Walk into any Target beauty aisle and you’ll see those pastel bottles. You know the ones. They look like apothecary jars from the year 2050. They’re customizable. Or, well, they’re kinda customizable. If you’ve been following the brand since its early days as a direct-to-consumer darling, you know the whole "Function of Beauty Target" partnership was a massive shift. It moved the brand from a hyper-specific online quiz model to something you can grab while buying paper towels and a Starbucks latte.
But here is the thing.
The Target version isn’t the same as the $30-a-bottle stuff you order from their website. It’s a "prosumer" bridge. It’s cheaper, faster, and arguably more confusing if you don’t know how the "booster" system works. Honestly, some people hate it because they expect the full custom experience for a fraction of the price. Others swear by it because it actually lets you see the ingredients before you commit.
Why the Function of Beauty Target Launch Changed the Game
For years, Function of Beauty was the gold standard for personalized hair care. You’d go to their site, take a quiz about your hair's porosity and oiliness, pick a scent like "Cloud 9," and wait for a box with your name printed on the label. It felt exclusive. It also cost a lot. When they landed in Target, they had to simplify that entire 12-trillion-combination algorithm into something that could sit on a physical shelf.
They settled on a base-and-booster system.
Basically, you pick a base shampoo or conditioner depending on your hair type: Straight, Wavy, Curly, or Coily. Then, you buy these tiny boxes of "hair goals." They are concentrated shots of ingredients like silicone, protein, or oils. You snap them open, dump them into the bottle, shake it up, and—voila—you’re a chemist. It’s a clever way to keep the "custom" vibe without requiring a lab in the back of every retail store.
The price point is the real kicker. While the online customized bottles often run north of $25 or $30 for a set, the Target versions usually hover around $10 to $12 for the base, with boosters costing a few bucks each. It’s accessible. But is it as good? That’s where things get nuanced.
Decoding the Ingredients: Is It Just Marketing?
Let’s talk about what’s actually in these bottles. The base shampoos use relatively gentle surfactants. If you look at the Wavy Hair Base, for example, you’ll see fermented rice water as a star ingredient. This is meant to strengthen hair. It’s a real thing—the Yao women in China have used fermented rice water for centuries to maintain floor-length hair.
But you have to be careful with the boosters.
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If you add a "Strengthen" booster (which is usually packed with vegetable proteins) to a base that already has protein-rich rice water, and then you do that every day, you might end up with protein overload. Your hair won't feel soft. It’ll feel like hay. It’ll snap. I’ve seen countless reviews from people saying the "Function of Beauty Target line ruined my hair," but often, it's just a case of someone adding too many active boosters without understanding their hair’s current state.
- Straight Base: Focuses on coconut water for lightweight hydration.
- Wavy Base: Uses fermented rice water.
- Curly Base: Features chia seed extract to help with definition.
- Coily Base: Relies on flaxseed oil for intense moisture.
It’s not just a "one size fits all" soap. It’s a modular system. You have to treat it like a recipe.
The Problem with the "One-and-Done" Mentality
Most people walk into Target, see the "Function of Beauty" logo, and grab whatever is on the shelf. That is a mistake. The brand relies on you being a bit of an amateur scientist.
If you have fine hair that is also oily, you might think you need the "Oil Control" booster. But if you put that into the "Curly" base—which is inherently heavy and oil-rich—you are fighting a losing battle. The chemistry clashes. The Curly base is designed to coat the hair shaft to prevent frizz, while the Oil Control booster is designed to strip or manage sebum at the scalp.
You’re basically trying to drive a car with the parking brake on.
The Real Cost of "Customization" at Retail
One thing nobody really talks about is the volume. The Target bottles are 11 ounces. The DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) bottles vary, but you’re getting a different formula density. The retail version is formulated to be "shelf-stable" for longer periods in varying temperatures. It has to survive a hot truck in Arizona and a freezing warehouse in Maine.
The custom bottles shipped to your house are mixed much closer to the date of use. This matters because certain botanical extracts lose their potency over time. When you buy the Function of Beauty Target version, you are sacrificing a bit of that "fresh-mixed" efficacy for the convenience of not having to wait ten days for shipping.
Breaking Down the "Hair Goals"
The boosters are where the magic—or the mess—happens. Each one is a 3ml shot of concentrated goodness (or badness, if you overdo it).
