The Origin Of The Word 'Pong' (Clairol Herbal Essence Conditioner/Replenisher)

Member Name: zoe_page_1

Product:	Clairol Herbal Essence Conditioner/Replenisher
Date:	12/03/03 (114 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Effective, Cheap enough

Disadvantages: Tacky packaging, Smelly

The “Oh, oh, oh! I’m satisfied” adverts make me smile occasionally, but they’re not enough to make me buy this stuff. But thanks to a soon-to-be-reviewed freebie site (www.borntoloaf.co.uk) I’ve been getting a whole pile of samples recently, and a mini bottle of Clairol Herbal Essences (hereafter known as HE) was just one of these. Some people clean their house the day before their cleaner comes round. I don’t (to both cleaning my house, ever, and having a cleaner) but occasionally in the run up to a hairdressers appointment, I might start taking better care of my hair. I’ve been using a cheap conditioner for a few months, but I’d noticed a difference in my hair so decided to stop before my hairdresser told me to anyway. I wanted something a bit more expensive (not pricey pricey, just more than 55p a bottle) but since I decided this on a Saturday night when all the shops were shut for a good 36 hours, I had to use something in the cupboard, ergo HE got tried.

I don’t know why, but I really dislike the packaging. It just looks cheap and badly designed to me, and doesn’t appeal in any way, shape or form. Plus the top comes totally off when you unscrew it – it’s not permanently hinged on as so many are these days, so if you’re not careful it could roll away and lodge itself in a dark corner somewhere, never to see the light of day again. But the packaging is something you can live with if the product is remarkable enough, and to start with that’s what I thought HE was. The shampoo was thick and creamy – not too solid, not too runny. Following the directions in the shower (apply, rinse – none of that usual “wait 5 mins” malarkey, although that could have been due to the size of the bottle – roughly 10cm tall – and the fact they had everything in 3 languages….) I was pretty impressed. Immediately my hair felt softer, stronger, thinner (I
have thick hair, but it felt “normal” after using this) and altogether healthier than it had moments before. It rinsed out completely within seconds, but I stood rinsing for ages because it felt so nice, and I knew the feeling would disappear as soon as I left the shower. Once my hair was dry, I noticed another difference. My hair usually looks its best 2 days after washing (i.e. the last day before I wash it again). After using this conditioner it went straight to this state but – and here’s the good part – without speeding up the need to be washed. It was nice, behaving, controlled hair for 3 days. Fantastic.

I didn’t use the corresponding shampoo, but wouldn’t imagine the results with that were any worse than with the conditioner on its own, and might in fact be better. My only problem with the product was the smell. Truly the reason the word “pong” was invented. It was a hideous mix of flowers and sherbet and herbs and lemon and god only knows what else. It smelt really, really fake, and although I know conditioner is not a naturally occurring substance, I don’t usually expect it to smell this artificial. It smelt really, really hideous for the whole of my shower, and left the bathroom with an odd scent for a couple of hours afterwards.

They have it in Schlecker here for less than 2 Euros, but Germany’s strangely cheap like that. In the UK Boots have it on BOGOF at £2.19 at the moment which does still seem very reasonable – at just over a pound a bottle it’s hardly a rip off – but I’m still torn as to whether or not I’d use it again. On the one hand, it worked well, I only needed a little bit and it did make a difference to my hair, but on the other, I don’t like the bottle or the smell. Fussy? Maybe. But I’m sure there are a few products out there that have more aesthetically pleasing packaging, produce the same results and come with a n
ice scent. I’ll just have to keep looking.

Nice results, but wow, does this stuff smell.

Summary: