Redken All Soft Review: The Cult-Favorite Shampoo That Turns Straw-Like Hair Into Silk

If your hair feels more like dry straw than soft fabric, you’re not imagining it. Heat, color, and daily styling can wreck your strands. Redken All Soft promises to flip that script and bring back buttery softness. But does it actually deliver, or is it just hype?

There’s a moment every dry-haired person knows too well: you run your fingers through your hair and they snag halfway. The ends feel like hay, the lengths feel rough, and no amount of expensive styling creams seem to fix that dull, frizzy halo in the mirror. You start washing less, conditioning more, and still… it never really feels soft.

If that sounds familiar, you’re exactly the person Redken had in mind with its All Soft line – a range that’s been quietly recommended by stylists for years and loudly defended on Reddit by people who swear it saved their hair.

So, is Redken All Soft just another moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, or is it actually different from the sea of “hydrating” haircare on the shelf?

The Solution: Meet Redken All Soft

Redken All Soft is a moisture-focused haircare system designed specifically for dry, brittle, or rough hair. The hero products in the line are:

• Redken All Soft Shampoo
• Redken All Soft Conditioner
• Redken All Soft Heavy Cream (intense mask)
• Redken All Soft Argan-6 Oil (leave-in treatment)

The entire line is built around one clear promise: turn stiff, dehydrated hair into soft, touchable hair that actually moves. Instead of trying to do everything at once (volume, curl definition, clarifying, styling), All Soft leans hard into one job – comfort, slip, and manageability.

Owned by beauty giant L'Oréal S.A. (ISIN: FR0000120321), Redken sits in that sweet spot between drugstore and salon: more science and performance than your average grocery-store buy, but still accessible and widely available.

Why This Specific Model?

There are dozens of “moisturizing” hair lines out there, so why do stylists, trichologists, and everyday users keep circling back to Redken All Soft?

It comes down to a few key things that consistently show up in professional write-ups and user reviews:

• Targeted for dryness, not everything else
  All Soft isn’t pretending to be a volumizer, purple toner, curl cream, and clarifier all in one. It’s specifically designed for dry to very dry hair, including hair that’s been lightened, chemically processed, or heat-damaged. That focus matters – the formulas aren’t diluted by trying to meet conflicting goals.
• Proven softening system, not a one-off product
  While many brands sell a single hyped-up mask, All Soft is a system: shampoo + conditioner + mask + oil that are designed to layer together. People on Reddit frequently mention that the real magic happens when they use at least the shampoo and conditioner together – you get a cumulative effect of softness, slip, and frizz control.
• Argan oil and conditioning complex for slip
  The line features argan oil and a conditioning complex that helps coat the hair fiber, giving you that glossy, silky feel. In real life, this shows up as less tugging when detangling, easier blow-drying, and softer touch when the hair is dry.
• Protein and moisture balance
  User discussions and ingredient breakdowns highlight that All Soft includes a protein-moisture balance (Redken is known for RCT proteins in many formulas) that can help reinforce the hair while still feeling soft. That’s important: pure moisture can sometimes make hair feel limp, while pure protein can make it feel stiff. All Soft aims for the middle.
• Salon-grade feel without a salon appointment
  Many reviewers compare the post-wash feel of All Soft to a fresh blowout at the salon – that ultra-smooth, swishy effect that’s usually hard to replicate at home. If you color or highlight your hair regularly, this can be the difference between your hair looking “processed” and looking intentionally polished.

In practice, this means All Soft shines for:

• Medium to thick hair that’s dry, frizzy, or rough
• Color-treated or highlighted hair that’s lost its natural softness
• Heat-styled hair that needs regular TLC

If your hair is very fine or tends to get greasy fast, you may need to use the line more selectively (for example, the conditioner on lengths only, or the Heavy Cream just once a week).

At a Glance: The Facts

Here’s a quick breakdown of what Redken All Soft brings to the table and what that means for you in real life:

Feature	User Benefit
Moisture-focused shampoo & conditioner system	Transforms dry, rough hair into softer, more manageable strands with consistent use.
Infused with argan oil	Adds shine and slip, helping hair feel silky and reducing friction when brushing or styling.
Designed for dry and brittle hair	Targets the specific needs of dehydrated, over-processed hair instead of being a generic “all hair types” formula.
Compatible with color-treated hair	Helps keep colored or highlighted hair feeling soft instead of straw-like after chemical services.
System includes mask and leave-in oil	Allows you to customize intensity: everyday softness with shampoo/conditioner, or deep repair days with Heavy Cream and Argan-6 Oil.
Salon-grade brand under L'Oréal	Backed by professional heritage and widely available both in salons and online, so it’s easy to repurchase.
Rich, smoothing feel	Leaves hair feeling noticeably smoother and less frizzy right after the first few washes, according to many users.

