Welcome to another round of Haircare Face-Off!, the best and most unique beauty battle online. Each week two competing products square off in a head-to-head challenge. This battle features two pomades, one made by Alterna, the other made by Redken. Let's take a closer look at the competitors:
Alterna is a company which produces high-performance haircare products using organic and botanical ingredients. Alterna's pomade is part of their popular Hemp Organics line, and is designed to add high shine and texture to all hair types, especially color-treated hair.
Redken is one of the largest and best-known manufacturers of salon haircare products in the world. Inspired by 5th Avenue, Redken appeals to those with a serious sense of style, and is a favorite brand among hairstylists, fashion-forward clients, and celebrities. Water Wax Shine Defining Pomade has been one of their top-selling products for years.
In an earlier battle, the underdog Alterna mopped the floor with Phyto in the battle of sulfate-free shampoos. Can Alterna pull off another upset against a true haircare heavyweight like Redken? Redken already has a perfect 2-0 record in Haircare Face-Off! and is looking to make it three victories in a row. This will certainly be a terrific battle.
As always, each product will be scored on a 1-10 scale in performance, ingredients, sensory appeal/packaging, and value. Let the battle begin!
Performance: Both products got the job done on salon clients, but then again pomades are practically foolproof- even cheap pomades work pretty well. In fact, I've even made homemade pomade from a "recipe" I found online and it performed as well as most salon-quality pomades, so I wasn't expecting any miracles. However, the Alterna pomade added more shine than the Redken product, and the shine seemed to last longer. In order to prove my theory, I applied both pomades to mannequins and allowed them to sit for a few days. After three days, hair styled with the Alterna pomade held its shine, while the Redken pomade seemed to absorb into the hair, leaving the mannequin's hair looking dull. The Alterna pomade was also easier to emulsify in the hands prior to applying it to the hair. Alterna wins this round. (Alterna:10 Redken:8)
Ingredients: Redken's Water Wax contains the usual pomade ingredients like castor oil, glycerin, and propylene glycol. It also contains wheat protein and wheat starch, which could present a problem if you have gluten allergies. Unfortunately, Redken Water Wax contains ethylparaben and methylparaben. Alterna's Hemp Organics pomade also contains the three necessary pomade ingredients (castor oil, glycerin, propylene glycol), as well as botanical ingredients like hemp seed oil and extracts of carrot, fennel, sunflower, cucumber, avocado, and cranberry. The pomade also contains sunscreen, making it ideal for color-treated hair. Even though the Alterna pomade contains methylparaben and propylparaben, the overall paraben content is lower than that of Redken Water Wax. Plenty of beneficial ingredients allows Alterna to win this round easily. (Alterna:9 Redken:6)
Sensory Appeal: Alterna Hemp Organics pomade has an incredible orange fragrance, while the Redken Water Wax has a light, clean, unisex perfumed smell. Neither product's packaging is unattractive, but Alterna's container looks trendier and more modern. (Alterna:10 Redken:8)
Value: Alterna Hemp Organics pomade retails for 14.00 and comes in a 2-ounce container. Redken Water Wax comes in a 1.7-ounce container that retails for between 14.00 and 18.00 when purchased from a reputable online store. (Alterna:10 Redken:9)
And the winner is....
Alterna Hemp Organics, winning every individual round and cruising to an easy victory over Water Wax, handing Redken its first Haircare Face-Off! defeat. In this battle, the Alterna pomade did everything the Redken pomade could do, only better. But Alterna really pulled ahead when it came to the quality of ingredients. As a result, Alterna's Haircare Face-Off record improves to 2-0, while Redken stands at 2-1. (Final Score: Alterna Hemp Organics Pomade-39 Redken Water Wax-31)
Showing posts with label Redken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Redken. Show all posts
Friday, January 6, 2012
Friday, December 16, 2011
It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray vs. Redken Vinyl Glam
Author's Note: In case you're wondering why all of these face-offs say "this week" despite being posted on the same day, it's because I'm moving them over from a different site to which I used to contribute. Although my Haircare Face-Off column was wildly popular on the Yahoo Contributor Network, I've decided to create my own blog so that I can maintain 100% editorial control.
This week, two popular shine sprays will do battle in order to find out which product delivers the best results.
These two products will be scored on a 1-10 scale and will be judged by the following criteria: Performance, Ingredients, Sensory Appeal (packaging, fragrance, and texture) , and of course, Value.
And now, let's take a look at this week's competitors:
It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray claims to do ten different things to the hair in order to improve its appearance, strength, and condition. According to the manufacturer, this "miracle" product claims to: seal and protect hair color, lock in moisture, minimize frizz, protect the hair from heat, soften coarse hair, and a bunch of other things. This product can certainly "talk the talk", but this week we'll see if it can "walk the walk".
