Pureology vs Redken – What’s better?
Every woman wants glossy, thick hair with a healthy shine. Store shelves are packed to the gills with products to help achieve this look. But which products are right for your hair?
Different kinds of hair have different needs. Is your hair frizzy and unmanageable? Do you change hair colors every other month? Do your straight, fine hairs break easily?
Luckily, whatever condition your hair is in, you can find the perfect product to make it glow with good health and beauty. We’re here to help you on that quest.
This article will compare three popular products from two of the most well-known hair care brands: Pureology and Redken. By the time you finish this article, you will know exactly which leave-in spray, dry shampoo, and conditioner for damaged hair will best suit your tresses and make you feel red-carpet-ready.
The Brands
Redken has been taking a scientific approach to hair care since 1960. That year, Jheri Redding and Paula Kent founded their trailblazing brand that would become a household name.
Kent, an actress, teamed up with Redding, a chemist, who helped her design low-PH products designed for sensitive hair. Together, they pioneered the practice of protein reconditioning.
Merging the science lab with the pursuit of beauty was a stroke of genius, and it quickly paid off. Six years later, Redken was a million-dollar company.
By the dawn of the 1970s, Redken revolutionized the hair care industry by teaching science and business education to stylists and dominating the market.
Redken offers products for all kinds of hair, but their original focus has continued to be one of their strengths: softening, defrizzing, and adding shine to sensitive hair.
Pureology did not show up on the hair care scene until over half a century after Redken, but its origin story is equally compelling. Founder Jim Markham was famous for his work with men’s hairstyling and products beginning in the 1960s.
Markham developed the brand when a family friend revealed that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. This friend struggled to find hair care products that did not contain carcinogens and requested Markham’s help. Pureology was his solution to her problem.
Today, Pureology is known for using 100% pure vegan formulas and environmentally sustainable packaging. Their products are paraben- and sulfate-free. Like Redken, they offer various products designed for every type of hair, but their focus is on treatments with color-protecting qualities.
The Leave-In Sprays
Leave-in sprays are conditioners you can spray into your hair between washing and styling it. As the name implies, these conditioners are not washed out but are left in the hair to continue conditioning it. They are designed to lock in moisture, guard against damage, and prevent tangles.
Redken Acidic Perfecting Leave In Treatment for Damaged Hair
Redken markets this product as an all-in-one strength-repair formula for all hair types that provides “ultimate strength repair, intense conditioning and hair color fade protection.”
Best For: Fine, Porous Hair
Customer reviews identify this product as ideal for repairing damage to fine, porous hair without weighing it down with heavy oils.
Some users were unsatisfied with the treatment’s detangling capabilities.
Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray
Pureology identifies the benefits of this spray as protecting, detangling, and adding shine to color-treated hair. Its ingredients include camelina oil, coconut oil, and olive oil, while it derives its pleasant scent from rose, cedarwood, and floral ginger.
Best For: Frizzy, Color-Treated Hair
Customer reviews praise the efficacy of this product for color-treated hair. Some users with frizzy hair claimed that this is the only product they have found that can tame their locks.
Several users observe that this spray does not seem to be as concentrated as the version used by their stylists. A few complained about the overwhelming strength of the scent.
The Dry Shampoos
Dry shampoos are powders that reduce hair’s oiliness without the use of water. They are usually found in aerosol cans and are sprayed directly onto the crown of the head and combed through the hair before styling.
Pureology Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo
Pureology touts this product as a solution for absorbing oil while “adding movement and light texture to color-treated hair.” The key ingredient is rice starch; this shampoo also incorporates tuberose, almond milk, and cedarwood for aromatherapy benefits.
Best For: Oily, Color-Treated Hair
Reviewing customers were generally impressed with the effective oil absorption of this product. Several noted that it did not leave a white residue in their hair the way other products do.
In a reversal of the reactions to Pureology’s leave-in spray, several users found the scent in this dry shampoo to be too subtle to the point of being undetectable.
Redken Deep Clean Dry Shampoo
Redken bills this dry shampoo as perfect for refreshing third and fourth day hair. The key ingredients are rice and tapioca starch, and the product is silicone-, sulfate-, and talc-free. Redken also touts the cooling effect the product generates in the scalp.
Best For: Thick, Oily Hair
Reviews identify this dry shampoo as effective in reducing oily appearance. Several users note that this powder is denser than other similar products and that it seems to minimize greasiness better than those competitors.
A few users complained that the scent becomes unpleasant when mixed with sweat, and users with fine hair may find that it leaves a white residue even after being brushed.
The Damaged Hair Conditioners
Conditioners are products that smooth, moisturize, and detangle hair. They are especially vital for hair that has been damaged by dyeing, saltwater, heat, friction, or sun exposure. There are thousands of hair conditioners available, but Pureology and Redken each produce well-reviewed conditioners that stand out in a crowded market.
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Conditioner for Damaged Hair
Redken markets its conditioner for damaged hair as providing conditioning, strength repair, and color protection. The product features citric acid as a key ingredient and is sulfate-free. They tout this conditioner’s ability to reduce breakage and split ends.
Best For: Dry, Blonde Hair
Customer reviews tout this conditioners power over flyaways and split ends. Blondes seem to find the product especially useful.
A few users with oily hair complain that the conditioner left their hair greasy and they get better results with other products. The product’s price is also a point of contention.
Pureology Strength Cure Conditioner
Pureology’s conditioner for damaged hair includes keravis and astaxanthin as its key ingredients, adding raspberry, peach, and water flowers for scent. The product is specifically designed for color-treated hair.
Best For: Dry, Curly Hair
Reviews identify this conditioner as an excellent option for dry hair, especially if it is curly or frizzy. Some users claim that after trying this conditioner, it is the only one they will ever use.
A few customers with oily hair claimed that the conditioner left their hair greasy. A few complained about the scent, as well.
The Verdict
Redken and Pureology both present impressive contenders in the leave-in spray, dry shampoo, and damaged-hair conditioner arenas. Your hair type will determine the victor – whether your hair is color-treated or natural, thick or fine, frizzy or straight, one of the products listed above should help you achieve that glossy look you covet.
