Two shampoo sessions in and I’m already obsessed with Function of Beauty’s shampoo and conditioner. Why? Because they get me. I mean, they must. I filled out a survey and they told me exactly what I needed—my “hair menu” was even included in the box. What is it about customization that convinced this simple Pantene user to make the switch? Why are we now constantly surrounded by “customized” products?
To be fair, I love this shampoo/conditioner combo because it has already, even after just two washes, vastly improved my hair’s texture and decreased my frizziness (a problem I wish wasn’t still a concern pushing October—hi humidity!). But also to be fair, I’m sure if I traded my usual Pantene for any shampoo and conditioner that was double the price of my OG, I would probably see a rapid improvement, simply due to a higher quality of ingredients and process.
I didn’t make the financial commitment for just any higher end brand, though. I held out— until I was drawn to Function of Beauty, because I needed the quiz, the “custom” product. As online shopping rises in popularity before our very eyes, our generation is witnessing a transition in marketing: with the right income, people can easily obtain almost anything they want. So now you are not being marketed a product, but a whole experience.
I wanted Function of Beauty. I wanted to pick out the scent, the color, have “Function of Lucy” printed on the bottles. As soon as I received the package, I was compelled to take photos of my new products. You know it’s a real experience when your shampoo comes with stickers.
How do we go about navigating this new online world of complete and total customization? The first step is remembering to shop mindfully. Don’t just add to cart everything that pops up in your Insta ads. Be sure to make choices, do research, confirm that the products you consume are good for you and the world around you. But also, remember that you should absolutely snap that pic, smell that fancy shampoo, take an online quiz, and treat yourself every once in a while, too!