Inside the Redken Runway Tour Celebrating the Launch of Shades ALK

Redken is stepping into the future of demi-permanent colour with the Canadian launch of its newest innovation, Shades ALK. The brand kicked off its national Redken Runway tour on February 2, 2026, at Glassbox Education in Toronto. In collaboration with SalonCentric Canada, the event included hairstylists and distributor sales consultants who gathered for an evening of runway inspiration, trend forecasting and education on the new alkaline demi-permanent colour line. The event opened with a runway show spotlighting 2026 hair colour trends, showcasing dimensional and fashion-forward looks created using the new hair colour. Redken’s education director Katrina Smiley and marketing manager for hair colour Hugo Pinto welcomed attendees and introduced the new colour line and its key benefits for stylists and clients alike. “Think of the power of a colour with the care of a gloss, but your hair is actually instantly healthier when you use it,” says Smiley. “It’s the ultimate comfort for both your clients and yourselves as stylists. It’s truly untapped.” “We’ve been working on this formula for the last five years,” adds Pinto. “We really took our time with it, and we’ve been testing it in Canada for the past six months. You guys have already seen the amazing models showing what ALK can do in the hair, and it’s a technology we’re so excited to finally share with you all.” The evening’s education session was led by Redken’s global brand ambassador Adrienne Dara, who introduced the Shades ALK colour palette and shared how the line was created to reflect both current colour trends and salon needs. “Innovations are driven by trends—and when we talk about trends, and we talk about what is trending for spring 2026, this is the palette of Shades ALK,” she says. “This is the direction our client base is seeking. We’re seeing so many clients wanting great blending over great coverage, seeking depth, vibrancy and richness.” Dara shared application tips and foiling techniques for creating dimensional looks for reds, brunettes and blondes using the new colour, and was later joined by Redken artists who worked on the runway presentation to break down how they created the looks, giving attendees a closer look at the line’s performance and versatility. Toronto-based Redken educators and co-owners of Bloc + Mane salon, Jessica Lucas and Cassandra Garas, shared their formula for creating expensive-looking bronde and brunette looks. Curly hair specialist Rashad Anthony shared how he used the colour to add rich colour and dimension to his curly-textured clients and his signature Moon Curly Cut. One standout moment came from Redken artist Sandra Couto, who shared how the formula has already impacted her work in the salon. “We all can agree that time is money,” she says. “With Shades ALK, knowing that I can get up to 75 per cent gray coverage in 20 minutes was a gamechanger for me. When I used it behind the chair on some of my clients, not only did I achieve impeccable results, I achieved beautiful, healthy-looking hair. My clients are obsessed!” The evening also featured styling tips from Contessa-winning hairstylist Jorge Joao, who shared his editorial styling tips and emphasized the importance of using products that help build the hairstyle’s foundation. Toronto marked the first stop on the Redken Runway tour, which also travelled to Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver, Saskatchewan and Calgary. Browse our gallery of photos from the event. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *