Kerastase Bain Force Architecte Shampoo - Reconstruct & Strengthen for Damaged, Weakened Hair - 250 ml/8.45 oz
Kerastase call this one a reconstructing shampoo, and the pitch is aimed squarely at hair that has been over-processed: bleached, permed, coloured, straightened, or all of it in the same year.
The 250 ml bottle works on the fibre rather than the surface. It cleanses gently, then leaves the strand feeling more solid, with better elasticity and less of the dry, splintering texture that ends in split ends. Force Architecte is a range, and the shampoo is meant as the first step in it, so the masque or conditioner that follows has something to build on.
Suits 2a through 3c textures showing real damage rather than ordinary dryness. It is a salon-priced product doing a salon-level job, and it is worth using consistently for a few weeks rather than as a one-off rescue.
Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamide MIPA, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Methylparaben, Carbomer, Salicylic Acid, Arginine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, 2-Oleamido-1, 3-Octadecanediol, Safflower Glucoside, Parfum
- 24-hour delivery
- Every brand we carry ships within 24 hours, not just the hero lines. Order before 2pm and it leaves the same working day.
- Free over £40
- UK delivery is free on orders over £40. Below that it is a flat rate, shown at checkout before you pay.
- Tracking
- You get a tracking link by email the moment it is picked up.
- 30 days
- Send anything unopened back within 30 days for a full refund. No explanation needed.
- Opened it and it is wrong for your hair?
- Tell us what happened. Curl products are hard to judge from a photo, and we would rather swap it than have you stuck with it.
- We price match
- Find it cheaper somewhere else and we will match the price.
Application tips
Two washes, and the first one barely lathers. That is normal on hair carrying a week of product.
Emulsify in wet palms before it touches the head, then apply at the scalp and let the runoff do the lengths. Damaged hair tangles if you scrub it, so keep the fingers moving in small circles rather than dragging. Rinse until the hair squeaks slightly at the root, then go straight into the matching conditioner.
Results
Wet hair holds together instead of turning to a knot the moment you let go. On weakened lengths that difference decides how much you lose at the comb.
Out of the shower, the ends feel less papery and the fibre gives before it snaps. Hair looks less dull, though this is a first step rather than the whole treatment. Used on its own it will not rebuild much, and it is designed to be followed with a conditioner or a mask.
Composition
Full ingredients list
Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamide MIPA, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Methylparaben, Carbomer, Salicylic Acid, Arginine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, 2-Oleamido-1, 3-Octadecanediol, Safflower Glucoside, Parfum
