What words come to mind for Beyoncé? Icon. Musical genius. Destiny’s Child. Haircare brand founder?! I, too, was surprised when I first heard the singer was coming out with her own hair care line. As someone who hasn’t diverted much from her now signature honey blonde locks, I never looked to her for hair inspo, but it’s Bey, so I still wanted to give her products a try. Though I’m a massive fan of her music, I’m always a little skeptical when yet another celeb releases a line. That said, even though it's Queen Bey we’re talking about here, I’m still going to hold her to the same standards as other brands I’m testing.
3 Editors Try Beyoncé’s Cécred Hair Products and Here’s What We *Really* Think
Hear us out, BeyHive
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Published Jun 24, 2024
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What Is Cécred?
Cécred is Beyoncé’s hair care brand that launched on February 20, 2024. Before its launch, the singer teased the products on social media and in her concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé. According to Allure, the brand was over six years in the making, due countless trials and testing. Her mother, Tina Knowles, was also a huge part of the development process, given her experience as a salon owner and a hair consultant for her daughter throughout her career. As the Grammy-award winning artist shared in a press release, “We started by prioritizing the needs of textured hair like mine, along with other types and textures that need more moisture and strength. My entire life and career, I’ve worn my hair in so many different ways: natural, flat-ironed, braids, colored, weaves, wigs. I want everyone to have the freedom to express their hair in ways that make them feel good, so I began by creating the essentials for hair and scalp health.”
What’s Included in the Cécred Line?
The collection currently has eight products, including shampoos, hair masks and styling items. As stated on the brand’s website, the collection uses a new hair repair technology (featuring bioactive keratin, honey and lactobacillus ferment), which works to deeply penetrate and strengthen strands. As the singer shared with Essence, “My priorities are quality and intention. It was important to decide where we invested our formulations. I knew what I wanted to do, with technology that works for all women and all textures, because I had not been able to find it.”
How We Tested the Cécred Hair Products
While I’ve done countless hair care reviews on my own in the past, for this, I wanted to extend the invitation to Editorial Assistant Courtney Mason and Executive Editor Dara Katz, who have different curl patterns and hair textures. We each took the brand's quiz to get recommendations for the key products that would work for our hair types. After receiving our products, we spent a month or so implementing each product into our routines. Keep reading to find out what we really think about Cécred—from our favorite products to the ones we’re leaving on the shelf.
Now, keep reading to hear more from each editor:
Chelsea Candelario/PureWow
Chelsea Candelario’s Cécred Review
- Hair Type: curly, low porosity, frizzy, color-treated
- Products Used: Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub, Hydrating Shampoo, Moisturizing Deep Conditioner, Moisture Sealing Lotion, Nourishing Hair Oil
I have curly, color-treated hair, so I need a routine that’s very moisturizing with products that will help with defining and strengthening my curls. I was pleasantly surprised that the collection delivered on all accounts. My favorite products were the hydrating shampoo, moisturizing deep conditioner and moisture sealing lotion. While the clarifying shampoo was easy to apply on my scalp and had a pleasant minty scent, I found it to be drying and it left a greasy residue behind. On the flip side, the hydrating shampoo helped restore moisture back to my hair, while deeply cleansing my scalp. It produces a rich lather and it has a great slip to it that helps prevent tangles for the next part of my routine.
When it came to sectioning off my hair, the moisturizing deep conditioner worked well. It was creamy and provided a nice slip through my curls. I also appreciate it came in a jar that holds a hefty amount of product that will definitely last me a while. I use a lot of deep conditioners, folks. Once I rinsed it out, it left my hair soft and smoothed over my frizz. But my favorite product in the entire lineup has to be the moisture sealing lotion. It’s very lightweight, smooths my strands and defines my curls. And with ‘moisture’ in the name, it delivers on that claim, locking in that extra hydration so it lasts days after my last wash.
