If your hair is dry, damaged, and frizzy all at once, the most common question is: “Should I get Olaplex or a Brazilian Blowout?” The short answer is that they aren’t really competitors, because they solve different problems. Olaplex repairs the bonds inside each strand to restore strength and reduce breakage, while a Brazilian Blowout coats and smooths the surface of the hair to cut frizz and make it easier to manage. If the main issue is that your hair is “damaged and brittle,” start with Olaplex; if it’s “frizzy and hard to control,” a Brazilian Blowout is the better fit.
How Olaplex works
Hair gets its strength from internal links called disulfide bonds, which hold its structure together. Bleaching, colouring, perming, or straightening, along with the heat and chemicals involved, break these bonds, leaving hair brittle, prone to snapping, less elastic, and rough to the touch.
Olaplex is a “bond builder” that reconnects those broken bonds from the inside. The result is hair that is stronger, more elastic, and less likely to break, which makes it ideal after bleaching or going lighter, for hair that has been through repeated chemical services, or for strands so fragile they snap when you comb them.
The key thing to understand is that Olaplex is not a straightener and does not remove frizz on its own. It restores health and strength, but it won’t instantly make hair sleek or poker-straight. In a professional setting it’s often paired with other care systems, such as Milbon or Schwarzkopf, to nourish the hair and finish it with a smoother feel.
How a Brazilian Blowout works
A Brazilian Blowout is a keratin smoothing treatment that works on a different layer than Olaplex. It targets the outer surface of the strand (the cuticle), coating and flattening it, then sealing it with heat. The result is less frizz, more shine, a silkier feel, faster styling, and hair that looks straighter, especially on humid days.
Its real strength is everyday manageability: hair dries faster, takes less time with a blow-dryer, and behaves better. It suits thick hair, wavy or curly hair, and frizz that simply won’t stay down. Results typically last from several weeks to a few months. It’s semi-permanent and fades gradually with washing rather than growing out in a hard line.
But a Brazilian Blowout does not repair internal damage. If your hair is already brittle or breaking, smoothing the surface will make it look better for a while, but it won’t fix the root cause.
How to choose
- The problem is damage, breakage, or brittleness after bleaching or colouring → start with Olaplex, because strength has to come back first.
- The problem is frizz, hard-to-style texture, or humidity → choose a Brazilian Blowout, which addresses surface feel and manageability directly.
- Long, thick, or heavy hair that’s hard to style → a Brazilian Blowout can help, but ask your stylist how often to repeat it.
Can you do both?
Yes, and it’s often the best option, because the two are complementary. The general principle is repair first, then smooth: use Olaplex to bring back strength so the hair is ready for more work, then do the Brazilian Blowout to handle frizz and shine. Timing and spacing affect the outcome, so a good stylist will always assess your hair in person to decide where to start and how long to wait between services. At FMG we offer both — see the services & price menu — and we often build them into an ongoing plan tailored to each person’s hair. Book a consultation at either Bangkok branch.
After a treatment or colour, home care matters just as much — read on in how to keep your hair colour vibrant for longer.