I used a customized Formulate shampoo, conditioner, and serum, after I submitted my responses to their quiz and provided a photograph of my hair. During my trial run, I shampooed and conditioned my hair three times a week and used the Formulate serum on my hair on a daily basis.
Here is what I discovered:
Pros:
Bespoke formulas: All new formulas are customized by a chemist who creates formulas based on the client’s responses regarding hair type and condition and product use. One of the benefits of using Formulate is that one can indicate a preference for fragrance-free, silicon-free, or vegan formulations.
Transparency: The Formulate app provides a listing of the main ingredients in every customized formula. I was pleased to note that my formulas included blood rain algae extract, jojoba seed oil, chamomile extract, keratin oil, and other quality ingredients. A short description accompanied each ingredient listing. All of the formulas are sulfate and paraben free
Value: Formulate features customized quality shampoos and conditioners at a fair price, comparable to the price of many salon haircare products. An extra-value bonus is the optional addition of a violet anti-brass ingredient that tones down yellow or brassy tones in blonde, silver, bleached or brassy hair.
Attentive Customer Service: The Formulate app provides a stellar means of communication with a Formulate chemist or their technician. All of my questions were answered in a timely and detailed manner.
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Cons:
Lack of Variety: Although there are options to edit one’s formula and select from a range of different fragrances, the products most likely will not change dramatically and the range of available haircare products is limited. Additionally, Formulate discourages its clients from using other conditioning products such as hair masks. Clients who like to experiment with different haircare brands and products will likely become bored or frustrated by the lack of variety in their haircare routine.
Opting Out: The hair serum, which I was told was an optional purchase, made my hair feel coated. I did not feel that the benefit of using the serum trumped the need to shampoo my hair a lot more frequently, so I opted out.
My final conclusion:
Formulate is a great option for men or women who are seeking to level up their haircare regimen by adding professional, customized products. If you don’t like to experiment with a wide variety of haircare products and prefer to stick with a few tried-and-true products, Formulate is worth a trial run.
Read more at the Formulate website: https://www.formulate.co/select-experience
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