The wait is finally over: Beyoncé’s hair brand Cécred is officially available today, for fans and beauty lovers everywhere.
And speaking as a through-and-through Beyoncé fan, my heart jumped when I received an invitation to test the line ahead of its launch, at hairstylist Neal Farinah’s Brooklyn salon. Farinah has worked directly with Beyoncé for over 20 years, making him the perfect person to guide Cécred as its lead global stylist, along with her mother, vice chairman and driving inspiration behind the line’s creation, Tina Knowles. She even shares her daughter’s famous mononym (Beyincé is Ms. Tina’s maiden name), which inspired the first two letters of the new collection.
“How many of y’all knew my first job was sweeping hair in my mama’s salon?” Beyoncé wrote in an Instagram post last May teasing the collection, noting that the salon was also where her musical career began. “Destiny’s Child got our start by performing for clients while they were getting their hair done. I was exposed to so many different kinds of entrepreneurial women in her salon. I saw firsthand how the ways we nurture and celebrate hair can directly impact our souls. I watched her heal and be of service to so many women. Having learned so much on my hair journey, I’ve always dreamed of carrying on her legacy.”
The research and development behind Cécred has been going on for a number of years. The brand is not only science-backed—with extensive clinical, salon, and lab testing to show for it—but also aims to elevate the sacred rituals of hair care.
It was clear to me this wasn’t just another celebrity beauty brand, after laying my eyes on the full lineup in person. The attention to detail that went into Cécred’s counter-friendly founding collection is apparent, starting with the design of its bottles, caps, and jars: They each carry a weight and feature a luxe, pebbled texture that evokes the stone of an ancient monument. Cécred also uses a signature fragrance called Temple Oud to give each product a mild scent with notes of oud (as you may have guessed), Australian sandalwood, musk, jasmine, Haitian vetiver, and violet leaves.
Along with a color-safe, hyaluronic acid–infused Hydrating Shampoo for regular wash days, the brand has a peppermint-scented Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub to gently remove product buildup, dirt, and oil; the bottle even has a pointed tip for easy, targeted application. Cécred’s launch also includes a lightweight Moisture Sealing Lotion to keep hair moisturized and to reduce frizz, and a Moisturizing Deep Conditioner—rich with African oil and shea butter—for supreme hydration.
If you’re in need of more intensive treatments, the collection also features a Reconstruction Treatment Mask, powered by a patent-pending bioactive keratin ferment; as well as a two-step, bone broth–inspired Fermented Rice and Rose Protein Ritual, which starts as a powder and transforms into a strengthening rinse with water. It’s intended to be shaken first in the brand’s Ritual Shaking Vessel, and followed with its restorative Silk Rinse. The last of Cécred’s essentials is its Nourishing Hair Oil, which combines 13 oils and plant extracts to boost shine and seal in moisture.
“As a Black founder, it was important to me to concentrate on where I saw the greatest need for healthy hair care and to place scientific innovation and product performance above all else,” Beyoncé said in a statement. “We started by prioritizing the needs of textured hair like mine, along with other types and textures that need more moisture and strength. My entire life and career, I’ve worn my hair in so many different ways: natural, flat-ironed, braids, colored, weaves, wigs. I want everyone to have the freedom to express their hair in ways that make them feel good, so I began by creating the essentials for hair and scalp health.”
Though I wore my hair in protective crochet braids during my appointment in Brooklyn, I was still able to test a fair number of the Cécred products firsthand. After learning more about the foundation collection from head of education and in-house trichologist Kari Williams and Cécred CEO Grace Ray (formerly of top beauty brands like Living Proof), I received a scalp analysis from Williams so that she and my assigned stylist could customize a treatment for my specific needs.
They were anchored with a blend of gel, edge, control, and leave-in conditioner, so it’s no surprise Williams first suggested a gentle cleanse with the Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub to remove residue from my cornrows. The product’s exfoliating fermented purple willow bark and tea tree oil formula doesn’t feel overly abrasive and left my scalp feeling clean—but not stripped—once rinsed out.
Next, I sat under the dryer to allow my braids to dry; they were later rehydrated with the featherweight but deeply conditioning Moisture Sealing Lotion. And as an extra special bonus on an already extraordinary day, I was treated to a quick hand and scalp massage by Farinah himself, using the Nourishing Hair Oil, which gave my hair an instant shine boost. I’m still convinced he should moonlight as a professional masseur—I nearly feel asleep in the chair.
There’s a through line of intentionality, efficacy, and honored tradition in Cécred's brand philosophy. As part of its launch, Cécred is even partnering with Beyoncé’s philanthropic foundation, BeyGOOD, to create an annual fund laddering up to $500,000, to pay for cosmetology school scholarships and salon business grants.
After testing its beauty staples firsthand, I can happily say the hype over the long-awaited line is legit—the rest of my hair care favorites need to make some room in the medicine cabinet. And even though Beyoncé has her name on the actual products, they were undeniably created with you and me in mind, whatever our hair types.
Cécred’s foundation collection starts at $20 and is available to shop at cecred.com.
Tiffany Dodson is currently the associate beauty commerce editor at Harper’s Bazaar, where she specializes in trend forecasting, building relationships with major and emerging brands, and crafting shopping stories—from holiday gift guides to product road tests. Tiffany's work has previously been featured in outlets like SELF, Bustle, and Teen Vogue, and she's been quoted as a commerce and beauty expert in publications and platforms like The Business of Fashion and NPR’s Life Kit podcast.