Courtney Mason/PureWow
Courtney Mason’s Cécred Review
- Hair Type: curly, dry scalp, low porosity
- Products Used: Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub, Hydrating Shampoo, Moisturizing Deep Conditioner, Moisture Sealing Lotion, Nourishing Hair Oil, Fermented Rice & Rose Protein Ritual, Reconstructing Treatment Mask
For starters, I love how user-friendly the products are. They have informative instructions on the back that are very straightforward and easy to follow. Of the eight products I tried from the line, the fermented rice and rose protein treatment stands out most to me. At first, I was hesitant to try it. The treatment comes in a small pouch of powder that dissolves quickly in water, which you then follow up with a cream as a second step. I wasn’t sure if the product would work for my hair, but I was mistaken. The treatment made my hair feel extremely soft and silky. It also has a nice floral fragrance to it that isn't overpowering—and this is coming from someone who isn’t usually a fan of floral scents.
As someone with dry, damaged hair, I also loved the clarifying shampoo/scalp scrub. I tend to have a lot of scalp buildup, and this product thoroughly cleansed my hair, leaving no residue behind (which rarely happens with other shampoos). It has a minty fresh scent that also feels cooling on the scalp. I followed up with the hydrating shampoo, which was another star in the collection. It felt richer than the average shampoo, more conditioner-like, but still offered an amazing lather. My hair was incredibly soft and easy to detangle afterwards. However, the styling products (the nourishing oil and sealing lotion) were my least favorites. They seem to be best for when you’re adding heat to your hair, which I rarely do these days.
Dara Katz/PureWow
Dara Katz’s Cécred Review
- Hair Type: curly/wavy hair, thick, oily scalp
- Products Used: Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub, Hydrating Shampoo, Moisturizing Deep Conditioner, Moisture Sealing Lotion, Nourishing Hair Oil
I love that the line of products helps with my mix of dry and oily hair. The clarifying shampoo and scalp scrub gets my hair super clean, and the moisturizing shampoo follows up by adding hydration, so my hair feels nourished instead of stripped when I step out of the shower. Also, all of the products smell RICH—like like I'm in a fancy spa. My favorites from the line are the moisture sealing lotion and nourishing hair oil, which are both awesome for my hair type since I can add them to wet or dry hair. Since I started using this line, my hair feels so much softer and retains more moisture, even when I use heat on it. Honestly, I would repurchase every product.
- Value: 19/20
- Functionality: 19/20
- Quality: 19/20
- Aesthetics: 19/20
- Durability: 18/20
- Total: 94/100
First, Let’s Talk About the Quiz
The quiz is broken up into six categories: hair type, thickness, density, porosity, routine and hair condition. The testers and I all have different concerns, so it was interesting to see which products best suited our hair types and textures.
I’ve taken plenty of hair quizzes in the past that were super long and tedious, but I enjoyed taking the one on Cécred’s website. It was straight to the point and gave me a comprehensive, but not overwhelming selection from the collection. As Mason explains, the quiz can be confusing to those not familiar with certain hair terms like porosity and density, but she found that the website did a great job at explaining things, so she could better understand which options fit her hair profile. For Katz, she found the quiz very helpful and quick to navigate. She adds, "The directions on the products are even more helpful than most typical products.” Note: You have to provide your email address in order to gain access to taking the quiz.
Final Verdict
The collection has some wins and losses. All three editors had different favorites from the line, but overall, we agreed that it left our hair feeling soft, moisturized and frizz-free. However, I personally have a bone to pick with the packaging. While it does evoke minimalism and luxury, it wasn’t the most user-friendly. The clarifying shampoo/scalp scrub, in particular, gave me the most trouble in getting the product out. You have to apply so much pressure to the nozzle to get enough out, I don’t even want to imagine how much harder it’ll be once there’s little product left. Yes, the packaging is aesthetically-pleasing, but I’m knocking a few points off for functionality.
The products are on the pricier side, but if you take the nourishing, patented formulas into consideration, plus, the results for each editor, some of them are worth the splurge. It’s also important to highlight the signature scent, which features notes of oud, Australian sandalwood, warm must, jasmine, Haitian vetiver and violet leaves. It’s subtle, and not-at-all overpowering, which truly makes it stand out from other hair care brands.
It’s only been around for four months, but Cécred is already proving to be a worthy contender in the haircare space, thanks to its moisturizing styling lotion, the rich lather of its clarifying shampoo and the strengthening power of its protein treatment. Looks like Beyoncé can add hair care founder to her resume (as if we ever doubted her in the first place.)
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