In our Trial Run series, TZR editors and writers test the hottest new beauty products and share honest reviews. This week, Deputy Beauty Editor Erin Lucas tests the much talked about Commence Detoxifying Shampoo and Probiotic Smoothing Conditioner.
Let’s get down to business. A good hair day starts with shampoo and conditioner stocked in the shower. As the foundation of any hair care routine, the formula you use on wash day has a huge impact on the outcome of your DIY blowout and the overall health of your hair. That’s why there are so many options for different textures, colors, thinness, dryness, dullness, and other specific concerns. However, despite the variety, many products are fine. For example, shampoos certainly do their job, but their corresponding conditioners require hair to be coated with a film (often silicone) to achieve that coveted softness and shine we’re all after. It makes me feel like. Actor Brooke Shields experienced this struggle firsthand, having spent decades sitting in the stylist’s chair on set. So she set out to develop Commence’s detox-fighting shampoo and probiotic conditioner, the clean hair care brand’s first in-shower essentials for over 40 customers.
“I’ve done so much to my hair that it used to be very brittle before I put conditioner on it. I use Commence shampoo to nourish and not strip away all the good and bad. We wanted it to have properties that would protect it from running out of oil,” Shields told me during a conference where he explained the two products. “I, too, was really scared that it had something to do with my scalp because I’d been told that putting conditioner on my scalp would make my hair softer. So when we developed the conditioner, it just made my hair softer. It had to be good for the scalp as well.”
I’m a few years south of Commence’s target demographic, but I have dry, frizz-prone hair. Along with density, there are two concerns that Shields prioritizes in this line of products. Needless to say, as a beauty editor with over a decade of experience, I’ve tried my fair share of shampoos and conditioners, promising to tackle multiple woes that often don’t work (literally or figuratively). I did. So after hearing the details from Mark Nitowski, director of research and development at Seals & Commens, I wanted to know if the product would give me shampoo-commercial quality hair. Ahem, as Shields has been known throughout her career.
From here, I will introduce my experience using Commens’ first shampoo and conditioner.
simple facts
Price: $24 (shampoo). $28 (Conditioner) Size: 240 ml/8 each On-screen/Animal testing free: Yes Best for: Aging hair. dry scalp. What is available in the market are daily shampoos and conditioners. Ingredient Highlights: Sapindica Saponin and Foaming Oats (Shampoo). Magnesium, zinc, iron (conditioner) What I like: The shampoo lathers well. Since it is not coated with product, your hair will be soft and smooth. What I don’t like: Nothing so far! Rating: 5/5 How to keep score with TZR: 1/5: Returns. 2/5: Save as backup. 3/5: Finish to the last drop. 4/5: Recommended for group texts. 5/5: Already auto-replenishing
official
When Shields set out to develop Commence’s first shampoo, he had several non-negotiables. The formula needed to cleanse the hair without stripping the hair or unbalancing the scalp, and simply had to be lathered. As a result, Knitowski set out to find a plant-based surfactant that can produce a lather that makes washing your hair a little more fun. He got to the bubbling oats. This is also an ingredient that nourishes and balances the scalp. Saponin saponin is also included in the mix, which strengthens hair and increases density.
When it came to conditioner, I needed it to be nourishing without weighing down my hair. Shields insists she wanted to use conditioner from root to tip, but if you’ve ever had your hair professionally done, your stylist will tell you that conditioner is a big no-no. So the duo turned to an electrolyte blend of magnesium, zinc, and iron to fight damage and dryness while keeping the scalp’s microbiome healthy. Balance produces shiny, smooth hair with maximum density.
The bottle was similarly meticulously designed. Shields said the text on Commence’s packaging is intentionally large to make it easier to read, and the colors were chosen to be aesthetically pleasing and easy to spot in the shower.
my typical hair care routine
As someone with dark color-treated hair who uses hot tools frequently, my top priority is to maintain my deep espresso brown shade for as long as possible. That’s why I usually avoid products that contain sulfates, which can cause color fading, and only wash my hair two to three times a week. Otherwise, my hair is a bit coarse and dry, so I’m looking for a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner formula to use on wash days. After you’ve washed and conditioned your hair and towel-dried it, apply a leave-in conditioner from the mid-lengths to the ends to add a little moisture. I’m currently using one from Crown Affair. This is because it has a light texture similar to a beauty serum and can be used as a countermeasure against the heat. When my hair is really damaged (breakage, frizz, etc.), I use RÔZ’s foundation mask as a weekly treatment.
my experience and results
To be honest, when I hear a shampoo with “detox” in the name, I immediately think it’s going to make my hair too clean. But that was not the case in the Commence formula. The bubbly oats created a rich, satisfying lather that I love, so it felt good to massage into the roots. When I rinsed it out, not only did my hair feel cleaner, but I was able to run my fingers through it without it getting tangled (I’ve noticed that something happens when I use a stripping shampoo before conditioner).
When using conditioner, Shield recommends applying it from roots to ends. Now, this is a technique that hairstylists have always told me to avoid. Because conditioning your roots can weigh down your hair. Even if it’s thick like me. However, for this review, I followed the actor’s lead and applied conditioner all over, not just from mid-lengths. Spoiler: I was pleasantly surprised. Blow drying with a round brush left my hair smooth and shiny with optimal body and volume. It was also very soft to the touch, but it didn’t feel like it was coated with silicone for any effect.
Are Commens Detox Shampoo and Probiotic Conditioner worth it?
As someone who likes to get the most out of my hair care products to keep my routine as compact and effortless as possible, Comment’s shampoo and conditioner deliver on that promise. Both times I used this pair to wash my hair, I was left with clean (but not dry), soft (yet natural) hair. Even my blowouts at home were incredibly shiny and smooth. To be honest, I’ve classified many shampoos and conditioners over the years as “so-so”, but this set is one of the few exceptions.
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