Redken Vinyl Glam is a mega-shine spray that claims to be light in weight (making it great for fine hair), while providing brilliant shine. One of Redken's top-selling products, Vinyl Glam certainly appears to be a worthy opponent.
Let the battle begin!
Performance: Have you ever seen a drag race where one car shoots from the starting line like a rocket, while the other car sits lifeless on the starting line in a puff of smoke? Well, this round was exactly like one of those races. The Redken Vinyl Glam spray was superb; leaving hair shiny but not greasy in appearance. My only complaint is that it is not as lightweight as some other shine sprays. Nonetheless, Vinyl Glam is a great product which delivered reliable results time after time. It's A 10 Miracle Spray, on the other hand, was a disappointment in every sense of the word. The shine it provided was minimal and short-lived. After a few minutes, the hair appeared damp and worst of all, sticky and disgusting to the touch. I tried to remedy this problem by using less product in the hair, but that didn't seem to help. Redken wins this round in a blow-out. (Redken Vinyl Glam: 9, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 2)
Ingredients: Reading the ingredients on the bottle of It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray is like reading the names of items on a shelf in a vitamin shop. It contains camomile, noni extract, ylang ylang extract, hemp oil, and babassu seed oil. Unfortunately, combining all of these ingredients makes for a lousy shine spray, especially since any moisturizing benefits are offset by the product's high alcohol content. However, since Redken Vinyl Glam contains enough synthetic ingredients to tongue-tie a chemistry teacher, this round goes to It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray. (It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 8, Redken Vinyl Glam: 7)
Sensory Appeal: The Redken spray has a unisex fragrance, making it ideal for both men and women. The Miracle Shine Spray has a very feminine smell that might be overpowering for some noses. Both products fit easily in the hand, and the both sprays are easily dispensed through a non-aerosol pump. The Redken Vinyl Glam bottle is very modern and trendy in design, which is a huge contrast to the It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray, which would look right at home on a shelf in a Dollar General store. In fact, it's some of the ugliest packaging I've ever seen on a beauty product. (Redken Vinyl Glam: 10, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 3)
Value: Neither product is very expensive, although for $15.25 you'll get 3.4 ounces of a product that works (Vinyl Glam), as compared to $13.50 for 4 ounces of a product that doesn't (Miracle Shine Spray). Even though the Miracle Shine Spray is cheaper, it is not a good value, since $13.50 is a lot to pay for a spray bottle of sticky plant extract that doesn't leave the hair shiny. After all, you can put some weeds in a blender and pour the juice over your head for free. (Redken Vinyl Glam: 10, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 4)
And the winner of this week's face-off is...
Redken Vinyl Glam, by a mile. Comparing these two products is like comparing a Toyota Prius to a Ferrari. Much like a Prius, the It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray may be eco-friendly but when it comes to performance, it leaves a great deal to be desired. While the Miracle Shine Spray may contain ingredients that are beneficial to the hair, this contest was all about finding the better shine spray, and when it came to shine, the product by It's A 10 fell flat, and it certainly didn't perform any miracles. (Final Score: Redken Vinyl Glam- 36, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray- 17)
This week, two popular shine sprays will do battle in order to find out which product delivers the best results.
These two products will be scored on a 1-10 scale and will be judged by the following criteria: Performance, Ingredients, Sensory Appeal (packaging, fragrance, and texture) , and of course, Value.
And now, let's take a look at this week's competitors:
It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray claims to do ten different things to the hair in order to improve its appearance, strength, and condition. According to the manufacturer, this "miracle" product claims to: seal and protect hair color, lock in moisture, minimize frizz, protect the hair from heat, soften coarse hair, and a bunch of other things. This product can certainly "talk the talk", but this week we'll see if it can "walk the walk".
Redken Vinyl Glam is a mega-shine spray that claims to be light in weight (making it great for fine hair), while providing brilliant shine. One of Redken's top-selling products, Vinyl Glam certainly appears to be a worthy opponent.
Let the battle begin!
