All Soft, No Substance

I really wanted to love All Soft Heavy Cream, a “super treatment” that Redken promises will “provide dry hair with intense softness, replenishment and strength. Hair is wrapped in softness with increased manageability, movement and luminous shine.” I tried it last night and I must say – not only was I not impressed, I was extremely disappointed. After using it, my hair wasn’t any softer than usual. In fact, I think it was less soft than I’m accustomed to. All of my favorite magazines and blogs raved about this product, and I just don’t understand the enthusiasm for such a mediocre conditoner.

Perhaps it’s because I have been spoiled (pretty) by my tried-and-true conditioner, Elasta QP’s DPR 11. So it doesn’t have a catchy name and you may not have heard of the brand before, but this product is the ONLY conditioner you'll need…I don’t know why I ever doubted my DPR 11.

Elasta QP is a line of hair product made for and marketed to African-American women - but really, the products work for all women - regardless of race, ethnicity, or hair texture. Case in point - in college, a friend of mine decided she was bored with her long, thick Persian hair. I can’t remember exactly what she did to it, but I do recall that it was damaged within an inch of its life. Girlfriend’s hair felt, and looked, like straw. She couldn’t get a brush through it, and it became matted and terribly tangled. I gave her some DPR to try and I swear, she cried. Her hair was miraculously restored to its natural state, but even more manageable than before.

It’s been ten years since then, and I’m still using this product. I slather it on after I shampoo and let it penetrate for 5-10 minutes while I’m showering and shaving. As soon as I rinse it out, I immediately notice how silky my hair is. And, every time I use the DPR 11, my husband can’t stop smelling me…the product contains peach blossom oil, which leaves your strands unbelievably soft and subtly fragranced.

Whether your hair is chemically processed or natural, curly or straight, thick or baby fine - this is as good as it gets, ladies! Trust me, I've tried them all. After you use this, you'll finally know your hair's true potential. This is the holy grail of holy grails – remember, you heard it here first.

And at under $7 a pop, you can't beat it. I also highly recommend the rest of the Elasta QP products - Creme Conditioning Shampoo is another of my faves. Click here to find a retailer near you.