I Tried Blake Lively’s New Haircare Brand Blake Brown

Following the launch of Beyoncé’s Cécred and Brooke Shields’ Commence, another hair icon is entering the mix with a haircare collection this year: Blake Lively with her new brand Blake Brown. It only seems like a natural progression for the actress, who has cemented a signature beauty look with her thick, golden blonde hair circa season one of Gossip Girl.

With Blake Brown, “I was determined to bottle up a premium, salon-quality haircare line that’s cleaner, cruelty-free, easier, yummier, more sustainable, and more accessible than anything I saw out there,” says Lively. “Performance was paramount. We were uncompromising, which is why it took an absurd amount of time, but the products show our level of dedication and strict quality control.” And thus, Blake Brown is born after six years in development—and fortunately, at a relatively affordable price point. The brand will be sold exclusively at Target starting August 4, and everything in the eight-product collection—encompassing shampoos, hair masks, and styling products—is under $25.

Ahead, read everything you need to know about Blake Brown’s inception, the products, and my honest review.

The Brand

Six years in the making, Blake Brown has launched as a culmination of all the best hair tips, products, and fragrances that Lively has collected throughout her years in hair and makeup trailers.

“We are positioned around this core insight that in order for hair to be healthy, it needs a combination of both moisture and protein,” says Lively. The full Blake Brown collection orbits this ethos, with separate wash rituals for strengthening and moisturizing that consumers are meant to alternate between. (Finish your strengthening shampoo and hair mask, then use the moisturizing set the next time.) Noticeably absent from the eight-product lineup is a traditional conditioner; instead, users are meant to follow their shampoo with a coordinating Blake Brown hair mask with every single wash. “I’ve been lucky to work with like all of the best people in the hair world since I was 19,” says Lively. “And they all use shampoo with a mask.”

Lively acknowledges that the protein-to-moisture system isn’t necessarily a brand new concept, but with Blake Brown, she seeks to match the efficacy and experience of pricey haircare systems at a Target price point (everything in the line is under $25). Once Lively and her team nailed the efficacy component, it was time to nail down a joyful, elevated user experience through scent and packaging.

For starters, Lively wanted neutral-toned packaging that could seamlessly slide into any shower shelving. She also wanted the products to be stackable and almost “click” together: hence the hexagonal component. Despite this honeycomb-esque appearance and bumblebee logo (which is actually two “B’s” positioned back-to-back), there are no honey or bee products in these formulas. In fact, they’re certified vegan and cruelty-free, and the packaging is 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled plastic).

Finally, of utmost importance to Lively was the fragrance. She wanted the products to smell like an expensive perfume that you’d actually wear as a signature scent, not just a kitschy, overly-fruity shower product. She was inspired by the way some of her favorite fragrance brands make her feel—like Le Labo, Tokyo Milk, and Votivo (the Red Currant Candle, specifically).

The Products

• Wild Nectar Santal Fundamental Nourishing Shampoo + Hair Mask: This moisturizing duo features a sudsy shampoo that cleanses the hair without stripping it, which is meant to be followed with the corresponding hair mask. The mask gave me (a.k.a. my fine hair) pause—it’s extremely thick and buttery. But I was delighted to find that it rinses clean, leaving my hair feeling soft and moisturized without weighing it down or leaving a slick of residue.
• Sandalwood Vanille Fundamental Strengthening Shampoo + Hair Masks: The strengthening shampoo and hair mask use the power of plant protein to refortify your hair from the inside out, all while infusing hair with the luxe scent of vanilla, sandalwood, dry ambers, and vetiver.
• Blackcurrant Vanille Glam Mousse: According to Lively, the Blake Brown mousse is one of the most versatile products in her routine. “It gives me hold, it gives me volume, and it makes my style last,” she says. “I use it whether I’m doing a J. Lo ponytail, big curly hair, or hot rollers.” It’s also her key to that signature Blake Lively volume—”It makes it look like I have extensions in my hair,” she adds.

• Bergamot Woods All-In-Wonder Miracle Leave-In: The leave-in conditioner can be used on wet or dry hair to add moisture, shine, fragrance, or smoothing. Spray all over wet hair before a blow dry for a little protection and softening. Or, concentrate on the lengths of dry hair to refresh your style or add extra moisture to dry ends.
• Amber Vanille Dry Shampoo: Like most dry shampoos, Blake Brown’s formulation can be used to extend time between hair wash days, or absorb excess moisture after a workout. But Lively says she also loves to use the Amber Vanille Dry Shampoo on clean hair days to add some texture. “It gives a bit of grip and grit to my hair without feeling grimy,” she says.
• Milky Sandalwood Rich Reset Pre-Shampoo Mask: When your hair is feeling particularly lackluster, you can apply this treatment—which contains a balance of moisture and protein—before you shampoo. Then follow up with your typical wash routine.

My Review

In the above before and after photo, the left photo shows my hair after a typical blowout using my normal haircare products (which, for the record, are more than twice the cost of Blake Brown’s products). On the right is my hair after using the Blake Brown Pre-Shampoo Mask, Nourishing Shampoo and Hair Mask, All-In-Wonder Leave-In, and Glam Mousse. My hair feels the softest it has in a long time, smells bonkers delicious, and actually looks like I have triple the hair density.

Pay particular attention to the layers around my face and how they increase in fullness. These pieces of hair really go through the ringer with brushing, prodding, heat styling, and hair spraying, so it’s typical for them to look a bit thinner than the rest of my hair. But following my at-home Blake Brown blowout, this part of my hair looks significantly fuller. Even though these photos were only taken a few days apart, my Blake Brown routine makes it look like I literally have more hair. I’m sold forever.

Blake Brown is available to shop at Target and Blake Brown’s website starting August 4.