Formulate Shampoo & Conditioner Review
Disclaimer
This post is sponsored. In exchange for my review, I received a free bottle of Formulate shampoo & conditioner, also a set to give away, from Formulate. I spent weeks testing out the shampoo & Conditioner and all thoughts and opinions are my own. I would never recommend a product that either I or my family did not like.
How’s My Hair?
I am 15 months postpartum, and I do not love my hair. Haha! Well, I love the color. Haha! Not that I was totally in love with my hair before having kids, but after kids, it has changed. I don’t get to shower as often as I used to with 2 young kids running around, and I am not a big fan of dry shampoo. So, I was really excited when Formulate contacted me and asked if I would be interested in trying out their shampoo & conditioner. The best part is it would be formulated specifically for me!
I had never heard of a company that would formulate shampoo & conditioner specifically to a person and their needs. Before kids, I would go to the store, picked up a bottle of shampoo and/or condition, try to read the ingredients list not understand it, and just put it in the cart. Wash, rinse, and repeat. After kids, I became more aware of what products and ingredients I was putting in and on my body. I switched to a more natural shampoo bar and called it a day, but I was still not happy with my hair.
Who/What is Formulate
Formulate is a hair care company that formulates shampoo & condition to your specific hair and hair care needs. No one has the same hair. So why are we buying cookie-cutter shampoo & conditioner? After taking Formulate’s survey their chemists come up with a shampoo & conditioner formula to fit your hair and its needs. If for some reason the formula is not right Formulate will work with you till they get it right. You can check out more about Formulate on their website HERE.
The Survey
The whole process is actually quick and fun. On the Formulate website or app, they have a survey that asks you questions regarding your hair. Questions such as: what color is it, is it color-treated, what is its texture and thickness, and so on. They also want to know your location so they can factor in the weather in your area. Then Formulate needs to know what your hair needs help with. Do you need frizz control, strengthening, etc? Lastly, you get to pick your scent and let them know what ingredients you don’t want in your formula. (They even give you directions on how to use your shampoo & conditioner.)
Ingredients
To start, Formulate shampoo & conditioner are free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, preservatives, sodium, and are cruelty-free. You can ask them to exclude any ingredient you do not want or are possibly allergic to. I personally asked for my formula to also be free of TEA, DEA, PEG, Dimethicone, Triclosan, Synthetic colors, Synthetic fragrances, Formaldehyde, Retinyl palmitate, and silicones. (Take this with a grain of salt, but I did look up the ingredients in my shampoo & conditioner on the EWG’s website. All ingredients rated a 1 or 2. Some rated a 3.)
For the scent, I selected one of their natural scents. (Burgeon) Formulate will work with you on your formula, and will make adjustments using your feedback to help perfect your formula. (I highly recommend downloading the app. It makes it super easy to track your orders and communicates with Formulate your needs/wants.)
My Test
So, in my survey, I asked for the shampoo & conditioner to help strengthen, replenish, prevent split ends, and help with frizz and manageability. I was interested to see if it would take a little while for me to get used to going from a more natural shampoo bar back to liquid shampoo & conditioner. (Usually, it’s the other way around. Switching to a sulfate-free shampoo & conditioner can cause a transition period.) My hair switched fine though! First, I started out by following Formulates directions which were 3 pumps of shampoo & conditioner. I washed my hair with just the shampoo, washed my hair with just 2 pumps each of shampoo & conditioner, washed my hair with 1 pump from each, and even washed with my old shampoo and used Formulates conditioner. I wanted to try and make sure I gave it a good test.
My Thoughts
I like Formulates shampoo & conditioner! Even though I am a big fan of the squeaky-clean feel turns out my old shampoo was stripping my hair. My hair was dry after using it and I had to put so much product in my hair just to get my comb through it. After using Formulate my hair is soft, manageable, and easy to style. Which is exactly what I wanted it to be. After using Formulate I love the feel of my hair so much I want to wear it down more. The only change I have made is I only use 2 pumps of the shampoo & conditioner. (Instead of the 3 from the directions.) Why? 3 pumps of the shampoo made for way to my lather, and I didn’t like the feel. Same with 3 pumps of the conditioner. That is all though.
So, the big question…Would I purchase Formulate again? Yes! Would I change my formula? Yes. I think next time I will try for more deep conditioning, glossiness, and volume. As well as also selecting my scent to be stronger. I love the Burgeon scent, but I cannot smell it on my hair when I get out of the shower. (Which is really no big deal, but I would try it out with the bold scent to see what it does.)
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost for a 14 oz shampoo & conditioner is $49.00 (You can order a 4 oz set to try your formula out for $19.95.) Cost-wise it’s more than drug store shampoo, but less than the expensive shampoo you will find at salons. I actually think it’s a great price point for what you are getting. (Personalized shampoo & conditioner along with oz’s.)
I used formulate and I had to stop because it was burning my hair. When I told them I was stopping and why no one ever got a hold of me.
Oh my goodness. That is terrible customer service. I am sorry that happened to you. You would think they atleast would apologize and off your a refund atleast. (Shakes head)