Review: Australian Hair Care Brand DunGüd Impresses With Easy-To-Use, Clean Formulas

Australian hair care brand DunGüd isn’t afraid to declare that they make “products for the people” — and while the claim might sound like a bold one in today’s saturated hair care market, it’s clear why they’ve gained such a cult following.

The brand is forthright about their ingredients, where most of their products incorporate native Australian botanical extracts such as Emu Apple and Waratah Flower Extract as a nod to their country of origin; the cruelty-free formulas do without sulphates, parabens, and propylene glycol as well.

First impressions: DunGüd (pronounced ‘Done Good’) is fun and youthful, and certainly a pleasant addition to the bathroom. Veering away from the minimalist aesthetic, DunGüd packages their Aussie-made products with eye-catching graphics — rubber duckies and slinkies, for instance — and interesting names, such as ‘Bimbo’ for their blonde treatment.

Sure, it might all be marketing at its best, but they back this sentiment with easy-to-use formulas that work with our modern lifestyles too, whether that’s a lightweight foam that results in surprisingly bouncy hair, or shampoos and treatments that condition hair, giving off a glossy shine.

Interestingly enough, DunGüd was found by two industry veterans, Phil Taylor and Kass Nagi, who launched their line of unisex hair care products early 2020. Both of them bring their wealth of experiences to form the foundation of the brand, from Taylor’s career as a hairdresser in the 90s, to their work in the realms of hair care and men’s grooming product development, education and marketing. The latter was definitely done to success, as the brand goes on to target young, fashion-savvy individuals, particularly after making its appearance as part of Gucci and adidas editorial campaigns.

The brand is available in Singapore at Woorailoora’s website, which brought in DunGüd under their stable of professional hair and beauty products just last year, and already, we spy some beauty, fashion and editorial campaigns on their social media feed. A series with Miss Universe Singapore 2021 finalists sees them shows off shiny tresses both slicked-back and with curls, for instance, both wonderful effects we can attest to after trying out some of their products.

promo: shop DunGüd at the WOOSHOP ONLINE STORE, and enjoy 10% off a min. spend of $30. simply use the coupon code [wooshop10%] when you check out.

Read on for our review of their new items — a shampoo and conditioner series, blonde treatment, body building foam, curl enhancing cream, and a volumising hairspray.

IN THE SHOWER

— DaySpa .. Restorative Shampoo
— Day Spa .. Restorative Conditioner
— Bimbo .. Blonde Treatment 

This is DunGüd’s solution to dry, damaged hair, especially one that’s been recently bleached, which perfectly describes my current hair condition. The ‘DaySpa’ series relies on both Australian-native Waratah Flower Extract and Argan Oil to repair and hydrate hair, while the cheekily-named Bimbo contains violent pigments to neutralise brassy tones.

dayspa .. restorative shampoo, $36

For a clean shampoo that’s without sulphates, I was impressed by its lathering power, considering that my hair was of a thicker texture. A rich lather helps greatly with a thorough clean, especially by getting rid of the day’s grime in between hair and across the scalp, which was certainly the experience here; furthermore, the pearly-pink liquid made for a luxurious time in the shower.

For its key ingredients, Waratah Flower Extract is certainly a unique one — the Australian flower is packed with amino acids to help with hair repair and improve on its shine and lustre. There’s also Argan Oil that’s loaded with fatty acids and antioxidants to hydrate hair and ensure it retains its moisture. Despite the former, I felt that the shampoo wasn’t heavy, nor was my hair weighed down by its formula after. With everyday use, it made my hair look glossy and healthy too.

dayspa .. restorative conditioner, $36

First of all, how cute are the rubber duckies on the packaging! Similar to the DaySpa shampoo, the accompanying conditioner contains Waratah Flower Extract and Argan Oil, which calls for complementary benefits. The texture of the formula felt similar to most conditioners out there, with a creamy emollient consistency, and I applied it to the ends of my hair to further nourish and protect it. Notably, using this conditioner helped my hair feel noticeably smoother, tangle-free, and easier to manage than if I opted to skip the step.

Bimbo .. Blonde Treatment, $36

Meant to be used after shampoo, Bimbo is a blonde treatment that contains the brand’s violet colour technology, of cationic pigments that help maintain vibrant blondes. I believe it’s for both natural blondes and bleached hair, and I’m definitely in the latter category as I was looking for a solution to tone down the brassy yellow colour that shows up a few weeks after the initial hair dyeing session.

What was great about DunGüd’s product is that instead of the usual purple shampoo, they went for a conditioning hair and scalp treatment that further took care of my hair’s texture, while supplying it with violent pigments to help with its colour. I had to leave the treatment on for about five minutes before rinsing it off, kind of like a hair mask, which then ensures that the violet pigments, Davidson Plum (a superfood), and Nettle Leaf Extract had time to seep into my hair and work their magic. Both the last two ingredients contain antioxidants that help reduce free radical damage and protect hair from sun damage and the environment.

