Here’s Why Prose Decided To Give Its Custom Scalp Mask A Totally New Formula

You know the saying, "If it's not broke, don't fix it"? Well, customizable haircare brand, Prose, doesn't abide by that. After creating an entirely new formula, Prose relaunched its Custom Scalp Mask in early March with a focus on treating your scalp like the skin it is.

"Much like the skin on our body, our scalp needs special attention from time to time. By regularly treating our scalp we can remove any unwanted build up to promote healthy hair follicles," Faith Huffnagle, Director of Education at Prose, tells The Zoe Report via email. And that was the thinking behind why the brand decided to stop customizing a mask for scalp *or* length and just make two separate masks entirely. "The reason we at Prose wanted to make them two different products is to further address the specific needs of each customer," Huffnagle explains. "Some customers only need a length mask, while others might need a scalp mask so we wanted to effectively address the different needs by expanding our assortment."

Which is where Prose's three new active ingredients dedicated to detoxing and restoring the scalp come into play: bamboo charcoal (which helps with scalp detox), eucalyptus and grapefruit essential oils (to provide natural fragrance), and prebiotics and kombucha (which help with the scalp's biome). Wait, biome? It's basically a fancy word for a community of microorganisms that exist in one habitat, and don't worry, it's a good thing — but it does need some help balancing every now and then so that it continues to function efficiently.

"By using a mix of probiotics (Kombucha extract, Alpha-Glucooligosaccharides and lactobacillus) and prebiotics (Yacoon extract rich in Fructooligosaccharides [or FOS]) we're able to create potent 'good bacteria' that helps to improve skin condition, soothe irritation, and fight tightness/dryness," says Huffnagle.

Aside from the three new actives, Prose chose five additional ingredients to throw in the mix as well: pink French clay (to soften and soothe), kaolin (a gentle detoxifier), corn starch (to maintain texture), panthenol (a provitamin of vitamin B5), and jojoba beads (which are micro-exfoliators). As with all Prose products, the $38 mask is tailor made based on a quick consultation offered on the site — which includes questions about hair thickness and dryness, your personal hair goals, the pollution like in your area, and more. So, the inclusion of any of these new ingredients and actives will be determined based on your consultation results.

Then, *bam*: A made-for-you formula combining any of the previous ingredients — sans sulfates, alcohol, parabens, and phthalates — is generated to tackle your exact needs (shine, fullness, hydration, oil-control, you name it).

And if you needed any more convincing, using the scalp mask also doubles as an excuse to give yourself a head massage. Scoop as much of the product you need into fingertips and give yourself a nice rub before letting it sit for five to 15 minutes. Then, rinse with warm water and follow with your normal shampoo and conditioning routine. Yep, it's a "pre" mask designed specifically to be used pre-shampoo — aka when hair follicles are more susceptible to soaking up all the mask's goodness.

Below, Prose's updated custom scalp mask you can find exclusively on the brand's website.

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