Redken Extreme Anti-Snap + CAT review - Initial thoughts:

Aloha :)

I am writing this on a Sunday evening and I definitely have Sunday blues... I had a three day week at work last week, so this full five day week will be a shock to the system! Instead of me wittering on about that, I bring you my initial thoughts on two of Redken's Extreme products - Anti-Snap and CAT which I purchased earlier last week.

 

Please excuse the iPhone picture, but you get the idea of what they look like! As I'm lazy, here's a bit of blurb from feelunique about each of the products:

Anti-Snap - £13.95

Redken Extreme Anti-Snap provides heat protection, reduces friction from brushing and helps prevent breakage and split ends.

Key ingredients:
Interlock protein network
- Rebuilds surface protection
- Provides progressive conditioning
- Strengthens hair’s core.
Fortifying complex 18-mea amino acid and protein.

Why it works:
18-MEA helps restore the lipid layer of protection and resurfaces the cuticle to help restore shine while amino acids and protein enter the cuticle for targeted structural repair. Together, IPN and the Fortifying Complex deliver Redken Extreme's advanced strengthening benefits for healthier, shinier hair.

CAT - £13.95

Redken Extreme Cat Protein Reconstructing Treatment reconstructs and reconditions to add intense reinforcement without added weight.

Key ingredients:
Interlock protein network
- Rebuilds surface protection
- Provides progressive conditioning
- Strengthens hair’s core.
Fortifying complex 18-mea amino acid and protein.

Why it works:
18-MEA helps restore the lipid layer of protection and resurfaces the cuticle to help restore shine while amino acids and protein enter the cuticle for targeted structural repair. Together, IPN and the Fortifying Complex deliver new Extreme’s advanced strengthening benefits for healthier, shinier hair.

All sounds promising, non?

I'll start with a little bit of background on my mane. Considering I spent 6 years working in hairdressing, you would think I'd take great care of my hair, but I don't. I have bright red hair, and have done for the past 3/4 years, which as you all know takes a LOT of maintenance to keep it looking swish, so it means colouring it every 2-3 weeks. I also straighten my hair every day, blow dry, brush it quite vigorously, and to be blunt - put it through hell and back! My hair is also still suffering length wise as about 2 years I decided I didn't want to be red any more, so I stripped my colour TWICE and ended up with bonded hair extensions for a year as my hair snapped SO much. It's grown back a lot, but I still can't seem to get it much longer than it is at the moment (due to all the abuse mentioned above). I mentioned in my previous post that I was trying to fade the red, but I gave up. I looked in the mirror in the toilets at work and my colour just looked so vile I stopped on the way home and got some colour - I wish I was more patient!!! So yes... to put it bluntly, my hair isn't in very good condition. When I straighten it, my shoulders are always covered in little broken bits which have come off, so buying these two products is to try and eliminate that at least a little bit!

Anyhoo... onto the review! I'm going to combine both products as I'm using them in conjunction with each other. CAT is the first product I use in my current hair regime. This is a spray treatment which you apply after shampooing, leave on for 3-5 minutes then rinse. It is a protein treatment so it works from the inside out, so please bare in mind this isn't your normal conditioning treatment and you more than likely will need conditioner after! As I've got quite a knotty mane after shampooing, I use quite a fair bit and distribute it evenly throughout my hair. I can just about get a comb through it to distribute it (with a few squeals from tugging on the knots!). After it's rinsed, it feels a bit softer, but I still require conditioner (not as much though mind). After conditioner and all that jazz, I towel dry my hair, comb it through, and then apply Anti-Snap to the ends of my hair. Anti-Snap is a leave in treatment which also doubles up as a heat protector (didn't know that until I read the blurb!). After this I blow dry and straighten. Both products smell pleasant, which is nice bonus too.

So, overall, my verdict so far? Superb. I definitely have a significant reduction in little broken bits on my shoulders after straightening, which sure is a good sign! My hair also looks a bit healthier and has regained some of it's shine, and the ends look a little less frazzled - all of this is only after 3 uses too, which is amazing!! My only complaint however is with CAT... as it's a spray treatment which you use after shampooing, your hands are obviously going to be slippery from the water, so it makes it very difficult to spray! I've been having to use two hands to stop it from going for an adventure in the shower!

Anyway, I hope you guys found this useful! I couldn't find a single blog review of this, so, hopefully this will help someone :). Please bare in mind this is only after 3 uses - it'd be interesting to use it on freshly cut hair to see how it holds up to straighteners etc!

Caroline.x