When using the product in the shower, the purple pigments were obvious on the surface of my hair, but washed away rather easily without staining my fingers or bathroom tiles; a good sign since I was all for a fuss-free experience. As expected, the colour toning effect was rather subtle for an at-home product, though more obvious on the lighter parts of my hair; more frequent use would probably improve this effect. I see this as more of a maintenance product in my hair routine, something that prevents my hair from becoming even more brassy-looking after every wash. For that, Bimbo is a nice addition to the routine since it conditions the hair so that it doesn’t lose its lustre from the DaySpa shampoo and conditioner.

POST-SHOWER

— Amped .. Body Building Foam
— Bounce Back .. Curl Enhancing Cream
— Blow Out .. Expansion Spray

Post-shower care is so important for any hair routine, though I must admit that I’m usually rather lazy about this, opting to just use my hair dryer without any styling products or heat protectant. DunGüd’s products might change my mind though, mostly because they’re so easy to use that it doesn’t feel like there’s much of an extra step involved. The volumising spray is a good staple to add volume, while the curl enhancing cream benefits those with curly hair or to retain created curls. My favourite of these though is the body building foam!

amped .. body building foam, $36

Why do I love this so much? Simply because I never thought I would, but it works brilliantly to create body and volume. The foamy texture is super lightweight and easy to apply; it disappears right into damp hair such that I didn’t think much about it after. Good to know: it contains two native Australian extracts as well. Emu Apple, found in the Australian outback, contains amino acids and sugar alcohol to strengthen and work as a natural humectant, while Tasmanian Pepper Berry is another superfood known for revitalising damaged hair.

After using a hairdryer as I would normally, I noticed that my hair had a light and fluffy texture that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to achieve without Amped. I even tried testing this product on just one side of my hair, and the other side without, in order to note a difference; the side with Amped looked and felt fuller and more voluminous, and just generally healthy-looking too since its moisture and glossiness was retained. That this effect came from such a lightweight foam really impressed me.

bounce back .. curl enhancing cream, $36

I’ve always felt like curling cream was a “nice to have” instead of a necessity for my hair condition, which naturally dries straight and stubbornly refuses to retain curls. This is where I could be wrong. It’s rich in Jojoba Oil, which contains multiple vitamins and minerals for nourishing hair, and Jasmin Flower Leaf Extract to help smooth hair cuticles and enhance the manageability for curly hair types.

While I didn’t have naturally curly hair, I found this product useful for retaining post-blowout curls. Firstly, the cream was of a rather viscous consistency that felt like a moisturising hair mask, and needed more than a few seconds to fully sink into my hair. After that, I followed my typical routine of drying my hair and scalp with a hairdryer, and leaving the hair ends not fully dry, but twisted outwards to create some texture and waves. A nice surprise was that the product helped create these soft curls and ensure that they last longer than usual; once set and fully dried, I was able to enjoy this effect all the way until my next wash. For those without curly hair looking to create waves, and especially if you’re a fan of heatless overnight curls, having a cream really is worth the additional step!

blowout .. expansion spray, $36

Whether just before heading out, or in between washes, a good hair spray ensures hair looks fresh and shiny, two things I’m grateful for when using Blowout. The hair spray is a fine mist that doesn’t feel weighty on hair, and yet, is able to give volume and body to flat hair, especially near its roots. Meant for both men and women, it’s of a medium hold as well, which helps with styling, and a touch of shine for healthy-looking tresses.

The product contains Australian-native Kakadu Plum, which has the highest concentration of natural Vitamin C of any known plant; this helps smooth and lock in essential moisture within the hair shaft. Bamboo is also added for its rich source of silica, a powerful ingredient that improves hair elasticity. Blowout is a reliable and no-brainer product that makes your hair look full and voluminous in no time, without any stiffness or crispiness. My hair still looked like hair, but better.

Pris Wong, editorial stylist of DunGüd Singapore, also raves about this product as she frequently uses it in her line of work — across various hair types too. “I love it because there is simply no white cast at all, no matter how much of it I spray! It doesn’t weigh down the hair, and works on all hair types, even the thinnest of hair. The spray adds light body, texture and air to your locks, and is an absolute dream to work with.”

 


DunGüd, available in Singapore at woorailoora.com.sg.

promo: shop DunGüd at the WOOSHOP ONLINE STORE, and enjoy 10% off a min. spend of $30. simply use the coupon code [wooshop10%] when you check out.

 

Banner image credit: DunGüd ; right image, Natella Kiseleva