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Side by side

Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask vs Redken Extreme Mega Mask

75% function match · 6 of the 10 functions we compared match Formula overlap 30%. Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask and Redken Extreme Mega Mask share 2 ingredients among each other's most prominent.

Based on your consultation

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.

  • Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask — protein-sensitive hair
  • Extreme Mega Mask — maximum slip

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”.

Trait
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask — 8.5 oz container Redken

Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask

  • Mask / treatment
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Redken Extreme Mega Mask — container, alternate view Redken

Extreme Mega Mask

  • Mask / treatment
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
Price, size & price per ounce
$44–50 8.5 oz · $5.33/oz
$36 8.5 oz · $4.24/oz
Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a treatment $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 69% of the 347 masks and treatments we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a treatment $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 58% of the 347 masks and treatments we’ve priced
Best for hair types
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Differs
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Time on the hair
Short A short wait — it fits inside an ordinary shower. Your hair
Short A short wait — it fits inside an ordinary shower. Your hair
Slip / detangling Same
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Weight on hair Same
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Differs
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Moderate Your hair
Oils and butters Differs
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
Present, high in the list Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Covers the core
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Short shower windowsit works in ten minutes or less
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Short shower windowsit works in ten minutes or less
  • Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
More facts about each one
Type
Mask / treatment
Mask / treatment
Where to buy
Salons · Ulta · Amazon
Salons · Ulta · Amazon …
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
  • sulfate-free
Vegan
Vegan · label states
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Time on hair
5–5 min
3–5 min
How often
weekly
weekly
Treatment focus
bond repair
protein

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.

Take the consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

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

IngredientAcidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid MaskExtreme Mega Mask
Cetearyl Alcohol
Softens
#2Leading
#2Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#12Below the 1% line
#34Below the 1% line
Cetyl Esters
Softens
#14Below the 1% line
#7Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask

Extreme Mega Mask

Full ingredient list — Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask (22)
Full ingredient list — Extreme Mega Mask (56)
  • 1 Outer Tube: Aqua/Water
    • botanical extract
  • 2 Cetearyl Alcohol
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 3 Aminopropyl Triethoxysilane
    • film former
    • conditioning agent
  • 4 Outer Tube: Paraffinum Liquidum/Mineral Oil
    • oil
    • emollient
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 5 Lactic Acid
    • pH adjuster
    • humectant
    • exfoliant
  • 6 Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
    • conditioning agent
  • 7 Cetyl Esters
    • light ester
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 8 Outer Tube: Cetrimonium Chloride
    • conditioning agent
  • 9 Outer Tube: Citric Acid
    • pH adjuster
  • 10 Outer Tube: Polyquaternium-6
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 11 Outer Tube: Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 12 OUTER TUBE: 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
  • 13 Fragrance
    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 14 Outer Tube: Chlorhexidine Digluconate
    • preservative
  • 15 Outer Tube: Arginine
    • amino acid
  • 16 Outer Tube: Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 17 Outer Tube: Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
    • amino acid
    • mild anionic cleanser
    • humectant
  • 18 Outer Tube: Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 19 Outer Tube: Potassium Dimethicone Peg-7 Panthenyl Phosphate
    • emulsifier
    • silicone
    • water-soluble silicone
  • 20 Outer Tube: Sodium Sarcosinate
    • cleanser
  • 21 Outer Tube: Propylene Glycol
    • humectant
  • 22 OUTER TUBE: Sodium Chloride
  • 23 Outer Tube: Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 24 Outer Tube: Tetrasodium Edta
    • hard-water chelator
  • 25 Inner Tube: Aqua/Water
    • botanical extract
  • 26 Inner Tube: Cetearyl Alcohol
    • emollient
    • fatty alcohol
  • 27 Inner Tube: Behentrimonium Chloride
    • conditioning agent
  • 28 Inner Tube: Amodimethicone
    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
  • 29 Inner Tube: Glycerin
    • humectant
  • 30 INNER TUBE: Octyldodecanol
  • 31 Inner Tube: Isopropyl Alcohol
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 32 Inner Tube: Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 33 INNER TUBE: Caprylyl Glycol
  • 34 Fragrance
    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 35 Inner Tube: Benzoic Acid
    • preservative
  • 36 Inner Tube: Trideceth-6
    • emulsifier
  • 37 Inner Tube: Citric Acid
    • pH adjuster
  • 38 Inner Tube: Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 39 Inner Tube: Cetyl Alcohol
    • emollient
    • fatty alcohol
  • 40 Inner Tube: Arginine
    • amino acid
  • 41 Inner Tube: Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 42 INNER TUBE: Sodium Chloride
  • 43 Inner Tube: Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
    • amino acid
    • mild anionic cleanser
    • humectant
  • 44 INNER TUBE: 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
  • 45 Inner Tube: Behentrimonium Methosulfate
    • conditioning agent
  • 46 Inner Tube: Cetrimonium Chloride
    • conditioning agent
  • 47 INNER TUBE: Quaternium-33
  • 48 Inner Tube: Potassium Dimethicone Peg-7 Panthenyl Phosphate
    • emulsifier
    • silicone
    • water-soluble silicone
  • 49 Inner Tube: Sodium Sarcosinate
    • cleanser
  • 50 INNER TUBE: Benzyl Benzoate
  • 51 Inner Tube: Propylene Glycol
    • humectant
  • 52 inner tube: limonene
    • fragrance
  • 53 INNER TUBE: Benzyl Alcohol
  • 54 inner tube: linalool
    • fragrance
  • 55 Inner Tube: Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 56 Inner Tube: Tetrasodium Edta
    • hard-water chelator

