I admit to being a bit of a brand name snob when it comes to products like shampoo. However, needs must, and I found myself in the toiletries aisle of the supermarket this week really not wanting to fork out on shampoo. It's the week before payday and beggars really can't be choosers.

I saw this Alberto Balsam Juicy Green Apple shampoo on the shelf, and put it into the trolley with some reluctance. My only experience with this brand previously was with their conditioner, and I really did not like that at all. However for £1 I figured I might as well see if the shampoo was any better.

PACKAGING
This comes in a tall 400ml clear plastic bottle which is cylindrical in shape. The lid is made from black plastic, and flips open, which I find convenient. The bottle itself has the Alberto Balsam logo and a picture of an apple (obviously). I do think the packaging looks a bit cheap, but this IS cheap so I can't complain, can I? It does state on the back that it 'uses most of the same ingredients you'll find in more expensive brands, but at a great price', so at least they are not pretending this is anything other than a budget shampoo.

Who is Alberto Balsam, though? Is it a real person? Or has this range just been branded with a faux name in order to make us all think we are buying a range by a proper hairdresser like Charles Worthington or Andrew Collinge? Surely not?!

CONSISTENCY AND SMELL
This shampoo is a pale lime green in colour. It's runnier in nature than other shampoos I have used, so I imagine I will use this up fairly quickly. The smell, however, makes up for this. It's appley, fruity and juicy and I really, really love it. I like the smell of apples so this is a big bonus for me.

USAGE
This lathered up really well. I don't think it created as many bubbles as some products, but it still felt like it was cleaning my hair well enough. After rinsing, my hair did feel very tatty and brittle, and I was worried that this would leave the ends very dry. However after combing my conditioner through my hair felt a lot better. Even after I had finished using this, my bathroom was filled with the lovely fruity smell.

AFTER WASHING
I was able to comb my hair when it was still wet easily, and it didn't feel as tatty as it had after rinsing. I found my hair was easy to blow dry straighter, and it felt clean right up to the very roots. It also felt like any residual product had been cleaned off it. The ends weren't any drier than normal, and my overall impression was that this had left my hair lovely and clean.

PRICE
This costs £1. You can't say fairer than that.

IS THIS REALLY SALON QUALITY?
I genuinely do not know the answer to this. When it comes to cheaper brands I do tend to be a bit paranoid that using them is going to strip my hair of its natural moisture or even my colour as I have highlights. This could well be sheer madness on my part but it does tend to keep me from sticking to cheap brands all the time.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN?
Yes I would. I have no problems with the price, obviously, and it's a good shampoo to keep in the bathroom on stand-by in case I run out. Due to my concerns above, I am not sure if I would use this all the time, particularly if I have just gotten my hair coloured, but as it stands I have no complaints about the cleaning ability of this shampoo whatsoever.