{"id":604392096050,"title":"Redken Shampoo Review: Can It Make Hair 7x Smoother?","created_at":"2022-11-13T21:27:07-05:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Redken Shampoo Review: Can It Make Hair 7x Smoother?\",\n \"keywords\": \"redken, redken shampoo, redken review, redken reviews, redken shampoo review, redken shampoo reviews, redken all soft shampoo, redken purple shampoo, redken acidic bonding concentrate shampoo, redken bonding shampoo, shampoo redken, redken shampoos, redken soft shampoo\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews every ingredient in Redken's most popular shampoos: Redken All Soft Shampoo and Redken Purple Shampoo. We give our take on whether the shampoos are likely to actually make hair 7x smoother, highlight some questionable ingredients, and share real user reviews of both products.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/redken-shampoo-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"creator\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Brian Moore\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.D.\",\n \"F.A.A.D\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/brian-moore\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/brian-moore-md-faad-2b1b77a2\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.apexskin.com\/our-team\/dr-brian-moore-md\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Dermatology Advisor\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"dermatology, skincare, pigmented lesions, anti-aging, medical research, clinical trials, sunscreen, moisturizer, wrinkles, makeup, shampoo, soap\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"Columbia University\",\n \"University of Toledo\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Redken_Shampoo_Thumbnail.png?v=1668393332\",\n\"width\": \"3703\",\n\"height\": \"3703\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15645092\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.seppic.com\/en\/wesource\/sepicap-mp\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3543291\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32387382\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-touchland-hand-sanitizer-unhealthy\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5093181\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2673-4184\/1\/4\/20\/htm\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/crepe-erase-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.fakespot.com\/product\/redken-one-united-all-in-one-multi-benefit-treatment-13oz\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22517595\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"arginine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Sepicap\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial dyes\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"preservatives\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Abbey Yung\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Fakespot\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-11-13\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Redken_Shampoo_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1668392840\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eR\u003c\/span\u003eedken is a popular shampoo brand with a flagship store in New York City that claims to make hair “7x smoother, instantly.” The brand sells products on their website, in many salons, and on Amazon and other third-party retailers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut is Redken really better than drugstore shampoo? Does it have research-backed ingredients? Is it worth the incredibly high price? And how do real users rate it?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Redken’s two most popular products: Redken All Soft Shampoo and Redken Purple Shampoo. We’ll share real, unsponsored user reviews of each product and give our take on whether they’re likely to improve hair quality or if they’re a waste of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRedken All Soft Shampoo Ingredient Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Redken All Soft Shampoo ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Redken_All_Soft_Shampoo_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1668392855\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRedken claims that their All Soft shampoo makes hair softer because it provides “3 proteins attracted to where the hair needs it most.” Those three proteins are listed as soy protein, arginine and a trademarked ingredient called “Sepicap.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHydrolyzed soy protein\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is included in many shampoo products, but we cannot identify any medical research suggesting it improves hair quality, nor does Redken appear to cite any.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eArginine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is not a protein, it’s an amino acid (a building block of protein). A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15645092\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJournal of Cosmetic Science\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that topical arginine may reduce hair damage after coloring or bleaching, but we cannot locate any studies suggesting that this ingredient improves the quality of non-treated hair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSepicap\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e does not appear to be a protein either, but rather a blend of two ingredients: sodium cocoyl amino acids and potassium dimethicone PEG-7 panthenyl phosphate. The manufacturer of Sepicap lists \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.seppic.com\/en\/wesource\/sepicap-mp\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eon its website\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e that the trademarked blend has “benefits on hair fiber” without providing any proof or data.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we’re unimpressed by these three highlighted ingredients given that we are only able to identify one as potentially effective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRedken All Soft Shampoo also contains a number of additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrange 4\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eRed 33\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are artificial dyes, and we know from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3543291\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e that “hair coloring products have been proven to be potent carcinogens in animal models.” A carcinogen is a cancer-causing substance. Neither of the two dyes in Redken’s shampoo were cited in the above-linked study, but we recommend avoiding use of all artificial dyes in cosmetic products as a precaution.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis shampoo contains four separate preservatives: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ebenzoic acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ebenzyl alcohol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epotassium sorbate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ephenoxyethanol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. The last of these compounds was shown to be toxic to human cells in a 2020 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32387382\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCoumarin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a fragrance ingredient that was shown in clinical research to be toxic to lung tissue, as we documented in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-touchland-hand-sanitizer-unhealthy\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTouchland hand sanitizer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (another brand containing this ingredient). Many individuals take hot showers and inhale steam, so the health risks of a lung irritant are greater for shampoo products than hand sanitizer in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFragrance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a broad ingredient descriptor, and a 2016 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5093181\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e concluded that “everyday fragranced products can pose serious risks to human health.