Redken Acidic Color Gloss Sulfate-Free Shampoo Review
The Insider Score
Colour-care shampoosA gloss-focused wash for colour that looks dull.
We’d choose Redken for shine and colour care when the hair’s shade is right but the finish looks flat. The $37 shampoo is a distinct step from the range’s gloss treatment.
I’d reach for this shampoo when shine is what I want from a colour-care wash.
Insider Beauty tester- Colour care and shine
- 4.2/5
- Lather and rinse
- 4.5/5
- Value per wash
- 3.8/5
How the score adds up
Our editors awarded 83 of 100 available points across these six criteria. Divide by 20 for the five-point rating.
- Colour care and shine
- 25 / 30 pts
- The sulfate-free shampoo is formulated for cleansing, colour care and a shinier finish.
- Lather and rinse
- 18 / 20 pts
- Use it as an ordinary wash on wet hair. The gloss treatment and conditioner have separate directions.
- Value per wash
- 15 / 20 pts
- The $37 price buys 10.1 fl oz of shampoo. The other products in the regimen cost extra.
- Support for product claims
- 12 / 15 pts
- Redken identifies the pH-balanced formulation and specifies when results come from system testing.
- What sets it apart
- 8 / 10 pts
- A gloss-led colour-care shampoo is a different proposition from a richly moisturizing wash or a dye-depositing product.
- Formula disclosure
- 5 / 5 pts
- Redken names the shampoo, treatment and conditioner separately and publishes directions for the range.
What the 10.1 fl oz Redken Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo does, how to use it on wash day and which claims refer to a combination of products.
- Rank
- Not ranked
- Current price
- $37.00
- Listed size
- 10.1 oz
- Updated
Reviewed byInsider BeautyEditorial team ·
Editor’s cut
At a glance
Check the black bottle for the word Shampoo.
The wash adds no dye to refresh your shade.
Redken’s headline wear and shine tests use combinations of products.
For colour that looks dull before it needs doing again
I’d buy Redken Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo for someone who likes the shade of their hair and wants wash day to do more for its shine. It’s a sulfate-free shampoo from a gloss-focused range. There’s no colour to match to your dye job and no pigment to deposit. The difference you’re paying for is in the wash and finish, which is a useful distinction when “gloss” can also mean a salon colour service.
The black bottle with the pink label costs $37 for 10.1 fl oz. The line includes a separate Activated Glass Gloss Treatment and a conditioner. If you just want to replace your shampoo, check that the word Shampoo is on the bottle. The other products belong at different points in the wash and have different instructions.
What to expect from the shampoo step
Apply to wet hair, work it into a lather at the scalp and rinse. Use conditioner through the lengths according to what your hair needs. The formula contains citric acid, and Redken describes the range as pH-balanced for colour care. The point of that formulation is a smoother-looking surface and more light reflected from the hair. It doesn’t restore dye that has already washed away.
If shine is the reason for switching, I’d change the shampoo first and keep the conditioner and styling routine familiar. Redken publishes shine and colour-retention figures from tests using combinations of products in the range. Those figures don’t give you a personal wash count from the shampoo alone. They’re a better guide to what the brand tested than to the date of your next colour appointment.
Where to spend the $37
The shampoo makes the most sense when fading or dull-looking colour is the reason you’re replacing what’s already in the shower. If dryness is the bigger issue, I’d look at Pureology Hydrate first, especially for medium-to-thick lengths that want more conditioning from the wash itself.
For someone who likes a glossy finish and doesn't want a separate gloss step every wash, this is a straightforward place to start. Try the standard bottle before deciding whether the rest of the system earns its space.
Useful details
Frequently asked questions
Is the Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo itself a hair colour?
No. It’s a sulfate-free colour-care shampoo. It doesn’t deposit a new shade.
Is this the Activated Glass Gloss Treatment?
No. The shampoo cleanses at the start of the routine. The Activated Glass Gloss Treatment is a separate product.