The solid shampoo offer is widening, both in supermarkets and in specialised shops: Less plastic, less waste, more economical because the product lasts longer.... But beware of green washing. 

Brands are running toward the trend of "clean beauty", "safe" and "natural", but you have to read the labels carefully! 

Many independent brands are flourishing on the internet with large marketing budgets, but behind the packaging it’s very often a white label formula. The reason? Most of these shampoos come from a single manufacturer, offering a very inflexible formulas, based on SCI + hydrogenated oil, with only one marketing ingredient to differentiate their offer. 

Organic shampoos are mostly based on sulphated surfactants, which are irritating to the scalp.

If one of these shampoos disappoints you, you can be sure that the others will too... with exception of a few brands! In this article we will focus on two best-sellers, whose formulas really differ. Garnier solid shampoo, found in supermarkets, and Fossette Paris solid shampoo, sold online on the Fossette website, and in specialised shops.

All about Fossette Paris

Fossette Paris is a French brand committed to a mission: To bring solid skincare to an uncompromisingly high standard - not only zero plastic but more pure and effective than liquids and other solids.

18 months of R&D were necessary for the brand to arrive at an exclusive formula using an innovative manufacturing method  which allows great flexibility in the ingredients.

A little extra: Fossette offers, to accompany its range, beautiful and intelligent accessories that facilitate the transition to solids.

The result: 100% of users (selected by an independent laboratory) appreciate the pleasure of use, the softness and shine of their hair. It is suitable for all hair types and sensitive scalps.

Fossette has succeeded in combining naturalness and efficiency, rich generous foam and softness.

Advantages and disadvantages of Fossette Paris solid shampoo

Offer side: A single shampoo, Parfait shampoo, for all hair types. And the result is there. Back to basics - the key is to take care of the health of your hair and scalp.

The formula: an interesting balance of a gentle, sulphate-free surfactant (washing and foaming agent), SCI, combined with co-surfactants of natural origin to bring softness to the formula and respect the scalp, even if it is sensitive, without diminishing the pleasure of the lather, which is generous and rich.

Certified organic and French sunflower oil and linseed oil, known for their virtues on both the scalp and the hair fibre, complete the formula.

A 100% natural fragrance, free of essential oils and allergens, deserves to be highlighted.

Packaging: The packaging is eco-responsible with 100% compostable packs in home composts. Soy inks and vegetal coating which is really an innovation for consumer packaging

Price: To combine softness, efficiency and naturalness, the manufacturing method used for Fossette solid shampoo is 2 to 3 times more expensive than the traditional method and its ingredients are of high quality, organic and French. Fossette solid shampoo is therefore also more expensive! Count 14,90 euros for a shampoo equivalent to 2 bottles of 200 ml of liquid shampoo.

All about Garnier

Garnier is a historic French player in the supermarket shampoo market with 16 brands. This represents a multitude of products for all needs.

This conventional cosmetics brand has also taken the solid turn by using a classic manufacturing process similar to most of the solid shampoo market. So there are no surprises in the formulas.

The result: shampoos that lather, various fragrances, but formulas that are not innovative and not very clean.

Advantages and disadvantages of Garnier solid shampoo

On the offer side: Garnier has reformulated its entire Garnier liquid shampoo offer in solid shampoo format, which leaves a wide choice for the consumer who will find the codes of the conventional liquid offer for his Garnier solid shampoo: Apricot and Cotton Flower, Honey Treasure, Oat Delicacy, Chamomile and Flower Honey. Here we analyze the formula of Garnier's solid shampoo for delicate hair. 

Formula: A high concentration of surfactant which allows for this abundant lather, but which can cause irritation to the scalp over time.

A sulphate compound (sodium coco-sulphate) in the formula, also drying and irritating.

A quaternary ammonium (hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride) which is a conditioning agent and is there to facilitate styling. This ingredient is not very good for both health and the environment.

An inexpensive hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is of little interest in terms of benefits for the hair, is the majority of the ingredients of vegetable origin, to give the solid shampoo hold while lowering its cost price.

Many allergens make Garnier solid shampoo unsuitable for sensitive scalps.

Packaging: It is recycled and recyclable but we all know that the recycling chain is not always optimal....  An appreciable and necessary eco-responsibility effort for a manufacturer that sells an astronomical quantity of plastic bottles every day.

Price: A low-cost manufacturing method and ingredients for a 4.90 euro shampoo

The final match:

Fossette Paris solid shampoo wins hands down the match on formula quality: Gentle and respectful of the scalp, even sensitive, a shampoo suitable for all hair types, noble ingredients, with a generous beautiful lather to match.

Finally, the effectiveness of the shampoo has been proven by clinical tests under dermatological control, which show that the hair is soft, shiny and does not re-grease as quickly.

The same goes for eco-responsibility, where Fossette Paris wins with a pack that can be composted at home. 

Garnier's solid shampoo wins the match in terms of price: 4.90 euros, a product that lathers and smells good, to satisfy all budgets and facilitate the transition to a more eco-responsible mode, without plastic, for scalps and hair that can handle potentially drying, harmful or irritating ingredients.