No two heads of hair are exactly the same.
So why should hair care be formulated to suit the masses in a one-size-fits-all format?
If you’re anything like me, you want a hair care lineup that uses non-toxic ingredients while supporting your specific hair needs. (Especially if your mane falls somewhere between two hair types like mine does.)
That’s why I was excited to try Prose. They offer customized regimens formulated specifically for your head of hair.
With thousands of possible formula combinations, Prose’s detailed questionnaire identifies what makes your hair unique from all angles: environmental factors, lifestyle, texture, and everything in between.
Keep reading to learn more about Prose: what ingredients they use, what sets them apart, and my honest review of Prose’s personalized hair care.
This review is not sponsored. The product was gifted (thank you!) and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!
My Experience Using Prose Customized Hair Care
One of my biggest questions when trying out Prose was whether or not their hair care is truly clean. With each formula being custom-made, there’s a lot of room for ambiguity regarding what’s in each bottle, so I was a little nervous about that.
Fortunately, Prose has a detailed Ingredient Glossary that lists every ingredient that could possibly be in their formulas.
In addition to the wide range of ingredients that could be used to maximize each custom formula, there’s also a long list of chemicals that will never be found in a Prose bottle.
What Prose Does (and Doesn’t) Allow In Their Formulas
Along with their list of acceptable ingredients, here’s the list of chemicals that Prose never includes in their products:
- Alcohol
- Benzalkylmonium
- Benzophenone
- BHT
- Butoxyethanol
- Butylhydroxyanisole
- Chloride
- Cocamide MEA
- Cocamide DEA
- Dairy Derivatives
- EDTA
- Ethanolamines
- Ethylhexylmethoxy-cinnamate
- Formaldehyde
- GMOs
- Imidazolidinyl Urea
- Lanolin
- Methoxyethanol
- Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)
- Methylchloroisot-hiazolinone (MCIT)
- Mineral Oils
- Nanoparticles
- Parabens
- Petrolatum
- Phenoxyethanol
- Phthalates
- Sulfates
- Sulfites
- Talc
- Titanium Dioxide
- Triclosan
- Triclocarban
- Quaternium-15
Prose is also 100% cruelty-free and has an additional option to make each formula vegan, dye-free, silicone-free, and fragrance-free upon request.
I love this because it allows people to make changes based on their own specific needs, preferences, and sensitivities.
Buuut Prose Also Uses A Few Not-So-Great Ingredients…
Prose’s ingredient glossary has a few chemicals that are worth calling out.
Although their formulas don’t include many of the frequent offenders like parabens and phthalates, there are a few ingredients to be mindful of, especially if you have specific sensitivities:
- Quats: This is probably the most disappointing group of ingredients that Prose allows. Some quats have been linked to things like endocrine disruption and antibacterial resistance. Here are the ones Prose uses:
- Behentrimonium chloride is used as a conditioning agent to make combing hair easier. (I will say that this is a pretty commonly used one. Evolvh is one haircare brand that doesn’t use it.)
- Cetrimonium chloride is a quat that’s used as a detangler.
- Cocamidopropyl Pg Dimonium Chloride is similar. It’s a quat that is allowed for curl definition. It has shown potential for reproductive effects in animal studies.
- Cocamidopropyl betaine is a sulfate alternative that can cause contact dermatitis in some folks.
- Ethoxylated ingredients such as laureth-7 and PEG-55 are not ideal. While ethoxylated ingredients are very common in both conventional and “clean” personal care & cleaning products, they can be contaminated with potential toxins. Because of the manufacturing process, they can potentially contain 1,4 dioxane (a carcinogen) and/or ethylene oxide (an irritant that also has links to cancer).
If you want to avoid these ingredients 100%, I would suggest reaching out to Prose after you get your customized formula but before you actually make your purchase.
This brings me to my next point…
The Biggest Downside to Prose
In my opinion, one of the biggest downsides to Prose is the fact that you can’t see the whole ingredient list for your customized formulations before you buy them.
(You WILL get a full ingredient list with your physical products. But of course, that’s after you’ve already bought it.)
