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THE 2026 SHADES EQ MONTHLY LOOKBOOK CHALLENGES

The Redken Team Published On 12/17/2025
SEQ-Obsessed-Contest-THUMB

THE 2026 SHADES EQ MONTHLY LOOKBOOK CHALLENGES

To any interested in this contest, please read this page in its entirety for the full rules. 

RK US SEQ Lookbook Social Assets Challenge 2026

WHAT IS IT?

The Shades EQ Monthly Lookbook Challenges is a contest open to United States based licensed professional hairstylists to enter for a chance to be featured in the 2026 Shades EQ Lookbook. 

Every month will have a theme to follow, and each theme will be posted at the beginning of each month on the @RedkenPro Instagram along with its unique hashtag to use when entering. All entries must be posted on Instagram with the contest hashtag #Redken_Contest PLUS the correct unique hashtag for that month's theme. 

Every month, the winners will be announced on the @RedkenPro Instagram and they will be added to the Lookbook!

WHO WILL WIN?

There will be up to 6 winners chosen per month.

WHAT IS THE PRIZE?

Winners will be featured in the 2026 Shades EQ Lookbook and receive a prize box featuring 5 top Shades EQ shades and a surprise gift!

WHEN CAN I ENTER?

Post your entry to Instagram with the appropriate hashtags from the first of the month you wish to participate in until the end of that month. 

HOW TO ENTER?

STEP 1: Create a look according to the month’s theme using Redken Shades EQ and take a back of head photo of the look. 

STEP 2: Upload the photo to your public Instagram profile and make sure to include the contest hashtag, #Redken_Contest along with the appropriate month’s hashtag in the post’s caption. Please also include your look’s formula in your caption. 

STEP 3: Make sure you’re following @redkenpro on Instagram. 

STEP 4: Wait to hear if you’ve won! 

 

Please refer to Section 3 in the official rules below for full details on how to enter.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF I’VE WON?

Winners will be announced on the @RedkenPro Instagram during the 1st week of the following month along with the new month’s theme.  

ELIGIBILITY

  • All participating stylists MUST BE either licensed salon professionals or currently enrolled in an accredited cosmetology school. 
  • Entries must use Redken Shades EQ.
  • The photo must only show the back of the head; no faces are allowed.

Please refer to Section 2, 3, and 4 in the official rules below for full details on eligibility. 

 

For complete details, restrictions, and legal disclaimers, please carefully review the full Official Rules below. 

These Official Rules include important information regarding eligibility, entry requirements, judging criteria, prize details, liability limitations, data usage, and dispute resolution. Entering the contest constitutes your agreement to abide by these rules.

 

 

GLOSS AWARDS CONTEST

Official Rules

 

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. 

 

  1. PROMOTION:The Shades EQ Lookbook Contest (the “Contest”) starts on January 1, 2026 at 12:00 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) and ends on December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET (“Contest Period”). The Contest consists of twelve (12) Entry Periods.Sponsor’s computer shall be the official timekeeper for all matters related to this Contest.

     

  2. ELIGIBILITY: Contest open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, 18 years of age or the age of majority in their state, whichever is older at the time of entry (the “Entrant”) who are licensed salon professionals or individuals who are currently enrolled in an accredited cosmetology school. Void where prohibited. Employees and the immediate families (parent, child, spouse, or sibling and their respective spouses) regardless of where they reside and those living in their same households, whether or not related, of Redken (“Sponsor”), SalonCentric and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries and promotional agencies are not eligible to enter or win.By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are binding and final on matters relating to this Contest. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.

     

  3. HOW TO ENTER: Per the dates and times listed in the Entry Chart below: 1) go to Instagram and follow @redkenpro if you do not do so already; 2) visit @redkenpro on the first of each month to check the theme for each Entry Period; 3) on your own Instagram account, post a photo of the back of head using Shades EQ plus the Redken Color of the month and in caption include which Redken Color products/shades were used and submit with #Redken_Contest.  

    ENTRY CHART:

     

    Entry

    Period

    Online Entry Received Between

    12:00 AM (“PT”) and 11:59 PM (“PT”)

    Entry Period Winner Notification Date

    (on or about)

