Frequently asked questions

It's a peptide-driven hydration treatment that does deep-conditioner work and then more. Conditioner coats the cuticle from the outside; AquaLush's peptides slip inside the fiber and bond to keratin sites in the cortex while the lipid and humectant system handles hydration. For weekly washers, it's the wash-day conditioning step; for daily washers, it replaces conditioner once a week as the deeper treatment moment.

Jojoba's molecular structure mirrors human sebum more closely than any other plant oil — it integrates with the natural lipid layer rather than coating over it. Argan is heavier and more occlusive; coconut is comedogenic for some scalps and penetrates deeply enough to displace moisture rather than seal it. Jojoba is the cleaner match for the job Renew is doing: replace the lipid layer porous hair has chemically lost, without changing the fiber's own chemistry.

Heat protectants coat the cuticle with silicone or polymer to reduce heat transfer. Chemical Addiction does that plus loads the fiber with peptides — Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 — before the damage event, so bond reinforcement is in place before heat, color, or chemistry hits. It's pre-damage strengthening, not just pre-damage shielding. Most heat protectants are reactive; this is preventive.

Yes. Each step is engineered to work alone — Atomic alone delivers daily peptide repair, Renew alone seals porosity on dry hair, AquaLush alone delivers a weekly hydration intensive. Skipping reduces compounding; pairing increases it. For type 4 wash-day routines specifically, the "daily" steps don't need to be done daily — they stack on wash day and serve different functions across a single ritual.

Depends on the hair. For visibly damaged or chemically-processed hair of any texture: Atomic Hair Repair Leave-In. For type 3 or 4 hair on a weekly-wash cadence: AquaLush. For high-porosity hair with dry ends: Renew. For frequent heat-stylers: Chemical Addiction. For buildup issues or pre-takedown clarifying: Pure Detox. The System Intro Kit covers all five steps at once if you want the whole architecture in one purchase.

The "weekly intensive" descriptor reflects the most common cadence across hair types, not a frequency limit. For type 3 and 4 hair on a weekly-wash routine, AquaLush is the conditioning step — used every wash. For heavily damaged or chemically-processed hair, twice a week is standard. The functional cap is around 2–3 uses per week, where peptide saturation plateaus; beyond that, more frequent use is unnecessary, not unsafe.

Yes. The system was built around peptide and lipid mechanics, not around wash frequency. For weekly washers — which is the type 4 default by design, not exception — the five "daily" steps stack on wash day: Pure Detox to clarify if needed, AquaLush as the conditioning step, Atomic on damp hair, Renew on ends, Chemical Addiction before any heat. Total Refresh Shampoo and Conditioner enter the rotation between wash days only if you co-wash mid-week.

No. Daily washing is the system's upper limit, not its baseline. Total Refresh Shampoo and Conditioner are calibrated for daily safety — no over-stripping at pH 5.0–5.5 cleansing and pH 3.5–4.5 sealing — which means once-a-week, twice-a-month, and daily are all valid cadences. The chemistry doesn't penalize you for washing less.

Yes — that's the system's strength for stretchers. Atomic refreshes dry hair mid-stretch (mist with water, apply to damp ends); Renew restores shine at any point; Chemical Addiction protects through styling and dry refreshes. The peptide layer compounds across stretched days because it bonds inside the fiber, not on the surface, so it doesn't wash out between wash sessions.

Three products handle the in-install routine — Pure Detox with a scalp brush for weekly scalp clarifying, Renew daily on exposed ends, Atomic misted onto natural hair where exposed (skip Atomic on sew-ins and wigs except during cleanse sessions). For the full week-by-week protocol, see the protective-style routine guide; for the takedown wash and recovery routine, see after the takedown.

Sebum migration and porosity-balance shifts. By day 3, your scalp's natural sebum has typically reached mid-lengths on straighter textures; on coily textures, sebum doesn't naturally travel down the strand and you may feel dryness instead. Mist with water plus 2–3 pumps of Atomic on damp ends as the day-3 refresh. Avoid over-correcting with heavy product — that's how buildup compounds before your next wash.

Yes. The system was built around oligopeptides plus lipids — a chemistry that high-porosity coily hair actually benefits from more, not less. Peptides slip past the cuticle and bond to broken keratin sites inside the cortex; lipids (jojoba in Renew, shea and marula in Total Refresh Conditioner, avocado and murumuru in AquaLush) replace what high-porosity hair has lost. Where the system needs adjusting for type 4 is cadence and dosing, not chemistry — see the Wash Cadence and Specific Products sections below.

Yes, with adjustments. Pure Detox is the highest-leverage product for in-style scalp care — applied with a scalp brush during braids, twists, or locs, it lifts buildup at the scalp without disturbing the style. AquaLush replaces conditioner on takedown wash days; Atomic refreshes mid-style on damp hair via a spray bottle for braids or twists; Renew seals exposed ends inside an install. For sew-ins and wigs, the focus is the natural hair underneath during cleanse sessions. For the full week-by-week routine during a protective install, see our protective-style routine guide.

Yes, with install-type guidance. For sew-ins, clip-ins, and bead or micro-link extensions, all products work as written — treat the extensions like the natural hair underneath. For tape-ins and keratin-bonded extensions, the adhesive bond is the only sensitive zone: avoid applying Pure Detox, AquaLush, Renew, or Chemical Addiction directly to the 1–2 inch bonded area, since clarifiers, silicones, and oils can compromise adhesive strength. Apply mid-lengths to ends instead. Sulfate-free Total Refresh Shampoo and its matched Conditioner are safe across the full strand. For lace wigs, treat the natural hair underneath during cleanse sessions. Stylists working with extensions are part of the development conversation — if you have a specific install type and want guidance, hi@oligclub.com is the inbox.

