Call me easily influenced, but when Innersense’s hair products began going viral on TikTok, I immediately paid attention. These days, it’s hard to get through a week without there being a new “it” product for curly hair–whether it’s a new tool or a hydrating leave-in, anything to make wash-day easier.
On their website, Innersense markets itself as a planet-friendly, health-focused brand. Online, reviewers are completely obsessed with their innovative, nourishing products that are designed to work together. And while they’re not exclusively a curly brand, it seems that we’ve adopted them nonetheless. Always the skeptic when it comes to buzzy brands, I decided to try Innersense’s line on my 3A-ish curls. I tried five products: The Detox Hair Mask, the Hydrating Cream Hairbath, the Hydrating Cream Conditioner, the Quiet Calm Curl Control cream, and their viral I Create Hold styling gel.
The husband and wife-owned brand’s popularity might have grown since the dawn of TikTok, but their first burst of major curly attention in 2014 when “Our products were discovered by a worldwide curl specialist group which put our brand on the map, figuratively and literally,” Innersense founder Joanne Starkman tells Beautycon. “We didn’t start a clean hair care brand as a trend, we did it as a genuine concern for the health of people, hair and the planet.” Innersense has a huge list of ingredient no-no’s, which includes all silicones, with the goal of creating a brand that not only improves the overall health of your hair and scalp, but does so without compromising on style and effectiveness.
My specific hair type can fluctuate between 2A and 3A curls, depending on its length and health. When I wear my hair curly, I’ll typically stick with lightweight products like a gel and a mousse. I was slightly nervous to begin using Innersense’s styling products, in part because internet reviewers and the brand itself both claim that the brand uses highly-concentrated formulas, which I imagined would weigh my hair down.
Because Innersense products are designed to work best with other products from the brand, they recommend beginning with the Detox Mask. “This clarifying mask detoxifies the scalp and hair to give flat, lifeless and greasy hair a detox. Its truly unique formula purifies hair and scalp of buildup and product residue without stripping away the hair’s natural oils to leave the scalp feeling refreshed and hair feeling fluffy, soft and light. It’s a game changer for all hair types and textures, converting those who give it a try to loyal brand users,” says Starkman.
Both the hydrating shampoo and conditioner felt lovely on my hair. The shampoo lathered surprisingly well, despite its creamy texture, but I wasn’t sold yet until I tried the styling products. Per instructions, I used a tiny pea-size amount of the cream and a good pump of the gel, and let my hair air dry. The I Create Hold styling gel is known for creating a firm cast, which I found to be absolutely true. When my hair was fully dry, it still had that wet-looking, crunchy cast that can either be great news, or a sign of a terrible week ahead. The moment I began crunching out the cast, I became inducted into the Innersense cult. My curls were defined, shiny, and felt like they had no product in them at all. The best part? They stayed that way for days.
Just in case it was a fluke, I called another curly-haired beauty editor friend and demanded that she test the line as well. Time and time again, we came to the same conclusion: Our curls have simply never looked better. “The love and support in our social media communities are a reflection of those who have not only fallen in love with our products, but also our brand and its commitment to people and planet. It’s amazing to have seen the growth of our social platforms and the enthusiasm from our community for our brand,” Starkman adds. As a newly-minted member of this enthusiastic community, I can safely say: Innersense is well and truly worth the hype.
