Pureology 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. Pureology vs Redken - let’s get into it.
Pureology vs Redken Shampoo
When you have hair that is begging for some TLC, it’s important that you are addressing it with every step of your hair care routine.
You shouldn’t rely on just a single treatment to do all the heavy lifting - your shampoo and conditioner should be pulling their weight, too.
That’s why we love that so many brands—such as Pureology and Redken—boast multi-step systems that make it incredibly easy to fully address your hair-care concerns.
Speaking of which, the first steps of their best-selling hydrating ranges are the Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo and the Redken All Soft Shampoo.
The Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo is a wonderful, lightweight shampoo that is suitable for every wash and helps to deeply hydrate fine, dry, color-treated hair.
The formula is completely free from nasties (such as sulfates) and contains a concentrated, nourishing combo of Green Tea (supports healthy hair growth), Jojoba (protects against dryness), and Sage (improves circulation to the scalp) which yields an addictingly touchable softness to the hair.
What's more is that it contains Pureology's patented 'Antifade Complex' (including Sunflower Seed, a UV filter, and Vitamin E) to help protect color vibrancy.
It's sister product—the Pureology Hydrate Shampoo—is identical ingredients-wise other than the fact that it is slightly thicker and creamier (for normal to thick hair types).
Also, for more extreme cases of dryness regardless of underlying hair type, you might want to check out the Pureology Nanoworks Gold Shampoo.
The Redken All Soft Shampoo is primarily for those with dry, brittle hair. The argan-oil enriched formula promotes softness from the first use, and a smart delivery system with 3 essential proteins helps to replenish and maintain the hair's moisture balance for a natural, healthy shine.
Much like Pureology's shampoos, it also boasts a clean formula, however it's not strictly entirely free from nasties since it does contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
That said, the inclusion of Soy Protein (seals in moisture and boosts body), Arginine (conditions hair by stimulating the scalp), Sepicap (restores the look of ends), and Moisturizing Factors (replenishes essential moisture) makes for a much more appealing formula overall due to the inimitable restructuring properties of protein for hair.
When it comes down to it, we prefer the Redken All Soft Shampoo for dry, damaged, or brittle hair - it can be a little on the heavy side, though, so if you're after a more lightweight shampoo for finer, thinner hair, then you will be better served with the Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo.
Pureology vs Redken Conditioner
No good hair care system is complete without a conditioner. I'm personally a fan of mixing and matching my shampoos and conditioners to address multiple different needs. For example, when using a clarifying shampoo, you don’t necessarily also need a clarifying conditioner.
But when it comes to dry/damaged hair, it is definitely wise to complete the full multi-step routine to ensure you get the expected results. Let’s compare the Pureology Hydrate Sheer Conditioner and the Redken All Soft Conditioner.
By now you know what both brands’ products are designed to do. The Hydrate Sheer and All Soft systems are both formulated to address the causes and symptoms of dryness and damage, and leave your hair looking and feeling swiftly better.
It should come as no surprise, then, to find out that the conditioners are equally renowned for this.
The Redken All Soft Conditioner detangles, moisturizes and softens dry, brittle hair, providing 15x more conditioning and moisture when used with the complete All Soft haircare system.
For finer hair, the Pureology Hydrate Sheer Conditioner moisturizes strands without weighing them down, adding extra softness and further color protection.
With both conditioners boasting excellent reviews, and the same fundamental ingredients as their corresponding shampoos, our recommendation is to choose your conditioner based on the shampoo you preferred.
(i.e. choose Pureology Hydrate Sheer Conditioner if the Hydrate Sheer Shampoo suited you best, or choose Redken All Soft Conditioner if you preferred the sound of Redken's shampoo.)
Pureology vs Redken Treatment
The pièce de résistance of any hair care routine is a good leave-in treatment that primes, protects and perfects. Two of the best leave-in treatments that each offer over 20 benefits for all hair types are the Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray and the Redken One United Leave-in Conditioner.
2024 update: The Pureology Color Fanatic Leave-In Spray has a new look! Don't worry, though, the formula has remained exactly the same.
The Redken One United Leave-In Conditioner is a lightweight hair treatment spray that conditions and nourishes hair, primes hair for styling and prevents hair breakage, and gives hair a silky touch and a smooth shine.
It's formula features a Cationic Complex (positively charged ingredients to condition, detangle, and smooth), Xylose (provides heat protection and prevents breakage), and Coconut Oil (protects hair's vibrancy).
Pureology's Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray also includes Xylose and Coconut Oil for the same reasons, but it also contains Camelina Oil (nourishes strands), Olive Oil (promotes a healthy shine and softness) and a mix of fresh, floral ingredients such as Rose and Cedarwood for a unique, indulgent scent.
It's a tough choice considering that they both offer practically identical benefits and fairly similar formulas. For a standalone hair treatment, we prefer the Redken One United Leave-In Conditioner.
As part of a full hair care routine (such as the Hydrate Sheer line we've reviewed today), though, Pureology's Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray is the way to go.
Final Verdict
Overall, these two brands are remarkably similar (which isn't too much of a shock considering they are both owned by L'Oreal), but there is a clear winner depending on your particular hair concerns.
Pureology's products are far more cognizant of the fact that not everybody has the same hair thickness, and this can influence how a haircare product works and feels. Each of their ranges are designed with a particular hair type in mind, with lightweight products for thinner hair, and creamier products for thicker hair.
Redken isn't completely ignorant of hair types, of course, but their focus does seem to be more on the concerns themselves (e.g. dryness, damage, volume, etc.).
While this difference doesn't necessarily make one better or worse than the other, it almost certainly will have you personally leaning more towards one versus the other depending on what you're looking for out of your haircare products.
To round off our review, here are our recommendations for the other best-selling ranges and products that Pureology and Redken offer.
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.
