Briogeo Product Review: How I Found Hair Care That Actually Works
Published Sep 1, 2020
While quarantining for the past 6 months, surrounded by the clutter of times past, I kept hearing Marie Kondo’s voice echo in my head: “Does it spark joy?”
Although I’ve been following the master organizer’s work for a hot minute, it took a statewide lockdown for me to seriously heed her space-saving advice. It was time to embark on my own journey towards a lifetime of tidiness, starting with my overstuffed closet.
I Kondo’ed my wardrobe, as well as 4-years worth of old school supplies, my beauty arsenal and, saving the best for last—my hair care stash.
Here comes the part where you judge me for holding on to three-year-old bottles of ~smoothing~ conditioner that don’t stand a chance against frizz. I’ve been saving a $3 leave-in that makes my strands greasy…just because I like the way it smells.
After sifting through tubes of sulfate-riddled shampoo and ~moisturizing~ sprays that cause crunchiness, I decided that no joy could ever come from struggling hair “nourished” by subpar formulas. Toss!
Ever since I was a little girl, I carried around a halo of frizz—we were a package deal. The raised fuzziness emerging from my naturally curly hair followed me everywhere, and it was a source of laughter for many—including myself. Even after discovering hot tools, frizz always managed to ruin the fun in a matter of minutes.
Even though I’m still sheltering in place and have no reason to care if frizz overtakes my entire head, I decided to find a solution for those feeling lost when it comes to finding proper hair care for frizz-prone strands.
Without so much as a dime-sized amount of product on my mane, I began my search for hair care that actually follows through on its promises. As I conducted research, I focused on finding carefully curated regimens backed by clean ingredients with frizz-busting properties. That’s when I found Briogeo.
Briogeo founder Nancy Twine combined her grandmother’s homemade hair care recipes with scientific advances in clean beauty to develop all-natural shampoos, conditioners and leave-ins. You name it, Briogeo has the purest form of what you’re looking for. As a Black entrepreneur, Nancy creates with an emphasis on diversity and inclusivity that radiates through her products, all designed for a wide range of hair types.
Inspired by her mission and commitment to clean beauty, I decided to purchase her Farewell Frizz line, including shampoo, conditioner, blow dry crème, and conditioning spray. And since using, I haven’t had to buy a single extra product outside of this lineup—consider it a one-stop shop for those with coarse, curly hair who enjoy the occasional blowout (like myself).
Prior to washing with Briogeo’s shampoo, I had never used an all-natural shampoo. In fact, I wasn’t aware of any shampoo experience that didn’t include a gluey formula that transforms into an ultra-soapy lather. Farewell Frizz Smoothing Shampoo’s vegan formula feels more liquid-y with little lather. Infused with vitamin E, rosehip, coconut, and argan oil, this shampoo gently cleanses without further drying out strands.
Since my hair felt more quenched after using Briogeo’s all natural shampoo, I didn’t need to overcompensate with a pound of conditioner to regain softness. I only needed about a quarter-sized amount of the Farewell Frizz Smoothing Conditioner, which enveloped my whole head with a veil of milky moisture.
I was shocked that I didn’t even need an extra squeeze of product, this coming from the girl who used to pour out half the tube of conditioner to cover her thick hair. The vegan formula melted into my strands to break up pesky tangles, leaving me with relaxed curls after towel drying.
After drying, I applied the Farewell Frizz Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioning Spray and the Blow Dry Perfection & Heat Protectant Crème. When combined, these products deliver a quick one-two punch to fight frizz whether you’re heat styling or going au naturel.
With a non-greasy blend of essential fatty acids, frizz-diminishing argan oil and moisturizing vitamin E, the milk-textured spray provides lightweight nourishment. Although this spray is formulated for heat styling, I like to spritz it on my natural hair, comb through and let it air dry for weightless, virtually frizz-free curls.
For blowouts, I first apply the spray, and then follow with the Blow Dry Perfection crème. The slightly heavier formula instantly tames frizz while providing 450°F thermal protection. When I finished blow-drying my hair I noticed that my fuzziness was seriously diminished, cutting my flat ironing time in half.
My hair always smells incredible when I style with this spray and crème—I often find myself sniffing my strands throughout the day, it’s that good. And most importantly, the fresh-from-the-salon smell doesn’t dissipate after you style like other leave-ins do.
Sometimes it is difficult to avoid the stiffness that results from styling naturally curly hair. However, after flat ironing with the Farewell Frizz leave-ins, I noticed that my locks looked silky and reduced flyaway hairs while adding body and more movement.
Usually on humid days, spending a mere 10 minutes outside transforms hard-earned sleekness into a full-blown tumbleweed. During the recent SF heat wave, I decided to enjoy the warm weather with a short walk outside—that’s quarantine life for you! I entered the outside world (wearing a face mask of course), and I didn’t once feel like my hair was expanding. When I got back home, I was pleased to see that my mane held up with a minimal need for touch ups—I was ecstatic!
Although lockdown is less than ideal, it led me to find an empowering brand, get my hair health on track, and finally find a routine that works for my hair texture. My advice? Marie Kondo your space during your downtime. You just might find your next holy-grail beauty staple.
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