Erin Lukas
In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, deputy beauty editor Erin Lukas is testing the buzzy Commence Detoxifying Shampoo and Probiotic Smoothing Conditioner.
Let’s cut to the chase: Good hair days start with the shampoo and conditioner you have stocked in your shower. As the cornerstone to every hair care routine, the formulas you use on wash days majorly impact what your DIY blowout will look like as well as the overall health of your strands. As such, there are a number of options out there tailored to a range of textures, colors, and specific concerns like thinness, dryness, or dullness. However, despite the variety, a lot of products are just…ok. Sure, the shampoo gets the job done, for instance, but the corresponding conditioner leaves strands feeling shellacked with a film (often silicones) in order to achieve that covetable softness and shine we’re all chasing. With decades of experience sitting in stylists’ chairs on set, actor Brooke Shields has experienced this struggle firsthand. So she set out to create Commence’s Detoxifying Shampoo and Probiotic Conditioner, the first in-shower essentials from her clean hair care brand that caters to a 40+ audience.
“I’ve had so much done to my hair that when I used to was it, it was so brittle before I put conditioner in. I wanted Commence’s shampoo to be nourishing and have some protective qualities so it’s not stripping all the good and bad oils out,” Shields tells me during a meeting where she walked me through the two products. “I also used to be really afraid of anything to do with my scalp because I was always told if I put conditioner on your scalp it would make my hair limp. So when we got to the conditioner, it had to be good for the scalp as well as your hair.”
While I’m a few years south of Commence’s target demographic, I do have dry, frizz-prone hair, two concerns — along with density — that Shields prioritizes with the line’s products. Not to mention, as a beauty editor with over 10 years of experience, I’ve tried my fair share of shampoos and conditioners with promises of tackling multiple concerns that often fall flat (literally and figuratively speaking). So after getting the details from Shields and Commence’s Head of R&D Mark Knitowski, I was eager to see if using the products would result in shampoo commercial-level hair. Ahem, like Shields has been known for throughout her career.
Ahead, my experience using Commence’s first shampoo and conditioner.
Detoxifying Shampoo
Commence
A powerful yet gentle shampoo that lifts buildup, dirt, and oil without stripping hair or irritating your scalp. It’s all thanks to soapberry saponins and foaming oat, two ingredients that nourishes hair and promotes density.
Probiotic Smoothing Conditioner
Commence
This nourishing and hydrating conditioner works to maintain the scalp’s microbiome balance so that hair is soft, silky, and smooth. It’s also packed with an electrolyte blend of magnesium, zinc, and iron to address dryness and damage.
Fast Facts
Price: $24 (shampoo); $28 (conditioner)Size: 240 ml/8 oz eachClean/Cruelty-Free: YesBest For: Aging hair; dry scalps; those in the market an everyday shampoo and conditionerIngredient Highlights: Soapberry saponins and foaming oat (shampoo); magnesium, zinc, and iron (conditioner)What We Like: Shampoo lathers nicely; leaves hair feeling soft and smooth, not coated with productWhat We Don’t Like: Nothing so far!Rating: 5/5How TZR Keeps Score: 1/5: Making a return; 2/5: Keeping as a backup; 3/5: Finishing to the last drop; 4/5: Recommending to my group texts; 5/5: Already on auto-replenish
The Formulas
When setting out to create Commence’s first shampoo, Shields had a few non-negotiables: the formula had to cleanse hair without stripping strands and throwing the scalp off balance and it simply must lather. As a result, Knitowski got to work finding a plant-based surfactant that was capable of producing the bubbles that make washing your hair a little more enjoyable. He landed on foaming oat, an ingredient that’s also nourishing and balancing for the scalp. Soapberry saponins is also included in the mix to help fortify hair and improve density.
As for the conditioner, it had to be deeply nourishing without weighing strands down. Shields stresses that she wanted to apply it from root to ends, which, if you’ve ever had your hair professionally done, is a conditioner no-no according to stylists. So the duo went with an electrolyte blend of magnesium, zinc, and iron to fight damage and dryness while keeping the scalp’s microbiome in tact. The balance is responsible for luscious and smooth hair with maximum density.
The bottles were also designed with just as much thought and care. Shields says the text on Commence’s packaging is purposely larger so it’s more legible, and the colors are chosen so they’re aesthetically pleasing but also easy to spot in the shower.
My Typical Hair Care Routine
As someone with thick color-treated hair who uses hot tools often, my number one priority is maintaining my deep espresso brown shade for as long as possible. So I typically steer clear of products with sulfates, which can cause fading, and only wash my hair two to three times a week. Otherwise, my strands are slightly coarse and dry, so I look for hydrating shampoo and conditioner formulas to use on my wash days. Once my hair is washed, conditioned, and towel-dried, I run a leave-in conditioner through my mid-lengths to ends for a little moisture boost. I’m currently using the one from Crown Affair because it has a lightweight serum-like texture and offers heat protection, too. On the occasion my strands are really going through it (re: breakage and frizz), I’ll use RÔZ’s Foundation Mask as a weekly treatment.
My Experience & Results
I’ll admit, a shampoo with “detox” in its name immediately makes me think it’s going to make my hair too clean. However, this wasn’t the case with Commence’s formula. The foaming oat produced that rich, satisfying lather I love, so it was pleasant to massage into my roots. Once I rinsed it out, not only did my hair did feel refreshed, but I could run my fingers through my strands without encountering tangles (something I’ve noticed happens pre-conditioner if I use a stripping shampoo formula).
When using the conditioner, Shield recommends applying it from roots to ends. Now, this is a technique I’ve always been told to avoid by hairstylists because conditioning your roots can weigh down your hair — even if it’s thick like mine. However, for this review’s sake, I took the actor’s lead and applied the conditioner all over and not just starting at my mid-lengths. Spoiler: I was pleasantly surprised. My hair was smooth, and shiny once I blow-dried it using a round brush for optimal body and volume. It was also extremely soft to the touch, but it didn’t feel like it was coated with silicones in order to achieve the effect.
Is Commence’s Detoxifying Shampoo & Probiotic Conditioner Worth It?
As someone who wants my hair care products to do the most so I can keep my routine as compact and effortless as possible, Commence’s shampoo and conditioner deliver on their promises. Both times I used the pair to wash my hair, I was left with strands that felt clean (but not dry) and soft (but still natural). My at-home blowout was also incredibly shiny and smooth. I’ll admit, I’ve categorized a lot of shampoo and conditioners as just “meh” over the years, but this set is one of the few exceptions.