If you’re familiar with any of my articles on hair, allow me to apologise in advance for the broken record that is about to sound once more. Frizzy yet flat, unruly yet dull, oily after a day or two but somehow dry as a bone – these are the contradictions that makeup my rather sad strand profile. That isn’t to say I haven’t been on a mission to fix it by trying every product, potion and serum under the sun; but after roughly a decade of frying my locks with heat tools and straighteners, it’s no simple task.
So, when a 30ml miniature bottle of strengthening treatment oil by Briogeo landed on my desk, I was eager to give it a go, in particular due to the declarative, near-therapeutic product collection name, “Don’t Despair, Repair!” – I do, in fact, despair rather too much over my damaged hair. Plus, the preserved rose petals swirling around inside, and the resulting beautifully heady sweet scent once uncapped, filled me with intrigue.
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Briogeo is a NYC-based brand that’s home to an array of award-winning products – from the MegaStrength+ Caffeine and Biotin Peptide Density Serum, to the Charcoal & Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo. It’s leaping bunny and cruelty-free certified, and all products are formulated with plant-based super ingredients such as avocado and rosehip oils, Binchotan charcoal, rice protein complexes, algae extract, papaya enzyme, and more. Naturally, all products are free from sulphates, silicones, parabens, phthalates and other artificial nasties.
Now that we have some background, let’s get into my Briogeo hero product. Hair perfumes are an increasingly popular among the trichologically-enthused, but they don’t do much aside from proffering a lovely aroma. The Briogeo strengthening oil is, quite frankly, the best smelling hair product I’ve used – and it does so much more than encourage people to ask me what scent I’m wearing.
According to official Briogeo instructions, it should be applied to towel-dried hair, but this isn’t how I personally recommend using it, especially if prone to oiliness. When applied damp, I find my hair retains an oily effect that makes me look as though it’s still wet two days after washing. On dry hair, this product works its magic.
After washing, once I’ve used a leave-in conditioner spray and a bonding serum, I’ll wait for my hair to dry and comb it through again with my fingers. Then I’ll mix a drop or two of the Briogeo oil between my palms (use more if your hair is thicker, curlier, or coily) and run it through my hair, and it instantly defines and nourishes my waves – removing frizz, sealing split ends and adding the perfect amount of shine. When commuting into the office or spending a day outdoors, I keep it in my bag for quick re-application whenever frizz threatens to make a comeback.
While the instantaneous results are a marvel, extended use of the Briogeo strengthening oil will actually help heal your hair. It’s powered by ceramides – which are described by the brand as botanical lipids that reinforce the hair at a cuticle level. The formulation also includes a macadamia nut derivative, which provides that unbeatably silky texture by mimicking the hair’s lipid content. Finally, rose flower oil doesn’t just deliver an addictive scent, but helps protect the hair against free radicals while improving shine.
It's something I’ll take with me on trips abroad, especially if salty sea water is involved (it may make my curls look good, but it also dries out my strands like nothing else). The oil works in tandem with its accompanying hair range, but I love how low-maintenance it is to use as a stand-alone product. No sectioning, massaging or wait times required.