There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
On Trial: Prose Custom Hair Oil
Tester: Danielle St. Pierre, queen of low-maintenance beauty routines, v skeptical of hair-oil products (at least up until this point)
The Brief: For weeks, Prose Custom Haircare ads were literally following me everywhere. On the subway, on my Instagram feed, you name it. My initial inclination was skepticism: Is this just another trendy bespoke beauty brand peddling loaded promises?
As someone who has very long, wavy, fine hair that tends to get greasy the second I use just a dollop too much of any given product, it's fair to say I was a bit averse to hair oil. I had used various hair oils in the past that promised to combat humidity, boost moisture and shine, and ultimately tame my wild waves, but to absolutely no avail. They just made my hair feel heavy, greasy, and limp.
So why would I add extra oil to my already oily scalp? Was there a hair oil out there that could make me look like a sleek raven-haired mermaid instead of Mrs. Frizzle?
After meeting a few key members from the Prose team at a local dinner event under the Brooklyn Bridge and learning a bit more about their very cool mission (in a nutshell, they make hair care for real people — not hair types), I decided to give hair oil another shot. I tested out the full line of Prose Custom Hair Care (shampoo, conditioner, pre-shampoo mask, and oil) — and was kind of blown away by the Prose Custom Hair Oil.
From the first use, I knew that this hair oil was quite different than any other product I had tried before. It smelled amazing. It felt lightweight. And it gave my hair a much-needed moisture surge, just a bit of sleek control, and glossy shine. Plus, tons of other very positive reviews lead me to believe I'm not the only believer in Prose.
The secret to Prose is tri-fold. First, the ingredients. All ingredients are meticulously sourced, natural, and clean, meaning these products are cruelty-, paraben-, sulfate-, GMO-, silicon-, and dye-free. Although each individual product's formula varies a bit, you'll find awesome, potent natural ingredients like Barbary fig oil, grapeseed extract, honey, and ivy extract in the mix. They also source a whopping 30 premium natural oils from around the world to use in their custom blends. That's pretty impressive.
Next is the word "custom." Yes, bespoke beauty and grooming products have become a bit of a silly millennial expectation, but when it comes to hair care, I'm a firm believer that this is one area that truly deserves customization. My hair's overall health, texture, and history, for example, is most likely drastically different than yours. So why would we use the same product to achieve a similar end result? It's science! And Prose curated their own scientific methodology to design a unique formula for each individual.
So, after a quick online consultation (in the form of multiple-choice survey that took about 15 minutes) that asked me questions about my diet, lifestyle, environment, hair texture, and coloring history, I was "prescribed" a custom oil blend to address my hair's needs.
Last: This sh!t is versatile. While most hair oils are used strictly for styling, Prose can be used as both a styling oil or as an intensive pre-shower renewal treatment on dry hair. And both applications yield dramatic results (though I use the oil more often as a styling oil just on the ends of my hair when it's damp before air-drying).
My custom blend is a lightweight, non-greasy blend of poppy seed oil, cucumber oil, rose hip oil, and sweet and bitter almond oils that literally smells like some crazy hybrid beach-day trip to a garden grove.
Closing Argument: Don't give up on hair oil! If you're looking to boost the moisture, shine, and overall health of your hair without weighing it down, try Prose.
Read More:
10 Miraculous Hair Oils For Healthier Locks
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You And Your Boo Can Share These Unisex Fragrances
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Danielle is the former food & drink editor for BestProducts.com, where she put her knowledge as a cocktail consultant and connoisseur to use; her work can also be spotted on Thrillist, Food & Wine, and Delish. Prior to joining BestProducts.com in 2016, she was slinging fancy cocktails in Brooklyn, reporting on the best bars and restaurants in the country for Food & Wine magazine, and drinking all the whiskey New York has to offer. Outside of work, you’ll most likely find her catching the end of happy hour at her favorite bars in New York or dreaming up pretty new drink recipes.
