Being the face of a brand is just not enough. An encyclopedia of celebrity beauty brands have hit the market this year, turning ambassadors into founders, and our skin and body care routines into celebrity-approved trends. For hair, however, the stakes for coarser textures are much higher, with consumer discourse about the “one-size-fits-all” approach to hair care products.
However, with the most popular and latest brands backed by the world’s highest-ranked celebrities, Beyoncé’s Cécred and Rihanna’s Fenty Hair, the myth “products for ‘all hair types’ don’t work for textured hair” is easily debunked just off of first-use. Furthermore, there has been a lot of conversations circulating on the internet about which brand is better. But we want to push back on that as we believe both are great and there is something for everyone. The most difficult part, though? Is knowing which to use first.
Below, NaturallyCurly breaks down the differences between Cécred and Fenty Hair—and the concerns each brand is best for.
The history behind Cécred and Fenty Hair
Back in February, ESSENCE’s March/April cover star Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter launched Cécred, a hair care line born out of childhood memories of her mother, Tina Knowles’s, salon. “[The salon] was more than just a hair appointment—it was therapy,” Beyoncé told ESSENCE for the cover story.
Just months later, Bajan popstar Rihanna announced Fenty Hair as the latest line to join her billion dollar beauty empire. Known for her inclusive approach to makeup, her hair care line is no different. “I’ve had almost every texture, color, length, from weaves to braids to natural,” she says on Instagram. “It’s time to play and get stronger by the style,” she says, in reference to her hair-repairing styling products.
What are the differences between the collections?
The leading difference between the collections are, well, the products. While both Cécred and Fenty Hair have basics we can’t wash without—shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, and a treatment mask (which are all in a toss-up for which works best)—their collections are not one in the same.
Styling vs. repair
Following in the footsteps of Rihanna, known to switch up her hairstyle at the drop of a dime, Fenty Hair is a hair styling brand. Products like the Homecurl Curl-Defining Cream, The Gelly Type Strong Hold Gel, and The Protective Type 5-in-1 Heat Protectant Styler are not offered at Cécred, which positions Fenty Hair as a brand to use before leaving the house.
Meanwhile, bleached blonde Beyoncé founded Cécred for the most damaged hair. Instead of curl cream, edge control, and hair gel, they prioritized a Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub, Fermented Rice & Rose Protein Ritual, Nourishing Hair Oil, and their latest product, Restoring Hair And Edge Drops.
Aroma profile
They also differ in scent. Fenty Hair is known for a warm, ambery floral scent, using notes like sparkling yuzu, golden amber, vanilla and soothing florals as their profile. On the other hand, Cécred delivers a rich, deep oud aroma with signature notes of Australian sandalwood, warm musk, night-blooming jasmine, Haitian vetiver, and violet leaves.
Packaging
Fenty Hair’s inclusive packaging features textured tops to guide the sight-impaired (and ones with shampoo-clouded eyes.) The packaging, like Fenty Skin, features a range of color-coded pastel tones and easy-use flip caps to mediate the difficulties you may not have even noticed.
For Cécred, their ancient sculptural bottles have a half-moon top with a stone-like texture for the most minimalist bathrooms. Tools like the Ritual Shaking Vessel acknowledge just how important the packaging is to the product encased, which in turn, promotes circularity with your empties.
What are the differences between the hair care formulas?
Bioactive Keratin Ferment, a patent-pending keratin recovery complex, is the key ingredient behind all Cécred products. The complex contains bioactive keratin, a keratin-mimicking protein derived from wool; honey, a nutrient-rich nectar used to activate fermentation and lock-in hydration; and, a prebiotic ferment for scalp care called lactobacillus ferment.
Meanwhile, Fenty Hair’s proprietary complex Replenicore-5 contains five key ingredients instead of three: amino acids, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Barbados gooseberry, upcycled jackfruit extract, and green tea extract. While both formulas are reparative, Cécred’s is fermented (dubbed part of the China and Japan-led “kombucha effect” linking wellness to hair care) while Fenty Hair is not.
Which hair concerns are the key ingredients best for?
While both brands use hair repair ingredients, Cécred’s collection is postured for hair damage, weak, depleted, and chemically processed strands. And, while use of keratin treatments are known to have a few cons, the brand’s Bioactive Keratin Ferment is an active ingredient delivering the long-term repair regular keratin treatments lack.
From their three-step protein ritual to Reconstructing Treatment Mask, Cécred is ideal for a wash-and-go, style prep, or repair day at home. Fenty Hair, on the other hand, is a go-to for the style-forward final steps of your hair care routine. Tools like the 3-in-1 Edge Styling Tool and hair gels are a must–have for braids, finger waves, and other detailed styles.
Luckily, besides the shampoo and conditioner (which are both top-rated and depend entirely on preference), you don’t have to choose between the two.
