Blake Lively’s foray into the hair care market with Blake Brown Beauty promises a fragrance-forward experience. But does it deliver on performance and justify the price point? This in-depth review explores the six unique scents across eight formulations, analyzing the user experience, packaging, and overall performance of this ambitious new hair care line.
Blake Brown Hair Care: More Than Just a Celebrity Brand
The hair care industry has evolved from basic hygiene to a booming beauty category. Blake Brown Beauty enters this competitive landscape with a clear focus: fragrance. This review delves into the brand’s unique approach, comparing it to established players like Ouai and exploring whether its luxurious scents and formulations justify the investment.
Decoding the Blake Brown Fragrance Experience
Unlike most hair care lines with one or two signature scents, Blake Brown boasts six distinct fragrances across its product range. Each is designed to layer and complement each other, creating a complex olfactory experience. However, the marketing materials sometimes omit key fragrance notes, potentially confusing consumers.
| Scent | Top Notes | Middle Notes | Base Notes | Description on Bottle | Product |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandalwood Vanille | Bergamot, Juniper Berry | Jasmine, Elemi | Sandalwood, Vanilla | Infused with notes of vanilla, dry ambers, vetiver, and sandalwood | Strengthening shampoo and mask |
| Wild Nectar Santal | Neroli, Cardamom | Lily of the valley, Nectar | Cedarwood, Vanilla | Infused with notes of bergamot, fig, cardamom, and sandalwood | Nourishing shampoo and mask |
| Bergamot Woods | Bergamot, Green Mandarin | Violet, Lily of the valley | Cedarwood, Tonka | Infused with notes of pink peppercorn, apricot, and tonka. | Leave-in potion |
| Amber Vanille | Bergamot, Watermelon | Lily of the valley, Coconut Milk | Sandalwood, Vanilla | Infused with notes of woody amber, bergamot, lily of the valley, and vanilla | Dry shampoo |
| Blackcurrant Vanille | Blackcurrant bud, Pink Peppercorn | Peony, Strawberry | Vanilla, Musk | Infused with notes of blackcurrant, vanilla, pink peppercorn, and peony | Mousse |
| Milky Sandalwood | Cardamom, Violet Leaf | Coconut milk, Cedarwood | Sandalwood, Milky Musks | Infused with notes of sandalwood, amber, lily of the valley, vanilla, and milky musks. | Pre-shampoo mask |
A Deep Dive into Each Blake Brown Product
From strengthening shampoos and masks to leave-in potions and dry shampoos, each Blake Brown product offers a unique scent and formulation. This review examines each product individually, highlighting its fragrance profile, texture, and performance.
Strengthening Duo: Sandalwood Vanille
This luxurious duo provides a rich, gourmand fragrance experience reminiscent of a five-star hotel. The sandalwood scent is well-executed, avoiding the cheap, artificial notes found in some other brands.
Nourishing Duo: Wild Nectar Santal
Initially less captivating than the Sandalwood Vanille, this duo’s fragrance grows on you with its complex blend of floral and woody notes. The scent deepens as you work it into your hair, revealing its more nuanced layers.
All-In-Wonder Leave-In Potion: Bergamot Woods
This leave-in potion boasts a more “perfumey” scent, initially reminiscent of a magazine perfume strip. It dries down to a subtler fragrance and provides a lightweight, silicone-free formula for smooth, silky strands.
Dry Shampoo: Amber Vanille
With its powdery, beachy scent, this dry shampoo initially impresses. However, the prominent fruity notes can become overwhelming over time, and the formula can leave hair feeling crunchy.
Glam Mousse: Blackcurrant Vanille
This mousse offers a generic high-end salon fragrance that, while not groundbreaking, is a welcome departure from the often-overpowering scents of styling products. It provides lift and hold without weighing hair down.
Rich Reset Pre-Shampoo Mask: Milky Sandalwood
This mask offers a captivating scent reminiscent of Le Labo Santal 33. However, its pre-shampoo application can feel cumbersome, and the results may not justify the extra effort for all users.
Blake Brown Packaging: Aesthetics and Accessibility
The stackable, PCR plastic packaging is visually appealing and environmentally conscious. However, the lack of contrast on the labels can make them difficult to read in certain lighting conditions. The tub packaging for the masks, while common for high-end brands, can be less practical in smaller showers and for those with limited hand mobility.
Blake Brown Performance: Meeting Expectations?
While individual results may vary, Blake Brown Hair Care generally delivers on its promise of clean formulations and effective performance. The brand acknowledges the need for different shampoos to address varying hair needs, offering both strengthening and nourishing options. However, the long-term value and repurchase intent remain uncertain, considering the higher price point compared to drugstore alternatives.
Final Thoughts on Blake Brown Hair Care
Blake Brown Beauty offers a unique fragrance-focused approach to hair care. While the scents are undeniably luxurious and well-crafted, the higher price point and potential for fragrance fatigue may be deterrents for some. The brand successfully captures a nostalgic yet trendy vibe, appealing to millennial women seeking a more elevated hair care experience. However, consumers should carefully consider their individual needs and preferences before investing in this new line.
