Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo

I have hair which, depending on my mood, ranges from just below my shoulders to down at my waist. I cut it every few years to donate the excess to Locks of Love, and then start growing it again. With my hair usually being "long" (and sometimes being "too long"), I get a lot of experience with how well a shampoo holds up.

I've found that Garnier Fructis is rather good for many reasons. It is nice and thick, which means when I put it on my long hair, it stays put - it doesn't immediately drip and slide off the hair. It lets me build up a good lather, to get in between all the layers and reach the lower levels of the hair. Also, it rinses pretty easily, without leaving a noticeable buildup. That really is the key for a shampoo. I use a separate conditioner, and I want the shampoo to do its job - clean off all the dirt and dust from the day, and leave the hair clean and ready to take on the conditioning step.

I'm not sure that I can really comment on any aroma. It's not noticeable, and it's certainly not "bad" in any way. I don't notice it enough to say that it's wonderful, but really, I'm not too worried about how my shampoo smells. After all, it rinses away after a few minutes. If I'm concerned about how a hair product smells, it would be the conditioner, since that is what stays much more "on" the hair for the rest of the day.

Price-wise, you can get 13oz of Garnier Fructus for about $5.75 depending on where you shop. This is of course more expensive than some and less expensive than others. I tend to be frugal, but on the other hand, hair is a "dead thing". It can't heal and get better. If I have mid-back length hair, those hair strands are about 2-3 years old and only look good if I've been caring properly for them during that time. If I treat them poorly, they will snap and now I'll have straggly short hair. So it's worth it to take reasonably good care of your hair, if you want it to look nice.

My only real complaint with Garnier Fructis is with their travel size bottles. These little bottles have twist-tops which are a ROYAL pain to get off. Yes, I realize that the review is for the large size bottle - but if I get myself fond of this shampoo, and then bring along trial sizes for when I go on trips, now my "addiction" to this shampoo makes me curse in frustration as I struggle with the trial sized versions. Note to fans - avoid those trial sized Garnier bottles. If you're going on a trip, get generic little plastic bottles with better tops and simply pour your large container's shampoo into them.

Well recommended.

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