The Informant: The Leave-In Treatment That Brought My Dyed Hair Back From the Dead
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In March 2020, I was told by my then-boss that there was some concerning news about a new, highly contagious virus and to stay home for the weekend. Then the week. Then two weeks. Then three. Then lockdown hit. I found myself staring out of my Brooklyn window at the Gates Avenue J train stop, wondering if I’d ever touch grass again.
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I got itchy.
I’d always wanted to shave my head, always wondered what it would be like to hack it all off. I stared at my hair clippers and my hair clippers stared at me. Finally, after a Facetime call with my mom, during which I reassured her I was doing fine in lockdown and that I was definitely not going to do anything drastic, I picked them up and cut a clean path right down the center of my head. My logic: If not now, when?
Overall, I cannot recommend a shaved head enough for anyone who might feel the temptation. It was a freeing experience. It also meant, in my mind, that I could dye my hair a bunch of colors without worrying about massive amounts of damage. (My hair was short! I could grow more!) And dye it I did. I bleached it blonde and then tried shades of pink, blue, red, and a very unintentional orange before returning to my natural brown.
In the three years since the big shave, I’ve been on a hair growth journey, as well as, yes, a hair repair journey. Normally, when it comes to hair products, I like to experiment with different conditioners and leave-in masks. But as I grew out my damaged strands, I couldn’t find a product that felt truly nourishing — that is, until I tested Redken’s Acidic Bonding Leave-In treatment.
To say I was impressed would be an understatement.
First, it’s incredibly easy to use. Typically, I shower at night and let my hair air-dry; when I added it to my rotation, I washed with my usual shampoo, squeezed a quarter-sized amount into my palm, ran it through my hair, pulled it back, and waited for five-ish minutes. Then I rinsed. There was simply no other word for it: My hair felt like silk. And so I kept on using it. After each application, without fail, I woke up with smooth, hydrated strands. A good hair day, guaranteed. (And, as we know, according to the gospel that is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag, hair is everything.)
Redken recommends using the treatment sporadically — two or three times per week, as needed. I’ve been sticking to that regimen, swapping in regular conditioner on days I don’t use it. I find that its effects last about three days before I have to — nay, want to — use it again. Bonus: It has a bright, citrusy scent that lingers in my towels and pillows, and makes my bathroom smell like an orange grove.
Today, I have a cart full of backups and a head full of beautifully conditioned hair. What more could I ask for?
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment by Redken
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