Minty Fresh Hair + Added Volume from Briogeo?
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I’ve been quite the fan of scalp scrubs for a while now, but while most are low-foaming and tend to be used alongside a shampoo, I was excited to try Briogeo’s Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo.
The Brand
Something of an outlier on the beauty spectrum, Briogeo brings the world of hard-working, low-fuss products together with an aura of Insta-worthy cool.
Containing between 90 and 100 per cent naturally-derived ingredients, and ‘six-free’ formulas (no silicones, sulphates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic colour, or DEA here), the entire line is also cruelty-free.
The result is a brand that feels thoughtful and precise about its formulas (and therefore slightly like something you’d expect your pharmacist to recommend), yet somehow still has enough hype around it- and New York-based vibrancy- that you actually want to buy their products when you see them at Sephora.
Briogeo’s Scalp Revival Shampoo
One of the most popular additions to the brand’s Scalp Revival line- a range aimed specifically at scalp health, obvs- this exfoliating shampoo combines ‘Binchotan charcoal’ (or white charcoal as it’s also known) with vegetable-derived exfoliants.
Throw in some coconut oil to moisturise, as well as spearmint, peppermint and tea tree oils for their anti-fungal properties (think malassezia, the yeastlike fungus that can cause dandruff), and this is a scrub with a happy scalp in mind.
The Full List of Ingredients
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate*, Cocamidopropyl Betaine*, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate*, Glycerin*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate*, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate*, Microcrystalline Cellulose*, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Panthenol*, Xylitylglucoside*, Charcoal Powder, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Anhydroxylitol*, Bisabolol*, Menthyl Lactate*, Xylitol*, Polyquaternium-7, Fragrance. *Coconut, vegetable, plant, or sugar derived
How to Use it
Briogeo instructs, “Apply to wet hair and vigorously massage into the scalp and through to the ends. Rinse and repeat, as necessary. Apply your favourite Briogeo conditioner or treatment post-shampoo.”
And apart from the rather shameless up-selling of Briogeo’s conditioners line there, I pretty much agree (although I don’t take this through to the ends of my hair- they’ve already suffered enough from my bleach habit).
More sensitive types might like to use this slightly less than ‘vigorously’ though, or even just add a dollop of this to their regular shampoo to cut down the grittiness even further.
On the Hair
Boasting a gritty texture, high-foaming formula and very minty scent, I was initially worried this might be a little stripping on my not-that-oily scalp.
Happily, I was completely wrong, and this actually works really well cleansing my scalp once a week without stripping it- I think partly because of the addition of glycerin to soften.
Possibly one of the most high-foaming scalp scrubs I’ve used, this suds up quickly when massaged into hair, making it handy for exfoliating and washing in a hurry.
Rather than traditional (and slightly drying) sulphates though, the foam here is created by Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, a coconut-derived cleansing agent. This means that while this offers a thorough clean, my hair never feels stripped after using.
Meanwhile, the very tiny exfoliating beads (they’re not actually beads, they’re little particles that feel a bit like grains of sand) are gentle enough that while you can definitely feel like they’re there, they don’t irritate or scratch.
And since the whole concoction is high-foaming, the scrub washes out easily too- leaving no little beads or residue in its wake. Instead, just a slight feeling of cool (probably from the peppermint oil here).
The Scent
Speaking of the essential oils in this, while sensitive skin types may find these potentially irritating, they do lend the scrub a fresh, clean scent that’s really enjoyable to use (especially in the mornings- it might be a bit too invigorating for using last thing at night).
There is some added fragrance here too though, so again sensitive types might like to patch test before using across the whole scalp.
The Results
The results are hair that feels cleaner and with slightly more volume at the roots (probably thanks to the lack of product residue now weighing it down).
With continued use (of this and other scalp scrubs- I now use one roughly every two weeks), I notice my hair gets oily less quickly too.
And as an added bonus, since this actually foams up really well, I find I only need to use the tiniest amount to properly exfoliate and cleanse, meaning I still have over half a tub left six months after opening… pretty impressive.
The Takeaway
Overall I’m genuinely a fan of this easy-to-use, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin scrub.
I particularly like this for times when I’ve been using quite a bit of dry shampoo when my hair is oilier than normal, or even just when I fancy giving myself a bit of a massage- because the small, vegetable-based exfoliant here makes this really easy to work over the scalp.
I also really enjoy that this functions as a shampoo, which makes this quick to use, and also means I don’t risk stripping my scalp by adding in another wash.
Finally, it’s great to see that this comes in a (relatively) risk-free size of 59 ml.
Great for: Oily hair types or anyone who uses a lot of products near the scalp. A large proportion of natural ingredients. Really effective at cleaning the scalp without drying it out. Free from parabens, phthalates, sulphates and silicones. Cruelty-free.
Not-so-great for: Very sensitive skin types, who may find the peppermint oil here irritating. Also, those with dermatological conditions like eczema or dermatitis on the scalp should speak to their doctor before using.
Briogeo’s Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo is from £15 for 59 ml, Cult Beauty UK and $15 for 2 oz/ 59 ml, Sephora US
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