Aveda vs Redken (The Definitive Guide)

Aveda and Redken have been consistently delivering quality hair care products for decades now.

Which is better, you ask? That's what we'll be finding out today as we compare the two side-by-side. Aveda vs Redken - let’s get into it.

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Aveda Nutriplenish vs Redken All Soft

Struggling with parched tresses? If so, it might seem counterintuitive to wash your hair on a regular basis, potentially leaving your strands stripped of moisture.

Sure, washing too much can have negative effects on your hair, but wash day is far from the enemy. Shampoos and conditioners like Aveda’s Nutriplenish shampoo light moisture and conditioner light moisture as well as Redken’s All Soft Argan Oil shampoo and All Soft conditioner are designed to not only cleanse your hair and scalp, but also aid in replenishing dry, brittle hair.

While hydrating shampoos and conditioners are no longer exactly ground-breaking, not all of them are created equal. Let’s break down both brands’ approaches to rescuing thirsty locks.

Comparison

We’ll lead with some good news: Aveda and Redken’s duos appear to be suitable for all hair types. And though both aim to achieve the same results, their formulations take different paths to get there.

For starters, Aveda is loud and proud about their shampoo and conditioner being free from silicones, sulfates, parabens, gluten, mineral oil, and petrolatum. What’s more is that this pair is also vegan and cruelty-free, leaning on oat extract, organic pomegranate oil, mango butter, and coconut oil to hydrate dry tresses. These creamy, lightweight formulas gently cleanse hair without washing away its natural oils. Given that they’re rich in omega fatty acids, you can expect a supremely moisturized mane without any added density (or greasiness).

As the product name suggests, Redken’s shampoo (and its conditioner, too) relies on argan oil to promote nourishment and softness. Additionally, Redken credits their RCT Protein Complex, soy protein, arginine, and sepicap to treat hair from root to core to tip. Further, this powerhouse of ingredients works together to first stimulate the scalp, then lock in moisture, and, lastly, restore brittle ends. I mean, could you ask for a more well-rounded shampoo and conditioner? (However, we felt it important to note that both formulas do contain sulfates.)

8.5oz of Aveda’s shampoo costs $36, while an 8.5oz bottle of their conditioner is $41. Hair.com lists both Redken’s shampoo and conditioner at $24 each for 10.1oz. With this large of a price gap, it was surprising to see that Aveda’s shampoo had only a 4.1-star rating and its conditioner a 4.5-star rating. Redken’s formulas had 4.6 and 4.5-star ratings (and far more reviews than Aveda). Perhaps this hype is what earned them accolades like 2014 Glammy Award Winner for Best Shampoo from Specialty Store and 2018 Influenster’s Reviewers’ Choice Awards: Best in Beauty. Aside from ratings, though, both pairs of products yield some pretty astonishing before and after photos from what we've seen.

Conclusion

Aveda’s higher price and lower ratings might make it seem that Redken is the obvious choice between the two, but there’s more to consider.

Aveda’s commitment to sustainability and philanthropy is as impressive as their previously mentioned formula ethics. They were the first beauty company to manufacture all products with 100% wind power. Moreover, most of their waste is reused or recycled in their manufacturing facility, and they’ve committed to sourcing their ingredients fairly and sustainably. Not to mention, Aveda has raised nearly $65 million to help fund environmental initiatives on a global scale.

Conversely, according to Redken’s site, L’Oréal (the parent company of Redken) no longer tests any of its products on animals. However, Cruelty-Free Kitty and Ethical Elephant both have reported that Redken isn’t cruelty free as recently as June 2022. As of now, we’re unsure if there have been any new developments in their cruelty-free efforts since then. Sustainability-wise, it seems that Redken began using sustainable packaging in early 2021, with at least 93% recycled plastic.

So, it appears that if you’re looking to save money, you can rest assured that you’ll get quality results from Redken. But if clean beauty is your priority, Aveda will be worth every cent.

Aveda Best-Sellers

For smoothness:
Try Smooth Infusion

For color-treated hair:
Try Color Conserve

For hair growth:
Try Invati Advanced

Redken Best-Sellers

For blonde hair:
Try Color Extend Blondage

For dry/brittle hair:
Try All Soft

For fine hair:
Try Volume Injection