If you are constantly battling dry and frizzy hair regardless of the season, chances are, a high-quality leave-in conditioner could be your hair's savior.
In the vast ocean of leave-in conditioners, today we'll be putting two popular products under the spotlight: It’s a 10’s Miracle Leave-In Product and Redken’s One United Multi-Benefit Leave-In Conditioner.
It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In vs Redken One United
Spray Your Way to Lustrous Hair
Forget the traditional concept of a thick, creamy conditioner. Both It's a 10 and Redken offer leave-in sprays promising a lightweight finish that caters to even the lowest porosity hair.
First up, It's a 10’s Miracle Leave-In Product. This cult favorite is renowned for smoothing strands, diminishing frizz, and enhancing luster while providing thermal and UV protection.
Its power-packed formula includes sunflower seed extract, green tea leaf extract, silk amino acids, aloe vera, and panthenol that work together to strengthen, soften, and moisturize hair.
No wonder it boasts an impressive 4.6-star rating based on over 3,000 reviews on Ulta. The only downside? Its hefty price tag of $40.
Next in line is Redken’s One United Multi-Benefit Leave-In Conditioner. As per Redken's claims, this wonder product offers up to 25 hair benefits including detangling, anti-static properties, and refreshing hairstyles.
The magic trio of coconut oil, Keracare, and Cationic complex has won it rave reviews and prestigious awards, such as the 2015 Family Circle Best Beauty Buy Best Leave-In Conditioner and 2015 Latina Beauty Award.
Its current standing on Ulta is a 4.7-star rating with 814 reviews. All these accolades come with a more wallet-friendly price of $28.
When We Tried Them For Ourselves
Before we delved deeper into company ethics, I thought it would be best to give both products a whirl myself. After all, nothing beats first-hand experience, right?
Let’s begin with It’s a 10’s Miracle Leave-In Product. The first thing I noticed was the invigorating scent that reminded me of a tropical holiday. As I sprayed it onto my damp hair, it seemed to melt into my strands with a non-greasy touch.
Within a week, I started noticing a significant reduction in my hair frizz and my strands felt softer to touch. And did I mention the shine? My locks haven't looked this lustrous in a while!
The only con was that the product felt a bit heavy on my hair, especially on non-wash days.
Next, it was Redken's One United Multi-Benefit Leave-In Conditioner's turn. This product too had a pleasing, albeit more subtle, fragrance. Upon application, it felt weightless, and I appreciated how easily it could be worked through my hair, without leaving any residue behind.
It had an impressive detangling effect, transforming my morning hair-brushing routine from a chore into a breeze. The anti-static property was also noticeable, as my hair behaved much better on those dry winter days.
However, I didn’t experience as much shine or softness as I had with It's a 10.
Digging Deeper: Company Ethics and More
In the battle of It's a 10 vs. Redken, the products seem evenly matched in terms of their hair benefits and customer ratings. So, let's dig a bit deeper into the companies themselves to break this tie.
It’s a 10 Haircare has a robust philanthropic footprint with donations to Red Cross America, City of Hope, Boys and Girls Club, and The Trevor Project. They also claim to be cruelty-free, but are not 100% vegan. Their stance on environmental sustainability, however, remains somewhat vague.
Redken, owned by beauty giant L'Oréal, has stopped testing its products on animals, but reports from Ethical Elephant as of January 2023 suggest that Redken still isn't entirely cruelty-free.
On the sustainability front, Redken has made strides by utilizing 93% recycled plastic in their packaging since early 2021, but given the clout of L'Oréal, consumers may expect more robust sustainability initiatives.
The Final Verdict: Balancing Quality and Ethics
If your main concern is pricing, Redken’s One United may be the clear choice. However, if animal welfare is your priority, shelling out a bit more for It's a 10’s Miracle Leave-In Product seems like a fair trade-off.
Both products offer a slew of benefits and well-deserved high customer ratings, so the final decision rests on your hair care needs and personal values.
Calum Torrington is the founder of FEMMENORDIC. He has worked as a beauty editor since 2020 and employs his analytical background in mathematics to thoroughly scrutinize complex INCI lists. Now, he helps over 1 million people per year to find the best beauty products.
