Hi Fodorites,

Well, this really isn't only for women, but men probably couldn't care less about this. It also isn't an important discussion. My husband and I are leaving for the airport for a flight to France in 45 minutes. We'll have a computer, so I'll be able to check out any answers.

Every year when we travel to Europe, I debate how to take shamoo and conditioner. I have color treated hair, which is fine and diifficult and find that hotel shampoos often aren't adequate. So, I pack what I need for the holiday. My husband is happy with any shampoo- he doesn't get it. My question is where one can buy salon -like products and do any of you recommend a particualr brand? We'll be Languedoc and western Provence.

As I said, not a serious problem, but one I thought about a few minutes ago as I getting ready for our flight.

Thanks,

Margret

I like Rene Furtere's Okara line. Sold at Sephora and many pharmacies.
http://www.sephora.com/browse/brand_...l?brandId=4138

L'Occitane products are very good and available throughout France. Until they opened a branch in my hometown, I stocked up when I went to Paris. They do a good colour-protective line, but the name slips my mind...

Last year I discovered Nivea's cashmere conditioner and just love it.

I use the Paul Mitchell color protective line, so usually bring a small bottle of shampoo with me. But I love the Keratase line, which seems you can only get in salons in France.

bon Voyage Marge and Larry!!

Kerastase is very good - I wouldn't buy the colour treated range though (pink bottles) as the dry and damaged hair ranges (yellow and green respectively) are far better.

Any salon which uses the Keratase line will sell you a bottle even if you don't have your hair done there.
I am not sure how long you are away for but if you can find a drugstore (or supermarket) you will find many brands are the same as in the US. If you are only away for a short time then I would choose a name you recognise and their colour protect range. Look for John Frieda maybe if you want a slightly classier product.

Have a great trip.

Men at my age are very grateful to still be purchasing shampoos and perhaps an occasional conditioner. Personally I like Klorane products - a brand usually available only at pharmacies and one which I can recommend with great confidence.

I use Lazartigue shampoo for fine hair; I can find it in a few places here at home, and I have bought it at Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

Wella is available for retail sale in French salons. I was
so happy w/their products I'm using them here.

Oh, just go to the supermarket and stop obsessing.

I like the Phytotherapie line. It is available also in the States, but is one of the few things that is still cheaper in France.

Here at <i>La Maison Rose</i> in Montblanc (Herrault, Languedoc/Roussillon), we have a really nice high-speed internet connection for our netbook. However, after 19 hours of traveling (some of it just sitting around, of course), and a great dinner with a good deal of local wine, Margie has now fallen asleep.

She was delighted to see the number of responses to this thread. But while I was doing something else with the computer, she lay down on the bed, and, jet-lagged, nodded off. But I'm sure she'll consider all your advice tomorrow. Cigale - greetings from France!

Kerouac, there was once a wonderful <i>Zits!</i> comic strip in which a girl was complaining that her mother didn't allow her to have any more than 25 hair-care products at a time. "Hair care is an art," she said, "I need all those products to express myself."

She then looked at her boyfriend, and said, "You have great hair. What kind of shampoo do you use?"

He replied, "<b>Yellow."</b> That's about how I feel about it.

- Larry

funny funny funny!

I have not purchased shampoo in France as I usually bring my own with me, but I did buy a fabulous hair coloring product in Villefranche-sur- mer.

Have a great trip!

just an fyi: kerastase is fantastic; one of the best. it is available at salons here in the u.s. and they have a website that often offers free shipping. i have looked at the prices in paris and it's not any less expensive because of the exchange rate. look for it here. it will change your hair. i understand Marget's concern completely! just buy the little travel bottles, fill with your favorite shampoo at home, and go! have a fun trip!

I didn't have good results with kerastase. When I go back to the States, I like to stock up on Redken AllSoft...grass is greener and all that ;-)

I like Leonore Greyl products, which can be purchased at the department stores (and probably elsewhere, though I haven't looked for them). Not cheap, but they don't have the foaming ingredients in most U.S. shampoos that can dry out the hair.

Margie thanks you all for your advice (I'm a faster touch-typist on this cramped netbook keyboard). Sarastro, today she bought some Klorane shampoo, "<i>Shampooing à la grenade</i>" (Shampoo with pomegranate) with an included sample of the accompanying conditioner, "<i>Après-shampooing crème à la grenade</i>". She's also going to try their "<i>Soin sans rinçage à la grenade</i>" (no rinse care with pomegranate). And yes, we got it in a pharmacy.

I've always been amused by that English "ing" that the French add to our word "shampoo". There's a bit of a history of the somewhat bizarre English origin of the word in the French Wikipedia (but it's in French, of course) at:

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shampooing

Larry