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It’s been said time and time again that skincare isn’t always one size fits all, and the same rings true for haircare. Everyone’s hair texture, concerns and goals are vastly different, and to expect unique results from a standard formula is likely an empty wish. But if you aren’t quite sure how to navigate the endless sea of available shampoo, conditioner and hair masks to select what your strands need most, consider relying on a custom haircare company to do all of the work.
Alongside Function of Beauty, The Hair Lab by Strands and AURA Hair Care, Prose is one of the most popular options for getting personalized haircare formulas delivered right to your doorstep. As someone who’s incredibly particular about their hair products, I was curious if Prose would actually be able to tailor formula’s specific to my wants and needs—basically, I was skeptical but hopeful.
I bleach my hair several times a year, consistently style it with hot tools and wash it frequently—and considering I’m not willing to budge on any of the three, I needed a line-up of products that could expertly protect and heal my hair through these damaging decisions.
After testing Prose for several weeks now, I’ve gathered enough intel to decipher whether the service is worth the spend or not. Let’s dive in.
My personalized products, at a glance
What to know about Prose
You’ll be taken through a short online consultation to begin your Prose journey. The site will ask a series of questions to gather information on your hair, scalp, lifestyle, regular treatments (such as dye jobs) and preferences and goals to curate a custom regimen. Questions about your age, hair texture, hair length, hair thickness and more are to be expected; for example, you’ll be prompted with inquires such as “How dense is your hair?” and “Do you feel like you’re shedding more than usual lately?”
The questions only get more specific from there, like how much water you drink per day to whether or not your hair retains noticeable odors. In short, the brand truly does its research and considers all potential aggressors your hair and scalp may come into contact with on a regular basis, which I appreciate.
Once the consultation is complete, Prose will direct you to your results. You’ll be given a breakdown of where you need targeted support in certain key areas and the products they recommend trying, alongside a detailed snapshot of ingredient lists—for instance, I scored a 100/100 for damage, which means my products strongly focused on reversing damage.
From there, you can choose to purchase the products once or opt into a subscribe and save program to save 15 percent on all orders.
My testing process
I tested three products from Prose over the duration of a month. I mostly used them in conjunction (ie. all three in a row without mixing in other products from additional brands) to get the most clear cut experience.
Pre-Shampoo Scalp Mask
My personalized key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Plant Collagen, Oat Lipid, Sunflower Seed Extract, Spirulina, Vitamin B6, Bamboo Charcoal
Benefits: The brand describes it as an “intensive pre-wash treatment that helps restore balance to your scalp, whether you need soothing repair or a gentle detox.”
The pre-shampoo scalp mask was probably my favorite out of all three. For starters, I tend to deal with two major scalp concerns: oily roots and itchy spots. Therefore, I typically lean on a surplus of scalp care in my weekly regimen to help alleviate both, and this fit right in perfectly.
I’d apply it before shampooing and conditioning for several minutes, and could instantly feel it get to work on areas that needed help the most; it felt both soothing and slightly tingly. I also noticed it had a lighter consistency than traditional all-over hair masks, so it sank right through to my scalp with ease. Plus, since you apply the mask before shampoo, you won’t have to worry about it weighing down your roots post-shower.
Custom Shampoo
Prose
My personalized key ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Plant Collagen, Oat Lipid and Sunflower Seed Extract
Benefits: The brand describes it as a “gentle, clarifying shampoo that does it all, from rebalancing roots to gently hydrating lengths. Prose’s personalized formulas are uniquely designed for all hair types to cleanse your scalp and nourish your hair with every wash.”
If I’m being honest, my custom shampoo didn’t offer any super unique differences compared to other high-end shampoos. That said, there were a handful of factors that stood out: a little bit of product goes far, so the bottle will last you a long, long time; it lathers beautifully and really gives you that deep clean experience; lastly, my natural, wavy texture was accentuated.
Take note: Prose custom haircare works on straight (type 1), wavy (type 2), curly (type 3) and coily (type 4) hair. Since all personalized formulas vary based on hair densities and porosities, there may be individuals out there with hair types that need more detailed care than mine—a type 2 hair—that would find this kind of shampoo to be more special.
Custom Conditioner
Prose
My personalized key ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Plant Collagen, Oat Lipid and Sunflower Seed Extract, Butterfly Pea Flower, Fermented Rice Water
Benefits: The brand describes it as “a nourishing moisturizer that will meet all of your hair goals and restore your strands without ever weighing them down.”
My custom conditioner included many of the same key ingredients as my other two products, with the addition of fermented rice water and butterfly pea flower. The former smooths and strengthens hair in order to combat frizz, while the latter helps prevent brassiness from appearing on lightened hair.
As someone who often swaps regular conditioner for super hydrating hair masks, was this the most conditioning treatment I’ve ever tried? No. Did I run through it faster than the custom shampoo because of this? Yes. But it wasn’t a total loss, either. My hair did have less frizz post-shower, even if I let it fully air-dry. It also helped keep my bleached strands from turning slightly orange, which they usually would have this far out from my last salon visit.
Cost + Packaging
Costs vary by each product and by whether you choose to opt into the subscribe and save program. Opting into continual deliveries—you can choose either every 4 weeks, every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks—allows you to cancel any time, get free shipping, receive limited-edition gifts and get one free product for every 10 you buy. Pricing for subscribe and save starts at $25.80 and goes up to $52.70. Pricing for one time purchases starts at $30 and goes up to $62.
Packaging also varies by product. Shampoo and conditioner bottles come with screw caps that can be replaced with plastic pumps for easier applications. The hair masks come in regular jars you can dip into, while other items like hair oils come in glass containers with droppers.
What other products does Prose offer?
The haircare brand offers additional items to complete your hair regimen. The full product list is below.
My final thoughts
The Custom Pre-Shampoo Scalp Mask and Custom Shampoo could be repeat purchases, but I’d opt for trying something new from Prose, such as the Custom Pre-Shampoo Hair Mask, over re-ordering the conditioner; my hair needs more hydration than it could offer it.
Overall, I like that I knew exactly what ingredients were being put on my hair, which is often a gamble with other products (especially one’s from the drugstore). The attention to detail and numerous combinations you get is wholly impressive, and I think Prose will appeal to a lot of individuals out there who feel the gaps in the haircare market—A.K.A. those who’ve yet to find a formula that truly helps.
