Having straightened my hair since early tweendom, my natural curls were overdue a heat-free break. So, when summer rolled around, I committed to taking my hair restoration journey seriously. No more tools – just hair-loving products, protective hairstyles and praying for my natural curls to bounce back. 

Four months (and a lot of experimentation) later, I had discovered a routine that kept my hair shiny, frizz-free and feeling stronger with each wash. Enter the Revolution Haircare Plex shampoo and conditioner. At £10 a pop, I bought them having heard friends rave about the bond-repairing technology.

What are hair bonds?

Hair is made up of a protein called keratin. Hair bonds are the chemical bonds that hold the keratin chain together. These bonds are responsible for how strong hair is, as well as its elasticity, shape and shine.

When we speak about hair being “damaged” (either by excessive heat, chemical processes and colouring treatments), we’re actually referring to these bonds being broken. 

How do hair bonds break?

There are three types of hair bonds: salt, hydrogen and disulphide bonds. The way we treat our hair will determine which of these hair bonds is likely to break. 

For those of us with heat damage, it’s likely that the broken bonds are hydrogen or salt bonds. These are weaker bonds that break when the hair becomes wet and come back together when dry.

Or, if you treat your hair with chemical treatments (colour, straightening, perming or relaxing), the broken bonds are most likely disulphide bonds. These bonds are stronger and dictate how strong your hair is. 

Can you repair broken bonds?

Yes. Recently, bond repairing products have had a surge in popularity due to the transformational effect they have on broken, damaged hair. Working by repairing the hair on a structural level, bond repairing shampoos, conditioners and treatments bring bonds back together to leave hair shinier, more supple and much stronger. 

Using the Revolution Haircare Plex range to repair broken bonds

After the first wash, I could feel a difference. My fine, naturally curly hair dried with more shine, lightness and moisture and it remained that way after sleeping on it, too. After a month of use, I was most impressed by how much the non-colour treated parts of my hair had visually improved, too. My hair was softer, my curls more defined and the area around the crown of my head much less frizzy. In pictures, the sections of my hair treated with bleach appeared less puffy and dry. 

Designed to restore the hair fibre from within, the Revolution Haircare Plex products work in a similar way to other protein-rich products – penetrating the layers of the hair and bringing broken internal bonds back together. Hardworking ingredients (Phytantriol and Provitamin B5, to be precise) keep hair healthy and moisturised, while the added conditioning properties smooth and soften stressed hair shafts.

These two products (the shampoo and conditioner), in particular, are a great option for anyone looking for a more affordable bond-repair alternative or who has heat or chemically damaged hair and wants to make sure they’re giving it the best chance of getting back to peak health. 

The Revolution Haircare Plex range can be found at Boots, Superdrug and online.