Okay, so I decided to give Hawthorne a whirl. You know how it is, you see these ads pop up, promising the world for your hair. I was using the same old stuff from the grocery store for ages, and honestly, my hair wasn’t exactly thanking me for it. Figured, what the heck, let’s see what this “personalized” thing is all about.
Taking the Plunge: The Quiz Fiasco (Sort Of)
First up, their quiz. Man, they ask you everything. What you eat, where you live, your deepest hair fears – okay, maybe not that last one, but close. I clicked through it, half thinking it was a bit over the top for just some shampoo. Like, do they really need to know my preferred cocktail to pick a scent? Seemed like a lot of data for them to chew on. But, I played along, curious to see what magic potion they’d whip up for me.
The Arrival and First Sniffs
Then the box arrived. Pretty slick packaging, I’ll give them that. Felt a bit fancy, not gonna lie. I got a shampoo and a conditioner, supposedly tailored to my “profile.” The scents were… interesting. Not bad, just different from the usual “ocean breeze” or “mountain spring” you get off the shelf. I was eager to get started, hoping this was the secret sauce my mop needed.
Into the Shower: The Real Test
So, I started using the stuff. The shampoo lathered up alright, conditioner felt decent. For the first week, I didn’t notice a massive change. My hair felt clean, sure, but was it “transformed”? Not quite. I remember thinking, “Okay, this is it? This is the big bespoke experience?” It wasn’t bad, mind you, just not the instant miracle I half-expected from all the hype.
This whole Hawthorne thing happened around the time I was trying to, let’s say, “optimize” a few things in my life. My old car finally gave up the ghost, and I was suddenly spending hours researching new ones – engines, fuel efficiency, safety ratings, the whole nine yards. It felt like everything needed to be a “project.” My buddy, Dave, he’s one of those guys who gets really into this stuff. Custom-blend coffee, tailored shirts, you name it. He was probably the one who planted the Hawthorne seed in my head, going on about how “mass-market is dead, man.” So, part of me was wondering if I was just following a trend, another thing to “optimize” because everyone else seemed to be doing it.
Tweaks and Turns
After a few weeks, I thought, “Maybe the first batch wasn’t quite right.” Their whole shtick is that they can adjust it. So, I reached out. Told them, “Hey, it’s okay, but not amazing.” They had me answer a few more questions, which felt a bit like round two of the initial quiz. A new set of bottles arrived. This time, the conditioner felt a bit richer, and the scent was a bit more up my alley. It did seem a little better, I have to admit. My hair wasn’t suddenly looking like a movie star’s, but it felt healthier, less like straw.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Look, Hawthorne isn’t some magic elixir. It’s decent stuff. The personalization aspect is kinda neat, and they do seem to listen if you’re not happy. But it’s also a bit of a process. It’s not like walking into a store, grabbing a bottle, and being done with it. You gotta be willing to play the game, give feedback, maybe try a couple of formulations. Is it worlds better than everything else? For me, it was an improvement, yeah. But it also made me realize that sometimes, “good enough” is actually pretty good. Not everything needs to be a bespoke, multi-step, data-driven experience. Sometimes, you just want to wash your hair, you know? It’s definitely a step up from the cheap stuff, but don’t expect it to solve all your life’s problems. It’s just hair products, after all.
