Beauty Olaplex Purple: No 5P vs No 4P Plus 5P Set - Top Picks Revi
No. 5P conditioner alone versus the complete No. 4P and No. 5P set is really a question of how much toning power you need. Here is how the gentle maintainer compares to the full system.
| Factor | Olaplex No. 5P Blonde Enhancer Purple To | Olaplex No. 5P Blonde Enhancer Purple To |
|---|---|---|
| Price range | Check price | Check price |
| Contents | No 5P conditioner, 8.5 oz | No 4P shampoo plus No 5P conditioner |
| Toning strength | Gentle maintenance toning | Full corrective plus maintenance |
| Repair | Hydrates and smooths | Bond building plus hydration |
| Best for | Toning moisture add on | Complete purple routine |
Our Verdict
The full set wins for blondes starting fresh or fighting real brassiness, because the No. 4P shampoo delivers the corrective toning power while No. 5P maintains and moisturizes, giving the most complete and even result in one purchase. It is the definitive Olaplex purple experience. No. 5P alone wins as a smart add on, perfect for those who already own a purple shampoo and just need toning hydration without dryness. It is also the cheaper entry point. Choose the set for the full calibrated system. Choose No. 5P alone to upgrade the moisture side of your current routine.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: New Olaplex purple users starting the complete system.
Olaplex No. 4P Purple Toning Shampoo and No. 5P Toning Conditioner Set, 8.5 oz
- Matching No. 4P shampoo and No. 5P conditioner
- Complete blonde enhancing toning system
- Repairs, hydrates and brightens
- For blonde, lightened and gray hair
Pros
- Full system in one purchase
- Maximum toning and repair together
- Easier than buying separately
Cons
- Highest total cost option
- Both bottles need shower space
No. 4P vs the Set: When the Conditioner Matters
No. 4P is the corrective tool: violet pigment that neutralizes brass on its own, enough for healthy blonde. No. 5P is the maintenance tool: a lighter pigment veil plus conditioning that keeps tone even between stronger washes and prevents the dryness toning shampoos cause. Buy the set when your blonde is bleached, fragile, or porous, because toning without conditioning on compromised hair creates straw-like texture. Buy No. 5P alone when your tone is already right and you need maintenance, or when you already own a purple shampoo and need only the conditioning partner.
Healthy virgin blonde with mild brass does fine with No. 4P plus a regular conditioner. The set is the complete system; the singles are precision tools. Match the purchase to the problem, not the bundle discount. The blonde toning mask guide covers deeper periodic treatments for blondes needing more than conditioner-level care.
Reading Pigment Strength Before You Commit
No. 4P pours a rich violet, signaling serious pigment despite the luxury positioning. Expect visible correction in three to five minutes on real brass. No. 5P is visibly lighter, a soft lavender conditioner that maintains rather than corrects. That strength gap is why the set works as a system: the shampoo tones weekly, the conditioner keeps things even on other wash days without over-depositing.
Contact time discipline matters more with No. 4P than with gentle toners. Three minutes is plenty on most blonde, five is the max on porous ends, and longer soaks risk the lavender cast that strong formulas deliver as their failure mode. Start at two minutes and assess in daylight before extending. The best purple shampoo guide shows how No. 4P compares against drugstore toners on strength.
When Toning Stops Working
No. 4P is strong enough that resistance usually signals a structural problem. Bleached hair that keeps getting more porous grabs pigment unevenly, depositing dark on damaged sections while healthier sections stay brassy. The result looks like toning failure but is actually uneven absorption, and a bond-building treatment before toning evens out porosity so pigment deposits uniformly. Mineral buildup is the second suspect: a chelating wash followed by No. 4P tells you within one cycle whether minerals were the wall.
The third suspect is base shift after fresh bleaching or significant regrowth, which changes the underlying pigment your toner was calibrated for. A salon glaze resets the canvas. Pairing No. 4P with the broader Olaplex bond repair routine keeps porosity stable over months, which keeps toning predictable. For the repair side, the Amika purple guide covers toning formulas built around strengthening.
One last practical note: No. 4P and No. 5P are concentrated, so start with less product than you think you need. Over-pouring is the fastest way to turn a three-month supply into a six-week one.
Want the Full Picture?
Getting More Out of Your Shampoo
The Olaplex No. 4P Purple Toning Shampoo and No. 5P Toning Conditioner Set, 8.5 oz and the other picks in this roundup on this page both work best when the technique is right, so a few small adjustments to your wash routine can make a visible difference. Use a coin-sized amount first and add more only if the first lather feels thin, since overloading product is the fastest way to leave residue behind. Massage with your fingertips, not your nails, for about a minute, because the mechanical action loosens buildup that the formula alone cannot lift.
Rinse longer than you think you need to, since leftover shampoo film is a common cause of dull, heavy-feeling hair. If your hair does not lather well on the first pass, a quick second shampoo with a smaller amount often works better than using a huge dollop the first time.