    1

    1/1/2026– 1/31/2026

    2/5/2026

    2

    2/1/2026– 2/28/2026

    3/5/2026

    3

    3/1/2026– 3/31/2026

    4/5/2026

    4

    4/1/2026– 4/30/2026

    5/5/2026

    5

    5/1/2026– 5/31/2026

    6/5/2026

    6

    6/1/2026– 6/30/2026

    7/5/2026

    7

    7/1/2026– 7/31/2026

    8/5/2026

    8

    8/1/2026– 8/31/2026

    9/5/2026

    9

    9/1/2026– 9/30/2026

    10/5/2026

    10

    10/1/2026– 10/31/2026

    11/5/2026

    11

    11/1/2026– 11/30/2026

    12/5/2026

    12

    12/1/2026– 12/31/2026

    1/5/2027

    All entries must only feature the back of head and cannot contain the face of any individual. All entries must include Shades EQ exclusively unless the theme includes an additional Redken Color product as well as Shades EQ.   By submitting an entry, entrant hereby represents and warrants that the photo was not retouched or enhanced in any way, and that the photo accurately depicts the truthful result of exclusively using Redken Shades EQ.  All entries must be received by dates listed in the Entry Chart above to be eligible. Limit one (1) entry per Instagram account, per person for the duration of the Entry Period.  Entries received above the stated limit from any person or Instagram account will be void. Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means or means which subvert the entry process will be void. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

     

    Entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the entry, any and all necessary releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the entry by Sponsor in the manner set forth in these Official Rules, including, without limitation, name and likeness permissions from any person who appears in or is identifiable in the entry.

     

    To participate in the Contest, you must have a non-private Instagram (“Platform”) account. If you do not have an Instagram account, download the application to your mobile device or go to www.instagram.com and create an account according to the instructions. Creating an account is free and you may be asked to agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of the Platform. This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Contest should be directed to Sponsor, not Instagram. If you choose to enter using your mobile device, standard data fees may apply.  See your wireless provider for pricing plan details. Entry must meet Platform’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.     

     

  4. REQUIREMENTS OF ENTRIES: Entry may not contain, as determined by the Sponsor, in its sole discretion, any content that:
    • contains copyrighted materials owned by others (including photographs, music, sculptures, paintings, and other works of art or images published on or in websites, television, movies or other media), without permission;
    • contains materials embodying the names, likenesses, voices, or other indicia identifying any person, including, without limitation, celebrities and/or other public or private figures, living or dead, without permission;
    • contains any personal identification, such as license plate numbers, personal names, e-mail addresses or street addresses;
    • contains trademarks, logos, or trade dress (such as distinctive packaging or building exteriors/interiors) owned by others, without permission;
    • is sexually explicit or suggestive; unnecessarily violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group; profane or pornographic; contains nudity;
    • promotes alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing);
    • promotes any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous; promotes any particular political agenda or message;
    • is obscene or offensive; endorses any form of hate or hate group;
    • appears to duplicate any other submitted Entries;
    • defames, misrepresents or contains disparaging remarks about other people or companies;
    • communicates messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or good will to which we wish to associate;
    • and/or violates any law.

       

    Entry must be the original work of the entrant, may not have been previously published (except by entrant as set forth in entry method #2), may not have won previous awards, and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity.  If the entry contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant, and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the entry, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the entry by Sponsor in the manner set forth in these Official Rules, including, without limitation, name and likeness permissions from any person who appears in or is identifiable in the entry. Sponsor reserves the right to request proof of these permissions in a form acceptable to Sponsor from any entrant at any time. Failure to provide such proof may, if requested, render entry null and void.  By submitting an entry, entrant warrants and represents that he/she and any persons appearing or who are identifiable in the entry consent to the submission and use of the entry in the Contest and to its use as otherwise set forth herein.

     

    By submitting an entry, entrant hereby grants permission for the entry to be posted on Redken branded websites or social platforms. Entrant agrees that Released Parties (as defined below) are not responsible for any unauthorized use of entries by third parties. Released Parties do not guarantee the posting of any entry. Entrants agree that they will not use the entry for any other purpose, including, without limitation, posting the entry to any online social networks, without the express consent of Sponsor in each instance.

     

  5. JUDGING:For each Entry Period, all eligible entries received by Sponsor will be judged by a panel of qualified judges based on the following criteria: Quality & Execution 40%, Creativity 25%, Thematic Excellence/ Interpretation 20%, Uniqueness 15%. The seventy-two (72) entries (six (6) per Entry Period) with the highest scores will be deemed Potential Winners. In the event of a tie, the entry with the highest score in Quality & Execution will be deemed a Potential Winner. Sponsor reserves the right not to award all prizes if, in its sole discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries. Prize awards are subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules.

