An ultimate primer on hair bonds and bond-builders
It’s not uncommon for hair to be frizzy, damaged, dry or brittle for most parts of the year, particularly if you live in the city. Add the stress, unhealthy lifestyle, lack of awareness and an inappropriate hair care regimen, and it makes for the perfect recipe for a distorted mane. For each of the tresses that appear dry and unmanageable macroscopically, there is a mutilated hair bond that may, perhaps, only be visible microscopically.
But what exactly is a hair bond? It refers to a link of proteins, also known as chemical bonds, that hold the various layers of keratin, namely the cuticle (outermost layer), cortex (the layer beneath the cuticle) and medulla (the innermost layer) together. Bonds can be of three types, explains Maleeha Jafferbhoy, style director at Jean Claude Biguine Salons India. “Disulphide bonds are the strongest bonds that stabilise the protein chains and contribute to overall health and elasticity of the hair; hydrogen bonds are responsible for hair’s resistance to external elements such as water and heat; and salt bonds, also the weakest bonds, tend to break when the hair is too acidic or alkaline.”
With locations that can get so remote, reaching these layers and chemical bonds becomes tricky, especially for hair wash products with basic formulations. That’s when you say hello to bond-builders. “Bond-builders are created to target the different chemical bonds that exist in our hair naturally. Such products contain amino acids which are the building blocks of protein, that improve the health of the hair by repairing it,” says Jafferbhoy. “The protein-rich formulations are designed to repair damaged, over-processed hair from bleach or excessive heat styling.”
She informs us that this category of products can include, but is not limited to, shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, oils and styling creams. The hair expert also apprises that your regular hair mask and conditioner may not make the cut when it comes to bond-repairing and that such products are equally advisable for virgin (untreated) hair.
We collate a list of the most effective bond-building products that need to be a part of your hair care routine, pronto.
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Botanical Repair Intensive Strengthening Masque: Rich, Aveda
If you’re particular about clean formulations but hate giving efficacy a miss in the bargain, this multiple award-winning hair mask from Aveda harnesses the power of botanical extracts and butters to boost the nourishing and cushioning properties of the masque, penetrating all the layers of your hair. The butter-textured mask is heavy on moisture and is best suited for medium to thick hair; fine hair could make use of the same mask in the variant ‘light’.
Priced at ₹4,750
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Nº.3 Hair Perfector, OLAPLEX
Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Drew Barrymore swear by this product from OLAPLEX, a brand that thrives on bond-building formulations. Like any other bond-builder, this one contains a patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™ that claims to visibly smoothen and strengthen your tresses by initiating the molecular level repair. The vegan and pH-balanced formulation features ingredients like jojoba seed oil, aloe vera juice, vitamin E and glycerin and is best applied on clean, damp hair for about 10-20 minutes. Remember, it’s a weekly at-home treatment and not a replacement for your conditioner.
Priced at ₹2,950
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Triple Brazilian Butter Hair Repair Treatment Mask, Sol de Janeiro
Pollution and other environmental aggressors take a toll on your hair quality even before you know it. One of the solutions to reverse the damage is a monthly hair-enriching hair spa at the salon and an intense hair-repairing mask for at-home care. The Triple Brazilian Butter ™ Hair Repair Treatment makes the cut for the latter as it coalesces murumuru butter, Capaçu butter and Tucumã butter to shower your mane with intensive nourishment, sufficient enough for deep conditioning and damage reduction. It also smells delicious, giving you an immersive spa-like experience in a finger snap.
Prices start at ₹1,400
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Maleic Bond Repair Complex 5% Serum With Amino Acids, Minimalist
Malic or maleic acid may have just received its due recognition as a skin-enricher and homegrown, science-backed brand Minimalist has already integrated the ingredient into a solid bond-builder. In combination with amino acids, coconut oil, argan oil, soybean oil and transglutaminase (an enzyme that speeds up bond-building amongst proteins), this pre-wash hair serum targets weak and breakage-prone bonds and frizz and fortifies them with a nourishing oil-based formula. However, be sure to rinse this off in exactly an hour with a deep-cleansing shampoo.
Priced at ₹499
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Discipline Bain Fluidealiste Gentle Shampoo, Kérastase
Frizz and unruly hair are key touchstones of damaged hair bonds. So give this gentle, sulphate-free shampoo a shot for it is infused with a keratin complex (a critical protein for bond repair) and ingredients like wheat protein and amino acids that improve the tensile strength of your hair and alleviates hyper frizz caused due to lack of moisture. It’s a given that you ought to follow up with a nourishment-heavy mask to enhance its softening effect.
Priced at ₹2,450
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Amino Acid Scalp Moisture-Restoring Treatment Mask, Kiehl’s
Amino acids can be much more advantageous for hair bond repair than you think, given that they are the building blocks of the proteins in your hair. This hair mask is equivalent to a potent treatment for dry and damaged hair as it boasts the combined forces of amino acids, coconut oil, hydrolysed soy and wheat protein, shea butter and glycerin. It can also be slathered on the scalp, making it a holistic remedy for a lifeless mane.
Priced at ₹2,600 approximately
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Liss Unlimited Professionel Hair Mask, L’Oreal Professionnel
If your hair is easily susceptible to dryness, damage, breakage and split ends despite using a shampoo and conditioner, chances are you might need a high-octane hair mask that can soften and smoothen your hair from the very first use. This one from L’Oréal Professionnel tackles roughness and attrition with a blend of pro-keratin and fatty acid-rich kukui nut oil, evening primrose oil, olive fruit oil and vitamin E.
Priced at ₹950
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Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask, K18
Your hunt for that one do-it-all hair care product might come to an end with this hair mask that does everything you’d expect it to, and more. The hair mask makes use of the brand’s patented K18 Peptide™ which works upon improving the hair’s elasticity and strength while giving it a softer look and bouncier feel. This leave-on hair enricher can be put to use by every hair type for its formulation factors in it all—from chemically treated and coloured hair to fine, brittle hair. The key? Use the right amount for your hair type, starting from one pump for shorter/finer hair.
Priced at ₹5,625
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