Priyanka Chopra’s haircare brand, Anomaly, launched in India at the end of August, and we took our time to really test out the products and see if they were worth the hype.
After trying out the shampoos and conditioners from the range for a long period, here’s our review and verdict.
Table of Contents
The Gentle Shampoo is great for everyday use
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• The gentle shampoo in this range has a thick, gel-like consistency.
• It smells like citrusy white florals, probably because it has grapefruit extract in it, but contains no harsh surfactants or parabens.
• It has panthenol and rosemary to hydrate and soothe the scalp.
Hair type it’s for
• A shampoo that works for all hair types, this is a mild yet effective cleansing product for daily use.
• If your scalp is oily, this is a good daily use shampoo, too, because it’s not stripping enough to lead to over production of oil. Plus, it makes your hair smell clean and jasmine-like for a longer period.
• It effectively removes regular build-up and your scalp’s own sebum well, but might not break down additional oils or products you’ve applied.
When to use it
• This can be used every day, or on days when your hair is feeling normal, and doesn’t need extra cleansing or conditioning.
• So, it’s good for those in-between days when you don’t feel like your scalp needs additional purification or dandruff-removal.
• It also works for days when hair is listless and dry because it’s not harsh either, as the name suggests.
How to use
• There’s no learning curve with this shampoo.
• Use it like any other shampoo and follow with whichever conditioner you like.
The Clarifying Shampoo is the dark horse
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Price: Rs 750
• The clarifying shampoo has a more runny, thin consistency than the others in the range.
• It contains charcoal and eucalyptus extract, so it’s great for purifying a dirty scalp.
• The scent is like clean and fresh “men’s” deodorant.
• Even though it’s meant for heavy-duty cleansing, it has vitamin E, glycerine and panthenol to ensure the scalp isn’t stripped and dry.
Hair type it’s for
• This shampoo is meant for oiled or oily hair.
• It’s great for oily hair because it doesn’t speed up oil production after use like many other shampoos for oily hair do.
• So, it won’t make your scalp feel itchy and dry after a wash, and then suddenly leave you with a flat and greasy look the next day. It cleans well and also maintains the cleanliness of the scalp well, which is unusual.
When to use it
• If you use this shampoo on its own, without having pre-oiled your hair, you are probably going to dislike how drying it is. But that extremeing is actually what it is meant to do. While introducing the range, Priyanka specifically mentioned that this is a product she uses when she oils her hair.
• Since it’s very hard to remove all that greasy residue with a regular shampoo, a product like this is needed to get it all out. So, even though this might not be a product you’ll like using every day, it’s probably amongst the most useful things in this range when you wash out the remnants of oil after a champi.
• More brands need to make clarifying shampoos for oiled hair, especially in India, where scalp-oiling with rich, thick, heavy oils is such a common practice. Most of us have to struggle to rinse out all the residue with our daily use shampoos , because very few brands make a shampoo that can actually get rid of everything.
How to use
• One thorough wash with five ml of this will get rid of the stickiest of oils!
• For best results, massage it into the scalp and leave it on for two to three minutes before rinsing.
• It makes hair frizzy when used without a conditioner–as any potent cleansing shampoo would–so condition well after using it.
The Hydrating Shampoo makes hair feel like it doesn’t need conditioning
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Price: Rs 750
• A creamy shampoo with oil-derived surfactants for gentle cleansing, this has coconut oil and aloe vera to lend moisture to your tresses.
• The scent of this is like a mixture of the smell of the clarifying and gentle shampoos, with that same citrusy-freshness, but a touch of white florals.
• There are no silicones in this, so it doesn’t give that silky feeling to hair, but does nourish it in the long run.
Hair type it’s for
• This shampoo is meant for dry and rough hair, and would work best on thick, coarse, curly strands.
• It’s extremely moisturising, so don’t try to use it to remove oil, or on oiled hair, as it won’t work.
When to use it
• This is the kind of shampoo that will not dry hair out at all, so if you’ve got colour-treated, damaged locks and a dry scalp, this is ideal in those situations.
• You can pretty much use it every day if your hair is normal to dry.
• But, avoid using this if your scalp is dandruff-prone, oily, or if you are experiencing dandruff, as such shampoos can exacerbate it.
How to use
• Use this shampoo on wet strands. While you can obviously use it on the scalp, it’s quite nourishing for dry strands and will cleanse your hair shaft gently.