When ingredient transparency is such an important part of low-tox living, I have to say this is disappointing.
That said, I did reach out to Prose about this and they told me that customers can reach out to Prose directly and request their full ingredient list.
So, if you have any sensitivities or concerns at all, I would definitely recommend doing that!
What I Like About Prose As A Business
In addition to offering customized hair care, Prose is a Certified B Corporation with a planet-first approach. Their made-to-order model allows for 75% less overproduction than traditional production practices in the beauty industry.
Prose’s manufacturing plant is located in Brooklyn, New York, with a mission to support the local community through employment opportunities. They also give back while preventing excess waste by donating thousands of duplicate and leftover products to local non-profit organizations.
With millions of potential formula combinations, Prose stands out by providing one-of-a-kind hair care for everyone.
Going Through the Customization Process
In addition to their made-to-order model, I appreciate that Prose is so customized. I haven’t used a product that was made specifically for me before. The experience was pretty cool, from filling out the detailed questionnaire to receiving the final custom products that truly agreed with my hair.
The questionnaire doesn’t take too long, but it is pretty in-depth. It has four sections:
- Hair & Scalp
- Treatments
- Lifestyle
- Preferences & Goals
It asks specific questions about your hair type, habits, environment (including where you live), and goals.
One thing that I appreciated about this questionnaire is how user-friendly it is. Even though it asks a lot of questions, answering them is easy thanks to the specific examples they give for each question (like this diagram of each hair type).
The quiz even asks for your zip code to identify potential environmental stressors based on where you live. I’m based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where the biggest factor for hair is the humidity. (I find it so interesting that my formula would be different if I lived elsewhere!)
You can also opt for vegan or silicone-free formulas if that’s your preference, along with your favorite scent and hair goals to *really* nail down your perfect formula.
Once you’re finished with the quiz, they offer detailed insights to your results and the reasonings behind each score. This quiz not only helped me get a personally crafted formula, but I also felt like I learned a lot about my hair and what I should prioritize in my routine.
Prose Hair Care: My Results
I have a mix of waves and curls, but my hair most closely resembles type 2C. Since I don’t have hair that directly falls into one bucket, finding products that suit my waves and curls has always been a challenge.
With Prose, the custom quiz made it so easy to nail down a lineup that perfectly suits my hair.
The results speak for themselves (see below), but overall, Prose’s hair care routine brings out the best in my texture.
Here’s my frizz-fighting Prose routine for enhanced curl and wave definition:
- First, I cleanse with Prose’s Custom Shampoo.
- Then, I condition using their Custom Conditioner.
- After rinsing my hair, I rake a few pumps of the Custom Curl Cream through my (still wet) hair.
- Then, I flip my hair upside down and scrunch a bit more of the Custom Curl Cream into my hair (about a quarter size amount).
- With my hair still upside down, I work the Prose Custom Styling Gel through my hair to really define my curls.
- Finally, I use a cotton t-shirt to scrunch my hair again and remove any excess product.
Overall, I see a massive difference in the texture of my hair using Prose’s custom line. This routine defines my curls and waves without leaving any crunchiness or excess product behind, and I love the results.
My before-and-after is pictured below. As you can see, it’s night and day using Prose compared to how my hair looks when I’m not using curl-specific products. The routine is also super minimal with only four products from start to finish, which I love.
Prose’s custom hair care leaves my hair feeling squeaky clean, enhances my curl texture, and drastically reduces my frizz levels.
Each Prose Custom Hair Care Product Reviewed
Without further ado, here’s my breakdown of each Prose product I tried, and my honest thoughts on what was in each bottle.
Prose Custom Shampoo
Price: $34
Prose designs each custom shampoo to rebalance, nourish, and clarify the hair. My shampoo is made with sunflower seed oil, which is loaded with antioxidants to moisturize and protect each strand.
I’ve always been partial to salon-esque scents, so I chose the Botanica fragrance, which has notes of eucalyptus, rosemary, and lavender. (I’m obsessed.)
(But remember: you can also choose the fragrance-free option if you want to!)
