'The inventor of Olaplex just launched a new hair brand. I tried it — and here are my thoughts.'

I’m calling it. This new brand is about to be the next big thing in hair.

It's called epres, and it's created by the scientist and founder who actually invented the cult Olaplex formulation. 

His name is Dr Eric Pressley. 

Back in 2014, the material scientist created the famous bond-building technology behind Olaplex, which entered the market and went on to blow up the hair repair space. 

Since then, the industry has become populated with an array of different bond-building hair treatments from all different brands. There's a lot of stuff out there — and even as a beauty editor, I find it hella confusing. 

There are lots of steps. Lots of numbers. Lots of brands. Lots of pre-shampoos, leave-in conditioners, masks and creams. It's crowded — and to be honest, it can be very tricky to know what's worth your money.

And when I sat down with Dr Pressly last week, he said this is exactly why he decided to go back to the drawing board and create a new formula and brand.

"The level of performance was just not there," he told me. "I wanted to weed out the in-effective products and come up with something new."

Watch: 5 ways to lift your hair game. Post continues below.

So, he did.

It's called epres — and I have very high hopes for it. Because I reckon it's about to become HUGE. 

Dr Pressly essentially created the bond-building hair category. So, if there's someone who can change the hair repair game, it's probably going to be him.

Wanna find out what it's all about? Here are my honest thoughts on epres Bond Repair Treatment.

What is epres?

epres is a single, one-step bond building treatment that works on all hair types. Formulated by Dr Pressly, it contains only four 100 per cent vegan, biodegradable ingredients. 

It's aimed at repairing hair that is damaged from colour or heat (ME), and is all about making bond-building hair treatments simple and effective — because if it’s quick and easy, you’re more likely to use it.

The range consists of two different products using the same technology — an at-home one and a professional in-salon one (which is made to be combined with a chemical treatment to reduce damage to the hair).

The at-home kit epres Bond Repair Treatment Starter Kit is the one I tried. 

Image: Supplied.

It hit shelves on June 1 and retails for $98 online. The kit comes with a spray bottle and two vials of concentrate.

Image: Supplied.

One of the most interesting parts of this formulation is that it's one of the first acid-free hair solutions on the market. This means it won't alter the pH of your hair — so it won't cause damage to your hair instead of repairing it. 

It's also completely waterless, which the brand said makes it more sustainable.

How do you use it?

As mentioned, the kit contains two super high concentration vials. You take one of these vials, pour the whole thing into the spray bottle and add water. 

Each vial will last you for around two months — after which you can purchase refills and just re-use the spray bottle.

Image: Supplied

After adding water to the concentrate (omg — such a scientist!), you simply shake it up, and then spray it all over your (dry) hair until it’s drenched.

You then wait for 10 minutes (although, Dr Pressly said you can leave it in longer/overnight if you want to ramp up results) and then wash your hair as normal, with shampoo and conditioner.

He said to use the treatment once a week for best results.

How did you go with it?

Now, just a bit of a background on my hair. It's naturally quite dry and frizzy. Throws a bit of a curl. 

I recently gave it a chop, so it's a little healthier at the ends than it was before, but I do like to heat style the s**t out of it. After I wash it, I usually blow-dry and straighten it, otherwise it's Hagrid-level.

And when I can't be bothered styling it, I tend to wear it up and slicked-back in a low bun, or up in a claw-clip situation. 

So, yeah. My hair health could definitely be better.

I found the one-step process to be super simple. I sprayed it through my (dry) hair until it was sufficiently wet and popped it back in a bun while I made breakfast. I then jumped in the shower and washed my hair as normal.

I styled it as normal (blow dry and straighten), and here's what it looked like before and after:

Before and after using epres Bond Builder Treatment Starter Kit.

The verdict.

Now, the biggest thing for me with hair treatment is that although I try a lot of different products, I'm never consistent with anything. I always find that there are too many steps, it's too confusing and you don't know if you're using the wrong stuff.

With this, you can’t mess it up. You don’t have to pre-treat your hair; you don't have to wash your hair then apply it and stand in the shower waiting for it to... work. It's just super easy. 

I love that you don't have to mess around with creams and lotions all over your hands — you simply spray, brush it through and then wash it out.

While I can't speak to the long-term results (I've only started using it) I can say that my hair feels significantly softer, shinier and less frizzy. It just looks... better. Healthier. Stronger.

Before and after using epres Bond Builder Treatment Starter Kit.

In my honest opinion, I find this easier to use than other treatments on the market — including Olaplex. 

I can see myself being consistent with this, and the fact that you only need to use it once a week is *actually* doable.

Have you tried the new epres treatment? Or do you have a favourite bond-building treatment? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Supplied.

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