For the Boys...But Should You Drink It or Shampoo with It?

It's not often that I write about products for guys, but then again it's not often that a product comes along that's so manly it demands not only attention but also immediate testing and then, well, not to give too much away up front, but ultimate adoration.

Let's start with the promotional materials for the new Clean Brew by Redken...could this guy be any manlier? This shampoo is obviously supposed to remind us all of beer. It comes in a brown beer-like bottle and contains malt, brewer's yeast and orange zest. It boasts a rich, foamy lather. The expanded materials show the promo guy at a bar actually drinking a beer, so, you know, we get the message.

But as a shampoo it promises to "get the grit out of extra dirty hair" and "eliminate dirt and oil while helping to purify the scalp."

Well, there was only one way to find out...send the husband/test subject into the shower with the product. Now I wouldn't say that my husband leads a particularly "gritty" life, but New York can be quite dirty just on a daily basis, so the cleaner one can feel in general, the better.

The results were unexpectedly spectacular. The test subject's hair actually looked and felt softer and fuller (he said he wants to ditch his other shampoo that promises fuller hair but doesn't deliver as well), and I can't say enough about the scent (his hair smelled wonderful). Last but not least, the test subject kept talking about how extra clean his hair felt, without knowing that this was one of the key aspects of the product (I didn't show him the press materials beforehand).

Seems you're onto something, Redken.

Clean Brew is $12 and available in September; redken.com for salons.