Avon Naturals Energising Ginger and Mango 2 in 1 shampoo & conditioner

*** What it is ***

I purchase the larger 750ml bottles of this product when it is on offer, so as well as its shampoo qualities, I'm also reviewing the cost-effectiveness of this larger bottle!

This Avon product is a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, suitable for all hair types. This product is part of Avon's Naturals range and it offers the essences of mango and ginger whose properties help the product to not only "cleanse and revitalise" your hair, but also to smell pretty darn good too!

The bottle is a sensible design, particularly given that the 750ml bottle's a large one. Heftier around the bottom then tapering in upwards towards the top, the bottle (not me!) then has a flat top so that you can stand it on its top as needed for getting the ends of the bottle out - maximising value and minimising waste! The opening is a flip top and there's a surprisingly small hole through which to squeeze the product onto your hand.

The scent of the product is more mango than ginger, in my opinion, there's a real fruitiness but with just a hint of the warmth of the ginger, both when you smell the bottle and when it goes on your hair.

*** What it does ***

The combination of shampoo and conditioner in this 2in1 seems to work very well - you get the lather that you would want from a shampoo, to give that fresh clean-hair feeling, but you also get a surprising amount of conditioning.

With other brands of 2in1 I have often had to put on additional conditioner in order to be able to get a comb through my hair afterwards and although I don't get that sleek and 'conditioned' hair feeling with this product when I rinse (my hair still feels a bit coarse and tangled to touch) - however, in reality there are few tangles at all and I can comb my hair through without tangles or knots, making this one of the very few 2in1s that do not require additional conditioner for me!

The bottle says that after lathering and rinsing once, you can repeat as required, but I have never had to repeat as one lather session seems more than sufficient (my hair is shoulder-length).

The scent of this product makes it a very pleasant one to shampoo with, but does not necessarily linger much once your hair is dry, if you use a hairdryer. If hair is left to dry naturally, I feel that the scent does last a little longer.

*** What's to love? ***

* This large sized bottle lasts for ages. What's more, this large size is regularly on offer in Avon campaigns and if you can buy it then it is exceptional value for money - literally pennies per use if, like me, you don't need a second lather session and you don't need to add any extra conditioning treatments.

* Remember that smallish hole for squeezing the product through? I love that it's size means that it's virtually impossible to accidentally get too much out, so there's no product waste - ideal for kids if they want to squeeze out their own (although this large bottle might be too much for little hands to hold - see below)!

* As well as there being no waste when pouring, the whole packaging and product image is minimalist - all functional but no frills. Being part of the Avon Naturals range, this adds to the sense of there being less waste environmentally, as well as to your purse. The bottle is recyclable!

*** Quirks and quibbles? ***

* Although I love the large sized bottle from a value perspective, there are times when it is just too much. When the bottle's new, it can actually be quite heavy and bulky to use if you have small hands or weak bones, so although it's a family sized bottle, it might be hard for independently washing children (aka: "I wanna do it myself, mum!") to manage a full bottle. That said, if your child is using the bottle, they are not likely to waste any because of that little pouring hole and the fact that smaller hands can't easily over-squeeze this shampoo out!

* Likewise, although 2in1s are great for those after-swimming quick showers, this large sized bottle isn't exactly easy to cart around in your swimming bag, so if you like the product you'd probably be better off with the smaller sized bottle (250 ml) if you want to it for post-sporting showers!

* Finally, although it has the flat cap for turning upside down when the bottle's nearly done, the fact that the bottle's so much wider around the base (which becomes the top when turned upside down), the bottle becomes not so much top-heavy as bottom-light, meaning that it is very easy to knock over. Of course the flip top opening prevents spills, but it's frustrating to leave the bottle 'draining' and then find that the slightest breeze in the bathroom has knocked the bottle over so you have to start again!

So there we have it, a good all-round buy really! I only buy this large size when it's on offer and I do find it to be excellent value for money that way. It does exactly what is needed, clean and fresh hair and good value for your purse and (to some extent) for the planet too!