Brooke Shields is an open book.
Seriously, this icon doesn’t manage anything. That’s why she wanted to start hair care brand Commence in the first place.
Shields has built a platform centered around supporting women, amplifying women’s voices, and addressing women’s feelings about aging. At Commence, she designed a problem-solving hair care line specifically for women over 40 with products designed to address scalp health. (One of these was a 2-in-1 instant shampoo that sold out within a month of its launch and had a waiting list of 23,000 people.)
“This is designed for women over 40, no matter where they are in life and what their life has been like,” Shields tells PEOPLE . “This is really about hair rejuvenation. And it’s encouraging because it’s not just solving the problem, it’s preventing future problems.”
The latest products currently available from Commens include Shine Enhancing Detangler, which helps protect hair from UV damage and protects color, as well as a foamed oat ingredient, the first ever to be included in hair care. Contains a detox shampoo that cleanses hair without stripping or irritating it. A probiotic smoothing conditioner that deeply nourishes and moisturizes the scalp and hair to balance the scalp biome.
Start with a detox shampoo.
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All products are plant-based and cost less than $30.
Below, Shields talks about her own hair journey and how the Commence community has connected her to women across the country.
Be honest, is this all you have in your hair?
“It’s all me.”
How often do you wash it?
“Every four or five days. I often work on Monday, blow-dry my hair, and don’t wash it until Friday. Then, when my hair is dry, I slather on some instant shampoo and always wash it out with conditioner. .”
What about color?
“Once every four weeks, that’s a lot. All my hair would turn gray!”
Can it be completely gray?
“I’m not quite there yet, but I get a lot of gray hair. It’s kind of crazy. And it’s a different texture, too. So when it comes to similarly absorbent products, it’s really about addressing that. Because each gray hair has a different quality of roughness. ”
How about a short haircut?
“It doesn’t work for my face. I have a really square jaw and short hair makes me look really square and sassy. And I have a cowlick. So I kept my hair really short. At the time, we had to physically do it.” It was unsightly and high maintenance. ”
Start with a probiotic smoothing conditioner.
beginning of courtesy
Are you aware that your hair is symbolic to many people?
“For me,[long hair]has a sex appeal. And now I get to do photo shoots and they ask the client, ‘What do you want in your hair?’ And the client goes, ‘Yeah. , Brooke Shields’ ’80s hair, I feel like I’m coming back.’
What do Commence products bring to the beauty space that has been lacking so far?
“Women in this day and age should be cheerful, but instead they’re told things like, ‘Oh, you’re already in menopause,’ or, ‘You did a great job.’ It’s like, Okay, I’ll see you again. What I want from this brand is to be vibrant and inspiring at this time in my life. And it’s amazing how unresolved the scalp of women over 40 is. The sexiness and youthfulness of my scalp and hair, and when I say youthful, I mean vibrancy and vitality, not, “Oh, I want to look like I’m in my 20s.” My kids don’t have to do anything and are fine on every level. But I have lived for 59 years and need to deal with all of that and take my scalp health seriously. We are talking about the scalp as skin. ”
Why do you think everyone is so obsessed with aging women?
“There’s something about the way this demo is pitched that it kind of pushes them into a bucket that they don’t really occupy. So women I know who are in their 60s are trying to do something new and unbelievable. Their lives are now their own for perhaps the first time in over 25 years, and the vitality we want from the brand is truly to be celebrated.”
Brooke Shields with her daughters Rowan (left) and Greer (right). Brooke Shields/Instagram
Are your daughters using Commence?
“Yes! My 18-year-old daughter uses a detangler when she wants to put her hair in French braids. It feels wet, but then it dries beautifully, so it’s very convenient. When she wakes up in the morning, her hair It’s all dry, but it’s wavy and looks like a mermaid.”
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Speaking of daughters, what is going on with empty nests?
“I’m so busy, so that’s a big help. And I feel like I have to keep up with it, too, because I keep repeating messages all day long. We’re going to Parents’ Weekend soon. Greer called me and said, “I want you to wear cowboy boots and a slightly shorter dress.” I said, “I don’t think that’s appropriate and I don’t want to do that.” And she says, “Mom, that will make it cooler.” Then my husband said, “You should wear Daisy Dukes.” It’s like, “Huh?” I’m not trying to look back, I’m trying to move forward in a youthful way. ”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
