BROO SHAMPOO REVIEW...and the verdict is?

Happy Saturday!

I promised at least one post a week and I'm getting close to a week when I made my intro post, so without further hesitation...the products!

This week will feature a BROO SHAMPOO REVIEW (did you like what I did with the rhyming there?). So what the heck is Broo? Or BRÖÖ as they call themselves? BRÖÖ makes a line of shampoo, conditioner and bodycare products that are made from...Beer!  I had the opportunity to two their Smoothing IPA line (all of their products are named after a different type of beer...come on, how freakin cute is that?)

Wait...come again?

Yes, the main ingredient in each of their shampoo and conditioner products is beer. Typically the primary ingredient in a body or haircare formulation is water.

Side note: Whatever you see listed as the first ingredient when you pick up a label to read is the largest ingredient in the product. For example: pick up a bottle of lotion. You will more than likely see water (or it's fancy cousin Aqua....c'mon companies. We're not that dumb!) listed first on the label. That product is primarily composed of water. Not sure if this is true for other countries, but it is in the USA. Aren't you glad to know that you sometimes pay $5-10 for a bottle that is mostly filled with water?

So they replaced water with beer. Does it really make a difference? Not sure, entirely. According to their "About Us" page, BRÖÖ was started by a couple who was on a quest to use more natural products. The husband didn't care for all of the natural shampoos that didn't lather or produce bubbles. He told his mom about his dilemma, she suggested pouring beer on his hair since she and her friends used to do that back in the day, the wife told her mom who confirmed that story since she had done the same, and so the formulating began. Check plus for incorporating wisdom passed down in the families in the finished products. Sometimes those old family remedies are the BEST!

Side Note: Suds and foam are oftentimes the result the incorporation of particular ingredients in a formula that make those bubbles. Just because something foams doesn't necessarily mean it is doing a good job cleaning something, but companies want you to think that is the case. Sometimes (not always!) non-foaming products are actually doing a better job cleaning something than their foaming counterparts but we have been so conditioned to equate foam and bubbles with good cleaning capabilities that we often shy away from products that don't leave us with lots o' suds! I still like my suds, but I'm keeping an open mind to cleansers without foam in case I find something great that works better than what I have now!

So what did I think about the products, exactly? Well for starters...

The Good: The product had the scent of something food-like...possibly baking bread - likely a result of the beer in the formulation. It didn't have a strong food-like scent, and it also didn't have a strong perfume-like scent. This is likely a good product if you don't like things that are heavily scented. There was definitely some foam (so if you prefer your shampoos to bubble up, this one could be for you!) and it had a rich lather. Both the shampoo and conditioner rinsed nice and clean and my hair did feel soft after washing. Also...products are:

• Sulfate-free
• pH-balanced
• Silicone-free
• Vegan

The Bad: After I dried and styled my hair as usual, I noticed that it was slightly more frizzy than usual. I felt as though I used a volumizing product. At the moment I'm using Suave's Professional line of products and it leaves my hair perfectly soft and manageable while not making my wallet cry. So how does BRÖÖ compare to the usual? I'd say I got slightly less conditioning than I ultimately desire. 

The Ugly: Folks, this product is made with beer and comes with adorable little brew-inspired names. I'm sorry, I just couldn't find anything ugly about that! For a naturally-derived product...it did a pretty good job. Not the best job, but I can live with it.

Price Point: Drugstore.com has the 8oz bottles on sale for $12.99 so it's a little on the pricier end, but if you're just itching to relive your college glory days and crack open an ice cold beer without the calories or craziness, I'd say it's decent for a change in routine! Plus it has a unique scent and is sulfate free, so there's that. Would I buy it every month for that price? Probably not, but the products are sold through a variety of retailers and I'm sure they are on sale occasionally.

So what do you think? Have you tried BRÖÖ? Is my review accurate? Will you be cracking open a bottle of BRÖÖ in the shower?

