Thanks to an array of floral-themed outfits, gorgeous makeup, and perfect hair, Blake Lively’s appearances during this summer’s press tour for It Ends With Us have been nothing short of spectacular.
But while she’s a glamorous Hollywood star, the Gossip Girl actress doesn’t always follow conventions – at least not when it comes to her enviable hair.
When the mother of four launched her own hair-care line, Blake Brown, on Aug. 4, one popular product — often considered an essential when it comes to hair care — was noticeably absent: conditioner.
The lack of conditioner wasn’t a result of carelessness, however, but rather a reflection of Blake’s personal approach to hair care, inspired by professional stylists whose sole job is to make sure celebrities are perfectly coiffed.
Referring to Gossip Girl’s hairstylists, the actress said SeduceThey said, “Oh God, no, we don’t use conditioners.” And she hasn’t since.
Actress Blake Lively (pictured), 36, known for her smooth, shiny hairstyles, launched her own haircare range, Blake Brown, in the US on August 4.
Blake Brown’s products (pictured), which are all vegan and silicone- and sulfate-free, come in packaging designed to resemble precious metals.
It was from these same hairstylists and stars that Blake learned the real secret to shiny hair, namely hair masks.
And with the Blake Brown range (Brown is Blake’s father’s surname), sold exclusively at Target stores in the US, she’s on a mission to turn conditioner devotees into hair mask enthusiasts.
Because this 36-year-old doesn’t go straight from shampoo to styling: there’s no way she’d achieve her signature straight, shiny, bouncy hair if that were the case.
Instead, Blake has made hair masks a mainstay of her routine, using them after “every wash,” according to Allure, and has included two varieties in her product line.
In an interview with FashionBlake revealed: ‘It’s not that people in the entertainment industry are blessed with better hair.
“We use a different hair system than the one promoted in the mass market.”
The system, as you can see in the Blake Brown range with its two shampoos – one “nourishing” and one “strengthening” – and two complementary masks, consists of alternating between two sets of products.
Because “your hair needs two things, strength and hydration,” as Blake told Vogue, it’s essential to use one set when you wash your hair and then switch to the other set the next time.
Blake learned from professional hairdressers early in his career that traditional conditioner is best left behind in favour of hair masks, and the Blake Brown range of conditioner-free products reflects this.
When it comes to hydration, customers should opt for the Wild Nectar Santal Essential Nourishing Shampoo ($19) followed by the Wild Nectar Santal Essential Nourishing Mask ($20).
And when it comes time to strengthen, the ideal products are the Essential Strengthening Sandalwood & Vanilla Shampoo ($19) and the Essential Strengthening Sandalwood & Vanilla Mask ($20).
Blake Brown also offers a pre-shampoo treatment called Milky Sandalwood Rich Reset Pre-Shampoo Mask ($25) and three styling products: Bergamot Woods All-In-Wonder Leave-In Potion ($19), Blackcurrant Vanille Glam Mousse ($19) and Amber Vanille Dry Shampoo ($20).
Sold in packaging designed to resemble precious metals, the products promise not only to enhance your hair but also to add a special touch to your bathroom.
You’ll notice that at $19 and $20, the products (which, after seven years in the making, are all vegan and silicone- and sulfate-free) are significantly cheaper than other premium brands.
Shocked by the price of some of the products she had been recommended during her career – for example, Kérastase’s $48 shampoo – Blake wanted to make sure her range was affordable.
She told Allure: “It took us a long time to get it right and get it at that price point.”
The Blake Brown range of products, with its two shampoos, one “nourishing” and the other “strengthening”, and two complementary hair masks, was developed over seven years.
But it wasn’t just the pricing that slowed down the process, it was Give Back Beauty (the company the actress partnered with to create and launch the products) who wasn’t willing to leave conditioner out of the range.
Blake said: ‘They said, “You have to have a conditioner sale because if people don’t see that you have conditioner, they’ll go to another store that has conditioner and then you might lose the shampoo sale as well.”
“I said, ‘I know, but it seems dishonest because I use masks every time I wash my hair. I don’t want to offer conditioner just for the sake of offering it.'”
While Blake won that battle, it remains to be seen whether her brand’s hair-care innovation will become a full-blown revolution.
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