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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.
The Grow-Good Collection
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.
Wash Cycle Shampoo and Wash Cycle+ Shampoo, $15 each
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Grow-Good
Wash Cycle
$15
Grow-Good
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Grow-Good
Wash Cycle+
$15
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.”
Soft Serve conditioner and Soft Serve+ conditioner, $15 each
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Grow-Good
Soft Serve
$15
Grow-Good
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Grow-Good
Soft Serve+
$15
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.”
Get Rich Mask, $20
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Grow-Good
Get Rich Hydrating Hair Mask
$20
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.
Everything Serum, $18
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Grow-Good
Everything Serum
$18
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.”
Reviews:
Annie Blay-Tettey, associate beauty editor
Blay-Tettey before using Grow-Good products.
Courtesy of Annie Blay-Tettey
Blay-Tettey’s hair after using Grow-Good products.
Courtesy of Annie Blay-Tettey
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 my go-to masks (I stand by the Divi Whipped Repair Treatment Mask and the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!). It didn’t leave my hair quite as moisturized or defined as those formulas do. Still, it’s a solid option I’d happily reach for in a pinch, knowing it gets the job done.
Melanie Curry, associate audience development manager
Curry’s hair before using Grow-Good products.
Courtesy of Melanie Curry
Curry’s hair after using Grow-Good Products.
I tested these products while wearing a flip-over sew-in, so only a small section of my natural hair was left out, with the rest braided and sewn down. The extensions were human hair, which made it easy to gauge how the formulas performed on both my real hair and the added hair. I used the Wash Cycle+ Shampoo and found the lather underwhelming—I had to add quite a bit of water to get it going. Once it did, it removed dirt and buildup from both my leave-out and the extensions, but I still had to shampoo three to four times to feel fully clean, which felt excessive, especially considering my hair wasn’t that dirty to begin with.
I followed up with the Soft Serve conditioner, which was the true standout for me. The highlight was the texture; it’s thick and creamy, but not so heavy that it weighs my hair down. I let it sit for about five minutes before rinsing with cold water, and afterward, both my leave-out and extensions felt noticeably soft and silky.
I usually have to follow up with a generous amount of leave-in—about three to four dollops if I’m not using a deep conditioner—to get my hair feeling properly moisturized. But this time, I didn’t feel the need to add anything else. My hair already felt hydrated and smooth, which genuinely impressed me.
Jennet Jusu, editorial assistant
Jusu’s hair before using Grow-Good products.
Courtesy of Jenet Jusu
Jusu’s hair after using Grow-Good products.
Courtesy Jenet Jusu
I used the Grow-Good line right after taking out my braids, so I definitely needed a deep cleanse to remove the buildup from mousse and edge control. Going in, I was hoping for a product that would thoroughly clean my scalp while also helping to lock in moisture, as my hair tends to get very dry post-protective style.
The first thing I noticed was the scent. I’ve smelled a lot of sweet or fruity shampoos, but this one smelled a bit more serious. It reminded me of a spa—the fancy cucumber water, to be exact. The Wash Cycle shampoo did clean my hair, but I was hoping for a bit more lather. I have really thick, coarse 4B/4C hair, so I always have to use a little more product than usual and really work it in. Adding more water did help with the lather and, in the end, my scalp felt nicely refreshed afterward.
Next, I went in with the Soft Serve+ Conditioner, working it in and raking my fingers through my coils to distribute it evenly. Since it’s not a deep conditioner I didn’t let it sit too long—just five minutes . The conditioner felt pretty standard, as it restored moisture to my hair after shampooing, but it didn’t particularly stand out in terms of slip or deep hydration.
After washing and conditioning my hair, I left a small amount of conditioner in my hair as a leave-in (though the brand doesn’t recommend this) and went straight into a braid-out without layering additional products. I scrunched the Everything Serum into my braids as I unraveled them the next day and was happy to find my hair glistening with a soft sheen. My hair tends to look a bit dull once it dries, so I appreciate the immediate shine boost this oil delivered.
Sarah Kinonen, beauty director
Kinonen’s hair before using the Grow-Good Everything Serum.
Courtesy of Sarah Kinonen
Kinonen’s hair after using the Grow-Good Everything Serum.
Courtesy of Sarah Kinonen
This line is inspired by the homemade formulas passed down through Cardi's Dominican family—who likely all have hair far thicker than mine. But Grow-Good's press materials say the line is designed to perform across a range of textures—and I certainly want my fine long hair to be stronger and shinier—so I gave the Everything Serum a try. Glad I did because I liked it. I braid my hair every night in a single plait before I go to bed to keep it from frizzing up and tangling while I sleep, and when I undo it in the morning, I never really know what to expect. Will there be tight curls? With frizz? Usually, yes, which is why I like to smooth everything down before pulling it back into a claw clip (or a ponytail).
When I took out my braid this morning, I pumped two small drops of the Grow-Good Everything Serum into my hands, warmed them up, and then lightly raked it through my mids to ends, focusing more on the ends, which have seen better, more hydrated days. Instantly, the elixir, which is super-lightweight (and smells like a fancy laundry detergent in the best way), added shine and smoothed out my strays.
For someone who likes to avoid extra steps in their already extended morning routine, combing the serum through my hair took no time at all. Because my hair is so fine and gets weighed down by air, I probably wouldn’t use this styler every day, but on those days when bedhead and flyaways take over, it’ll come in clutch.
Our overall thoughts on Grow-Good
A few standouts emerged early as we tested the line: The Get Rich Mask, Soft Serve+ Conditioner, and the Everything Serum are three formulas we’d happily fold into our regular routines.
With every product priced under $20, Grow-Good firmly lands in the budget-friendly category—a choice that aligns with Cardi B’s roots as a self-proclaimed regular girl from the Bronx. But it holds up against pricier offerings. Grow-Good makes a compelling case for accessible, quality hair care—because healthy hair shouldn’t come with a high barrier to entry.
Grow-Good launches exclusively on growgood.beauty with a presale on March 24. The products will be available for purchase on April 15.
Courtesy of @juliaedwardsmakeup / @themirrorbeauty / @sophiasinot / @deemakeupartSave this storySave this story
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