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- Anti-Frizz: Usually contains beetroot extract. It works by creating a hydrophobic barrier.
- Deep Condition: Loaded with apple extract. Great for high-porosity hair that drinks up water.
- Soothe Scalp: This uses pro-vitamin B5 and aloe. Honestly, this is one of their best ones if you deal with winter itch.
- Volume: Amaranth seed extract is the hero here. It literally "plumps" the hair fiber.
You can mix up to three boosters per bottle. Any more and you're just diluting the actual cleaning agents in the shampoo. If you put five boosters in a small bottle, you’re basically washing your hair with a serum. It won’t suds up properly, and you’ll leave the shower feeling greasy.
Is it Truly Clean Beauty?
"Clean" is a marketing term, not a legal one. Let’s be real. However, the line is sulfate-free, paraben-free, and vegan. For a drugstore-priced product, that’s actually quite impressive. They use Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate as a primary cleanser in many bases. It’s a mouthful, but it’s a much gentler alternative to the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) found in your standard $5 grocery store shampoo.
If you have a sensitive scalp or color-treated hair, this is a huge plus. SLS is notorious for stripping hair color faster than a bleach job. By opting for the Target version of Function of Beauty, you’re getting a "salon-lite" ingredient profile without the $40 price tag.
The Sustainability Factor
Target has been pushing its "Target Clean" and "Target Zero" initiatives. The Function of Beauty bottles are made from recycled plastic. That’s cool. But the boosters come in tiny individual plastic containers.
It feels a bit contradictory.
You’re saving a big bottle but creating three small pieces of plastic waste every time you refill. If you’re a hardcore environmentalist, the original DTC model might actually be better because they offer larger refill pouches now.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Scent
The Target line has a specific scent: "Peach." It’s a very polarizing peach. Some people think it smells like a high-end spa; others think it smells like a 90s fruit snack. Unlike the website, where you can choose "Eucalyptus" or "Rose" or even "Fragrance-Free," at Target, you’re mostly stuck with what’s on the shelf.
They recently expanded into body wash and lotion at Target too, following the same booster logic. But the hair care remains the flagship. If you hate peach, don't even bother. The scent lingers. It’s "loud" fragrance.
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Comparing Target vs. Sephora vs. DTC
Now that the brand is everywhere, where should you actually buy it?
- Target: Best for people on a budget who want to experiment. It's the "entry-level" drug.
- Sephora: They carry the "PRO" line. This is a totally different beast. It’s more expensive and uses higher concentrations of bond-builders.
- DTC (Website): This is for the person who wants their name on the bottle and a specific fragrance/color combo.
If you have relatively "normal" hair, the Function of Beauty Target line is more than enough. If you have severe chemical damage or a complex scalp condition, the "Pro" or "Custom" versions are worth the extra $20.
Actionable Steps for Your First Bottle
Don't just wing it.
First, determine your hair's porosity. Drop a clean strand of hair in a glass of water. If it floats, you have low porosity (use the Straight or Wavy base). If it sinks fast, you have high porosity (grab the Curly or Coily base).
Second, pick only two boosters to start. Adding three right away makes it hard to tell which one is actually working. If you want shine, go for "Shine Queen." If you want strength, go for "Strengthen."
Third, shake the bottle for at least 30 seconds after adding the boosters. I've seen people just dump them in and start washing. The boosters are dense. If you don't shake it, you’ll get a glob of concentrated protein on one patch of hair and nothing on the rest.
Finally, give it two weeks. Your hair needs time to adjust to a sulfate-free formula if you’ve been using harsh detergents. Your scalp might feel a bit oily at first—that's just your natural oils rebalancing. Stick with it before you decide it's not working.
Check the bottom of the bottle for the "Period After Opening" (PAO) symbol. Usually, it's 12 months. Since these are "cleaner" formulas with fewer traditional preservatives, don't let a half-used bottle sit in your shower for two years. It will go bad.
If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your shower routine without spending a fortune, the Target collection is a solid bet. Just remember: you're the chemist now. Mix wisely.
Next Steps for Results:
- Perform the "Float Test" to find your true hair porosity before buying a base.
- Identify your top two hair concerns (frizz, volume, breakage) and buy only those specific boosters.
- Rinse with cool water to seal the cuticle after using the conditioner; the boosters work better when trapped inside the hair shaft.