yup, it’s personal

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In an era of personalization (Starbucks, Chipotle, etc.) and catering to individual needs, the hair care sector has largely been lagging behind. Go to the pharmacy or salon and find a bottle of shampoo that hopefully suits your hair type and (if you’re like me) it also better smell good.

Enter Function of Beauty, a Y Combinator-backed haircare line that started roughly one year ago by two MIT grads. The idea: fill out their online quiz with your hair type and styling goals and they hand pour a shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated for you. You can even choose your scent (I opted for essential oil).  The product (free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, GMOs, and triclosans) then ships directly to your house in personalized bottles. The company sells directly to consumers online, so the pricepoints can remain relatively low  ($26 for an 8 oz. set – one shampoo and one conditioner).

I got my set last week and couldn’t be happier. For me (thick, fine, volume-less hair) the shampoo and conditioner left my hair feeling clean without weighing it down. Which, if you have straight hair, you know the challenge of finding a shampoo/conditioner duo that moisturizes without making your hair greasy.  And yes, it even passes the smell test.

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