Performance: Have you ever seen a drag race where one car shoots from the starting line like a rocket, while the other car sits lifeless on the starting line in a puff of smoke? Well, this round was exactly like one of those races. The Redken Vinyl Glam spray was superb; leaving hair shiny but not greasy in appearance. My only complaint is that it is not as lightweight as some other shine sprays. Nonetheless, Vinyl Glam is a great product which delivered reliable results time after time. It's A 10 Miracle Spray, on the other hand, was a disappointment in every sense of the word. The shine it provided was minimal and short-lived. After a few minutes, the hair appeared damp and worst of all, sticky and disgusting to the touch. I tried to remedy this problem by using less product in the hair, but that didn't seem to help. Redken wins this round in a blow-out. (Redken Vinyl Glam: 9, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 2)
Ingredients: Reading the ingredients on the bottle of It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray is like reading the names of items on a shelf in a vitamin shop. It contains camomile, noni extract, ylang ylang extract, hemp oil, and babassu seed oil. Unfortunately, combining all of these ingredients makes for a lousy shine spray, especially since any moisturizing benefits are offset by the product's high alcohol content. However, since Redken Vinyl Glam contains enough synthetic ingredients to tongue-tie a chemistry teacher, this round goes to It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray. (It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 8, Redken Vinyl Glam: 7)
Sensory Appeal: The Redken spray has a unisex fragrance, making it ideal for both men and women. The Miracle Shine Spray has a very feminine smell that might be overpowering for some noses. Both products fit easily in the hand, and the both sprays are easily dispensed through a non-aerosol pump. The Redken Vinyl Glam bottle is very modern and trendy in design, which is a huge contrast to the It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray, which would look right at home on a shelf in a Dollar General store. In fact, it's some of the ugliest packaging I've ever seen on a beauty product. (Redken Vinyl Glam: 10, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 3)
Value: Neither product is very expensive, although for $15.25 you'll get 3.4 ounces of a product that works (Vinyl Glam), as compared to $13.50 for 4 ounces of a product that doesn't (Miracle Shine Spray). Even though the Miracle Shine Spray is cheaper, it is not a good value, since $13.50 is a lot to pay for a spray bottle of sticky plant extract that doesn't leave the hair shiny. After all, you can put some weeds in a blender and pour the juice over your head for free. (Redken Vinyl Glam: 10, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray: 4)
And the winner of this week's face-off is...
Redken Vinyl Glam, by a mile. Comparing these two products is like comparing a Toyota Prius to a Ferrari. Much like a Prius, the It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray may be eco-friendly but when it comes to performance, it leaves a great deal to be desired. While the Miracle Shine Spray may contain ingredients that are beneficial to the hair, this contest was all about finding the better shine spray, and when it came to shine, the product by It's A 10 fell flat, and it certainly didn't perform any miracles. (Final Score: Redken Vinyl Glam- 36, It's A 10 Miracle Shine Spray- 17)
Redken Spray Starch vs. TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight
This week's face-off will feature two popular salon products that can be used for flat-iron styling. These two products will be scored on a variety of criteria, including: Performance, Ingredients, Sensory Appeal (fragrance, packaging convenience and design), and Value. To ensure precise results, I will be using the "gold standard" in flat irons, the CHI Original.
Now, let's meet the competitors.
Redken Spray Starch is a non-aerosol spray designed to protect hair from heat while using a potato-derived starch to hold the style in place, much like using a starch spray when ironing laundry. Since human hair can technically be categorized as a fabric, it makes sense. TIGI's S-Factor Seriously Straight is a maximum-strength aerosol spray which is designed to straighten, tame frizz, and protect the hair from heat.
Let the competition begin!
Performance: When TIGI refers to their Seriously Straight spray as maximum-strength, they are not joking. This is some heavy-duty stuff. This product had no trouble straightening the hair of my ethnic and multi-cultural clients when applied to the hair prior to ironing. However, this product is way too heavy to use on those with fine hair. It is very easy to over-apply the spray, which may leave the hair feeling greasy, and it will make your floor quite slippery (as one unfortunate client found out the hard way). But when used correctly, Seriously Straight can tame even the kinkiest and frizziest hair. Redken Spray Starch delivered awesome results, but only on those with fine to medium hair. This product just wasn't strong or heavy enough for those with ethnic hair types. It is, however, one of the few flat-iron sprays that can be used on those with super-fine hair. Since both products delivered the results they promised (albeit on different hair types), this round is a tie. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 8)
Ingredients: Redken Spray Starch utilizes an exclusive Bonding System which transports potato starch extract to the hair to protect against heat damage and cuticle damage. Unlike most heat-protection products, Spray Starch leaves hair feeling clean and residue-free. TIGI Seriously Straight contains fewer eco-friendly ingredients, and gets its results from propylene glycol, cyclopentasiloxane, and dimethicone. Although none of these ingredients are particularly harmful, this round goes to Redken for their novel use of the common potato. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 6)
Sensory Appeal: Redken's product smells like fresh laundry, and I mean that as a compliment. It's a light pleasant fragrance that is not overpowering or overly-feminine. Redken's packaging has changed a zillion times over the past decade, but they hit on a winner with the red plastic bottles for all of their heat-protection products. Like most other products made by TIGI, the Seriously Straight has a strong fruity smell which is sickeningly sweet and a bit too overpowering for my tastes. The sleek silver can is very trendy and modern in design, however. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 8)
Value: Redken Spray Starch is available in five-ounce bottles, and shopping online can be tricky because the prices range from 10.00 to over 25.00. If purchasing online, make sure you choose the new packaging (red bottle), since some of the products for sale feature the very old white bottles, and the somewhat newer silver bottles. You're not really getting a deal if you pay for a product that is half a decade old. Expect to pay around $12.99 if purchased from a reputable seller. TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight is available in 6.31-ounce cans, and online prices also range from 10.00 to over 25.00. A reputable online seller might offer this product for around $14.99. Because of the wide gap in online prices for both products, and because the salon price is virtually the same per ounce, this round is a tie. Both products do earn a full 10 points for being affordably priced compared to other similar products. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 10)
And this week's winner is: Redken Spray Starch. Even though TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight performed better on super-curly and frizzy hair, it does leave a slight residue on the hair, the floor, and the flat iron. While Redken Spray Starch is not as strong, it does have a pleasant unisex fragrance while leaving the hair feeling clean and soft. Ultimately, both products do work, and both are affordable. Use Spray Starch for fine to medium hair, and use Seriously Straight for thick, coarse, and super-curly hair. (Final Score: Redken Spray Starch- 36, S-Factor Seriously Straight- 32)
Now, let's meet the competitors.
