A One-Month Cécred Review
An Honest Evaluation of 3 Cécred Products After 1 Month of Usage
I don’t know much about algebra, but I know something about hair care!
I have been a Beyoncé fan since I was a kid. Just like Ms. Tina, my mother is also a licensed stylist and has been doing hair for over 30 years. I’ve always resonated with Beyoncé’s salon stories, and my mom and I both enjoy listening to Ms. Tina break down her process when styling her girls’ hair throughout their careers. However, I knew I would have to be honest about my thoughts on Cécred because of my salon upbringing.
So I took the plunge, opened up my wallet, and tested out 3 of Cécred’s products for a month to see if they were worth the hype.
Pricing
My first Cécred order ran about $113.00 for 3 products. There was a lot of discourse around Cécred’s pricing online. While I firmly believe that you do NOT need expensive products to maintain healthy hair, higher quality products can be worth the extra costs if they utilize specific formulas to target major hair concerns and promote overall hair health. Brands like Redken or OLAPLEX have similar price points, and since Cécred boasts similar intentionality, I was not concerned with the costs as long as the brand delivered.
The Ordering Experience
I have to give the Cécred team kudos on the detail that went into the website. Any knowledgeable stylist will give you a consultation before diving into your head. The quiz on the Cécred website gives a bit of that experience to their customers virtually which is great for anyone who doesn’t know where to start.
I loved that the website does not subscribe to the typical hair typing system, and instead asks specific questions to understand the shopper’s hair. The questions delve into hair type, thickness, density, porosity, routine, and overall condition.
To be as transparent as possible, here is some context on my hair:
4a/4b texture (classified as coily on the Cécred website)
Dense hair with medium thickness
High porosity
Lightened with bleach and color-treated
Healthy scalp with hair tending to become dry
Semi-regular cut/trims to keep it about shoulder length (though my mother would say I could stand for a better trim schedule)
The Hydrating Shampoo
Pros:
Out of all the products I purchased, this one was my favorite! The shampoo has a good lather and a bit of product goes a long way. My hair and scalp were sufficiently clean and I could tell immediately that this product did not have the stripping effect many shampoos have on my hair. The curl definition was immediately visible after rinsing the product and my head was sufficiently clean.
Cons:
Truthfully, I don’t have many cons for this product. I did have some challenges getting the shampoo out of the bottle. I think the company utilizes a slow-release bottle to help discourage the overuse of products, which is common in many natural hair routines. I do understand the design choice, but would have preferred more control of the release speed of the product.
Rating:
5 stars
Easily a new staple product in my washday routine!
The Moisturizing Deep Conditioner
Pros:
Cécred launched without a traditional conditioner. Many didn’t like this, but I understand the logic. With product build-up being a major concern for many, it makes sense to me that they would prioritize restorative treatments. Especially considering how many choose to co-wash instead of shampooing and deep conditioning.
I did enjoy the product and liked the feel of my hair. It had very good slippage and it allowed for a thorough detangling.
Cons:
I feel like this product did not have as much stretch as the others I tried. I needed a decent amount of product per section of hair to get even coverage and wish it would have stretched a bit further.
Rating:
4 stars
A solid deep conditioner that addressed my hair’s challenges (as advertised).
The Moisture Sealing Lotion
Pros:
Lotions are not a product type that I use often, so this buy was a bit of a gamble.
I used this product on both my natural hair and the clip-ins that I installed the last week of the month. A quarter-sized squeeze was enough for most of my head and did give my curls a nice pop.
Cons:
I live in Florida which means the humidity is insane 90% of the year! Typically I like to use a curling mousse to style my hair due to the climate. Because of this, I need products that provide a firm hold when confronted with extreme moisture in the air and the hold was less effective when humidity started creeping up mid-March.
If you live in a dryer climate and/or have hair that doesn’t react much to moisture in the air, I think this product is for you. For the rest of us, I would save this one for the winter months.
Rating:
3.5 stars
Good product, but not the best fit for my hair due to the climate I live in!
Overall Review
Rating: 4 stars
Unlike many hair care brands, Cécred is prioritizing educating its customers on the science behind cosmetology and their hair needs what it does. I think this is something that has been severely lacking in the industry for years, and a brand that is doing so while centering the needs of Black hair is truly remarkable. While all my needs were not 100% met with the first attempt at utilizing the products, I appreciate the intentionality of the products that were selected for this initial launch and am very interested in trying some of the other treatments I did not buy in my first purchase.
I will be on the lookout for new releases (would love to see a mousse sometime soon) and would recommend the products to anyone looking for a salon-quality brand that centers the needs of textured hair.
For a new brand with huge expectations placed on its shoulders from inception, I am very impressed with what Cécred is bringing to the table, and looking forward to what Beyoncé, Ms. Tina, and the rest of the Cécred team cook up in the lab next!