Note: I am in no way affiliated with BRÖÖ and was in no way compensated for my review (they don't even know about it, actually). Just my honest opinion here, people! If you want to know more about anything I posted, let me know and I'll do my best to get you additional info!

Until my next review...

Happy showering,

The Natural Lady

Welcome!

Eco Chic.

That’s what I wanted to call this blog.  But the name was already taken. The Natural Lady sounds more like an older woman, but I’m frequently referred to as an “old soul” so I suppose it fits, huh? 

Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the Natural Lady. Or with all of the talk of the royal baby this week, maybe I should go by Lady Natural. Anyway, I’m just a 27-year-old woman who works full time, attends grad school part time, and cares deeply about her body (skin included) and the environment.

I started this blog with the intent of sharing my experiences with “natural” personal care products (I used quotations because there is no official definition of what “natural” actually is in the personal care industry – but fear not! I will post descriptions of what I am referring to when I deem a product “natural”, “organic”, or “eco-friendly”) because I think the personal care industry can be a tricky one to navigate and so many people just don’t realize what harmful ingredients they are slathering on their bodies  on a daily basis. 

You may be wondering what authority I have to speak about natural or organic cosmetics and skincare products. Officially…I don’t. My bachelor’s degree is in psychology (and no, I won’t try to analyze you…bah dum tssss! Yeah, can you tell I’ve heard that one a few times?), I’ve never worked for a skincare formulating company, and I’m most definitely not an aesthetician or a makeup artist. I did take coursework on environmental science as an undergrad, though, so I’m very familiar with the impact of most of my purchasing decisions on the environment, and I currently work for a company that is somewhat related to the personal care industry. I won’t get into specifics, but I’ve picked up bits and pieces over time and what I learn at work really sparks my interest to do more research on my own, and my background in psychology has enabled me to think critically about everything I read including “highly scientific studies” and before I come to a conclusion about a product, I make sure I do some research myself – not just accept what other people tell me. If you are ever curious, I’ll gladly post my sources. I’ve also been wearing cosmetics since I was probably 5 years old. Dance Moms? Toddlers and Tiaras? Pshhh. I’ve been wearing eyeliner since before Mama June even thought up Anna, let alone Honey Boo Boo. In all seriousness, I’m really just interested in taking this little natural skincare/cosmetics obsession I have to the next level while I help others to find their natural “holy grail” alternatives to skincare and cosmetics products that may not necessarily have been good for them. 

Okay so maybe I didn't have model head shots like this as a child, but I was pretty damn cute! I'll work on posting some photos in the future.

One last note, I don’t preach. Girlfriend (or boyfriend! Hey, I respect a guy who wants a healthy skincare regimen, too!) if you want to moisturize with vasoline, tan with baby oil (though I wouldn’t recommend it as that was likely a contributing factor to my mom’s squamous cell carcinoma) or think silicones make your look like Jennifer Aniston’s: I’m not gonna judge you. I don’t know if there is a product – natural or otherwise – that will make my hair look that fabulous, but you can bet I’ll keep testing until I find it! This lifestyle (and yes, it has become a lifestyle) works for me. It is in line with my values and helps me to feel as though I am doing something good for my body and for the environment. It may not be best for everyone and I understand that and have nothing but the utmost respect for the decisions that all of my readers make about their skincare routines. Nobody knows you better than you (except maybe your mom. Moms know everything!)

 I am not suggesting that we all grab some plants and use only our own herbal skincare ;)

You can expect 1-2 posts a week from me (though if I stray from this frequency at first, I apologize. I am in grad school year-round in addition to working full time so at times I end up accomplishing less than I had hoped or anticipated because I simply don’t have the time to do everything that I thought I would) and I will highlight products that I’ve had the opportunity to try. I will discuss packaging, ingredients, and any facts about the companies that I think may be helpful to know. Oh, and I will most definitely discuss how the products worked on my skin – pictures will be included as possible! Until then…

Warm wishes for a healthy life,

The Natural Lady