In the late ‘90s, I got a call from a large hair care company that wanted Naturally Curly to promote a new curl line it was launching. The collection included one shampoo, one conditioner and a spray gel. I remember thinking, “How can one styling product possibly work for all curly girls?”
The truth was, it couldn’t. And it didn’t. It didn’t work for me and it didn’t work for most of my co-workers. Those products quickly disappeared from store shelves.
For us curly girls, there is no one size fits all. Far from it! If you gather a group of us in a room and ask what we’re looking for in our dream curly styling product, you’ll get a nearly infinite range of responses.
Some of us want strong hold while others want it lighter. Moisture is the top priority for many textured-haired women, while fighting frizz is more important to others. Similarly, while many curly girls run away from products containing silicones, others seek them out . And when it comes to the way our products smell, some of us like floral, some like musky scents and some don’t want any scent at all.
The reality is that no two heads of curls, coils or waves are the same. From the tightness of our texture—2a to 4c and often a combination of several curl types—to the hair’s porosity, density, width and length, our hair responds differently to ingredients. There has never been just one curl cream that addressed all styling concerns no matter the hair type.
So I was very intrigued when I heard about the new Prose curl cream. I wish I had come up with the idea to create a completely customized formula myself!
But, I was a little cynical that they could truly come up with a system that could address every individual curly girl’s needs. It seemed nearly impossible. It took the Prose R&D team more than eight months to develop a curl cream that was truly flexible on all hair types and densities.
I started by taking the consultation. In addition to detailed hair questions about my hair health, my styling and coloring habits and my ingredient preferences, it asked me everything from my stress level to my exercise habits to my zip code (they are able to adjust the formula for your location’s atmospheric conditions!) Then it gave me a choice of scents—woody, citrusy, floral, powdery, fruity, herbal, fresh—with names like Candela and Corsica. I chose Signature, a floral and powdery scent.
So, what did the consultation come up with for me? A curl cream with professional silicone, argan, sacha yushi & jojoba oils to nourish my curls, a professional polymer to define my 3b curls and oat lipid & sunflower seed extract to protect my color.
When the curl cream arrived, I was so excited to try it—and still a little cynical, thinking that it may not live up to my expectations. First, I applied the Prose custom pre-shampoo mask. Then I cleansed my strands with the Prose shampoo and the Prose conditioner, which were also customized for my hair. I then pumped the Prose custom curl cream into my hands and applied it evenly through my soaking wet hair. After that, I diffused until my curls were mostly dry. For a final touch, I put a drop of the Prose custom hair oil into my hands and rubbed them together and afterwards—with my hair upside down—raked my hands through my hair. The result: shiny, defined curls that felt moisturized. And I loved the scent!
Since my formula is specifically created for the winter weather, when humidity levels are lower, I will get a new formula for the spring/summer. It’s definitely a first having a product that adjusts to the weather! Prose has thought of everything! Plus, one of the fun things in my box was a satin pillowcase, something curly girls use to prevent frizz while they sleep.
Are you a fellow curly girl or guy looking for results like Michelle’s? Get started creating your Prose custom formula by taking your consultation here.
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