• Don’t use conditioner on the crown or near the scalp after using this, as that will weigh hair down.
• Just use conditioner on the lengths and ends of your hair.
The Leave-In Conditioner is perfect for winters and lazy days
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• A creamy product that feels really lightweight and easy to spread, this is richer than it seems to be.
• It feels like a light, whipped mousse, but provides heavy-duty nourishment to the strands.
• It has panthenol, moringa seed oil, murumuru butter, avocado oil, and sunflower seed oil.
• This smells like green tea and citrus, making hair feel freshly-washed and clean.
Hair type it’s for
• This conditioner is excellent for all hair types, but especially dry, damaged, easily-tangled hair.
• Plus, you should only apply this on the lengths, and not near the roots of the hair.
When to use it
• If, for whatever reason, you have forgotten to condition your mane, or your hair is detangled and dry, this is the post-shampoo conditioning treatment to use.
• You know those winter days when you just don’t want to stand in the cold bathroom longer than necessary? You can just shampoo your hair and walk out, and use this later.
How to use
• This product can be used on dry or damp hair.
• Once you’re out of the shower and have towel-dried your hair, apply this on the strands before using a hair serum.
• Let it soak in for about 10 minutes and then brush the ends of your hair.
• You can also use it the next day on dry hair, but just make sure to avoid applying it on the crown, as it can weigh hair down.
The Smoothing Conditioner doesn’t remove frizz, but…
… it does nourish hair.
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Price: Rs 750
• Since it doesn’t contain silicones, it doesn’t give that silky, smooth, slippery feel to hair. It is also not lightweight. But, if your hair is very dry, it’s great.
• The consistency is thick, like a curd. So, it’s not very easy to spread.
• It smells beautiful, like intoxicating jasmine flowers.
Hair type it’s for
• The smoothing conditioner is ideal for curly, dry, and coarse hair.
• It’s extremely thick, moisturising, and rich, so if your hair type is oily or dandruff-prone, stay away from it.
When to use it
• Normally, smoothening products have an anti-frizz action and are good for using in humid weather when hair gets frizzy.
• However, this can really weigh hair down in sweaty weather, so it’s better during drier seasons.
• So, if your hair needs a lot of nourishment and your ends are dry, this will enrich them.
How to use
• You need a lot of this to really nourish hair, so a few squeezes of product will be necessary.
• Use this on damp, not dripping wet strands when you’ve used a very drying, stripping, clarifying shampoo. So, squeeze as much excess water out of hair as you can before applying this.
• It’s quite heavy, so don’t use it near the scalp and roots, and just coat your strands with it.
• If you have curly hair, apply it to the strands and comb hair out in the shower after using it while it’s still on.
This packaging is the need of the hour
A little too much attention is paid to packaging these days, when most of us would rather have an effective product where money was spent on good ingredients, not the way a product looks. That’s where Anomaly wins. The lack of money spent on packaging is not a deal-breaker, but instead, makes the range eco-friendly.
Pros & cons of the range and the best products we’d recommend
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The pros
• The products are SLS, paraben, and cruelty-free, and come in eco-friendly, recycled plastic packaging.
• If you want to really repair hair instead of band-aiding the damage with silicones, this silicone-free range will help provide actual nutrients to gradually fix the damage your hair has undergone.
• The products smell amazing, and don’t have the clichéd fruity-bubblegum scent we’re used to in hair products.
The cons
• The products might be “affordable” compared to many high-end formulas, but they are still expensive by Indian standards, where paying Rs 750 for a 325 ml bottle of shampoo is a lot.
• The products provide good results in terms of hair health and strength with long-term use, but don’t contribute to making hair look better, which can be a deal-breaker for those who want hair with a silky and shiny appearance.
• While the fragrance of these products is amazing, only the scent of the leave-in conditioner really lasts, and the rest fade away too quickly.
The best products
• The leave-in conditioner is a lifesaver when you’re in a rush, and is amazing for moisturising dry ends. Plus, it makes hair smell great.
• The clarifying charcoal shampoo truly helps clean out all the oily residue after you’ve oiled hair, so it’s the perfect post-champi product.
You can shop the entire range here.
So, which product from Anomaly looks the most exciting to you, and you want to try first? Tell us in the comments!
Lead image credit: Author’s own
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