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In this K18 hair review, I am going to focus specifically on my K18 before and after results using the award winning K18 hair treatment.
Keep reading to find out if K18 is worth it, how to use the K18 hair mask, and why there are so many glowing K18 reviews. I’ve also included K18 before and after images so you can see my K18 results after using the product just once.
What is K18 or a K18 hair treatment?
Before we get into my K18 before and after results, I want to share exactly what the K18 hair treatment is and how it works. K18 biomimetic hairscience, or K18 for short, launched in late 2020. Since then, K18 has received raving K18 hair reviews, primarily for their at home K18 treatment for hair.
One of the best things about K18 is that it is suitable for all hair types including curly hair, coily hair, straight hair, blonde hair, fine hair, thick hair and more!
The K18 treatment works at the innermost layers of the hair fiber to reconnect broken polypeptide chains, restoring hair strength and elasticity. Poly-peptide chains and disulfide bonds can often be broken during bleaching, color service, chemical services, chemical treatments, mechanical damage (think vigorous brushing of curly hair), and through heat damage.
K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask comes to the rescue, even after a first time wash. My hair felt noticeably smoother and repaired after my first use of this hair treatment. As you see in my K18 before and after results, my curls were so defined after using the K18 at home treatment for just 4 minutes!
K18 is not a bond-building product, it is a reparative leave-in treatment that targets the inner polypeptide chains instead of the cortex, where the disulphide bond repair products work.
This is one of the best products I have found to quickly resurrect my hair after hair damage using only a very small amount of product! As you’ll see from my K18 before and after photos below, K18 biomimetic hair science works really well on curly hair.
My K18 Reviews
Without further ado, let’s get to my K18 reviews. I’ve include my most asked question, “is K18 worth it?” along with some other frequently asked questions on K18. While this K18 review is primarily about the award winning K18 mask, I have included a quick K18 review on K18 shampoos.
To start this K18 review, I wanted to show you evidence of the K18 results that I saw after just using the reparative mask once.
K18 Before and After Photos – My K18 Results
As you can see from my K18 before and after photos, K18 hair treatment does great things for my hair. It works on a molecular level to repair damage from chemical services, heat styling and general mechanical damage.
The K18 hair treatment has become a regular hair product in my haircare routine. It is the perfect leave-in product that allows me to quickly do a hair treatment in 4 minutes. My hair feels so good after using K18. I also see reduced frizz anytime I use K18. I love my K18 results!
Some notes about my K18 before and after results:
- This was my first time using K18
- I used a clarifying shampoo prior to my K18 hair treatment so I could remove any product build up from styling my curly hair. The peptide treatment can then really penetrate to the polypeptide chains. I love this clarifying shampoo.
- I left the K18 treatment on for 4 minutes before brushing my hair.
- These K18 before and after photos were taken on the same day within a few hours of each other. I let my hair air dry before taking my K18 after photo.
The K18 before and after photos show the curl definition after using the K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask. You can also see in the K18 results photos that my hair is less frizzy and looks healthier. I recorded this video the first time I used the K18 treatment. K18’s hair mask is one of my favorite leave-in hair masks.
For more upclose K18 before and after results, see my photos below:
Is K18 worth it?
Before we get into all the details of the K18 hair mask, I wanted to quickly share my thoughts on “is K18 worth it”? Yes, K18 is worth it! With the K18 hair treatment, a little product goes a long way, it is so quick to use (results in 4 minutes!)
K18 works on all hair types and it is the perfect hair treatment if you are tired of standing in the shower waiting for your regular hair mask to show results. You can apply K18 after you get out of the shower so it’s super quick and easy to use. My curls are always noticeably more defined after I use K18 hair treatment. You can clearly see this in the K18 before and after photos above.
How to use the K18 hair mask
K18 directions are very easy to follow. The K18 treatment is one of the quickest hair masks I have ever used where I saw instant & noticeable results after just 4 minutes.
To use the K18 mask properly, follow these K18 instructions:
- Shampoo your hair as normal. You can use your regular shampoo or use a K18 shampoo. You will see results regardless of the shampoo you use.
- Do not condition your hair after shampooing.
- On towel-dried hair, add one pump of K18.
- How much K18 to use is a popular question so begin with one pump and add more as needed depending on length, thickness, and condition. Work evenly into hair from ends to roots, one pump at a time. The maximum dosage of K18 is 3 pumps.
- Let the K18 treatment sit for 4 minutes.
- You do not need to rinse out your K18 treatment.
- After a quick 4 minutes, you are good to go. You do not need to use conditioner when you use this K18 hair treatment.
- You can comb and style your hair as usual using your regular hair products e.g. heat protectant, hair oil or any styling products.
How often should you use K18?
For best results, use K18 for the first 4-6 consecutive washes when you first use it, then as needed. I generally use K18 every 1-2 weeks and see great results. I have the full size product which lasts me months (even with all my thick, long hair) and it works to repair damage with each use.
Even if you have very damaged, color-treated hair, you only need max 3 pumps off K18 each time. You do not need much product to see results as the K18 mask is highly concentrated.
A lot of times with traditional hair masks, you avoid the top of your hair. You can apply K18 molecular repair mask to the top of your hair also. It will not make your hair look greasy.
If you use a lot of hair styling products and dry shampoo, it might be a good idea to wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove the build up. This will allow the K18 hair treatment to really penetrate the hair.
You must wash your hair with shampoo first to see the best results. Do not apply K18 to dry hair or before shampooing.
K18 leave in treatment is a very easy hair mask to use which is why this is a glowing K18 hair mask review!
Does K18 work?
As you can see from my K18 before and after results, K18 works. K18 gives amazing results for such a small and quick product. It is 100% one of the best hair care products at Sephora. K18 really works!
K18 ingredients
The hero K18 ingredient in the K18 hair treatment is h-Oligopeptide-78 (K18Peptide™). Here is a full list of K18 treatment ingredients:
Water (Aqua) (Eau), Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20,sh-Oligopeptide-78 (K18Peptide™), Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Isopropyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Fragrance (Parfum), Geraniol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol.
K18 v Olaplex
Another popular question regarding K18 is which is better: K18 v Olaplex?
K18 and Olaplex are different in lots of ways. The best comparison of two products you can make is K18 vs Olaplex 3 as they both target hair damage. I love both K18 and Olaplex and use them both for different reasons.
So if you are wondering if K18 is better than Olaplex, the good news is you can use K18 and Olaplex together and at different times and for different reasons. You can use the K18 treatment and e.g. Olaplex No.6 oil as a styling product.
In this K18 hair review, I am focused on the K18 hair mask. This is a very quick and easy hair mask to use as you use it after you have shampooed your hair. It only takes four minutes to use.
Olaplex 3 is the most comparable to the K18 treatment. For Olaplex 3, you need to wet your hair first, apply for 10 minutes and then shampoo out. K18 is quicker than Olaplex 3 and penetrates deeper to the polypeptide chains. Olaplex 3 is a bond builder and repairs bonds at the cortex. K18 repairs at a deeper level than Olaplex 3.
Olaplex 3 is less than half of the price of K18, which is another difference to consider. In short, I love both K18 and Olaplex and use them both depending on how much time I have. I have seen great results with both.
Other K18 products
The K18 treatment was the first at home product that K18 brought out. They have since brought out two different K18 shampoos.
The K18 peptide prep detox shampoo is a color-safe, non-stripping clarifying shampoo with the K18PEPTIDE. This K18 detox shampoo is designed to clarify hair of product buildup, excess oil, and metals common in tap and hard water.
The K18 shampoo has a pH-optimized formula that is color-safe and won’t leave hair over-stripped or easily tangled. You only need to use a clarifying shampoo once per week max, or less depending on your use of hair styling products etc.
The K18 Peptide Prep PH maintenance shampoo is the second K18 shampoo available. It is a color-safe, pH-optimized cleansing shampoo formulated with K18PEPTIDE. You can use this K18 shampoo every time you wash your hair.
Both of the K18 shampoos are suitable for all hair types, including curly hair. You can use these shampoos with the K18 peptide treatment or you can use your regular shampoo.
There is no K18 conditioner at the moment. Some people refer to the K18 hair treatment as the K18 leave in conditioner, but it is a mask and not a conditioner. The K18 hair mask penetrates each hair strand far more than a conditioner.
There are also K18 hair products for professional use.
Who sells K18 hair products?
If you are looking for where to buy K18 products, Sephora is a great spot to stock up on all your hair care products, including K18.
K18 products are some of the best products at Sephora.
K18 treatment for hair comes in both a full size (50 ml of product) and a cute K18 travel size (15 ml of product). If you are still on the fence after reading this K18 review, try out the K18 travel size first, and then you can buy the full size at a later point.
My Overall K18 Review
As you can see this is a glowing K18 review! I have loved the results from the K18 hair mask. I love using this award-winning hair care product in my anti-frizz hair care routine. While lots of hair masks focus on the outside of your hair, K18 is different as it focuses on the innermost layers of hair, which results in lasting impact. You only need 1-3 pumps of product to repair damage with their patented peptide.
As you saw from the K18 instructions above, K18 is so easy to pop on right after you shampoo. No rinsing needed! If your still wondering does K18 really work? Yes, it does! Watch my video here to see the results of K18.
To finish off my K18 review, I am going to answer some frequently asked questions on K18!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is K18 a protein treatment?
K18 is not a protein treatment. K18 is made up of 13 amino acids which form into a peptide chain. This technology regenerates the disulfide bond in the hair.
Is K18 suitable for curly hair?
Yes, K18 works perfectly with curly hair! As you can see from my K18 before and after pictures, K18 makes my curls more defined and my hair looks much healthier.
Can K18 damage hair?
K18 repairs damage in the hair! K18 does not damage hair.
Who owns K18?
K18 was set up in late 2020 by Britta Cox and Suveen Sahib. This pair also created the Aquis hair towel (which I love!)
Is K18 a bonding treatment?
No, K18 works at a deeper level than a bonding treatment. K18 works to molecularly change and repair the polypeptide chains that have been broken, as well as reconnecting the disulfide bonds. A bonding treatment repairs disufide bonds but does not penetrate deeper than the cortex.
Can you use K18 on dry hair?
No, your hair needs to be washed with shampoo and towel-dried prior to using K18. This allows the K18 hair treatment to work it’s magic on clean hair.
Is K18 a heat protectant?
No, K18 is not a heat protectant. You need to use heat protectant on your hair after using K18. Make sure to wait 4 minutes before combing or adding any other styling products to your hair. If you are looking for a great heat protectant, try out this one from Moroccan Oil or Olaplex 9.
Is K18 worth it?
Yes, K18 is worth it! While it may seem a little expensive, you’ll get many washes from one K18 product. K18 results are worth the price tag.
Hope you enjoyed reading my K18 hair mask reviews. As I mentioned above, I believe K18 is worth it. As you see in my K18 before and after pictures there was such an noticeable difference after using K18 just once.
If you have any questions about my K18 Review, K18 products in general, or all things hair care, please reach out via Instagram or my contact page. I’d love to help!
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Thank you to K18 for gifting me this product for review purposes.
