As a haircare enthusiast who‘s tried countless products over the past decade, I was intrigued when personalized brand Prose and natural-based Monat exploded onto the scene. I gave them both an honest go to see if these new players could outperform my holy grail formulas. If you‘re debating between Prose vs Monat yourself, read on for my in-depth comparative review based on real, first-hand testing of their shampoos, masks, treatments and more!
Introducing Prose and Monat
Launched in 2017, Prose creates customized haircare regimens tailored to your exact hair profile and goals. Their formulas feature clean, vegan ingredients sustainably sourced from around the world. Monat, founded in 2014, takes a holistic approach using naturally-derived components like coconut oil and vitamins to transform lackluster locks into healthy, youthful manes. But which brand truly provides that Insta-worthy shine and strength? I invested in both lines to find out.
Trying Out Prose: Getting my Personalized Formulas
As a wavy-haired brunette struggling with winter dryness and frizz, I was definitely Prose‘s target demo. I took their in-depth online hair quiz and even had a personal consultation with a specialist. Waiting for my tailored shampoo, conditioner and hair mask formulas felt like awaiting my Hogwarts letter!
When my Prose products arrived, I was thrilled to see common customized ingredients like hydrating shea butter and smoothing argan oil had made the cut alongside more surprising additions like vitamin B5 and apple cider vinegar. The earthy, herbal scents spoke to their botanical origins. Could these elixirs finally tame my tangled locks? It was time to wash and see…
Testing Prose‘s Personalized Products on My Hair
Lathering up the Custom Shampoo, I enjoyed the silky foam and squeaky clean finish minus any dryness or stripping. The Custom Conditioner felt rich going on but rinsed cleanly, leaving ultimate softness. My curls happily soaked up the Custom Hair Mask for an extra moisture infusion, springing back with shine not frizz once dry!
Beyond the obviously high-quality formulations, what struck me most was how right Prose got it on their very first try. With most haircare, I endure months of trial and error to find that perfect product pair. But Prose effortlessly gave me what I needed from the start thanks to their spot-on personalization.
The Prose Verdict: Customization Wins
After 8 weeks alternating my new Prose regimen with my regular products, the results spoke for themselves. Consistently smoother, more defined texture; enhanced volume and bounce; way fewer knots or bad hair days. Those custom formulas work some serious magic!
I can without a doubt say Prose makes the best tailored hair solutions on the market. Their quiz and consultation accurately diagnose your hair‘s needs before crafting personalized products brimming with solutions. No guesswork required. If you want customized hair health, Prose is a clear winner! Now, could Monat‘s celebrated natural formulas compete? It was time to put them to the test…
Trying Monat: Testing Their Damage Repair Line
Since harsh Chicago winters do a number on my waves, I opted to try Monat‘s Damage Repair collection first. Their ingredients like rejuvenating coconut oil, strengthening vegetable keratin and date palm extract promised to breathe new life into my frayed locks. I selected Monat‘s:
- Damage Repair Shampoo
- Damage Repair Conditioner
- Damage Repair Hair Mask
I also tossed the Damage Control Leave-In Conditioner into my cart before checkout. Soon, my natural hair saviors arrived, all capped with shiny copper lids and emitting fruity, floral scents. Did they pass the sniff test? Definitely! But it would be the wash test that mattered…
Testing Monat‘s Repairing Products on My Hair
The Damage Repair Shampoo had an ultra-rich lather that felt almost creamy on my parched strands. The matching Conditioner had a similar velvety texture, allowing me to finger-comb with ease post-rinse. I let the rejuvenating Hair Mask soak in for a full 10 minutes before washing out. My curls emerged bouncier, devoid of crispy ends. I finessed flyaways with the Leave-In Cream before allowing my hair to fully air dry.
While Monat‘s formulas felt wonderfully nourishing during use, I noticed slightly less definition and polish once my texture dried down. However, with 3+ months of brutal winter exposure behind me, I couldn‘t expect salon-worthy smoothing and shine. What mattered most was that my hair looked healthier—the frizz and splits now a thing of the past!
The Monat Verdict: Repair & Protect
After 4 weeks alternating Monat‘sDamage Repair bundle into my mix, I‘d say their products excel at renewing damaged strands—albeit through conventional means. If intense hydration and strengthening are your goals, lines like Damage Repair and Smoothing will get you there thanks to ingredients like fatty alcohols and proteins.
