Short answer: both are leave-in products, but they do different jobs. Absolut Repair Molecular Bi-Phase Oil 90ml repairs the hair’s inner structure (peptide bonder + 5 amino acids). Vitamino Color Spectrum Glass Shine Serum 50ml looks after the surface and colour with 5% Alpha-Silane, which reacts to heat. Correct order: wash → serum → iron → oil.
Is Your Hair “Broken” or “Dull”?
Structural damage → use the oil: absorbs water fast and takes long to dry; the comb snags mid-length and snaps; coarse feel, split ends; bleached, permed or daily heat styling.
Colour and shine problems → use the serum: colour fades and turns yellow in 2-3 weeks; no “glow” under light or sun; frizz in rain or high humidity; frequent ironing and worried about heat damage.
If you have both, use both — in the order below. The wrong order halves the result.
No. 1: Absolut Repair Molecular Bi-Phase Oil 90ml
This is a bi-phase oil, so you must shake it before use. The slogan is three words: Shake to shine.
Water phase: 1% peptide bonder + 5 amino acids (glycine, arginine, serine, glutamic acid, tyrosine) — repairs structure.
Oil phase: concentrated oil — provides shine and tames frizz.
Many people ask why a random hair oil did nothing. Most peptide molecules are too large to enter the hair. This line’s focus is making the molecules small enough to reach the cortex.
Official instrumental test data (not a feeling): repairs up to 2 years of cumulative damage; strength +97%; smoothness +83%; shine for up to 100 hours; anti-frizz for 3 days; fragrance for 72 hours.
How to use: 1. Hold the bottle and shake until the two layers mix into an even emulsion (skip it and you only apply the oil). 2. Pump 1-2 pumps into your palm and rub together. 3. Apply to the mid-lengths and ends of wet or dry hair, avoiding the roots and scalp. 4. Do not rinse.
Salon truth: this is best for hair that is already damaged but still being coloured and ironed. If your hair is healthy and you just want scent and shine, the serum is better value.
No. 2: Vitamino Color Spectrum Glass Shine Serum 50ml
Its selling point is one word: lock. The core ingredient is 5% Alpha-Silane, a silicone that reacts to heat. When a dryer or flat iron applies heat, it cross-links with the keratin on the surface, forming a protective network.
So it is not like the slippery serums you pick up at Watsons: without heat, you get only 30% of the effect.
Official data: shine lasts up to 10 washes; anti-frizz 72 hours; humidity resistance 80%; heat protection 230°C plus UV colour protection; with the full Vitamino Color Spectrum system, colour lasts up to 100 days.
How to use (the step most people get wrong): 1. Shake well. 2. Apply to towel-damp hair, mid-lengths to ends — 1-2 pumps for fine hair, 3-4 pumps for thick hair; do not pump out a big blob at once. 3. Do not rinse. 4. Blow dry completely, then go over with a flat iron at at least 180°C — this step is the “activation”. Blow-drying only is doing half the job.
Reminder: it is an anhydrous (silicone-based) formula. Wipe the pump clean and close it; avoid eye contact.
The Correct Order: Wash → Serum → Iron → Oil
STEP 1 | Wash: shampoo as usual. After colouring, use a colour-protection shampoo and keep the rinse water warm, not hot.
STEP 2 | Before drying: Glass Shine Serum: towel dry until it stops dripping, apply 1-2 pumps to the mid-lengths and ends, blow dry completely, then go over with a flat iron above 180°C.
STEP 3 | Finishing: Absolut Repair Molecular Oil: once the hair is dry and ironed, rub 1 pump of the bi-phase oil in your palms and press it into the mid-lengths and ends (not the roots). This step tames frizz and seals in shine.
For very dry or very damaged hair, add 1 more pump in step 3, or add half a pump to the ends before blow-drying. If you only buy one: damaged → oil; coloured and want shine → serum.
Expected Timeline
- 1st use: smooth and shiny, with noticeably shorter drying time.
- 2nd-3rd use: much less frizz, colour looks newer.
- 2-4 weeks: less breakage, ends no longer like straw.
Be honest though: ends that are already broken and dead cannot be repaired. Any product only stops it getting worse and makes it look better. What needs trimming still needs trimming — that is the money-saving advice.
For Salon Owners
- The two are a set, not competitors: after a client colours or perms their hair, sell the Glass Shine Serum first as the daily “colour protection + shine” step, then add the Bi-Phase Oil for “repair + finishing”. More clients buy both than you expect.
- Always teach the “heat” step: the serum without heat is wasted. If clients do it wrong at home, they will blame your product.
- With rebonding and after-colour care: do not apply oil on rebonding day — wait 48 hours and use it as a daily finisher; the serum can be used on colouring day (heat protection + colour care).
- For wholesale or first-hand pricing: WhatsApp 012-699 2766. Stock is limited, first come first served.
FAQ
My hair is healthy, just a bit frizzy — do I need both? No. Start with the Glass Shine Serum; it handles shine and frizz. Add the bi-phase oil when your hair becomes damaged from bleaching, colouring or ironing.
Can I use the serum without ironing? Yes, but you only get 30% of the effect. Alpha-Silane needs heat to cross-link, so at least blow dry on hot until fully dry; iron if you can.
Will using both feel too oily or flat? No, as long as the order is right (serum before drying, oil after ironing) and the amount is controlled. For fine hair, start with 1 pump.
Can I use them on the scalp? Both should avoid the roots and scalp. Oily scalp and dandruff are a different routine — that needs the right shampoo and scalp care, not these two.
Products Used in This Article
- L’Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair Molecular Bi-Phase Oil 90ml
- L’Oréal Professionnel Vitamino Color Spectrum Glass Shine Serum 50ml
To check stock, WhatsApp us or visit our product pages.
