Budget Friendly Haircare By Wilkinson - Part 1 - Shampoo and Conditioner

I'm going to start this post on a slightly controversial note, but I am sick to death of standing or sitting next to people in shops, the post office or even in the doctors surgery who don't seem to understand the concept of washing their hair. Hair when it's dirty does not smell good, and standing next to people with greasy, smoky and dirty smelling hair quite frankly makes me feel quite ill. Yes I know times are hard at the moment but basic personal hygiene doesn't need to be expensive, the cheapest bottle of shampoo I've seen is just 20p !!

Whilst I don't think I personally would purchase a 20p bottle of shampoo, I am certainly not a haircare snob by any means. Have a look through mine and Mummy Lou's bathroom, and you'll fine hair products from brands as diverse as Ojon, Liz Earle, and The Body Shop, to L'Oreal, Aussie, and Wilkinson. Yes Wilkinson, quite a while ago now, I was sent a huge parcel full of Wilkinson's beauty products to try out. I reviewed the Skin Therapy Toner and then I kind of forgot about the rest - bad blogger - slaps wrists! Never mind I'm making a huge effort to tackle my box of PR samples, so over the past month I've been trying out a shampoo and conditioner from the stores Wilko label. They produce quite a few shampoos and conditioners depending on your hair type and your hair concerns but I was sent two products from the Shimmer range, which promises radiant shine.

Wilko Fruity Tropical Shampoo - Shimmer

The first thing I noticed about this shampoo is the packaging. It's basic and practical and has an curvy ergonomic design which means it fits perfectly and securely in your hand.

The bottle has a flip top cap and the product dispenses easily in to your hand. The shampoo itself is transparent with just a hint of pale blue coming through - it has a runny texture and feel which does mean that you do tend to dispense a little bit too much.

The minute the shampoo leaves the bottle though you experience the smell, OMG this shampoo smells amazing. It smells exactly like a tropical fruit cocktail and contains aromas of melon, strawberry, nectarine and pineapple, if this was cocktail or a glass of juice I would have no hesitation in drinking pints, it really smells mouthwatering.

The shampoo as you would expect does contain sodium laureth sulfate, so if your allergic or it causes reactions I would stay clear. Given the inclusion of SLS this shampoo foam up really, really well, you only need a small amount to produce sufficient foam to clean your hair. It rinses out really easily and your hair is left clean and smelling gorgeous, and surprisingly enough soft and smooth but not stripped or dry. I couldn't see much improvement in shine but this was a decent shampoo that really surprised me. The Wilko Fruity Tropical Shampoo Shimmer retails at around £1.48 for a massive 400ml from Wilkinson stores and Wilkinson online.

Wilko Fruity Tropical Conditioner - Shimmer

With every shampoo, you usually get a matching conditioner, and I was kindly sent the matching conditioner. In the same packaging but reversed, the lid of the shampoo bottle is on the top, and the one for the conditioner is on the bottom.

The conditioner is light blue in colour and has a creamy, gel like texture. It has a similar aroma to the shampoo, but it isn't quite as strong, and it does have a little bit more of a synthetic smell.

This conditioner contains coconut oil to help leave the hair soft and manageable, and to moisturise the scalp. I used it in the normal way after shampooing and rinsing my hair and towel drying. It spread easily through the hair and it rinses away really easily too. My hair was left soft and detangled but again I didn't see any real difference in the shine. Again this was a decent product, it you have super dry hair then maybe this wouldn't be quite enough but for a basic conditioner for everyday or every hair wash use this did the job. The Wilko Fruity Tropical Conditioner Shimmer retails at £1.48 from 400ml again from Wilkinson stores and online.

I have to say this range really surprised me, whilst you aren't getting super natural or technical ingredients what you are getting is good basic, and pocket friendly haircare regime. This Wilko's fruit range contains shampoos, conditioners and shine / conditioner sprays tailored towards your hair type, all for just £1.48 each. Better still though the products are currently on offer at just £2.00 for two items, I don't know if this is in store but it's definitely online, oh and spot the difference

I guess you can tell where Wilkinson got their inspiration from,  Herbal Essence bottles are nearly identical in shape, and their themes and products are pretty similar. If you like Herbal Essences though these are nearly £2 cheaper and are very similar quality wise.

If your interested in more budget haircare products from Wilkinson, keep an eye out for part 2 of this post which should be up in a few weeks, this post though will focus on styling products. In the meantime though let me know what you think of budget haircare products, and if you have any recommendations and I'll see you tomorrow for a very exciting Foodie Friday recipe xx

(Both Products Were Provided For Review Purposes)