However, the overall results didn‘t dramatically outperform my usual drugstore faves. And some formulas felt a touch heavy, likely due to the natural oils. While Monat checks the box for naturally-derived hair repair solutions, the results weren‘t miraculous on my wavy locks. But consumers with far more demanding hair needs may find their holy grail among Monat‘s extensive catalog.
Comparing the Overall Product Range
With my trial runs complete, I wanted to compare how Prose and Monat stacked up across other factors—like their overall product range and customization models.
Prose‘s Personalized Approach
No matter your hair goals—curl definition, volume, growth etc.—Prose can craft completely customized solutions. Their online quiz and consultation process digs deep into the unique needs of your scalp, strands, texture and concerns.
Then, their R&D team analyzes all facets of your hair profile to design one-of-a-kind shampoo, conditioner and mask formulas brimming with ingredients to address your exact issues. Prose even offers free formula tweaks if you aren‘t fully satisfied!
In my experience, the payoff is big. Prose delivers made-to-order results in sustainable, ethically crafted products.
Monat‘s Holistic Haircare
Alternatively, Monat takes a holistic approach to hair wellness through natural, premade products. Their extensive lines cater to different needs, like:
- Damaged hair (Damage Repair)
- Aging hair (Rewind)
- Textured hair (Texture)
- Volumizing (Volume)
- Smoothing (Smooth)
- Dandruff (Men)
They also sell supplements and stylers. Ingredients like coconut oil, avocado, keratin, vitamins and minerals aim to cleanse, nourish, protect and transform hair.
While you won‘t get fully personalized formulas, Monat allows you to cherrypick products suiting your particular hair goals. Just beware that premade solutions don‘t always satisfy unique needs.
The Customization Winner Is…
When it comes to tailoring formulas to your exact hair health and aesthetic hopes, Prose reigns supreme. No premade product line, no matter how natural, can offer the one-to-one precision of Prose‘s customization model. And their sustainable ingredient sourcing and manufacturing make every formula feel special.
On the other hand, Monat allures shoppers seeking variety and holistic hair repair solutions. Just don‘t expect ingredients or results to be fully customized without trial and error testing on your unique hair.
Prose vs Monat: Reviewing Key Aspects
Now that we‘ve covered the product overview, let‘s compare some other essential factors when deciding between brands…
Sustainability & Ethics
Both Prose and Monat adopt ethical stances but Prose leads in transparency. As a Certified B Corp, Prose focuses intensely on sustainability from sourcing to production. They reveal all ingredients and partners while ensuring ethical practices across their supply chain.
While Monat claims to use sustainable energy and resources when possible, they don‘t publish formal reports backing such assertions. However, their products are Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free.
Winner: Prose (for ingredients transparency and validated sustainability initiatives)
Customer Reviews
Across various platforms, Prose consistently earns rave reviews and transformational results claims from ordinary consumers. Their customization process seems to whip up glorious formulas delighting all hair types.
Monat however draws more variable feedback. Some reviewers absolutely love the rejuvenating results. But numerous reports of hair damage, shedding and loss make me nervous—though outcomes likely vary individually.
Winner: Prose (for consistently stellar feedback)
Pricing Breakdown
| Product | Prose Price | Monat Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $21-$25 | $33-$39 |
| Conditioner | $21-$25 | $31-$37 |
| Hair Mask | $32-$38 | $44-$51 |
Overall Winner: Prose
While Prose already wins on base pricing, they offer subscription discounts up to $10 along with free shipping. Monat bundles and multi-product purchases secure discounts up to 30%, but global shipping fees apply.
Shipping, Returns & Promotions
Shipping: Prose offers free US shipping with 3-5 day delivery, beating Monat‘s international fees.
Returns: Both brands provide 30 day refunds for unsatisfied customers. Prose provides one formula adjustment before requiring returns.
Promos: Prose gives $10 subscription and referral discounts. Monat runs up to 30% off sitewide sales plus bundles.
The Final Verdict: Which Brand is Best?
If top-notch customization to provide solutions tailored to your strands‘ special needs tops your list, Prose is the clear winner. Every formula, every ingredient, every aroma and effect gets personalization for max impact.
However, Monat shines brightly if you seek budget-friendly hair rejuvenation and repair from a holistic, natural range. Their smoothing, volumizing and damage-erasing products give lackluster locks new life. Just prep for some trial and error before you find "the one" among their collections.
So which brand won me over enough to ditch my drugstore darlings? After months of washing, styling, scrutinizing and deliberating, Prose earned my loyalty and haircare budget. Their hyper-customized regimens set them miles apart from other hair brands, natural or not. My products feel like they were made just for me—with outstanding hair health and beauty to show for it!