     

  6. WINNER NOTIFICATION:Potential Winners will be notified via Instagram on or about dates listed in the Entry Chart above. If user has enabled direct messaging on their Instagram account, Potential Winners will be notified via direct message on their Instagram account from Sponsor.If Potential Winner does not have direct messaging enabled, the Potential Winner will receive prize notification via a comment on their submitted Instagram photo from Sponsor. Judges’ and Sponsor’s decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to this Contest. Potential Winners may be required to complete an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release (unless prohibited by law) and any other documents required by Sponsor, which must be returned within seven (7) days of date appearing on prize notification. Return of prize or prize notification as undeliverable, failure to sign and return requested documentation within the specified time period, the inability of Sponsor to contact a Potential Winner within a reasonable time period or noncompliance with these Official Rules by any Potential Winner will result in disqualification and, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, the prize may be awarded to a runner-up.

     

  7. PRIZES: Seventy-two (72) Potential Winners will each receive five (5) Redken EQ Shades, Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) $38.60. Total ARV of all prizes: $2,779.20. Winner may not substitute, assign or transfer prize or redeem prize for cash, but Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value. Sponsor reserves the right to not award prize to Potential Winner if Potential Winner engages in activities that do not, or have the potential not to, align with Sponsor’s values, or if Potential Winner acts in a disruptive manner, or with the effect to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person or in any other objectionable behavior, any and all in the sole discretion of Sponsor. Winner is responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes, if any, as well as any other costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided.All prize details are at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right not to award all prizes or choose fewer than six (6) winners per Entry Period if, in its sole discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries

 

8.  GENERAL CONDITIONS:  By participating, each entrant agrees: (a) to abide by these Official Rules and decisions of Sponsor and judges, which shall be final and binding in all respects relating to this Contest; (b) to release, discharge and hold harmless Sponsor, Instagram, SalonCentric and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies, and the respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents and representatives of the forgoing (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all injuries, liability, losses and damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or any Contest-related activity or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any awarded prize and (c) to the use of his/her name, voice, performance, photograph/video, image and/or likeness for programming, advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in any and all media, now or hereafter known, worldwide and on the Internet, and in perpetuity by Sponsor and its designees, without compensation (unless prohibited by law) or additional consents from  entrant or any third party and without prior notice, approval or inspection, and to execute specific consent to such use if asked to do so.  By participating, entrant also agrees not to release any publicity or other materials on their own or through someone else regarding their participation in the Contest without the prior consent of the Sponsor, which it may withhold in its sole discretion. 

 

9.  USE OF ENTRIES:  By submitting an entry, you hereby grant the Sponsor, its affiliates and its Administrators the irrevocable, perpetual, royalty free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, publish, edit, market, store, adapt, assign, distribute, have distributed, publicly and privately display, communicate, create derivative works based upon, and promote the entry or excerpts of the entry (as such may be edited and modified by the Sponsor in its discretion) in perpetuity, for editorial, commercial, promotional and all other purposes (including posting on Sponsor-affiliated websites, other Sponsor-selected media, publishing in print media, on merchandise, and on third party retail sites featuring Redken).

 

10. MISCELLANEOUS: Released Parties are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, damaged, inaccurate, illegible, stolen, delayed, misdirected, undelivered, postage-due or garbled Entries or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Contest, the processing or judging of entries the announcement of the prizes, the incorrect uploading of the photo or in any Contest-related materials.  Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest.  Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to any person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Contest or downloading materials from or use of the website.  Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Contest or website, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated Entries will be void. Should any portion of the Contest be, in Sponsor’s sole opinion, compromised by virus, worms, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes which, in the sole opinion of the Sponsor, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play, or submission of Entries, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Contest and, if terminated, at its discretion, select the Potential Winners from all eligible, non-suspect Entries received prior to action taken using the judging procedure outlined above. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

 

11. ARBITRATION: Except where prohibited by law, as a condition of participating in this Promotion, participant agrees that (1) any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Promotion, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of event action, and exclusively by final and binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association and held at the AAA regional office nearest the participant; (2) the Federal Arbitration Act shall govern the interpretation, enforcement and all proceedings at such arbitration; and (3) judgment upon such arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. Under no circumstances will participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and participant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys' fees, other than participant's actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with participating in this Promotion), and participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

 

12. USE OF DATA: Sponsor will be collecting personal data about entrants online, in accordance with its privacy policy and Notice of Financial Incentives. Please review the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy at https://www.redkenpro.com/privacy-policy and Notice of Financial Incentives at https://mcqg7tb-yjgl2414mz73fvhqnjg1.pub.sfmc-content.com/f1hi0yqv3yg. By participating in the Sweepstakes, entrants hereby agree to Sponsor’s collection and usage of their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted Sponsor’s privacy policy.

 

13. Request for Winners’ List: For the names of the winners (available 30 days after the close of each Entry Period) send a self-addressed, stamped, envelope by February 1, 2027 to: Shades EQ Lookbook Contest Winners, c/o Redken, 10 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.

 

14. SPONSOR: Redken, 10 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.

 

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