I had been using Loreal's Elvive Colour Protect range with good results until on a recent shop the store was out of stock. The closest replacement I could find was this 'Re-Nutrition Nourishing' shampoo from the same brand. It is aimed at people with dry or thirsty hair and promises to 'intensely nourish and replenish elasticity' to restore your hair to a 'bouncy, silky' state.

My particular hair type is very dry, coloured and bleached and naturally wavy which tends to make it a bit coarse and/or flyaway. I always seek out moisture giving shampoos and conditioners and those with specific claims about making over-processed or chemically battered hair into soft flowing tresses again. The big claim connected to this particular shampoo is that it contains a royal jelly extract. This is a substance created by bees and fed to the Queen bee as a source of intense nourishment. It is rich in B-vitamins and special proteins and amino acids which have health benefits. The B-vitamin group are actually often used in hair and nail supplements.

I was quite interested in how the royal jelly might affect the condition of my hair but after reading the ingredients I noticed that the 'jelly extract' is listed second last in a list that is written in order of quantity. This made me doubt it's potency somewhat.

The product comes in either a 250ml or 400ml sized bottle. It is distinguished from other Elvive products by it's white and yellow design. The bottle has an easy to use flip lid (no problems even with wet hands) which can be replaced securely after use. The shampoo is rich and thick and honey-like in consistency. It flows slowly rather like set-honey and it is the same corn-yellow colour too. I need about two fifty pence piece size dollops for my waist long hair. It is easy to work through the hair and the lather feels creamy and luxurious. The aroma is very soapy with a sugary undertone. It is a nice smell that makes me feel like this shampoo is a treat and it is not overpowering.

The shampoo suds are easy to rinse out and leaves the wet hair feeling soft and not too stripped of oils. It is not one of those shampoos that will leave your hair squeaking as you rinse it! There is a complimentary conditioner in the range that you can apply if you desire.

When combing through my damp hair I can still smell the lovely, treacley fragrance of the shampoo. I feel like when my hair is towel dry that it is strong enough to comb through and style. I have noticed that after using this shampoo my hair doesn't pull like elastic when I'm combing it.

When dry my hair feels stronger and softer and looks full and healthy. It looks reasonably shiny - I wouldn't say as much as some other shampoos I've used but it's acceptable. The best thing about the result is the manageability of my hair though. It is easy to brush and style and doesn't feel like it's been robbed of it's natural oils.

Another benefit of this shampoo is that it seems to be quite soothing on the scalp and seems to treat hair gently. I recently had a horrible highlighting accident and frazzled my hair and burned my scalp (that'll teach me no to use home dye kits!). This was the shampoo I reached for to ease me through the re-growth! It helped soothe my head and really seemed to give my dry, burned up hair a kind of healing balm!

I'm very happy with this shampoo and intend to keep using it in the future. I'd reccomend anyone whose hair needs a good long drink to try some of this this. If this shampoo can help MY ultra-parched locks then it can help anyone! The product is available at most supermarkets and chemists and is reasonably priced - mid-range, I'd say, at around £2.25 to 3.40 for the normal and larger bottles.