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall this is one of the worst shampoo formulations we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health, especially considering the cost. While Redken All Soft Shampoo may be effective for improving hair quality due to the arginine, it contains eight additive ingredients we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular YouTube reviews of Redken All Soft Shampoo is published by a creator named Egle Bee. Her review focuses more on the aesthetic effects of the shampoo than the health benefits, and the video appears unsponsored:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hrpB5MyYPUY\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeauty Influencer Compares Redken to Other Shampoo Brands\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA beauty influencer named Abbey Yung compared Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo to three other popular shampoo brands. She breaks down the ingredients in each product and explains which one is her favorite:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nMtBCkF_REs\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRedken Purple Shampoo Ingredient Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Redken Purple Shampoo ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Redken_Purple_Shampoo_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1668392906\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRedken’s second-most popular shampoo is their Purple Shampoo. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe are unable to identify any ingredients in this shampoo proven in clinical research to improve hair quality.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRedken Purple Shampoo contains several ingredients we highlighted in the previous ingredient review and recommend avoiding: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003efragrance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003esodium benzoate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecoumarin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ephenoxyethanol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis shampoo contains other ingredients we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAcid violet 43\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the artificial colorant that gives this product its purple color, and according to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2673-4184\/1\/4\/20\/htm\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is prohibited for use in eye products and any cosmetic that comes into contact with mucous membranes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBHT\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e has a metabolite that was shown to be a “tumor promoter” in clinical research, as we documented in our review of skincare brand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/crepe-erase-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCrepe Erase\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we do not recommend Redken Purple Shampoo, and we are unable to identify any ingredients in this formulation that we consider likely to improve hair quality based on medical research.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular YouTube reviews of Redken Purple Shampoo is published by a creator named Jamie Wilkenson. She uses the product over the course of three weeks, and provides before-and-after images:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OReqoe3gLC8\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRedken Real Customer Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRedken is sold on Amazon, which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion. The brand's most popular product on Amazon is called \"One United All-In-One Leave In Conditioner\" and has over 19,000 reviews currently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named \"Sarah\" who claims the product improved their hair quality:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"My hair never ever came out this good!!! I did research on line looking for a good heat protector, detangle for my hair and what could be better then this having all of that in one bottle! So now I don’t need to put more products in my hair. This product was voted one of the best! \u003cstrong\u003eNow I have Soft, silky manageable hair!!! Before my hair was dry and brittle looking!\u003c\/strong\u003e\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named \"karenrn94\" who claims the product had no effect:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I should have returned this product. It was expensive to start with. The advertising on the Amazon site and reviews had me. \u003cstrong\u003eBut when I used it. No results that were any different from my other spray in conditioners.\u003c\/strong\u003e I would not buy again. I have frizzy hair and it’s not that bad but honestly no difference.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Shampoo Pick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Shampoo_Image_20df2087-a8ba-4c39-adbe-7dd14757ec84.png?v=1666993226\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe shampoo we recommend is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3SViT6y\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcure Vivacious Volume Shampoo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis shampoo is formulated with effective and non-toxic plant-based compounds like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ealoe vera juice\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eargan oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. It also contains \u003cstrong\u003erosemary leaf oil\u003c\/strong\u003e which was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22517595\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhytotherapy Research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e journal to promote hair growth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMost importantly, this shampoo contains no questionable additive ingredients like fragrance or synthetic preservatives. It’s less than half of the price of Redken shampoo, costing only \u003cstrong\u003e$8.49\u003c\/strong\u003e at the time of updating this article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInterested consumers can check out Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3SViT6y\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eat this Amazon link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we’re disappointed in Redken’s shampoos given the price. The brand is priced like a luxury shampoo but it does not have a luxury shampoo formulation in our opinion, just luxury branding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBoth of the Redken shampoos we reviewed contained a number of questionable additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding from a health perspective. Neither provided a large number of research-backed ingredients for improving hair quality that we would expect from a $20+ shampoo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe believe that there are better options on the market for a fraction of the price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-11-13T21:46:03-05:00","updated_at":"2023-09-25T15:27:58-04:00","summary_html":"We review every ingredient in Redken's most popular shampoos: Redken All Soft Shampoo and Redken Purple Shampoo. We give our take on whether the shampoos are likely to actually make hair 7x smoother, highlight some questionable ingredients, and share real user reviews of both products.","template_suffix":"","handle":"redken-shampoo-review","tags":"_related:shampoo"}

