My hair has been through A LOT, probably more than my love life has. I began dyeing my hair at 16. There was no looking back after that. I used to sport a head full of vibrant, cherry-red hair and also used heat on it almost regularly. Fast forward to a few years later when I was over my red hair phase and entered my blonde era. You can probably imagine the damage that has been caused to my hair. I’m always on the lookout for hair care products that can help repair the damage caused by all of my impulsive decisions. It’s extremely rare to come across a hair care brand that delivers on the claims it makes. But one brand that delivers on this promise is Redken.
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Based in New York and founded in 1960, Redken was created by Hollywood actress Paula Kent and her hairdresser Jherri Redding with the aim to revolutionise the haircare industry with a science-backed approach. For me, hair care that’s formulated by following a scientific approach definitely earns extra brownie points. I find that natural remedies do very little to reverse the deteriorating state of damaged hair. We’ve been seeing a surge in hair care products infused with protein and added moisture, however, Redken was the one to do it first. So, when they sent across a few of their bestseller products, I wanted to try them out.
I switched my entire routine to only hair care products from Redken for a month to test how they work on my hair. Hair care routines are subjective for everyone because hair types differ vastly, and so do external factors such as the climate along with exposure to chemical treatments, making choices very hard.
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo
I adore bond-building formulations in hair care, but they tend to dry out my hair, making it extremely frizzy. In a first, the Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo changed that for me. Due to the excessive experiments conducted on my hair by me, my hair is brittle making hair fall one of the major concerns I face.
When I shop for shampoos I try to ensure the ingredients present work well for my scalp particularly. Luckily for me, this shampoo contains citric acid and salicylic acid—both of which suit my oily scalp. It lathers just the right amount and manages to get the grease and grime out in just one wash! Usually, I find myself needing to apply shampoo twice, but not with this one. With consistent use, I found that my hair fall had reduced which reaffirms the brand’s stance of 56% of people noticing a visible improvement in hair breakage.
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Conditioner
Alright, I’m gonna come out and say it, I prefer hair masks over hair conditioners. For the past 2 years, I’ve only reached out to hair masks when my hair needs a dose of deep hydration. Conditioners just don’t seem to give my hair the same level of moisture that masks do. Another reason I prefer masks is their ability to penetrate deeper into the hair shaft. But the Acidic Bonding Concentrate Conditioner has me reaching out for it every hair wash day.
With an 11% bonding care complex, this product is Redken’s most concentrated offering yet. It’s lightweight in texture, so if you have extremely fine hair don’t fret about it weighing down. In just 3 uses I found my coarse hair becoming softer and not tangling up in knots as it does usually. Being lightweight, washing this conditioner off is extremely easy.
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Conditioner
Leave-in products often make tall claims and fail to live up to those claims. Well, I’m happy to report that the Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Conditioner lives up to each and every claim made by it. It promises to reverse damage caused by colouring your hair and heat styling. It also assures you shinier and healthier hair. All of which I can personally attest to.
Intended to be used on damp hair after using the ABC (Acidic Bonding Concentrate) Shampoo and Conditioner, this leave-in treatment doesn’t leave a film on your hair strands when applied. I tend to use more product towards the ends of my hair which have split ends. Again, I’ve consistently used this on every hair wash day and I’ve found my hair feeling healthier all thanks to its ability to fortify weakened bonds. This leave-in conditioner has pushed my hair serums to the back of the drawer and I’m shocked.
Thermal Spray 11
Despite being an ‘expert’ on all things beauty, I committed the faux pas of never using a heat protectant on my hair. That’s probably what accelerated all of the damage which led to my hair becoming weak and lifeless. However, when I began using a heat protectant I often found most of them made my hair stiff, not a good feeling at all.
My search for a good heat protectant ended with Redken’s Thermal Spray 11. I love a multi-tasking product, and that’s what this one is. Not only does it protect your hair from up to 450 degrees of heat but it also promises you frizz-free hair for up to 24 hours with an added shine. I found this to actually be the case when I used it a couple of times before I straightened my hair.
Upon application to different sections of my hair, I found that this heat protectant wasn’t weighing my hair down or making it tacky. I also found that the tiny flyaways which always peaked through, settled down.
The Final Verdict
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As a beauty writer, I have at my disposal an alarming number of products, so narrowing down on favourites is always a tough task. When it comes to hair care, it’s not easy figuring out what products work well for your strands and your scalp. It takes patience to see a visible difference in the quality of your hair. However, when Redken sent across a few of their products, especially the entire Acidic Bonding Concentrate range, I was very curious to see if it actually worked. Well, not only did it work, but it also found a permanent spot on my bathroom shelf.
Redken is exclusively available on Nykaa and in selective salons from 6th August 2023.
