This is what evil smells like! (Neutrogena Clean Replenishing Shampoo)

Member Name: pussycat

Product:	Neutrogena Clean Replenishing Shampoo
Date:	16/01/01 (288 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great conditioner, shampoo might come in useful for washing the horses

Disadvantages: Smells evil, leaves hair extremely dry

I have heard from many sources that it is not a good idea to keep on using the same shampoo because it builds up a residue on your hair and become less effective at getting your hair clean. Becuase of this, I make sure that I buy a range of different shampoo and swap between brands regularly. I have two or three 'tried and trusted' shampoos that I use regularly but am always on the look out for new products to try. Not only does this mean that I change my shampoo regularly but that I can take advantage of the 'buy one get one free' offers in the supermarket - a real benefit of having no brand loyalty.

This was how I came to try the Neutrogena Clean shampoo and conditioner. It was new, it was a well known brand and, best of all, it was two for the price of one.

My husband used the shampoo before I did and didn't tell me that he had borrowed it. I was slightly puzzled by how strange he smelt so had a sniff of his hair and it was unbelievably unpleasant. I asked him what on earth he had put on his hair and was really surprised to find that it was my new shampoo that was making such a pong. It was a very strong chemical smell that actually reminded me of the medicated shampoo that you use on horses if they get a skin infection. At the time, my husband was wearing Cool Water aftershave which has quite a distinctive (but lovely) smell so I thought that perhaps that it was just that the two smells didn't combine together well.

So I took the risk and used the Neutrogena shampoo the next day. It didn't smell too bad going on and it made a pretty good lather and seemed to wash my hair thorougly. How thorougly only became apparent after my hari was dry. It was like straw - there was no moisture left in my hair at all. It wasn't just clean - it was stripped of all its natural oils to become this strange sticking out hay on top of my head. And, yes, it smelt disgusting.

I don't know why all
the shampoos that I use that have really lovely smells fade within the hour but this insult to the nostrils stayed with me all day. I had to put my hair up so that it wasn't hanging round my face in an effort to escape the smell.

Needless to say, the bottle is now gathering dust on the bathroom shelf.

The strange this is that the conditioner is lovely. Matching shampoo and conditioner usually smell the same but these couldn't be more different. The conditioner has a light, slightly spicy smell which isn't at all unpleasant. More than that, the conditioner is really thick and moisturising (I suppose it would have to be if you used it after that hair stripper that they call shampoo). In terms of how soft and tangle-free my hair is, this conditioner beats all but one of the conditioners that I use regularly.

In summary, the shampoo is to be avoided at all costs. It left my hair dried out and smelling disgusting. The conditioner, however, is well worth a try. Not a bad smell and it makes my hair really soft and manageable. Perhaps if I used the two together, the benefits of the conditioner would make up for the disadvantages of the shampoo. But the shampoo was so bad that I'm not prepared to risk it.

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