4 Allure Editors Try Grow-Good, Cardi B's New Hair-Care Line

24.03.2026, 22:19 allure.com

Mixing eggs, mayo, and avocado might sound like the start of an aioli recipe, but if you were deep in internet culture in 2020, you’ll recognize it as Cardi B’s viral DIY hair mask. At a time when much of the world was stuck at home, and more than willing to experiment with whatever was in the kitchen, Cardi's DIY approach to hair care felt nostalgic—especially to those of us who lived through the height of the natural hair movement in the early 2010s, when homemade masks and hot-oil treatments were washday staples. But it wasn’t just the ingredients that grabbed people’s attention, it was Cardi's hair. In the video, the rapper casually revealed thick, waist-length strands, a contrast to the elaborate wigs and weaves she’s famous for. The video marked the first time many fans realized she had that much hair underneath it all.

It didn’t always look like that, though. Cardi has been candid about her hair journey, sharing online how she has struggled with length retention and perm damage—experiences many women of color can relate to. There was also the over-bleaching and a bad haircut that had her mom ready to curse out the stylist.

It was those negative experiences, though, that eventually inspired Cardi to return to her roots and get serious about her hair-care routine, incorporating the homemade masks and Dominican beauty rituals she grew up with. Now she’s bottling the routines that helped her nurse her frazzled hair back to health in her new hair-care line, Grow-Good, developed with Revolve Group.

The first teaser for the brand, posted to Instagram in February, featured clips of Cardi’s ultra-long hair being brushed, washed, flipped, and—yes—wrapped in a plastic shopping bag (if you know, you know). The visuals made it hard not to be curious, even with all the other celebrity beauty brands out there. But our March cover star recognizes the fatigue people have and understands that formulas really have to deliver. In her cover interview, the rapper addressed this head on in her typical unreserved fashion: “People are gonna buy my shit just off my name, but are you gonna come back? It’s about coming back.”

Ahead of the launch of Grow-Good, we got early access to the six-product lineup. Armed with intrigue, skepticism, and excitement, four editors with different hair types put the washday staples to the test to see if Grow-Good earns a spot on the short list of celebrity beauty brands worth the hype.

While the name suggests hair growth, this initial drop leans more into the “good” part of the brand’s moniker. These first six products are meant to help repair damage and strengthen strands, creating a healthy foundation to support hair growth with continued use.

Each product in the line carries the same light, floral scent, reminiscent of the faint whiff of bodega flowers you catch while rushing through New York City, Cardi’s hometown. To develop the fragrance—a pretty and refreshing blend of aldehydic rose, bergamot, orange blossom, sandalwood with subtle hints of spearmint and eucalyptus—the rapper collaborated with Givaudan, the fragrance house behind fan-favorite perfumes like Parfums de Marly Delina and Dior J’Adore.

Each product, except for the Everything Serum, also features Grow-Good’s trademarked Fiberlace complex. While the brand hasn’t disclosed exactly what’s in the proprietary blend, cosmetic chemist Amanda Lam reviewed the ingredient lists and spotted a group of ingredients that consistently appear across the formulas: hydrolyzed moringa seed extract, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, panthenol, and betaine.

According to Lam, each of these ingredients plays a functional role: Hydrolyzed moringa seed extract is known for its hair-repair benefits, while guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride acts as a conditioning agent that helps smooth the hair and improve slip, making detangling easier.

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

What it is: The Wash Cycle shampoos are straightforward cleansers designed to gently remove oil and product buildup from the hair and scalp. The main distinction between the two formulas: Wash Cycle+ is formulated with drier, more moisture-deprived hair in mind. After reviewing both ingredient lists, Lam notes that they’re relatively simple, sulfate-free formulas that should still deliver a satisfying lather and thorough cleanse.

Wash Cycle+ sets itself apart with a higher concentration of dimethicone, along with the addition of hydrolyzed rice protein. “Dimethicone helps smooth the hair and seal the cuticle, which can make strands feel softer and more manageable,” says Lam, pointing out that these benefits are especially useful for dry hair.

Both formulas rely on a blend of surfactants—sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl betaine—as the main cleansing agents, creating lather without overly stripping the hair. Cocamidopropyl betaine is a mild soap-free surfactant derived from coconut oil, while sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate is a stronger synthetic chemical.

