, what changed, and how it compares with alternatives.
Short answerOlaplex says No.3PLUS Complete Repair Treatment is replacing the original No.3 Hair Perfector. It is a 3-minute pre-shampoo treatment, used once every one to three washes, that the brand calls protein-free and color-safe, and Olaplex says No.0 is not needed alongside it. Amazon's listing for the original No.3 showed no offers at time of writing, so a shopper looking for it may need to compare No.3PLUS with other bond-repair products.
Compare the 7 picks
| Pick | Who it suits | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Olaplex No.3PLUS Complete Repair Treatment, 100 mL | Someone who wants the current Olaplex No.3 successor in the standard size. | Check price on Amazon |
| Olaplex No.3PLUS Complete Repair Treatment, 250 mL jumbo | Someone who has already decided on No.3PLUS and prefers the larger bottle. | Check price on Amazon |
| Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector (original) | Someone who specifically wants the original formula and accepts that stock may be limited. | Search Amazon for Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector (original) |
| Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo | Someone following Olaplex's suggested routine after the pre-shampoo step. | Check price on Amazon |
| Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner | Someone completing the same three-step system. | Check price on Amazon |
| K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask | Someone who would rather use a leave-in step than a pre-shampoo treatment. | Check price on Amazon |
| L'Oreal Paris EverPure Bond Repair+ Pre-Shampoo Concentrate | Someone who wants a pre-shampoo bond product from a mass-market line. | Check price on Amazon |
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On this page
What Olaplex says changed
- Replacement: Olaplex's No.3 vs No.3PLUS page answers yes when it asks whether No.3PLUS will replace the original, and calls it the next-generation version with an upgraded formula.
- Positioning, in Olaplex's own comparison table: No.3 is listed as hair rescue, focused on internal bond repair and targeting existing damage, best on colored or bleached hair, with a 3 to 10 minute application. No.3PLUS is listed as hair repair and protection, working inside and outside the strand, adding protection against future damage, for all hair types, with a 3 minute application.
- Directions: apply to wet hair before shampooing, leave on for 3 minutes, rinse, then shampoo and condition as usual. Olaplex says to use it once every 1 to 3 washes, and its product page adds that it can be used daily if desired.
- Claims: Olaplex says No.3PLUS is clinically proven to create 3X stronger hair after 4 uses and 3X softer hair, with the softness figure measured against bleached hair. Those are the brand's figures, not independent ones.
- Companions: Olaplex says No.0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment is not required with No.3PLUS, and suggests following it with No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner for best results.
- Sizes: Olaplex sells 100 mL and 250 mL jumbo sizes.
What to check before you buy
- Check the exact name. No.3 and No.3PLUS are different formulas with different directions, so follow the label of the bottle you own.
- Check the stock. At time of writing, Amazon's listing for the original No.3 100 mL showed out of stock with no offers, while the 100 mL and 250 mL No.3PLUS listings were in stock from Amazon.
- Weigh the source. The comparison above comes from Olaplex itself. This page has not checked it against independent testing, so read it as the brand's case for the new formula.
- It is a pre-shampoo step that you rinse out. If you want a product you leave in, the alternatives below include one.
No.3PLUS, its companions and alternatives
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Olaplex No.3PLUS Complete Repair Treatment, 100 mL
Who it suits: Someone who wants the current Olaplex No.3 successor in the standard size.
Olaplex calls it a protein-free, color-safe pre-shampoo treatment for all hair types, used for 3 minutes before shampooing. Amazon's listing repeats the every 1 to 3 washes or daily as desired directions.
Check price on AmazonAdd to Amazon cart We may earn a small referral fee
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Olaplex No.3PLUS Complete Repair Treatment, 250 mL jumbo
Who it suits: Someone who has already decided on No.3PLUS and prefers the larger bottle.
Same formula as the 100 mL, in the 250 mL jumbo size Olaplex lists on its own page. Amazon's listing describes the same 3-minute pre-shampoo use.
Check price on AmazonAdd to Amazon cart We may earn a small referral fee
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Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector (original)
Who it suits: Someone who specifically wants the original formula and accepts that stock may be limited.
Olaplex says No.3PLUS is replacing it, and Amazon's 100 mL listing for the original showed out of stock at time of writing. A search may turn up other sellers or remaining stock; check that the listing names No.3, not No.3PLUS.
Search Amazon for Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector (original) We may earn a small referral fee
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Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
Who it suits: Someone following Olaplex's suggested routine after the pre-shampoo step.
Olaplex's directions for No.3PLUS say to follow with No.4 for best results. Amazon's listing describes a color-safe, concentrated shampoo for daily use.
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Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
Who it suits: Someone completing the same three-step system.
Olaplex names No.5 as the conditioner to use after No.4. Amazon's listing says to apply it to mid-lengths and ends after shampooing, leave it on for 1 to 3 minutes and rinse well.
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K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
Who it suits: Someone who would rather use a leave-in step than a pre-shampoo treatment.
Amazon's listing describes a 4-minute leave-in peptide hair mask applied to clean, towel-dried hair after shampooing, not rinsed out. homewise has a separate K18 review and a bond-repair routine guide.
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L'Oreal Paris EverPure Bond Repair+ Pre-Shampoo Concentrate
Who it suits: Someone who wants a pre-shampoo bond product from a mass-market line.
Amazon's listing describes a sulfate-free pre-shampoo concentrate with a bond and amino acid complex for colored, bleached or damaged hair, applied to damp hair for 5 to 10 minutes before shampoo.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Olaplex No.3PLUS replacing Olaplex No.3?
Yes, according to Olaplex. Its No.3 vs No.3PLUS page says No.3PLUS is replacing the original No.3 Hair Perfector and describes it as the next-generation version with an upgraded formula. At time of writing, Amazon's original No.3 100 mL listing showed no offers.
How do you use Olaplex No.3PLUS?
Olaplex says to apply it to wet hair before shampooing, leave it on for 3 minutes, rinse, then shampoo and condition as usual. It recommends using it once every 1 to 3 washes and says it can be used daily if desired. Follow the label on your bottle.
Do you still need Olaplex No.0 with No.3PLUS?
No, according to Olaplex. The brand says No.0 was designed to be used alongside the original No.3 for an extra boost, and that No.3PLUS already delivers that enhanced performance on its own, so No.0 is not required.
What is the difference between Olaplex No.3 and No.3PLUS?
In Olaplex's own comparison, No.3 is a hair rescue treatment for colored or bleached hair with a 3 to 10 minute application, while No.3PLUS adds protection against future damage, is positioned for all hair types and takes 3 minutes. These are the brand's descriptions.
How we chose
This page is desk research. It draws on Olaplex's own No.3PLUS product page and its No.3 vs No.3PLUS article, and Amazon's product listings, and it attributes every claim to the brand or to the Amazon listing text. We did not test any of these products, and wear time, hold and results vary by person.
Listings, sellers and sizes change quickly. At time of writing (October 29, 2026), every "Check price on Amazon" button on this page went to an exact Amazon listing for the product named, new and in stock; the "Search Amazon for" button is a search because no exact listing could be confirmed. homewise is not affiliated with the brands named here. Confirm the exact name, size, shade and seller on the listing before you buy.