Beauty & Fashion 

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Beauty box: 10 shampoos put to the test

Shampoo buyers usually fall into one of two camps: they revel in luxurious products that are beautifully packaged and smell glorious (yes, they actually open the cap and take a whiff mid-aisle). Or, they grab the first bottle off the shelf without considering the brand – as long as it costs under £3. Which type are you? iVillage staffers chose a variety of the most popular brands and tested them head-to-head. Here’s how the various shampoos shook out, taking into account such qualities as lather potential, scent and how well they cleaned.

1. Origins Clear Head Mint Shampoo (£8.50 for 250ml). This product is great for every day use (the label even says so). I felt like it got my hair really clean – it washed away all product residue and had a nice, mild tingling effect. Don’t get it in your eyes, though, as it has the same result. This shampoo smelled good enough to eat, and I was intrigued by the exotic ingredients listed on the label: Brazilian mint, spearmint and mentha piperita. The minty freshness is a definite plus when you need some extra motivation waking up in the morning.

2. Botanics Normal Shampoo (£2.99 for 250ml). This shampoo had a soft and smooth consistency. It was quite herby – ingredients included plant extracts and fennel seeds, which smelled gorgeous. I did need to use quite a bit to lather up properly, but I do have long hair. One wash was sufficient to make my hair feel squeaky clean, and it didn’t dry out or strip my hair so I didn’t need a conditioner. It was also quite fresh and light and didn’t leave any build up. I’d buy this shampoo again – it smelled brilliant and made my hair shiny and clean. Plus, it’s not too expensive.

3. Clarins Re-Vital Shampoo for frequent use (£9.50 for 200 ml). This shampoo was coloured so it looked more like a conditioner. I really liked the way it smelled, which was similar to the posh products they use on you in the salon. One wash was enough, and I only had to use a small amount to get a lather going. When I used it the first time it got my hair that really squeaky, intense kind of clean where you can’t get your fingers through it. I suppose that was because it was getting rid of the build up from my old shampoo. I definitely needed conditioner, but I didn’t mind because my hair felt so clean. I would buy this product again, but it’s a bit too pricey.

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