Y’all know that I’m a Southern Belle at heart, so I know for a fact that anything made from scratch is just better! Now I know easy fixes will do in a pinch, but sometimes you just gotta put some work and love into mixing up a good batch of anything whether it’s a cake, homemade body butters, or…hair products! I got a chance to try out Formulate, a hair care brand that custom mixes shampoos and conditioners according to your unique hair needs. I love Formulate and the difference it has made with my naturally curly hair! Keep reading for the details and for a special giveaway just for y’all! ??‍♀️

Freshly washed and towel drying!

My Hairstory

I have been natural (no chemical straighteners, perms, or hair color) for about 10 years. In its’ curly state, my hair falls into the curly hair type of 3C (top of head, nape of neck) and 4A (back of head). My hair may be curly, but I’ve been blessed with easy manageability and detangling is a breeze. What I do suffer from is overwhelming dryness (especially about 2 days after a wash/deep condition), low porosity (products tend to coat my strands instead of absorbing in), and single strand knots that easily turn into split ends and sabotage my growth. I needed to find a product that would quench my dryness, and hopefully help me retain lots of length!

Formulate is all over social media…What’s the deal?

When the makers of Formulate reached out to me to try their products, I was sooo intrigued! The concept behind Formulate is that their shampoos and conditioners are custom formulated (in other words, made from scratch! ?) to meet your personal hair care needs! Oh, and did I mention that Formulate’s products are sulfate free, paraben free, dye free, preservative free, and cruelty free?!

When you sign up, you are guided through an interactive quiz in which you provide all the 411 about your hair type, problem areas, and whether you have hair color, or any other chemical treatments. Once you complete the hair profile, you’ll then be able to provide some of your hair goals. Here are the goals I wanted to achieve:

• Hydration
• Deep Conditioning
• Curl Definition
• Lengthen
• Replenish Hair

Based on those goals, Formulate whipped up a shampoo and conditioner with ingredients (wheat germ oil, Acetamide MEA) designed to increase moisture, body, sheen, and improve texture. I love that they include a pamphlet with your package that breaks down the main ingredients, and the benefits they will provide for your hair!

Lastly, Formulate allows you to customize the scent of your products (ranging from beachy to herbal) and the strength of the scent. I chose the Tidal scent, a sublime blend of sea water, warm sand, and coconut. I chose a medium scent strength, which is perfect for me! The scent lingers but is not too cloying or overpowering!

My Results

Shampoo

I cannot stress enough about how much I love my Formulate shampoo!!! Right off the bat I noticed that it cleans extremely well (I’m an Ecostyler gel addict and I need something to clean all that residue) and although it is sulfate free, it lathers very well! I know, I know…lather isn’t needed to clean your hair, but for me it’s all psychological. I need suds. Anyhoo, like I said, it cleans well and it didn’t leave my hair feeling stripped! Love!

Conditioner-1st Round

Ok, here’s where it got a little dicey. I did not love the first conditioner I received. It did great at defining my curls (I had zero frizz), and my strands felt silky after use…but it did nothing for my dryness. I was left with crunchy, dry (albeit, well defined!) curls.

The thing about Formulate is that they want to make sure that your formula is exactly what your hair needs. So what did that mean for me? When they found out that I liked, but didn’t love my conditioner, they quickly went back to the lab, and worked on a new formulation. Within days, I had a new package containing my reworked formula that was packed full of hydrating and nourishing oils.

Conditioner-2nd Round (Reformulated Conditioner)

The minute I tried my reformulated conditioner, I could tell the difference immediately. This version was very liquidy (all those oils) and I was worried it wouldn’t stick to my hair, but it did! And when I rinsed the conditioner out, I noticed that my hair felt just like it used to when I was a little girl and my mom gave me a hot oil treatment: moist, strong, and full of life!

I’ve now used this conditioner 3 times, and I have seen a substantial reduction in my single strand knots, and overall moisture retention. The curl definition that I loved about the first version is also still the same. I am so thankful that Formulate worked with me to get exactly what my hair needed!

I am so impressed with Formulate, and I believe that their unique custom approach to hair care will work for ALL hair types and textures. Because of this, I’m giving y’all a shot to enter to win a free Formulate Shampoo and Conditioner and start your journey toward achieving your personal hair goals!

All you have to do to enter is click this link:

Formulate Giveaway

And since there can only be one winner, I decided to sweeten the deal! Formulate is giving EVERY PERSON WHO ENTERS a $5 discount off their purchase AND free shipping! Hurry and enter today: This giveaway ends soon!

*This product was provided to me at no cost c/o Formulate. All opinions are my own. *

See you next time!