I Finally Found Products That Give My Fine Hair That Ultra Glossy, High Shine Look

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, our writer is testing the new Ceremonia Papaya Scalp Scrub & Mascarilla de Babassu.

I’ve maintained a pretty lackluster relationship with my hair up until this point. There’s so much to learn about skin care; makeup can transport us, inspire feelings of levity, change our moods; but with mostly straight, mostly dirty blonde hair, I’ve always felt totally average about the entire haircare category, until I met Babba Rivera.

The scene was NYFW in the warmth of late summer. A mutual friend introduced us after a show, and I was struck by her beauty and warmth, at large, but also by her stunning hair. It exuded health, not in a glossy, buy-it-at-a-salon way — there was a wellness to it. Little did I know, Rivera is founder of Ceremonia, a clean haircare brand rooted in her Latinx heritage.

Ceremonia is known for its aesthetically soothing packaging, again, not in the pale pink and all whites of some competitors, but based in something more joyful. I’ve spent the last month trying out these products, along with the line’s shampoo and conditioner. It turns out, Rivera has managed to bottle that intangible essence of health I experienced at our meeting with her ingredients-focused line. The brand’s newest, the Papaya Scalp Scrub & Mascarilla de Babassu, are no exception.

Keep reading to see how the newness from Ceremonia, being packaged as “The Sunday Reset Duo”, is changing the way I think about haircare as self-care.

Day 2 Hair + Barefaced

Here I am trying on outfits for Fashion Week with unwashed hair and absolutely no products on my face. (It’s hard to capture dirty hair properly.) I rely on dry shampoo on the mornings I don’t wash, thanks to texture that’s fine and oily — a dream winning combo. Buildup can be an issue, but most scalp scrubs irritate my scalp and can dry out my skin. As for masks, I’ve been sort of floating in between samples for the past year. Nothing really spoke to me.

And Then I Met The Sunday Reset Duo

As a beauty writer, I love the concept of once-a-week rituals that make the weekend feel like a veritable exhale. Generally, this means a bath, a face mask, and stopping by my local bookstore for a new read. The practices help me feel grounded, and get excited for the week to come. Before Ceremonia had branded its new Papaya Scalp Scrub & Mascarilla de Babassu as “The Sunday Reset Duo,” I’d been incorporating the lab test sample products as such.

The Papaya Scalp Scrub is a whipped shampoo, which helps combat the buildup I’ve been accustomed to when using a scrub plus a shampoo in the shower. Featuring papaya enzymes and Bolivian Pink Salt to exfoliate the scalp, the pair helps to balance the scalp’s oil while getting rid of impurities. Other ingredients like guava leaf and prickly pear cactus extracts help infuse moisture.

Its counterpart, Mascarilla de Babassu, a deep conditioning mask that is made of Brazilian Babassu and Mexican cupaçu butter. Think: max hydration plus conditioning and strengthening benefits. I love that the feel of this mask is much milkier than other options on that market, especially for my fine hair. I don’t have to waste time in the shower hoping I’ve rinsed all the product out to avoid that oversaturated feel.

My Hair After A Ceremonia Reset

I was worried that, like in the first image, it would be hard to capture the bliss of indulging in my two new favorite hair products. Would the all-day shine come through? Or the lightness I felt in my roots? But it’s hard to miss the way my hair soaked up the extra attention and carefully selected ingredients in Ceremonia’s new products.

Using the scrub in the shower in place of shampoo might be my favorite part of the process. The scent is fantastic, like a mini escape on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and washing it out is a breeze. To take the process to the next level, try building up a lather with Ceremonia’s Scalp Masajeador. The packaging encourages applying the Mascarilla de Babassu for five to 10 minutes in the shower. My preference, and also endorsed by the brand, is to apply the mask on dry hair before getting into the shower. There’s a better chance I really leave it on for the suggested time if I can justify tidying or folding laundry while I wait.

The best news, especially for other people with oily hair out there, is that the duo works wonders beyond day one. After my little reset routine, I can usually go light on the dry shampoo for at least the next day, if not two.

Is This Mask + Scalp Scrub For You?

If you’re curious about clean haircare, enticed by the darling packaging, or just a straight up fan of Rivera’s (hi, me!), I can’t encourage you enough to give this $45 set a chance. Being excited about a new ritual is a special feeling, especially when the products in question are incorporating ingredients from Latinx culture I’ve never had the delight of being exposed to — pequi oil might just be my new favorite haircare ingredient. Those looking to upgrade their at-home hair experience with clean ingredients and intentional routines should look no further. Ceremonia’s Papaya Scalp Scrub & Babassu Hair Mask are for you.

We only include products that have been independently selected by TZR's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.