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.

VerdictsAcidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid MaskExtreme Mega Mask
Supported
2
2
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
5
3
Potential conflict
0
0
Vegan
SupportedMatches our researched record.
SupportedMatches our researched record.

Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask

  • 3x stronger hair vs non-conditioning shampooStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • 2x shine for 3 daysStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • 14x better detanglingStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • 16% Conditioning Care Complex, 72hrs ultra-hydrationStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Sulfate-freeSupportedGentler on colour and coils.
  • Does not strip hair colorStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

Extreme Mega Mask

  • Fortifies damaged hair to be 15x strongerStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Decreases breakage by 73%Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Restores strength, balances pHStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Paraben-freeSupportedPreserved without parabens.

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.

Redken Extreme Mega Mask draws complaints about the scent and frizz.

Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask

Became a mandatory routine step for color-treated blonde hair, good results

Amazon verified reviewer ("Di")

Detangling effect strong enough that hair looks styled with mousse/gel

Amazon verified reviewer ("Katrina Smith")

Works well as either a mask or standalone conditioner, leaves hair healthier

Amazon verified reviewer ("Laura Nation"), 4 stars

Noticeably softer, smoother, more manageable hair after a few uses

Amazon verified reviewer ("The Marnie Edit")

Price is high but considered worth it for heavily damaged hair

Amazon verified reviewer ("Tracey")

Extreme Mega Mask

Noticed a change after first use, hair much softer

Walmart reviewer "Susan", 5 stars, Jun 2020

Did not notice improvement in frizz or combability vs a regular conditioner

Walmart reviewer, 1 star, Aug 2020

Disliked the strong alcohol-like scent of the formula

Walmart reviewer "Diamond", 1 star, Jul 2020

Price 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.

$4.24/oz vs $5.33/oz — Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask costs about 1.3× more per ounce than Redken Extreme Mega Mask.

$0.19/oz median $3.49/oz $24.50/oz $5.33/oz Acidic Bonding Concentrate $4.24/oz Extreme Mega Mask

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 347 masks and treatments with a computable unit price.

Value readAcidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid MaskExtreme Mega Mask
Label
Upper-mid price for a treatmentSits in the middle of the range for masks and treatments per ounce.
Upper-mid price for a treatmentSits in the middle of the range for masks and treatments per ounce.

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.

Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Min Liquid Mask · Extreme Mega Mask · All masks and treatments 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.
  • 11 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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