Redken vs Kerastase (The Definitive Guide)

Redken and Kerastase are two extremely renowned contenders, which is funny considering they're both owned by L’Oréal. Regardless, both haircare brands utilize the latest and greatest research to create some of the best solutions for hair in need of TLC - but which brand is better?

Today, we will be comparing shampoos, conditioners, and masks from each brand to discover which is best for you and your hair.

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Redken All Soft vs Kerastase Resistance

As we all know, it can be a looong journey when it comes to finding a brand and formula that works for your hair and its needs. So, today we’re talking about lines that supposedly have and do it all: Redken All Soft and Kerastase Resistance.

Enter: Redken’s All Soft Heavy Cream Hair Mask, Shampoo, and Conditioner, as well as Kerastase’s Resistance Hair Masque, Shampoo, and Conditioner.

Designed to combat the woes of dryness, Redken’s All Soft shampoo and conditioner are made with argan oil and soy protein which aims to moisturize hair from root to tip. The result? Softer, shinier, more manageable tresses.

For the sake of taking your haircare regimen a step further, the All Soft mask is a deep conditioning, anti-frizz hair treatment that restores strength to your strands. Made with argan oil, gold camelina, avocado oil, olive oil, and silk amino acid, this mask packs a seriously nourishing punch. Just leave it on for five minutes after shampooing, et voila.

Kerastase’s shampoo and conditioner were created with proteins and amino acids to gently cleanse and revitalize weak, brittle hair. Formulated with resurrection plant sap, ceramides, and the brand’s pro-keratin complex, this pair will help to rebuild, strengthen, and hydrate damaged hair.

Moreover, Kerastase’s mask was created to penetrate the core of your strands to repair their elasticity. It achieves this through the impressive list of superstar ingredients such as gluco-peptide, wheat protein derivative, and native plant cells.

Redken’s shampoo and conditioner are $26 for a 10.1oz bottle (with other sizes available, FYI) and $32 for an 8.5oz bottle of the mask. Kerastase’s shampoo is priced at $40 for an 8.5oz bottle and the conditioner is $44 for a 6.8oz bottle, while the mask is $64 for a 6.8oz jar.

After personally experimenting with both ranges, what stood out to me was how each brand catered to different aspects of hair health. With Redken, the immediate effect was noticeable softness and shine. It felt like each strand was enveloped in moisture, making my usually tangled hair much easier to manage. The All Soft mask, in particular, is a bit of a game-changer in this regard.

In contrast, Kerastase's focus on repair and strengthening was evident from the first wash. My hair, which often suffers from brittleness (due to how much I punish my hair with different products for the sake of reviews!), felt a good bit more resilient than usual.

Both brands impressively delivered on their promises from the very first application, but it was hard not to wonder whether the results would persist with prolonged use. From my experience, sustained use often reveals more about a product's true efficacy.

Redken's initial softness and manageability seemed to plateau over time. While my hair maintained a healthy sheen and ease of styling, I didn't notice any further significant improvements after several weeks. Meanwhile, Kerastase's benefits appeared to accumulate. The longer I used it, the more pronounced the strengthening and revitalization of my hair became. The resilience of my strands, especially to heat and styling stress, noticeably improved.

As always, it's worth noting that YMMV (your mileage may vary). Kerastase is my new go-to, but I don't see why Redken couldn't be rotated into my routine from time to time. Oh, and just one last thing; with both brands being owned by L’Oréal, neither can strictly be classified as cruelty-free.

Redken Best-Sellers

For blonde hair:
Try Color Extend Blondage

For dry/brittle hair:
Try All Soft

For fine hair:
Try Volume Injection

Kerastase Best-Sellers

For very damaged hair:
Try the Resistance Range

For color-treated hair:
Try the Reflection Range

For blonde hair:
Try the Blond Absolu Range

This article was originally published on December 9th 2022, but it has been reviewed and updated with the latest available information on February 21st 2024 by Sara Mckay, MA.