What Users Are Saying

A scan of recent user reviews and Reddit threads like “Redken All Soft review” shows a clear trend: people with dry or damaged hair tend to love this line, with some caveats depending on hair type and sensitivity.

The most common praises:

• Instant softness: Many users notice their hair feels softer and smoother after just a couple of washes, especially when using both the shampoo and conditioner.
• Less frizz, more shine: People talk about less puffiness, easier blowouts, and a glossier finish without needing as many extra styling products.
• Great for highlighted and bleached hair: Those with blonde highlights or heavily processed hair often describe All Soft as making their hair feel less brittle and more “buttery.”
• Holy-grail mask and oil: The All Soft Heavy Cream and Argan-6 Oil get frequent shout-outs as rescue products for extremely dry ends.

The most common complaints:

• Can feel heavy on fine or thin hair: Some users with fine hair find the line a bit too rich, especially if they use a lot of conditioner, mask, or oil near the roots.
• Build-up if overused: A few reviewers mention that using the entire system every single wash without a clarifying step can lead to some build-up or weighed-down feeling over time.
• Price vs. drugstore: It’s not the most expensive salon brand, but it does cost more than typical drugstore shampoo and conditioner, which can be a consideration for everyday use.

Overall sentiment from user discussions is largely positive, especially among people who started with very dry or damaged hair and were willing to invest in a system rather than a single miracle product.

Alternatives vs. Redken All Soft

The market for moisturizing haircare is crowded, and All Soft isn’t operating in a vacuum. Here’s how it stacks up against some typical alternatives:

• Versus drugstore “moisture” lines
  Drugstore hydrating shampoos and conditioners can absolutely help, especially if you’re just mildly dry. But for seriously parched, color-treated, or heat-damaged hair, users often report that All Soft delivers a more dramatic, salon-like softness and longer-lasting results – particularly when using the full system.
• Versus protein-heavy repair lines
  If you’ve tried hardcore repair products loaded with protein, you might have noticed your hair felt stronger but also oddly stiff or rough. All Soft tends to feel more buttery and flexible, making it a better choice when your main goal is softness and daily comfort, not just structural repair.
• Versus ultra-luxe salon brands
  There are more expensive salon lines promising intense moisture and shine. While some do deliver, Redken All Soft often hits a sweet spot of performance vs. price. You’re getting a widely trusted professional line under L'Oréal’s umbrella without the ultra-premium price tag of niche luxury brands.
• When NOT to pick All Soft
  If your hair is very fine, oily at the roots, or you’re looking to boost volume more than moisture, you may prefer a lighter, volumizing or balancing line, possibly even within Redken’s other ranges. All Soft is unapologetically geared toward dryness and comfort over big, airy volume.

How to Get the Most Out of Redken All Soft

If you decide to try All Soft, how you use it matters almost as much as the formula itself. A simple, realistic routine could look like this:

• Every wash: Use All Soft Shampoo on the scalp and roots, then All Soft Conditioner on mid-lengths and ends. Rinse thoroughly.
• Once a week (or as needed): Swap the regular conditioner for All Soft Heavy Cream to give your hair a deep moisture soak.
• After washing, on damp hair: Apply a small amount of All Soft Argan-6 Oil to mid-lengths and ends before blow-drying or air-drying.
• Occasional reset: If you use a lot of styling products, consider a gentle clarifying shampoo every couple of weeks to prevent build-up, then follow with All Soft for softness.

This sort of layering is what many long-time fans credit for their “I finally like touching my hair again” results.

Final Verdict

If your hair is chronically dry, rough, or chemically processed, you don’t need another random mask that promises miracles overnight. You need a consistent, targeted softening system that makes your hair feel better every single time you wash it.

Redken All Soft delivers exactly that: a focused, moisture-driven lineup that smooths, softens, and de-frizzes without demanding a stylist’s license to use. It’s not the perfect fit for every hair type – fine, oily hair may need a lighter touch – but for medium to thick, dry, frizzy, or damaged hair, the hype is largely justified.

Think of it as upgrading from scratchy hotel towels to your favorite plush bath sheet – same function, radically different experience.

If you’re tired of your hair feeling like straw and want it to move, shine, and glide through your fingers again, Redken All Soft is absolutely worth a spot in your shower.