Side by side
Kerastase Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo vs Kerastase Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo
85% function match · 11 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 10%. Kerastase Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo and Kerastase Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo share 3 ingredients among each other's most prominent.
Which of these fits your hair?
We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.
Your profile at a glance
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
When each one is the right call
What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.
- Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo — colour-treated hair
- Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo — protein-sensitive hair
Side by side
Every trait, aligned
One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.
- Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
- Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
- Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
- Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
- Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
- Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
- Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
- Fine hairthat flattens under most products
- Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
- Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
- Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
- Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
- Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
- Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
More facts about each one
- sulfate-free
- silicone-free
- protein-free
- curly-method compatible
- silicone-free
- protein-free
Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".
The bottom line
The bottom line depends on your hair
Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.
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The detail behind the table
Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.
Shared and distinct ingredients
Shared and distinct ingredients
Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.
What both formulas carry
What only one of them carries
Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo
Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo
Full ingredient list — Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo (29)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- olefin sulfonate cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
Cocamide MEA
- secondary cleanser
- nonionic cleanser
- thickener
-
4
Glycerin
- humectant
-
5
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
6
Glycol Distearate
- opacifier
- emollient
-
7
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
8
Hexylene Glycol
- solvent
- humectant
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
9
Citric Acid
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
10
Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
-
11
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
-
12
PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
13
Propylene Glycol
- humectant
- solvent
-
14
Coco-Betaine
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
15
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
16
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- conditioning agent
- polymer
- gum
-
17
Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
-
18
Carbomer
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
19
Benzoic Acid
- preservative
-
20
Polyquaternium-7
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
21
Linalool
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
22
Limonene
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
23
Sodium Hyaluronate
- humectant
-
24
Arginine
- amino acid
- humectant
-
25
Centella Asiatica Extract
- botanical extract
-
26
Lactic Acid
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
-
27
CI 17200
- colourant
-
28
Ci 19140/Yellow 5
- colourant
-
29
Fragrance
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
Full ingredient list — Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo (30)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Water
- solvent
-
3
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
TEA-Lauryl Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
5
Cocamide MIPA
- secondary cleanser
- nonionic cleanser
- thickener
-
6
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
7
Glycol Distearate
- opacifier
- emollient
-
8
Hexylene Glycol
- solvent
- humectant
-
9
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
10
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
11
Capryloyl Glycine
- preservative
- cleanser
-
12
Sodium Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
13
Polyquaternium-11
- film former
- polymer
- conditioning agent
-
14
Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
-
15
Carbomer
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
16
Ethylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
17
Pyridoxine Hcl
- vitamin
-
18
Menthoxypropanediol
- humectant
-
19
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- conditioning agent
- polymer
- gum
-
20
Hexyl Cinnamal
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
21
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
22
Linalool
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
23
Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
24
Citronellol
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
25
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
26
Fumaric Acid
- pH adjuster
-
27
Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
-
28
Citric Acid
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
29
Fragrance
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
30
Fragrance
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
Claims check
What each brand says, against what each formula shows
Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.
Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo
Preserves 92% of color intensity after 6 weeks
Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.Provides glossy, healthy, vibrant shine
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.Adds lightweight bounce
SupportedLess likely to weigh hair down.Sulfate-free, paraben-free, mineral oil-free
SupportedGentler on colour and coils.
Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo
A cleansing and balancing shampoo that reduces sebum and hydrates to leave hair clean and glossy.
SupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.97% agree shampoo deeply cleanses hair & scalp
Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.97% agree shampoo does not weigh hair down
Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
What owners say
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.
Kerastase Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo draws complaints about dryness and how it cleanses.
Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo
Many reviewers with color-treated hair describe the shampoo as their favorite in the Chroma Absolu line, saying it leaves hair looking shinier and healthier while helping protect their color.
color-treated hair users, several long-time repeat buyersA recurring complaint describes dryness, scalp itchiness, or hair left feeling stripped rather than protected, sometimes attributed to a formula change some longtime buyers noticed.
reviewers who found the shampoo drying or irritatingA few reviewers say the shampoo alone underwhelmed them and only delivered noticeable shine when used together with the rest of the Chroma Absolu conditioner and treatment line.
reviewers expecting dramatic results from the shampoo on its ownKerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo
Frequently professionally recommended - several reviewers say a hairdresser suggested the product, and describe using it as a periodic reset shampoo alternated with their regular one rather than a daily-only product.
salon-referred customersReviewers with color-treated, curly or wavy hair report improved manageability, control and shine alongside the oil control benefit, not just scalp cleansing.
colored / curly hair reviewersEffective at reducing scalp oiliness/greasiness with regular use without over-stripping hair, though several reviewers note results build gradually rather than instantly.
reviewers with oily scalp / fine or thick hairWorks well specifically for the oily-roots/dry-ends combination pattern (dual-action balancing), a distinct use case from a purely oily-all-over scalp.
oily roots + dry/color-grown-out endsPrice check
Cost per ounce, in context
Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.
Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo
Against 835 shampoos with a computable unit price.
Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.
Compare with something else
Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.
Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo · Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo · All shampoos in the library
How this page was made
- This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
- We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
- The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
- The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
- The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
- 9 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
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