Just like skincare, haircare is extremely personal. As a beauty editor with coarse, thick, curly hair, I can honestly tell you that I've tried plenty of products that were wrong for my strands. Once I finally found products that were right, though, the health of my hair took an extremely positive turn. Even though I'm now pretty well-versed in what does and doesn't work for my specific hair type, I still like to try new things, especially when they have the good name of Beyoncé attached to them. I managed to get my hands on a few things from Beyoncé's new haircare line, Cécred, and I'm going to share every single one of my thoughts on the products later on in this article.
For those who might not know, here's a fun fact: Beyoncé's mother was a hairstylist with her own salon. Growing up, Bey spent much of her time sweeping the floors and watching her mother transform her clients' strands using a mix of both mainstream products and her knowledge of textured hair. She accredits much of what she learned about her own hair to this time in her life. Little did she know that later on, they would go on to create a results-driven haircare brand together that puts the needs of textured hair first.
I was excited to give this line a try because Bey is always so thoughtful and intentional with everything she does. I knew that if she was going to drop a haircare line, it would be something to behold. For my honest thoughts on everything I tried from the brand, keep scrolling below.
This was the first product I tried from the brand. Normally, I don't like to use a clarifying shampoo more than once a week or once every couple of weeks, but for the purpose of this review, I decided to start with this one on washday. This definitely provides a deeper clean to the scalp with ingredients like fermented purple willow bark, gentle exfoliants, and tea tree oil. My hair didn't feel stripped after using this, but it also wasn't very hydrating. If you have naturally dry or coarse hair, this is something to keep in mind. I did really like this formula because it removed any product buildup on my scalp, but I'll be honest—there are other clarifying shampoos out there that are a little less drying. If you do end up snagging this one and your hair is on the drier side, I'd limit use of this to every other week.
This was one of my favorite products of the bunch. Shampoo is a category I often struggle with because I have dry, curly hair. Co-washes usually don't cleanse my hair enough, while other regular shampoos often leave my curls feeling brittle or stripped. This hydrating formula is the perfect happy medium. It's infused with hyaluronic acid, a phyto-collagen complex, and an African oil blend to deeply moisturize the hair, but it also cleanses without stripping it. If you're looking for a shampoo that lathers nicely and cleans well without leaving your hair with a dry feeling, this really is the ticket. I loved this one and will continue to use it as my regular shampoo a couple times a week.
This deep conditioner is super rich with 12 moisturizing butters and oils. I initially thought this conditioner would be great for my hair since it's so dry, but for some reason, this one didn't quite work out for me. While it initially felt super hydrating on my hair when I applied it and for a few hours after, the next day, my hair seemed really dry, and it lacked definition. Curl definition is important to me since I've started wearing my hair natural again, and this just didn't quite provide that. While it didn't quite work for my coarse, 3C curls, I still think it could be great for looser curl types or those who just have super-dry, thirsty hair.
To be fair, I know that the brand wants to put textured hair at the forefront but also wants to make products that can work for all hair types. This is a tricky feat. Personally, I don't believe in products designed "for all hair types" because I know that what works for my super-dry, coarse, curly hair will most likely be too heavy for someone with straight, fine hair. While I liked this deep conditioner, I don't see myself using it long term on my super-thick hair since it didn't add much definition or long-term hydration. If the brand were to come out with a more specific line geared toward tighter curl types, I think that would be the solve here.
Weirdly, the Reconstructing Mask worked a bit better for me in terms of hydration. It's designed specifically for hair repair with a patent-pending bioactive keratin ferment. It helps reduce strand damage, increases visible strength, and improves shine. This hair repair mask is wonderful and, as a bonus, smells amazing. For hair repair, I think it's great. I noticed that my strands were less frizzy after using this once or twice a week for a few weeks.
Containing a luscious blend of 13 oils, this finisher is great to top off your routine with. It reinforces your hair's lipid barrier and seals in moisture. I really enjoyed this on top of my regular styling products, and it did help keep my hair hydrated for longer periods of time.
This is one of the more expensive products in the bunch, but it offers a lot in the hydration and strength departments. The first step in this system contains fermented rice, which is known to help strengthen strands against breakage and supports major hair growth. The second step is the brand's moisturizing silk rinse with a rich African oil blend. I really liked this one because it made my hair really soft and shiny, but I'm not sure how often I'll continue to use it, just because it's a two-step system that requires more work. It's hard enough for me to deep-condition once or twice a week, but factor in a second step, and you lose me completely (lol).
My Overall Thoughts on Cécred
While I really enjoyed these products and think Beyoncé really has something here, I think there's also room for improvement. I love that the brand doesn't use silicones and focuses on water-activated hydration, but I think there are improvements that can be made to the products to make them a bit more curl-friendly. While these products are designed to be for all hair types, I think it would be beneficial for the brand to consider creating a line specifically for coily, curly, and kinky hair since it needs more moisture and definition.
I loved the fragrance of the products, which makes you feel like you're at a luxury spa. It's a unique scent that I would expect Beyoncé to create. It's warm, exotic, and a tad spicy. It doesn't smell artificial or overpowering either. The products are also moderately priced individually, but if you buy three of them, you're easily spending over $100, so that's something to keep in mind.
Although there may be a few things to improve on, I'm still super excited about this line and hope the brand continues to evolve and creates new products for those of us with thick, coarse, curly hair.
More Hair Products I'm Loving Right Now
I've been loving this defining cream from Bounce Curl lately. It's silicone- and coconut oil–free, which both tend to dry out my hair majorly.
This is one of my favorite pre-shampoo products. It detangles my hair so easily and quickly before washday.
I recently discovered this curl-defining cream from The Doux and was so impressed with it. My curls are naturally super dry and can look lifeless if I don't add a gel or definer. This one is perfect and layers so well with other styling products.
I love a good hair oil, and this Bread Beauty Supply option is another favorite of mine. It's super light on your strands but does a great job of sealing in hydration. It also smells like Froot Loops, which is a major bonus.
This gentle, creamy hair wash is one of the only shampoos that doesn't dry out my curls. It softens and hydrates and is totally sulfate-free.
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