This shampoo is for everyday consumers dealing with weak, brittle or breakage-prone hair - hair that snaps rather than stretches - rather than for already-strong or chemically virgin hair. It's marketed for all hair types, for both men and women, and for regular use rather than as an occasional treatment.

It's a cleansing step, not a leave-in treatment, so anyone wanting a fuller repair routine should pair it with the matching Elasticate conditioner, which carries the same protein complex.

The case for this shampoo over a plain sulfate shampoo is the protein-and-elastin complex doing real work on hair elasticity while it cleanses. Hydrolyzed wheat protein, soy protein and keratin are all recognized for temporarily reinforcing the hair shaft, so swapping in this shampoo is worthwhile specifically for hair that's snapping or losing bounce - it's less useful for hair that isn't experiencing breakage, where a shampoo chosen for scalp or colour-care needs would be a better fit.

Use in place of a regular shampoo, on wet hair.

1. Wet hair thoroughly with warm water.
2. Apply shampoo to the scalp and massage in.
3. Rinse thoroughly.
4. Follow with Bed Head Elasticate Strengthening Conditioner, left on for 1-2 minutes, then rinsed out.

Pros:

• The protein complex (wheat, soy, keratin, elastin) targets the elasticity/breakage concern the product is sold for, rather than just cleansing.
• Kiwi fruit extract gives it a genuinely fruity scent instead of a generic 'clean' fragrance.
• The sulfate-based formula lathers and rinses cleanly, which some users prone to product buildup prefer over sulfate-free cleansers.

Cons:

• It is not actually sulfate-free, despite that claim appearing on some third-party retail listings - it contains sodium laureth sulfate and TEA-dodecylbenzenesulfonate, which can be more stripping on colour-treated or very porous hair than a sulfate-free cleanser.
• It contains synthetic colorants (including CI 42090, CI 17200, CI 19140) that some sensitive-scalp users prefer to avoid.
• Used alone it only partially addresses breakage - the brand pairs it with a matching conditioner for the full effect.