The Tamesis
Today, “making the connection” appears in dozens of hair care products and is often used as shorthand for strengthening or repairing hair. Olaplex’s technology (which is patented) specifically reconnects disulfide bonds within the hair’s structure, while many competing products use the term more loosely.
But Baldwin knew it wasn’t enough to be No. 1. “It’s not enough to say we’re original,” she said. “Our job is to lead the category.”
Part of that effort includes returning to the professional community – with stylists like Halley Brisker, Jacob Schwartz and Tracey Cunningham serving as key ambassadors – to rebuild the salon’s credibility, drive stylist-led recognition and reaffirm the brand’s professional roots. Research shows that consumers are more likely to buy from people they believe to be trustworthy, knowledgeable or familiar, which seems like a smart move.
“Most people have a relationship with their hairstylist,” says Baldwin. “The connection between people is very special and we want to protect that relationship. We say, ‘Protect the important bonds of hair and chairs.'”
This thinking is reflected in the brand’s latest advertising campaign, which features comedian Chloe Fineman, an Olaplex user and its colorist Schwartz as an ambassador, cleverly using humor to make its science more accessible.
The hero returns
The relaunch of Olaplex’s No.3 treatment, now reformulated and renamed No.3Plus, reflects this broader strategy.
The product has long been one of the brand’s best-known formulas and is often credited with introducing consumers to the idea of home bond repair. It’s also the center of a lawsuit, even though the ingredients in question were removed before being reformulated. Baldwin said revisiting it was both a symbolic and practical decision.
“If you’re an innovation-led company, your hero product is never finished,” she says—a philosophy she inherited from Supergoop, where recipes are constantly updated and improved. The new version builds on the original bond repair technology while helping to prevent future damage – the job now takes just three minutes to complete instead of the 10 minutes it previously took.
