Clean Shampoo and Conditioner That Saved My Scalp
Photo by Marquel Patton of Marque Makes. Top is Shalice Noel and sunglasses are Dezi.
Since having my third baby, my scalp and hair have been in disarray. My scalp was oily, itchy, and dry, and my hair was dry, tough to brush, and super frizzy. I switched to haircare with safer ingredients a few years back, but had a lot of issues in the shampoo department. My natural texture is thick, with superfine hairs, and a slight wave on the lengths depending on the humidity. I’ve never colored it, and don’t plan to, but I do deal with breakage and dryness from hormonal changes and post-birth depletion.
I was loyal for decades to Dove shampoo and conditioner, and the scent just smelled like me. So, I was used to a super sudsy lather, and an intensely moisturizing conditioner that made my hair super sleek and straight, even without a blow dry. Once I learned about the problematic ingredients in Dove, such as synthetic fragrance, dyes, and ingredients that trigger immunotoxicity and allergies, I made the switch. However, it has been so difficult to find a shampoo and conditioner that actually leaves my hair feeling clean, voluminous, soft, and easy to brush. I’ve tried so many brands, in turn wasting a lot of money on experiments, and settled on a brand called Giovanni that I found at Whole Foods that seemed like a clean option, but really had a very similar ingredient profile to my old Dove. Brands nowadays have been guilty of “green washing” which is marketing a product to be natural, dermatologist-tested, or botanical because there is no industry standard to uphold (yet). Luckily, the Environmental Working Group has a great database where you can check your products’ ingredient profiles and be a more informed consumer.
My friend Jackie told me about Prose, and I knew she wouldn’t give her approval unless it was really, really good. A little reluctant on price, I waited for a few months to purchase until they had a promotion. Prose has a super smart quiz to make a custom formula that works with your hair concerns, texture, and even zip code, to assess pollution and humidity in your area. I also customized the ingredients to not contain silicones or fragrance, which I really like.
After the first few tries, I loved how much smoother my hair felt. It was easier to brush, and felt cleaner after washing. But after 3 months of dedicated use, my scalp is the healthiest it’s ever been, and my hair is much more manageable. Budget tip: the bottles have lasted me 2 months before going empty, and I wash almost every day! It ends up costing almost exactly what I was paying for an inferior formulation from a different brand.
To clarify further, I’m a wash-and-go type of girl, so I don’t spend much time with a blow dryer or hot tool unless it’s a special occasion. That’s precisely why I need my hair products to make a visible change without much styling effort on my part. And it did! The pre-shampoo mask was part of my first order, and I loved how soft my hair felt after using it, however I already have a deep conditioning treatment I prefer, so I did not re-purchase that, but I will continue to purchase Prose shampoo and conditioner over and over. My hair has never felt or looked this good!
If you’re looking to try it out for yourself, get $10 off your first order with this link.