Last fall, I started the long and tedious process of trying to update my haircare routine. I’ve gone through a lot of phases with my loosely curly hair, and all of this bouncing back and forth has left it fairly damaged. Admittedly, I’ve never made shampoo & conditioner my number one priority — I often used products I found without really looking into them first, just searching for keywords and vague descriptions among shelves of products that promised the same things.
I did some research, watched a few videos and read blog posts on managing curly hair. More than once, I saw ads or read reviews for customized hair care, a trend I had heard about before, but never thought I would get into myself.
Enter: Function of Beauty.
Function of Beauty claims to be “the world leader in customizable beauty.” What stood out is that their products are cruelty-free, vegan and sustainability-focused, all things that are important to me. I read a few reviews, took their quiz and (importantly) found a coupon code.
The process
The quiz was actually kind of fun — you get to select up to five hair “goals” and even customize the color and scent. I set my goals as anti-frizz, curl definition, deep condition, hydrate and strengthen, although there’s plenty of other options for a lot of different hair care needs. I took the “hair quiz” in mid-October and received the 16 oz. shampoo and conditioner in early November. I got an email about a week after the order confirmation telling me my custom formula was being filled individually, hence the wait time.
Note: you can complete the hair quiz to see all of the options without having to create an account or purchase the products.
The products
I used the Function of Beauty shampoo and conditioner almost exclusively over the following three months. Upon receiving the products, I loved the presentation and packaging. The scent (eucalyptus) was strong and fresh and the light-green bottles came with customizable stickers and were printed with my name on them. I recently cut my hair pretty short, although it is still considerably thick, so while the products lasted for around three months for me, I could imagine they might get used faster for someone with longer hair.
The review
Honestly, I don’t know if I actually wanted to like these products. I considered them pretty expensive ($49.99 for the 16 oz. shampoo and conditioner) and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to commit to the subscription of spending that much money. I think I was secretly hoping I wouldn’t want to keep using them so I could go back to using my relatively cheaper products from the store.
However, after a few weeks, I started to see notable differences in my hair. The products had essentially done everything I had asked — my hair was softer, less frizzy and the ends that were normally dry were hydrated. I started wearing my hair down more often, without having to put too much effort into doing so (with curly hair, this is often not an option for me). I noticed some “definition,” but I don’t think the shampoo and conditioner replaced all of my other curly-hair products that I keep in stock. However, it was a good starting point for adding more products after.
When it came time for reordering, I went through with it. I had to justify it to myself by comparing prices with other companies, but ultimately, I decided the customized products were worth it especially considering how long they lasted. I liked the products and I was really starting to love my hair more than I had in years — but it came at a cost. Although my inbox has gotten coupon codes repeatedly since I made my first order, I’m still trying to keep a budget.
If you’re in a rut and don’t really know what to try next, I would recommend looking into customized products and deciding what’s best for you. Personally, I’m glad I made the decision to try Function of Beauty and I’m looking forward to the next three months.