You’ll also spot ingredients like coconut oil, avocado oil, rosemary oil, castor oil, and aloe leaf juice on the label. While rosemary and castor oils are often associated with supporting hair growth, Lam notes that their placement low on the ingredient list suggests they’re present in smaller amounts (ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration, typically until the 1% mark). The fact that rosemary and castor oil are both listed after glycerin, “which is usually used at around 3-5%,” explains Lam, “indicates they’re likely included at relatively low levels and may not have a major impact on results.”

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

What it is: This set of conditioners owes its moisturizing properties to fatty alcohols and a blend of coconut oil and cocoa butter, which are high up on the ingredient list. “The Soft Serve Conditioner would be a good option for people who find silicones too heavy,” says Shuting Hu, PhD, a cosmetic chemist in Hong Kong and the founder of Acaderma.

Both of these formulas are very similar, with the main difference being more dimethicone and hydrogenated castor oil in Soft Serve+, according to Lam. Because of this, “Soft Serve+ is a more emollient product,” she says. “The concentration of thicker butters and oils is higher in Soft Serve+, making it better suited for drier hair.”

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

What it is: Cardi B has long shared her DIY approach to hair care with ingredients from her kitchen, and this formula feels like a nod to that tradition. Infused with fruits like banana and mango, the rich treatment promises to deeply moisturize curls and coils while softening strands to minimize breakage during detangling. Despite the tropical ingredients, the mask features the same fresh, earthy scent as the rest of the range. This formula also boasts a good amount of natural oils—coconut, sunflower seed, and castor oils being standouts known for their highly moisturizing properties, says Lam.

Grow-Good

Grow-Good

What it is: Despite the name of the product, the Everything Serum is really more of a does-it-all oil that promises to smooth, soften, add shine, prevent split ends and breakage, and protect hair from temperatures up to 450°F.

“It’s entirely [made of] oil,” Lam says of the formula, which contains coconut, sunflower, and meadowfoam seed oils. When we hear the word serum, a hydrating water-based formula comes to mind—and Lam agrees. So the name may be a bit misleading, but Lam says the Everything Serum will undoubtedly leave your hair shiny. “Dimethicone, isododecane, C13-15 alkane, and ethyl macadamiate are all really high-shine, oil-like silicones,” she explains. “They have a dry feel, so it won’t feel like it’s weighing down your hair.”

Blay-Tettey before using Grow-Good products.

Blay-Tettey's hair after using Grow-Good products.

I first tested the Grow-Good products on a two-week old silk press, so I was really looking for something that could bring my curls back to life after heat styling. I leaned over my kitchen sink, fully soaked my hair, and went in with the Wash Cycle shampoo, which I chose because my hair wasn’t feeling especially dry. On the first wash, I didn’t get much lather, which made me pause briefly, but after rinsing and going in again, it foamed up much more. That usually tells me there was still a decent amount of oil and product buildup the shampoo needed to cut through. As I worked it in, I picked up on a light, subtle botanical scent—nothing overpowering or cloying, but noticeable enough to make the experience feel a bit more elevated. Once I rinsed everything out, my hair felt clean, but not stripped or brittle.

A few weeks later, I tried the Wash Cycle+ Shampoo after taking out cornrows I’d been wearing for two weeks. After a protective style my hair is especially dry, so I figured the boosted version of the shampoo (made specifically for dry hair) would be apt. I accidentally spilled about a quarter of the 10 fluid-ounce bottle into my hands trying to open the nozzle and, coincidentally, it was the perfect amount to achieve the kind of rich lather I love in a shampoo. I like to detangle with shampoo first and the lather on Wash Cycle+ made it easy to do this. I also noticed that it cleaned my hair quicker than Wash Cycle—I only had to do one round of shampoo with Wash Cycle+ vs. two with Wash Cycle

After shampooing my hair felt clean—not particularly soft or moisturized, but also not dry and stripped. I wash my hair every two weeks, almost always skipping regular conditioner in favor of a deep treatment, so I reached next for the mask in the collection. The Get Rich Mask is thick, creamy, and melts into my curls easily, instantly making my hair feel softer and easier to detangle with my fingers. I left it on for about 10 minutes, which, as a busy mom, is usually all the time I have on washday.

After rinsing, my hair felt soft and was fairly easy to work through with a wide-tooth comb. That said, I’m not ready to swap it in for