I’ll be completely honest here, when my editor asked me to try Beyoncé’s new hair care line, Secred, my first reaction was, “Huh? Another celebrity beauty brand?” . Granted, I should never question the genius that is Queen Bey, but I was certainly pretty skeptical about whether her new hair products would actually work.
Surprisingly, this chic-looking line surprised us with multiple products that performed extremely well during our testing. But before I get into the Cécred review, I have to first talk about my favorite part of this new line: the “Shop by Hair Type” tab.
I’ve worked as a beauty editor and writer for many years and have tried many hair care ranges, but I’ve never seen a ‘shop by hair type’ page as thorough, easy to understand and visually explained as Cécred’s . This page includes 20 different hair types, including coiled, curly, wavy, and straight hair, as well as options for fine, medium, or coarse hair. What I like about this page is that you can easily find your hair type using the included photos. I was able to easily find my hair type by looking at the photos. I have medium straight hair with minimal waves. My favorite products for my hair type are Hydrating Shampoo, Moisturizing Deep Conditioner, and Moisture Sealing Lotion.
If for some reason you can’t determine your hair type based on the image, this site offers a very detailed quiz to help you decide which products are best for your hair. Below, I’ll share my thoughts on all the products I’ve tested in this line (I skipped the Nourishing Hair Oil and Fermented Rice & Rose Protein Ritual). Please see my honest review below.
Cécred hair product reviews
1. Secred Moisture Sealing Lotion ($38)
This is probably my favorite product from this brand. This pick does a great job of getting your hair ready for a blowout at home. I have long hair, so I take a dime-sized amount of lotion in my hand, rub it in with both hands, and apply it to about half of my hair, from the middle of my hair to the ends. Then repeat the same process on the other side of your head.
After using this formula, I noticed that my hair became much less frizzy and much softer and smoother. I also think it helps my breakouts last longer and prevents frizz for a few days afterwards. Thanks to ingredients like the brand’s PhytoSeal Complex and African Oil Blend, this hair lotion helps moisturize dry hair and curls, minimizing frizz and sealing out split ends as well.
The scent of this formula is between subtle and strong. The fragrance has notes of oud, sandalwood, warm musk, jasmine, vetiver and violet leaf. I don’t dislike the scent, but I don’t like it either. It’s more of a masculine scent than feminine, but it’s not so strong that it bothers me when my hair dries after using it.
2. Secred Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub ($38)
Next up is my second favorite. Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub. This is a refreshing spot-on shampoo, spot-on scalp scrub that does a great job of thoroughly cleaning the scalp without stripping or over-drying it. The subtle peppermint scent is refreshing, and I love that the texture contains microcrystalline cellulose, a physical exfoliant derived from wood.
The instructions for this product say to follow it up with a hydrating shampoo, but I’ve only ever used the Clarifying Shampoo and Scalp Scrub as my main shampoo rinse. I thought the hydrating shampoo was a bit too hydrating for my scalp (more on this later). So I decided to continue using this pick as my only shampoo conditioner and then use the conditioner. For best results, you should use this before applying a moisturizing shampoo, as well as double cleansing your hair.
3. Secred Moisturizing Deep Conditioner ($38)
I’m really impressed with this deep conditioner. Especially since it does not contain silicone. It can be difficult to find an effective deep conditioner that doesn’t contain silicones, but right after the first use I was quite impressed with how well this moisturized my skin, which had been really dense and relatively dry for a long time. I was surprised.
This formula is very rich and thick, and the scent is also very subtle and mild. The instructions say to apply it to your hair, cover your hair with a plastic cap, and apply heat with a hooded hair dryer, steamer, or warm towel. I didn’t follow the instructions and just left the deep conditioner on my hair for about 5-10 minutes until I finished the rest of my shower routine.
What I like about this formula is that it’s rich and rich enough to moisturize dry hair, but not so oily that it weighs down my hair or makes it feel greasy. I find myself using this deep conditioner every time I wash my hair, 2-3 times a week.
4. SECRED Reconstructing Treatment Mask ($42)
I think I was a little confused when I first used this product. I thought it was a replacement for conditioner or deep conditioner, but it’s a treatment that you apply to your hair after shampooing and before conditioner. It’s hard to say if this product made a huge difference to my hair. It contains the brand’s patent-pending bioactive keratin ferment, which helps repair damage caused by heat styling, color treatments, and chemical treatments, while also helping reduce hair breakage.
Personally, I don’t think my hair is damaged enough to see a huge difference after using this formula. That being said, this is a very thick treatment mask and I can see it working to repair damage for people who really need it. It is important to note that this product is not listed among the products recommended for straight medium hair with minimal waves on the brand’s site. I asked the brand to send it to me because I wanted to try it, but I didn’t think it would suit my hair type.
5. Secred Hydrating Shampoo ($30)
Unfortunately, this was my least favorite product. I was really impressed with how well this formula lathered on my scalp. The scent is really nice and subtle, just the way I like it. However, while using this pick, my scalp quickly became oily, so I felt like I had to wash my hair more often than usual. However, as mentioned above, I may have been using it incorrectly. Apparently, you’re supposed to use a clarifying shampoo and scalp scrub before using a hydrating shampoo. If I had done it more often, I probably wouldn’t have felt like my hair was so oily a few days after just using a hydrating shampoo.
If you have a very dry scalp, dry or curly hair that needs extra moisture, or you just want to ditch your regular cleansing shampoo, Cécred Hydrating Shampoo is perfect for you. However, I don’t recommend this pick for people with oily scalps, as I don’t think it removes all the excess oil as well as other shampoos on the market.
