When I see a product that promises soft hair, I shy away. My hair is naturally stick-straight and limp, so heavy “softening” treatments leave it oily and even limper. But I couldn’t call myself a beauty snob if I didn’t keep giving new products a shot, so I still tried Redken’s All Soft line. Surprisingly, it did just what it suggested: grant me soft hair that’s easy to style.

Why does hair get dry in the first place? Once the moisture-holding barrier around strand’s cuticle that protects against stresses (aka the hydrolipidic film) is depleted, hair gets dry. This line replenishes those lipids that keep hair from getting brittle.

The shampoo ($24.70) is still a bit too heavy for me (so I gave it away to a friend who needed it more than I do); I’ll continue to use Neutrogena’s Anti-Residue Formula shampoo (it’s the best for getting rid of build-up!). But I love the conditioner ($30.40) – only on the ends, please!

The Argan-6 Oil ($23.49) is an absolute must. The omega-6-enriched formula can be likened to Alberto VO5, but it’s lighter, absorbing faster and better. On wet hair, use it to shield hair pre-blow dry or as a shine booster. On dry hair (as in not wet), use it as a pre-shampoo treatment, a post-blow-out perfector (frizz be gone), or an overnight treatment. If you have curly or generally unruly hair, apply a few drops 2-3 times a week (I use it 1-2 times).

I now use my serious T3 curling iron with no trepidation of damage – the Argan-6 Oil has my strands covered!