Personalized hair care: a Prose shampoo review (and Function of Beauty comparison)
Written By Jenny Wu on
My customized skincare game is already strong with both Curology and Activist Skincare in my routine, so I figured it was time to do the same for my hair with the Prose Shampoo.
Technically this isn’t my first time trying personalized hair products. I tried Function of Beauty years ago, which I’ll compare to Prose in a bit, but in a nutshell Function of Beauty back then did not work for me.
So when I first heard about Prose, I was hesitant, but after reading more about them, I decided to give personalized hair care another try.
Prose Customization Experience
Right away I was impressed by their online consultation. They not only ask about your hair condition and concerns, but also about your lifestyle habits (because stress and diet can both impact our scalp and hair) and your current location.
Prose cares about your personal preferences too. In addition to picking the scent of your products, you can also make them vegan, gluten-free, or silicone-free!
Their products are already sulfate free, non-GMO, and cruelty free, so for those interested in green or clean beauty, Prose is an excellent option. I’m not a fan of silicones in shampoo so I opted for a silicone-free formula.
Based on your answers, Prose will then formulate a personalized shampoo, conditioner, and pre-shampoo mask, and you can choose which you want to buy. I already have my holy grail Sachajuan Hair Repair (a 2017 favorite) and didn’t realize the mask was a scalp mask, so I only bought the shampoo.
After you order, Prose gives you the option of sending them photos of your hair and scalp so they can fine tune your formula. Or if you happen to live near a salon carrying Prose, you can get diagnosed in person!
Overall I found the whole customization experience to be thorough yet enjoyable. It really felt like they’re creating a truly personalized formula and it made me feel more confident about the results my one-of-a-kind shampoo will give me!
Prose shampoo review
Key ingredients
Depending on your formula, it can include honey, silk proteins, fruit acids, oat lipids…view the full list here.
Irritants
Products are free from parabens, dyes, and sulfates. There’s also the option to remove fragrance and silicones from your formula!
Packaging
Amber plastic pump bottle for the shampoo & conditioner, and a amber plastic jar for the mask.
Scent
You can choose one of 3 scents, 2 are floral and 1 is fruity, or you can go scent-free if you’re allergic to fragrances!
Texture
The shampoo is on the runnier side, but lathers beautifully
Where to buy
Prose or one of their partner salons; shampoo is ~$25, conditioner ~$30, and mask ~$44. Final price I believe depends on the formula.
I love the apothecary bottle design, and it also come with a pump for ease of dispense. The included instructions suggested 5 pumps for my hair, which seemed like way too much at first, so I only used 2 pumps.
That was enough to create a beautiful lather that cleaned my scalp well, but I’ve found that 5 pumps really does work better as it cleans both the scalp and hair without stripping them dry.
The scent I chose was Elixir, which is supposed to be a beautiful blend of freesia, jasmine, and vanilla, but to my nose it smelled like potpourri gone wrong. Such a shame as the usage experience would’ve been incredible otherwise.
Next time I’m going with Fruitissime, because no one can mess up pineapple + coconut + vanilla…or at least I hope not. There’s also a scent-free option for those with sensitive scalps!
After towel drying my hair, I always apply oil to the ends and blow dry the roots on medium heat. I do notice that my roots look more voluminous and feel more airy after using Prose shampoo, but my scalp also feels a bit tighter.
Luckily the tightness goes away after a few minutes, but the extra bit of volume is still there on day 2! Typically volumizing shampoos are also drying, but with Prose my hair doesn’t feel any rougher or dryer compared to other formulas.
If anything, it feels just a touch smoother. Unfortunately the shine activating ingredient Prose uses, fruit vinegars and acids, are only in their conditioner formula, so I saw no difference in shine with the shampoo.
I’ve also noticed that after using the Prose shampoo regularly, my scalp feels more balanced and I’m now able to go 3 days without washing my hair, and this is during the summer!
Plus I don’t need to use my Christophe Robin Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt as much since my scalp feels less congested and grimey. I guess all my past shampoos were leaving residue on my scalp without me even realizing it.
Prose vs Function of Beauty
Want a full comparison of Prose vs Formulate vs Function of Beauty? Read my latest Function of Beauty review to find out the winners!
Each has their pros and cons, but when it comes personalized hair care, I’d rather pay more to have something truly customized to fit my hair and scalp’s needs.
I don’t think Function of Beauty’s 4 question “consultation” is enough to really understand someone’s hair type, and relying on the user to select their own hair goals can be dangerous if the user themselves don’t really know what they need (not want, need).
On the other hand, I think Prose does a much better job of trying to understand both the user’s wants and needs, which is also reflected in their higher prices.
One thing I do have to give props to Function of Beauty for is their customer service. I reached out after my first formula was a dud (left my scalp greasy), and they offered to reformulated it for free. Unfortunately the second formula still didn’t work, but I appreciate their efforts to make things right.
UPDATE: I tried Function of Beauty again in 2019, and the formula has improved significantly, partly due to me knowing which hair goals to select.
