It's a bit like you just stepped out of a salon (Fructis Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner - 2in1 Normal Hair)

Member Name: Joker25

Product:	Fructis Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner - 2in1 Normal Hair
Date:	15/02/06 (448 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice smell, effective cleansing.

Disadvantages: Quite pricey, does not work as well as a 2 in 1 as you might expect.

I have long blonde hair that could charitably be described as 'a little unruly'. Generally, the look I'm aiming for is Bardot-esque smooth and straight. More often than not (especially of there's even a chance of wind or rain) the look I actually achieve is Worzel Gummidge after horrible electrocution incident. I seem to spend a small fortune on various haircare products and although I will gladly skip onto the bandwagon of a new product, I do seem to keep returning to Garnier Fructis as my choice of shampoo and conditioner.

I had been using the sleek & shine range of shampoos and conditioners separately quite contentedly before spotting the 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner for normal hair. Thinking it might save me time I decided to give it a try. My bottle cost £1.99 in Boots for 250ml, which is reasonably pricey, but still substantially cheaper then Nicky Clarke or John Frieda versions. The bottle is green with a flip top lid and has the Garnier Fructis logo and '2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner' on the front. Also this is where Garnier feel the need to share that this has 'Active Fruit Concentrate. Hmmm, better than 'lazy' Fruit Concentrate I suppose. Down at the bottom it informs us that this is for normal hair. Well, on a bad day, my hair can be an amusing and entertaining combination of wavy, curly, frizzy and straight, but the promises of B vitamins and 'smoothing' ingredients persuaded me to buy it (I'm an advertiser's dream).

Handily, the bottle will stand upside down which is a good thing for all the skint people like me who like to eke every last drop out of a bottle before making the long trek to the supermarket to part with yet more hard earned cash (you're feeling sorry for me now aren't you? Cheques are always welcome. Make it payable to Fiona and I'll do the rest - every little helps!). On the back of the bottle there's quite a bit of blurb, a claim to nourish the hair from the root, strengthen and smooth it and a startlingly long list of ingredients. However, you'll just have to take my word on this, as to type it all out is just soul destroying and in all probability, a bit dull to read. Entertainingly, there are also 'directions' and a handy helpline number. Now, without intending to offend any amongst you, I can't help but feel that if you need the advice of the 'Garnier Fructis helpline' whilst shampooing, independent hair-washing may perhaps be a bridge too far for you. Although, there is a certain appeal to phoning the number and pretending to have a panic attack…….'Hello? Garnier? I need help!….Well, I've lathered - but I'm b*ggered if I know what it is I'm supposed to do next…' Anyway, I digress.

The smell is pleasant - not unlike grapefruit and apples without being overpowering or lingering. The shampoo and conditioner itself is thick, white and easily dispensed. For my long hair I use about a palmful of the stuff, and it foams up quickly and easily to create a thick, bubbly lather that cleanses well and is easily rinsed off. I find that two applications leave my hair really clean. So far my bottle has lasted 2 weeks (I wash my hair every two days or so) and there's about another 2 washes left in it.

This product, whilst reasonably effective, does not function as well as a 2 in 1 as I might have hoped. As a shampoo it is great, cleaning hair quickly and effectively without leaving residue, but as a conditioner I find that my hair remains a bit dry and tangled after using this and inevitably I still have to dollop an extra little bit of the Fructis sleek & shine conditioner onto the ends of my hair in order to be able to comb it without tears coming into my eyes.

And what of the many claims that Garnier make about strengthening and smoothing hair from root to tip? Well, after a couple of washes my hair was definitely a bit less frizzy and easier to manage when blow drying or straightening. However, if you buy this expecting a miracle solution you may well be disappointed. It will leave your hair a bit smoother and more manageable but I found that reasonably intensive use of both hairdryer and straighteners was required (I am aware that this is probably what caused the frizzy problem in the first place, but what can I say? I'm a girl who likes to avoid learning from her mistakes wherever possible) to get the kind of sleek slinkiness that I demand.

I'm recommending it as because it's fine as a quick fix when you're in a hurry, but you will get better results from using the shampoo and conditioner as separate products.

For further info (or if you do happen to fall into the category of people who really, really want to wash their hair but are a bit unsure as to how exactly to go about it) contact 0845-399-0104 (UK); 1850-604-104 (Eire)


(Also posted on Ciao by me)

Summary: Pleasantly scented 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner