Function of Beauty

Shopping the haircare aisle of any drugstore, the number of choices quickly grows overwhelming. How can you decide which products will address your unique haircare needs, and what should you do when nothing seems to offer everything you're seeking?

Function of Beauty claims to solve this problem. This hair care company sends you customized hair products based on your personal goals.

You can select for specialized ingredients designed to address your biggest concerns, and then choose your preferred product type, sizing, fragrance, and even color.

The company claims that they offer more than 54 trillion possible formulations so that you can get the perfect hair care routine for you. Each product is guaranteed to be cruelty-free, 100% vegan, sulfate-free, and paraben-free.

Does this mean Function of Beauty makes sense for your hair care needs? Learn from our analysis whether the company is worth considering.

How Function of Beauty Works: Details and Pricing

The first part of signing up for Function of Beauty products is to fill out a hair profile. You’ll share where your hair falls from straight to kinky-curly, whether it is fine or coarse, and whether you tend to have a dry or oily scalp. You can then select up to five hair goals.

The company will indicate which ingredients are being added to your formula based on your goals. Here’s an example of my hair goals and the corresponding ingredients added to my formula:

• Strengthen: horsetail extract and evening primrose oil
• Lengthen: pea sprout extract and blue-green algae extract
• Curl Definition: chia seed extract and linseed extract
• Soothe Scalp: menthol and aloe vera
• Oil Control: vitamin E and rosemary leaf extract

You can also select whether you want your formulas to be silicone-free.

Next, you’ll customize your formula by choosing your preferred fragrance and how strong it is, choosing a name to be displayed on the side of your bottle, and selecting colors for both the shampoo and the conditioner.

You’ll then choose what size combos of shampoo and conditioner you want. Options include:

• 16oz shampoo, 16 oz conditioner: $49
• 8oz shampoo, 8oz conditioner: $39
• 8oz shampoo, 16oz conditioner or 16oz shampoo, 8oz conditioner: $43
• 16oz shampoo/conditioner: $36
• 8oz shampoo/conditioner: $29

You can also add custom hair treatments to your order that will be offered to you based on your hair priorities. These include an 8oz leave-in treatment, 7.5oz hair mask, and a 3oz hair serum (each available for $19). If you purchase a subscription, this add-on will be included with each order unless you change that in settings.

Finally, you’ll choose your delivery frequency. A one-time order will include $5 for shipping. Free shipping is available for deliveries that are monthly, every three months, and every six months.

It’s possible to change up your formula’s key ingredients, coloring, or fragrance between orders. Subscription members also gain access to perks like limited-edition color and fragrance options.

Every order will come with a pump disassembled in the box for easy product dispersal. You can also choose to reuse your pump from one delivery to another and decline to receive a new one through your order confirmation page.

Once your order is submitted, expect to receive your custom formula within 7–9 business days from the time you place it. International orders may take longer.

Function of Beauty Return and Refund Policy

As all Function of Beauty formulas are customized for every order, the company doesn’t accept returns or approve refunds after your order has been processed. Any further formula changes or cancelations you make after processing will affect the next delivery.

If you need to get in touch with Function of Beauty customer service, do so through the company contact page.

Analysis of Ingredients

Function of Beauty claims to use nourishing, all-natural ingredients within every formulation. The specific ingredients will vary based on your chosen formula, but to give you a sense of what to expect, here’s an analysis of the ingredients within my personalized formula:

• Horsetail extract: Often taken as a supplement, horsetail extract is high in silica, a compound responsible for strengthening hair strands, promoting growth, and preventing hair loss. You can also apply it directly to your hair. Though a common ingredient in hair growth products, there is insufficient evidence that it provides any significant benefit.

• Evening primrose oil: Also called the night willow herb, evening primrose oil is a common health supplement and is used to balance hormones and slow down hair loss. While the research on its effectiveness is limited, one study from the Annals of Dermatology found that arachidonic acid, a compound it contains, plays a role in promoting hair growth.

• Pea sprout extract: Considered a great source of protein and essential vitamins and minerals, pea sprout extract is added to hair care products to strengthen hair follicles and keep them in the growth stage of development.

• Blue-green algae extract: This water-based plant source contains lots of proteins and vitamins known to benefit the hair and skin. It’s often added to hair care products for its antioxidant content and moisturizing effects, but there’s minimal scientific evidence to prove any effectiveness.

• Chia seed extract: Chia seeds have more omega-3 fatty acids than fish, which makes them a healthy dietary addition. When the seeds are mixed with water, they develop a sticky, mucous-like coating that’s often added to hair gel for extra curl definition.

• Linseed extract: As another name for flaxseeds, linseed extract is often added to hair care products for its high protein and omega-3 fatty acid content. There are a few animal studies that show the effectiveness of taking flaxseed supplements for hair growth, but these results haven’t yet been replicated with humans or with a topical treatment.

• Menthol: As a member of the mint family, menthol is often added to hair care products for its cooling, scalp-stimulating effects. A 2014 study with mice found that peppermint (menthol) essential oil could help hair grow thicker and faster without adverse side effects.

• Aloe vera: Though often used in skincare products, aloe vera is often added to hair products to promote hair growth and relieve an itchy scalp.

• Vitamin E: Known for its antioxidant properties, vitamin e helps your body avoid damage from free radicals. Preliminary research shows that supplements of the vitamin might improve hair growth for people suffering from hair loss.

• Rosemary leaf extract: This common herbal extract works like menthol extract to improve circulation, stimulate hair growth, and potentially prevent an itchy scalp. One 2015 study found that the extract was just as effective as minoxidil (the main ingredient in Rogaine) for slowing hair loss.

Analysis of Customer Reviews

There are more than 40 reviews for Function of Beauty here at HighYa, averaging two stars overall. Trustpilot reviewers are more positive, as the average rating for Function of Beauty is 4.2 stars after close to 1,500 reviews. Here’s what we can learn from these reviewers:

Common Compliments:

• Great customer service experiences
• Solved many user’s hair problems like frizzy, greasy hair and scalp issues
• Concentrated formulas are a good value

Common Complaints:

• Slow delivery times
• Color and fragrances not as ordered
• Products caused an itchy scalp and dry, brittle hair for some
• Led to hair loss
• Difficult to cancel subscriptions

Function of Beauty vs. Prose Custom Hair Care

For those looking for a personalized hair care product brand, a comparable brand to Function of Beauty is Prose.

Like Function of Beauty, Prose lets you take a short quiz about your hair health, which includes questions about your age, hair texture, length, thickness, and oil level, as well as the condition of your scalp and whether you have recently chemically treated your hair.

You’ll also be able to choose your preferred fragrance blend or go fragrance-free.

Unlike Function of Beauty, Prose assesses your location’s impact on your hair in regards to your exposure to UV rays, pollution, hard water, humidity, and wind. For example, I learned that my West MI location is exposing me to high humidity and hard water.

The quiz also puts less emphasis on your hair goals and focuses instead on how your hair is now.

At the end of this quiz, Prose will display eight ingredients it suggests for your personalized blend and then gives you the option to purchase products that contain them. Each 8.5-oz shampoo and conditioner is $25 ($22.50 if you sign up for a recurring subscription) and other products, like a 5.1-oz curl cream, 1.7oz hair oil, and 8.5-oz pre-shampoo mask are also available at varying price points.

As with Function of Beauty, you have complete choice over what products you receive and how frequently the subscription deliveries are, but you can’t change the size of the products in each order. This could be an irritation for anyone who wants to receive more shampoo or conditioner.

The final product for both brands will also look different. Your Function of Beauty order will be brightly colored (if desired) and come with a custom name. Prose, in contrast, doesn’t let you customize the name or color of the final product. However, both brands prioritize natural ingredients and reward longterm customers by offering discounts on the subscription level.

The Bottom Line

Function of Beauty offers a unique solution to the confusion of choosing the right hair products with customizable formulas tailored to your preferences.

Customer reviews are mixed on how well the company delivers on these claims, as many were left disappointed in their personalized formulation and didn’t think it was worth what they paid for it.

Function of Beauty ingredients can vary considerably based on your formula specifications. However, our research shows that many show clinical evidence of improving hair health, though many might be more effective in the supplement form than when taken topically.

We think Function of Beauty makes sense if you’re struggling with hair problems that traditional products haven’t been able to solve. Consider signing up for a smaller size as a one-time purchase for your first delivery so that you aren’t left with lots of products you don’t plan to use if you end up not loving your blend.