Redken Shampoo Review: Can It Make Hair 7x Smoother?

Redken Shampoo Review: Can It Make Hair 7x Smoother?


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Redken is a popular shampoo brand with a flagship store in New York City that claims to make hair “7x smoother, instantly.” The brand sells products on their website, in many salons, and on Amazon and other third-party retailers.

But is Redken really better than drugstore shampoo? Does it have research-backed ingredients? Is it worth the incredibly high price? And how do real users rate it?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Redken’s two most popular products: Redken All Soft Shampoo and Redken Purple Shampoo. We’ll share real, unsponsored user reviews of each product and give our take on whether they’re likely to improve hair quality or if they’re a waste of money.

Redken All Soft Shampoo Ingredient Review

Redken All Soft Shampoo ingredients

Redken claims that their All Soft shampoo makes hair softer because it provides “3 proteins attracted to where the hair needs it most.” Those three proteins are listed as soy protein, arginine and a trademarked ingredient called “Sepicap.”

Hydrolyzed soy protein is included in many shampoo products, but we cannot identify any medical research suggesting it improves hair quality, nor does Redken appear to cite any.

Arginine is not a protein, it’s an amino acid (a building block of protein). A clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science found that topical arginine may reduce hair damage after coloring or bleaching, but we cannot locate any studies suggesting that this ingredient improves the quality of non-treated hair.

Sepicap does not appear to be a protein either, but rather a blend of two ingredients: sodium cocoyl amino acids and potassium dimethicone PEG-7 panthenyl phosphate. The manufacturer of Sepicap lists on its website that the trademarked blend has “benefits on hair fiber” without providing any proof or data.

Overall we’re unimpressed by these three highlighted ingredients given that we are only able to identify one as potentially effective.

Redken All Soft Shampoo also contains a number of additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding.

Orange 4 and Red 33 are artificial dyes, and we know from medical research that “hair coloring products have been proven to be potent carcinogens in animal models.” A carcinogen is a cancer-causing substance. Neither of the two dyes in Redken’s shampoo were cited in the above-linked study, but we recommend avoiding use of all artificial dyes in cosmetic products as a precaution.

This shampoo contains four separate preservatives: benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol, potassium sorbate and phenoxyethanol. The last of these compounds was shown to be toxic to human cells in a 2020 clinical trial.

Coumarin is a fragrance ingredient that was shown in clinical research to be toxic to lung tissue, as we documented in our review of Touchland hand sanitizer (another brand containing this ingredient). Many individuals take hot showers and inhale steam, so the health risks of a lung irritant are greater for shampoo products than hand sanitizer in our opinion.

Fragrance is a broad ingredient descriptor, and a 2016 medical review concluded that “everyday fragranced products can pose serious risks to human health.”

Overall this is one of the worst shampoo formulations we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health, especially considering the cost. While Redken All Soft Shampoo may be effective for improving hair quality due to the arginine, it contains eight additive ingredients we recommend avoiding.

One of the most popular YouTube reviews of Redken All Soft Shampoo is published by a creator named Egle Bee. Her review focuses more on the aesthetic effects of the shampoo than the health benefits, and the video appears unsponsored:

Beauty Influencer Compares Redken to Other Shampoo Brands

A beauty influencer named Abbey Yung compared Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo to three other popular shampoo brands. She breaks down the ingredients in each product and explains which one is her favorite:

Redken Purple Shampoo Ingredient Review

Redken Purple Shampoo ingredients

Redken’s second-most popular shampoo is their Purple Shampoo. 

We are unable to identify any ingredients in this shampoo proven in clinical research to improve hair quality.

Redken Purple Shampoo contains several ingredients we highlighted in the previous ingredient review and recommend avoiding: fragrance, sodium benzoate, coumarin and phenoxyethanol

This shampoo contains other ingredients we recommend avoiding.

Acid violet 43 is the artificial colorant that gives this product its purple color, and according to a medical review is prohibited for use in eye products and any cosmetic that comes into contact with mucous membranes.

BHT has a metabolite that was shown to be a “tumor promoter” in clinical research, as we documented in our review of skincare brand Crepe Erase.

Overall we do not recommend Redken Purple Shampoo, and we are unable to identify any ingredients in this formulation that we consider likely to improve hair quality based on medical research.

One of the most popular YouTube reviews of Redken Purple Shampoo is published by a creator named Jamie Wilkenson. She uses the product over the course of three weeks, and provides before-and-after images:

Redken Real Customer Reviews

Redken is sold on Amazon, which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion. The brand's most popular product on Amazon is called "One United All-In-One Leave In Conditioner" and has over 19,000 reviews currently.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "Sarah" who claims the product improved their hair quality:

"My hair never ever came out this good!!! I did research on line looking for a good heat protector, detangle for my hair and what could be better then this having all of that in one bottle! So now I don’t need to put more products in my hair. This product was voted one of the best! Now I have Soft, silky manageable hair!!! Before my hair was dry and brittle looking!"

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "karenrn94" who claims the product had no effect:

"I should have returned this product. It was expensive to start with. The advertising on the Amazon site and reviews had me. But when I used it. No results that were any different from my other spray in conditioners. I would not buy again. I have frizzy hair and it’s not that bad but honestly no difference."

Our Clean Shampoo Pick

The shampoo we recommend is Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo

This shampoo is formulated with effective and non-toxic plant-based compounds like aloe vera juice and argan oil. It also contains rosemary leaf oil which was shown in a clinical trial published in the Phytotherapy Research journal to promote hair growth.

Most importantly, this shampoo contains no questionable additive ingredients like fragrance or synthetic preservatives. It’s less than half of the price of Redken shampoo, costing only $8.49 at the time of updating this article.

Interested consumers can check out Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo at this Amazon link.

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Conclusion

Overall we’re disappointed in Redken’s shampoos given the price. The brand is priced like a luxury shampoo but it does not have a luxury shampoo formulation in our opinion, just luxury branding.

Both of the Redken shampoos we reviewed contained a number of questionable additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding from a health perspective. Neither provided a large number of research-backed ingredients for improving hair quality that we would expect from a $20+ shampoo.

We believe that there are better options on the market for a fraction of the price.




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