Since my hair errs on the side of wavy/curly, hydration is extremely important to me, even in my shampoo. Prose’s custom shampoo lathers easily and gives me the deep clean feeling that I crave without drying out my tresses.
Prose Custom Conditioner
Price: $34
Each custom conditioner from Prose is made to provide intensive moisture and repair without weighing down the hair. My formula uses maracuja oil and babassu oil to hydrate and strengthen each strand while protecting it from environmental factors. Their deeply nourishing qualities aid in restoring curls for an overall healthier texture.
My conditioner is thick and ultra-moisturizing with serious detangling power. The Botanica fragrance is equally as lovely in the conditioner as the shampoo and leaves behind a long-lasting scent that’s delicate, floral, and clean. All in all, this is the curly conditioner of my dreams.
Prose Custom Curl Cream
Price: $30
Prose’s custom curl cream is made to hydrate and define wavy, curly, or coily textures while reducing frizz levels. My curl cream is made with pequi oil, linseed extract, and baobab extract to encourage defined curls that stay in place while enhancing their texture. These nourishing ingredients also promote root-to-tip hair strength while eliminating frizz.
This curl cream makes a huge difference in my hair texture and definition. It majorly reduces frizz and flyaways while hydrating my hair and helping each curl to stand out. It’s easy to work with and doesn’t leave behind any crunchy or greasy residue.
I’ve also used this curl cream in combination with other shampoos and conditioners to test out the results. I found that this is a great standalone product as well if you don’t want to invest in the whole Prose routine. Overall, this curl cream is a win.
Prose Custom Styling Gel
Price: $30
Prose’s flake-free and anti-crunch custom styling gel is designed to define and keep each curl in place with a touchable hold while fighting frizz. My styling gel is formulated using aloe vera juice, inulin, hydrolyzed okra extract, and sea moss powder to hydrate, boost, and define curls with a shiny, soft-to-the-touch finish.
This styling gel passes my biggest test: even though I use a lot of the product, it doesn’t weigh my hair down or dry crunchy.
This hair gel also makes a major difference in my hair texture. It gives me way more definition and almost entirely eliminates my natural frizziness.
If you’re looking for a new styling gel, this product gets a standing ovation from me. (In fact, it was crowned best gel in my recent curly hair product review).
Which Prose Products Are Worth the Buy?
Personally, I felt that all of the Prose products I tried were 100% worth purchasing.
If I had to choose a favorite Prose product, it would be the Custom Styling Gel. I felt that the texturizing help of the gel formula was key in creating the next-level curl definition I saw.
I appreciate that the Prose routine is minimal with only four products, which not only saves time and money, but is so much easier to travel with than an extensive routine.
(You can also save more money by signing up for a subscription and for being a first time customer! So your first purchase is heavily discounted so reduce the risk of trying it out.)
I also love that each bottle is made for you. I was surprised by just how well my hair responded to each product and truly felt that every step of the routine was formulated to suit my unique tresses.
Whether you have straight or curly hair (or something in between), Prose is a great option to support your specific hair type.
As I mentioned, the biggest drawback to Prose is the fact that you can’t see the full ingredient list for your product before you buy it. This may be a dealbreaker for some people because of the fact that Prose does use some not-great ingredients in some of their formulations.
Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourself based on your own personal preferences, needs, etc!
Pros & Cons (in a nutshell!)
Pros of Prose Hair Care:
- Customizable formulas tailored to individual hair types
- Free from a long list of potentially problematic ingredients (phthalates, etc.)
- Cruelty-free and offers vegan, dye-free, silicone-free, and fragrance-free options
- It really works: helps enhance hair texture, reduces frizz, and provides long-lasting hydration
Cons of Prose Hair Care:
- Must reach out for full ingredient list prior to purchase
- Uses some potentially concerning ingredients (e.g., quats, ethoxylated ingredients)
- Can be pricey
- Not very low-plastic
If you were wondering about trying out Prose, I hope that this review has been informative!
If there’s a natural and non-toxic hair routine that you swear by, let me know in the comments.
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