By Shannon.
Lately, I’ve been looking back on all the products I’ve tried for my hair that were memorable to decide if they’re worth reviewing for you guys. When I was younger my dear mother spent a small fortune on lots of different products for my hair, to help me find the ones that worked well. One that came to mind is Redken Smooth Down Butter Treat. Thinking of buying some more, I looked it up and found that they no longer make it. Sad, sad day. BUT, you can still find it on Amazon, and therefore I will still review it undeterred. Maybe one day they will bring it back!
Product Overview/My Experience
Redken Butter Treat is the thickest, nicest smelling conditioner I’ve ever used. Typically my hair requires a large amount of product, but with this stuff, I could use a small little dot for my entire head. Once applied, my hair felt like silk/velvet/a baby animal/the softest thing you can think of! =) Some people use this as a regular rinse-out conditioner or a leave in for 30 minutes then rinse out conditioner, and that is a-okay. But if your hair is really dry, you can use it as a leave-in, and that’s what I always did.
After applying it to my hair, I would brush or comb it through, which was easy as pie because my hair was instantly so soft. While it smelled good, I remember it being a stronger smell than most products that I leave in my hair, and I wasn’t a huge fan of that. Also, it was almost so silky smooth that it made my hair feel a bit filmy. But my hair would dry ultra-soft and frizz-free, so no real complaints here. Do keep in mind that this product is meant to be a ‘once in a while’ use only, hence the word “treat”. It is an intense treatment for very dry damaged hair.
I always had good results using Redken Smooth Down Butter Treat once or twice a week. One time I used it 2 days in a row. The first day was an excellent hair day. The second day I had over-conditioned, unshiny fluff for hair, and I remember being shocked at the difference. So watch out for that. All in all, this stuff was fantastic when used as it was meant for.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- VERY thick
- only need a small amount, so the bottle lasts a long time
- smells great
- makes your hair like silk upon applying
- versatile (conditioner, leave-in, intensive treatment)
- hair dries soft
- removes frizz
- beneficial in the process of nursing hair back to health
Cons:
- scent can be too strong for some
- a bit of a filmy feeling on hair after applying
- poor results when used frequently
Redken replaced this product with the Smooth Lock Butter Silk Intensive Rinse-Out Treatment, which I have not used yet. Do you guys have experience with either of these or both? Which do you like better?