Neutrogena T/Gel 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo Plus Conditioner

RRP: from £4.39 for 125ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Neutrogena T/Gel Shampoo Dry Hair cleans, softens, and conditions dry hair while also bringing immediate relief to the problem of itching and flaking scalps.

Dandruff can be a persistent problem for people with dry skin on their scalps. This shampoo contains salicylic acid, which breaks down and clears the flaking skin build up on the scalp, and also piroctone olamine, which is an antifungal that helps to manage the condition.

It is formulated to relieve the irritation that is often associated with dry hair and dandruff, but is gentle enough to be used daily as part of your normal cleansing routine. It forms a rich lather that helps to soothe and protect the skin on the scalp from drying out.

The added conditioners contained in this shampoo will leave your hair feeling cleaner, softer, and healthier, without drying it out."

--Packaging--

The clear pale yellow of the gel, visible through the see-through bottle and cut-out in the box, along with the baby blue of the box and writing on the plastic bottle, offers a calming influence, compounding the suggestion in the promotional material that irritation will be soothed and eradicated. Simply push the plastic disc at the top of the bottle cap down to reveal a small aperture; when you squeeze the bottle, the gel is dispensed in a very controlled way, reducing wastage.

--Application--

Lather into wet hair, then rinse. As this is a 2-in-1 product there is no need for a separate conditioner.

--Appearance--

Even though the gel is pale yellow, no visible residue is left. It lathers into a luxurious white foam.

--Scent--

Arguably clinical - those looking for richly scented hair products will definitely want to look elsewhere. However, Neutrogena's emphasis is on efficacy, not on a sensory experience.

--Texture and consistency--

The gel is smooth and lathers up abundantly into a rich foam, which rinses out easily when you need it to.

--Effects on the hair--

I noticed a reduction in dead skin flakes and hair was left feeling clean and soft for a number of days after use. However, I wouldn't say I felt I could wash my hair less frequently than usual (every 2-3 days), although the product never claims to reduce time between washes.

--Value for money--

At £4.39 for 125ml, this isn't the cheapest shampoo on the market. It's difficult to make comparisons at the 125ml level since quite simply not many brands make shampoo bottles this size. 250ml is much more common, and as Neutrogena offers this product in this size as well, it's easier to compare on this basis. It's fair to say, then, that this shampoo competes well in price with other leading brands, including TIGI, Schwarzkopf, Wella, Mark Hill, and Toni & Guy. It also is at roughly the same price as Eucerin's specialist shampoos. I was sent mine for free by Neutrogena's PR, but would purchase again given the travel-friendly size (albeit not for hand-baggage-only travel) and proven effects on the hair.

Lush Godiva Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Bar

RRP: £5.50/55 grams

--What does the promo say?--
"Sexy, jasmine-scented, two-in-one Shampoo (and conditioner) Bar. Shea and cocoa butters moisturise dehydrated hair. Smoothing, shine-inducing camellia oil makes hair manageable."

--Packaging--
Comes wrapped in paper, but you can buy a tin to transport it in for when you start to use it. I understand that the bar shapes and sizes vary marginally, but mine didn't fit in the solid shampoo tin, so I used an old Lush tin that was bigger and squarer. You may be luckier though.

--Application and usage--
Rub the bar in wet hands until a lather builds up and then spread this lather onto your wet hair. Massage into hair and then rinse out.

--Appearance--
While the bar is a honey yellow colour, the lather itself is white and no visible residue is left on the hair after use. There are also a few jasmine flowers in there, and sometimes there are a few yellow lumps visible as well.

--Scent--
Not sure if I could really smell the jasmine - a few times, though, my fiancé has commented that my hair smells like petrol after I've used it (!)...not a good sign...

--Texture and consistency--
Disregarding the jasmine flowers and occasional yellow crystals/lumps that are present in the bar (which sort of fall away anyway rather than getting stuck in your hair), the lather is smooth and easy to rinse and the bar is easy to lather and manipulate. The bar holds its shape quite well before beginning to go a bit mushy. However, when this happens, the paste that is left behind is easy to massage through hair and to create a lather with, and for any especially stubborn lumps that are left in the tin, a dash of water turns it into said paste and makes it usable again (in fact, quite a few Lush products can be rescued in this way).

--Effects on hair--
The scent, as noted, is perhaps not always positive; I also can't say I saw any increase in shine. However, hair was made smoother and more manageable (albeit not 100%; it lacked the wow-factor I was looking for). Ultimately, though, hair is clean and easy to style after use.

--Value for money--
Excellent - I bought this for use on holidays to try to weasel out of the baggage restrictions on liquids that are imposed by airlines, and it's got me through about a year's worth of holidays (I holiday for about 12 weeks a year). The fact that it's a shampoo and conditioner in one means that this is also a favourable aspect of the product, helping you to cut down on your packing. Unfortunately, it's the only hard 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner available, meaning that if you don't like Godiva, you have to either have a hard shampoo + an extra liquid conditioner, a hard shampoo + the only hard conditioner available (Jungle), or ditch the conditioner altogether. If you do like Godiva, however, then life's pretty sweet - it's perfect for travel.

perfect partner
Solid Shampoo Tin, £2.50 (or free with 2 shampoo bars)