Final Verdict
-
Packaging
9
-
Ingredients
10
-
Texture/Application
8
-
Performance
9
-
Price
7.5
Funky scent aside, I really happy with the shampoo, but I feel like I missed out on the full benefits of my custom formula by opting out of the mask and conditioner. Keep this in mind if you plan on trying them out! Since I've yet to find a shampoo I'm crazy about, I will be reordering the this when I run out, and I'll definitely pick up the scalp mask and conditioner next time around!
Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.
Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨
Comments & Questions
Laura
I was excited until I saw Prose ships in the US only.. I liked the idea of Prose a lot although I'm always sceptic about customized beauty. With haircare it could work for me as well. Your photos are always stunning and posts super informative! Thank you Jenny! x
Laura / Laura Loukola Art & Beauty Blog
LindaLibraLoca
Too bad they ship to the US only, I´d be in dire need to get a consultation to get my hairs needs sorted. I can tell you what I want, but not what I need to get there for sure.
Anne - Linda, Libra, Loca
Rowena
I wasn't that impressed with Function of Beauty either. Prose sounds similar to Formulate who I'm working with in that they take your environment and lifestyle into account with their formulations. I'm still waiting for my haircare but I can't wait to see how they work. It's nice that Prose is offered at select salons and you can get an in person consultations. The shampoo sounds like it works well for you hair, funky scent aside. I hope I will love the Formulate shampoo as much as I love my Vitabrid C shampoo which has been amazing.
To answer your question about the Liquick mask - I also have dryness issues with some mud masks but it doesn't dry my skin out and I can use it a few times a week without issue. I probably will cut it back when it gets colder though.
Jennifer Q
I haven't heard of this before but it sounds great. I've never ordered anything customized for skincare or beauty.
Shireen L. Platt
This sounds interesting and something that I would give a try if they ever decides to ship to Canada. I probably would go with scent free...potpourri gone wrong doesn't sound appealing at all.
Alyssa
The personalized shampoo does sound nice :) I honestly still haven't found the right shampoo for my hair so I always use a keratin treatment to salvage it.
xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY
Kelsey Bang
what a cool concept! such pretty bottles!
kelseybang.com
4allthingsdisney.com
Amy Aed
Wow, this sounds absolutely incredible! I can't believe that they actually assess your location in order to create a product perfectly designed for you and the elements - what an awesome idea!
It's good that it's helped your scalp feel more balanced and that you can go longer without washing your hair - I recently found some hair products that mean I can also go three days, but now I'm on holiday I seem to sweat a lot more and thus need more hair showers - meaning that my hair quality goes down a lot!
I would love to give this a try, though!
Have a great weekend :)
Amy x Wandering Everywhere
Emily
This has to be one of the coolest hair care products I have ever seen! I'm super intrigued. I'm about to go onto their website right now and take the quiz. I also love that they put your name on the bottle. Super cute touch!
Gabrielle
I'm impressed by how they also ask about lifestyle habits, because it's incredible just how many factors can impact our hair - particularly stress! Uncertain of whether i've mentioned this before by the way, but I love the way you format your blog posts; they flow perfectly and the layout is SO clean!
aglassofice.com x
Gabrielle
This truly does sound like a fascinating concept! Being able to cater your hair products to work specifically for your hair type and living conditions sounds like a dream come true!
aglassofice.com x
Layla
Oh wow - I love the look and idea of this as I love customised beauty as it just makes it so much more personal and allows you to connect with the brand in a different way.
Gorgeous photos, beautiful post and as always, I just love reading what you write - you have such an ability to connect and I love, love, love your photos! :)
Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead!
Layla x
https://www.sprinklesofstyle.co.uk
Donna Harrison
I've been using Function of Beauty for 2 years, and I love it! At some point, I changed my hair goals, and I didn't care for the product that was sent to achieve those goals, so they tweaked the formula, and sent me a free replacement. Very good customer service! They just launched a leave-in product - can't wait to try it!
Rebecca
I’m glad it worked for you! It made my hair flat & greasy AND simultaneously increased dandruff. I wanted to love it though. I used all 3 steps... maybe the shampoo alone would have been the way to go
Jenny Wu
Sorry to hear that! I tried their conditioner and wasn't a fan either, and their mask I only use on my ends and not the roots!
Trish
Love reading your reviews and updates! Being a soap and shampoo lover, I have tried all 3 also **LOL** - Function of Beauty (3x for me 2x for my daughter), Formulate (2x), and now Prose (first time). Function of Beauty definitely is the most fun and makes a great gift in my opinion. Unfortunately, the S&C were not moisturizing enough for my thick coarse hair. Formulate had the most amazing citrus scent I have ever smelled in a S&C but both times, the product was just so-so on my hair. I used the Prose S&C (silicone free) for the first time today and overall am very pleased. I do have a little bit of frizz at the top of my head but I will use it for a few weeks before asking the Prose team about it. I was wondering if you had heard about the Aura personalized hair care line. It has a quiz and I think you can pick shades to enhance your color. It would be awesome to read your take on the products.