My hairdresser, Jermaine, is a tactful soul. The last time he sheared and highlighted me, he casually asked what type of shampoo and conditioner I was using and went on to suggest I might consider trying Kerastase or Redken. I am a bit of a slouch when it comes to my tresses and don’t often go in for lots of conditioning and such and, although I have made occasional sorties into the land of posh hair preparations, I usually stick to the more affordable alternatives. But this was obviously Jermaine’s way of telling me that my hair not in the best of shape and, as I was so pleased with his last recommendation for Tigi Small Talk (as previously reviewed) I decided to spend a few precious pennies on some more upmarket potions.

I went for Redken because the name amused me. I guess I am still a political animal although I long since gave up any such affiliations but this name immediately conjures up thoughts of Mr Livingstone, the ex Mayor of London, who is no longer the most hirsute individual! Meandering through my mind came the thought that the range should be renamed and relaunched as Blue Boris but considering the untamed mane of that individual maybe it would not be the best marketing strategy!

Unfortunately those against animal testing will not welcome the L’Oreal connection. The credentials of that organisation in this respect are not the best but the subject is contentious and the present situation, none too clear. Suffice it to say that Redken products used to have the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) stamp of approval but it was withdrawn when they were acquired by L’Oreal. I was unaware of this connection when I bought my Redken stash so I can truly claim ignorance which, of course, can be bliss especially when it comes to matters of conscience!

Having looked at the various ranges available, I decided Body Full was the one for me because it is billed as providing “anti-gravity volume to normal /fine hair for long-lasting fullness, style and shine.” The only off putting element in the description was the “anti-gravity” credential. I wonder where the pundits come up with such ridiculous specifications. I have visions of struggling to keep my feet on the ground as my up-ended hair pulls me skywards! Nevertheless, spurred on by my confidence in Jermaine, I proceeded to order from the cheapest online source I could find which was feelunique.com.

REDKEN – Body Full – Shampoo

I had no plans to go out on Friday so I decided I was safe to use the shampoo alone without the addition of any artificial styling aids. I had already used it in combination with the other products from the range but this going solo was to be a real acid test. Having combed my hair thoroughly as it has a tendency to tangle, I wet my extremely fine (as in thin, not as in splendid) hair thoroughly during my usual shower routine and massage the clear liquid into my hair. It does not take much to lather up quite well. There is a scent which is difficult to describe. It’s not fruity or flowery, just slightly sweet and clean. In fact, if anything, it reminds me of the old style plain washing up liquids in the days before they added extra more exotic “flavours”!

When I came to comb my hair through it was rather tangly in parts. However this is normal with me even directly after having a good cut it seems to be so fine it gets all interwoven after shampooing. And of course I had not used any conditioner.

The next morning my hair was not in the best of shape but then it rarely is and there was a slight greasiness at the roots but it was only evident on close inspection. As I was doing nothing extra special I decided not to wash it again and managed to tong it into a reasonable shape which stayed in place with a little dose of Elnette. By the third day (today!), it was definitely greasy, my scalp was slightly itchy and I would not have got away with another day without shampooing.