New Size, New Formula?
This week, a 525 ml salon size of Olaplex No. 1 Bond Multiplier and Olaplex No. 2 Bond Perfector hit the European market via Newflag. The question immediately buzzing through salon forums: has Olaplex reformulated the products – or is this purely a packaging update? We compared the INCI lists of the current 525 ml batch against the original formulations documented on Incidecoder.
In short: the active core remains identical. The patented bond-building molecule Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate is still the sole active in both products.
Olaplex No. 1 Bond Multiplier – The INCI Check
The Bond Multiplier remains a minimalist, water-based solution with only four ingredients. Both the original formulation filed on Incidecoder and the current 525 ml salon product list exactly the same components.
Interim verdict: No reformulation – the same four-ingredient recipe in a larger professional bottle.
Olaplex No. 2 Bond Perfector – The INCI Check
The creamy Bond Perfector has a noticeably longer ingredient list, since emulsifiers, conditioning agents and fragrance are added. Comparing the Incidecoder reference with the current 525 ml listings shows a virtually identical formula.
Matching Core Ingredients
- Active: Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate – identical to No. 1
- Emulsifier and conditioning base: Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-91, Polyquaternium-37
- Care agents and antioxidants: Panthenol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol
- Preservatives and chelators: Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Etidronic Acid
- Fragrance components: Fragrance (Parfum), Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Benzoate
The Lilial Note for the EU Market
One ingredient worth flagging is the fragrance Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial), which appears in all No. 2 variants listed in the referenced sources. Salons in Germany and the wider EU should therefore check the batch label of the new 525 ml stock to confirm market compliance.
What This Means for Salons and End Users
From an INCI perspective, the new 525 ml product is not a genuine product innovation but a size and packaging variant of the established formula. The mechanism of action – stabilising and repairing disulfide bonds via Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate – remains fully intact. For salon practice, this means: mixing ratios, processing times and combinations with lighteners or colour services do not need to be adjusted.
pH Plex as a Thought-Through Alternative
While Olaplex No. 1 relies on a four-ingredient system with a single active molecule, pH Plex takes a multi-stage approach that combines bond repair with active pH management. Especially for severely damaged or repeatedly bleached hair, a combined strategy of bond building and pH buffering can be a sensible, salon-grade upgrade. Anyone evaluating the current Newflag stock should therefore look beyond bottle size and pay attention to the active-ingredient architecture and the EU compliance of the fragrance profile.
Practice FAQ
Did Olaplex change the formula in 2026?
No. The INCI lists of the 525 ml product match the original.
What should I look for in the new salon size?
The fragrance declaration – in particular Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial) – and the EU market compliance of the specific batch.
Is pH Plex compatible with Olaplex?
Because the active-ingredient approach differs, the systems should not be mixed but used in a targeted way – pH Plex for multi-stage bond and pH care, Olaplex as a classic bond multiplier.