Atomic: 5–8 pumps on damp hair for high-density type 4, not the 3–4 pump default for "long or thick." Renew: 8–10 drops for ends-sealing on type 4, not the 2–4 drop default — the dosing ladder extends. AquaLush: a generous palmful, not the standard handful, since coily hair has more surface area per inch and absorbs more.

Yes. For type 3 and 4 readers who co-wash, AquaLush is built for it — peptide-driven hydration with the slip and lipid system a co-wash needs to detangle and define. Rinse hair thoroughly with water first (skip the shampoo), apply a generous palmful mid-lengths to ends, finger-detangle, wait 5–10 minutes, rinse cool. For weekly-wash routines, AquaLush is the wash-day conditioning step itself, not a supplement to it.

Shrinkage is a property of healthy coily hair, not a problem the system is trying to fix — Oli G doesn't claim to stretch or elongate. For definition, AquaLush plus Renew is the pair: AquaLush hydrates the fiber from inside, Renew seals the cuticle outside, definition holds longer. For moisture retention, the peptide layer matters more than the moisture step alone — Atomic on damp hair before any styling cream locks structural repair under whatever product follows.

Both, with mechanics that shift. Relaxed type 4 hair is high-porosity by definition — sodium hydroxide permanently opens the cuticle — so peptides and lipids are core daily maintenance, not optional. Natural type 4 hair benefits from the same chemistry but on a weekly-wash cadence with co-wash methods. See "Pre-relaxer routine" and "Post-relaxer" in Chemical Services for the relaxed-hair specifics.

Real, with the caveat we're transparent about. The peptide-plus-lipid chemistry works across textures, porosities, and chemical services — that part is substantiated by formulation choices, not by marketing language. Where Oli G has historically fallen short is in showing how the system works for textured hair specifically, which is what this FAQ is. The chemistry was always inclusive; the copy is catching up.

Three steps in the week before service. Day 7 before: Pure Detox to clarify — mineral and product buildup interferes with relaxer penetration. Day 3–5 before: AquaLush for 10 minutes to load the fiber with peptides and lipids the relaxer will strip. Day-of: Chemical Addiction sprayed on dry hair before the stylist applies the base oil, to add peptide bonding under the protective barrier. Don't apply oil or heavy leave-ins within 48 hours of service — they can block relaxer chemistry from doing its job evenly.

First wash day post-service: Pure Detox to clear residual relaxer pH, then AquaLush for 10 minutes to flood the now-permanently-porous fiber with peptides and lipids. Atomic daily on damp hair from day one. Renew on ends nightly until the cuticle re-sets (usually 2–3 weeks). Total Refresh Conditioner replaces AquaLush wash-to-wash after the first post-service wash — its acidic pH (3.5–4.5) helps close the cuticle that the relaxer raised.

No. All formulas are tested across color, balayage, gloss, keratin, and bleach services. Pure Detox the week before clarifies; Chemical Addiction the day-of adds peptide bonding under the service; everything else (Atomic, Renew, Total Refresh, AquaLush) is safe at any point in the post-service cycle. Avoid clarifying within 7 days after fresh color, since deep-cleaning a fresh deposit can shorten color longevity.

24 hours for color, keratin, and relaxer for safety; 48–72 hours is better, since the cuticle needs time to re-set. Atomic and AquaLush in particular bond more effectively when the fiber isn't still swelling from service chemistry. For bleach specifically, start the system the next day — bleached hair needs the peptides immediately, not on a delay.

The formulas are paraben-free, phthalate-free, and free of drying alcohols. Pure Detox uses a clarifying surfactant by design — for kids and sensitive scalps, Total Refresh is the gentler daily wash. For pregnancy or nursing, the active ingredient profile is cosmetic-safe by FDA standards, but consult your OB-GYN for specific sensitivities. We don't formulate for medical conditions — for scalp psoriasis, eczema, or alopecia treatment, consult a dermatologist.

Formulated and bottled in Miami. Salons and stylists working across every hair type were part of the development process. Some tools — brushes, capes — are manufactured by specialist tool and apparel partners; the formulas are all made in-house in Miami.

Honest answer: in progress, not done. Current packaging is recyclable PET and HDPE where local programs accept it. The Detangling Brush uses a 20% bio-based straw composite. We're working toward refill formats for the 1L back-bar sizes; not there yet. We don't claim "sustainable" as a brand pillar — that word means too much to too many people without specifics.

No difference in formula. Same Atomic, same AquaLush, same Pure Detox in the salon and in your bathroom. The 500ml and 1L back-bar sizes exist because pros and high-density-hair households go through formula faster — economics of size, not formulation. The consumer-facing 300ml sizes are identical in chemistry.

Not yet on oligclub.com — on the roadmap, not active. Subscribe & Save is available through our Amazon storefront in the meantime. Sign up for the newsletter at the footer for the launch alert when DTC subscription goes live.

Salon partnerships are expanding across the US — if you want Oli G at your salon's chair, point your stylist to oligpro.com to apply. For direct purchase: oligclub.com for consumers, oligpro.com for licensed professionals (wholesale pricing, salon locator, education).

hi@oligclub.com is the monitored inbox for all customer inquiries — orders, returns, product questions, scalp or skin reactions. For press inquiries: marketing@beautydialog.com. We respond within 1–2 business days on weekdays.