Redken Spray Starch is a non-aerosol spray designed to protect hair from heat while using a potato-derived starch to hold the style in place, much like using a starch spray when ironing laundry. Since human hair can technically be categorized as a fabric, it makes sense. TIGI's S-Factor Seriously Straight is a maximum-strength aerosol spray which is designed to straighten, tame frizz, and protect the hair from heat.
Let the competition begin!
Performance: When TIGI refers to their Seriously Straight spray as maximum-strength, they are not joking. This is some heavy-duty stuff. This product had no trouble straightening the hair of my ethnic and multi-cultural clients when applied to the hair prior to ironing. However, this product is way too heavy to use on those with fine hair. It is very easy to over-apply the spray, which may leave the hair feeling greasy, and it will make your floor quite slippery (as one unfortunate client found out the hard way). But when used correctly, Seriously Straight can tame even the kinkiest and frizziest hair. Redken Spray Starch delivered awesome results, but only on those with fine to medium hair. This product just wasn't strong or heavy enough for those with ethnic hair types. It is, however, one of the few flat-iron sprays that can be used on those with super-fine hair. Since both products delivered the results they promised (albeit on different hair types), this round is a tie. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 8)
Ingredients: Redken Spray Starch utilizes an exclusive Bonding System which transports potato starch extract to the hair to protect against heat damage and cuticle damage. Unlike most heat-protection products, Spray Starch leaves hair feeling clean and residue-free. TIGI Seriously Straight contains fewer eco-friendly ingredients, and gets its results from propylene glycol, cyclopentasiloxane, and dimethicone. Although none of these ingredients are particularly harmful, this round goes to Redken for their novel use of the common potato. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 6)
Sensory Appeal: Redken's product smells like fresh laundry, and I mean that as a compliment. It's a light pleasant fragrance that is not overpowering or overly-feminine. Redken's packaging has changed a zillion times over the past decade, but they hit on a winner with the red plastic bottles for all of their heat-protection products. Like most other products made by TIGI, the Seriously Straight has a strong fruity smell which is sickeningly sweet and a bit too overpowering for my tastes. The sleek silver can is very trendy and modern in design, however. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 8)
Value: Redken Spray Starch is available in five-ounce bottles, and shopping online can be tricky because the prices range from 10.00 to over 25.00. If purchasing online, make sure you choose the new packaging (red bottle), since some of the products for sale feature the very old white bottles, and the somewhat newer silver bottles. You're not really getting a deal if you pay for a product that is half a decade old. Expect to pay around $12.99 if purchased from a reputable seller. TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight is available in 6.31-ounce cans, and online prices also range from 10.00 to over 25.00. A reputable online seller might offer this product for around $14.99. Because of the wide gap in online prices for both products, and because the salon price is virtually the same per ounce, this round is a tie. Both products do earn a full 10 points for being affordably priced compared to other similar products. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 10)
And this week's winner is: Redken Spray Starch. Even though TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight performed better on super-curly and frizzy hair, it does leave a slight residue on the hair, the floor, and the flat iron. While Redken Spray Starch is not as strong, it does have a pleasant unisex fragrance while leaving the hair feeling clean and soft. Ultimately, both products do work, and both are affordable. Use Spray Starch for fine to medium hair, and use Seriously Straight for thick, coarse, and super-curly hair. (Final Score: Redken Spray Starch- 36, S-Factor Seriously Straight- 32)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)