Phyto: The latest headline in France

It is very French, very chic and it is on the heads of many celebrities.

No, we’re not talking about some fashionable hat. Neither are we referring to the latest hair accessory.

We’re telling you the good news about Phyto (pronounced as fee-to), the leading French haircare line that solves problems such as hair loss, dandruff, and dry or damaged hair.

Phytocyane has been used by women with thinning hair and proven to be 85 percent effective.

Phytoaxil (86 percent successful) with its newest version, Phytotrixil (75 percent successful), has been proven effective in restoring the crowning glory of balding men.

Phytoretard and Phytosylic shampoos have been found effective (92 percent and 84 percent, respectively) in solving dandruff problems.

Phytosquame, a scalp treatment for severe dandruff, is 95 percent effective.

Yes, there is a specific Phyto line for every kind of hair problem. Phytocitrus takes care of colored and permed hair, for instance, Phytospecific was formulated for naturally curly or frizzy hair.

Phytophanere is an anti-aging line for hair and skin. Phytoplage is for hair protection for before-and-after sun exposure. Phytargent is a shampoo for making hair shine.

Wow, so many lines, so many promises!

"Let me assure you this one thing: In France, you just cannot say something that is not true, when you introduce a new product. You cannot lie," explains the amiable Roland Hurel, Asia-Pacific manager for Phyto, who welcomed us at the Univers Phyto headquarters in Paris.

"Here in France, the government imposes strict testing and stringent standards when it comes to skin and hair care products," says Hurel as he shows us endless shelves of products developed by Phyto.

Phyto is the top hair care line in France, and since its founding in 1969, it has become popular in Europe and the United States. It is doing very well in many Asian countries and in the Philippines, it is now available and exclusively distributed by Rustan’s Essenses.

"Admittedly, it is a high-end product," says Hurel. "A lot of mass-market hair care products are perhaps better known in Asia."

What makes Phyto different from other brands?

"First, our products are derived primarily from plants. And to preserve their purity and effectiveness, we put our products in glass and aluminum containers. We just don’t create a shampoo product for everyone, we make shampoos, cremes and gels tailored for specific hair types and for specific needs. Our products are very technical and we distribute them only in fine specialty stores and salons. You don’t find us in supermarts," emphasizes Hurel.

With pride, Hurel also stresses that Phyto thrives on continuous clinical and scientific testing at the Phytosolba Laboratories in Bezons, outside Paris.

"Phyto was founded by a large, jovial man named Patrick Ales, a hair specialist with a thick beard, initially formulating his products in his garage. He employed scientists and researchers to conduct experiments in extracting botanical ingredients. Patiently, they study, check, compare, test again and again," says Hurel. "Phytosolba works in collaboration with highly respected universities and research facilities such as the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique and the Institut Pasteur."

Phyto (the word means "plant" in Greek) is constantly cited by beauty editors in foreign glossies. Leading hairstylists have endorsed Phyto, and so have celebrities given testimonials on how Phyto has helped make their hair healthier and good-looking. "What is more important is that we impart knowledge about hair care."

Hurel explains that men and women have thinning hair due to different reasons, hence Phyto has two separate hair care lines for the two sexes.

"Men lose their hair due to genetics or inherited propensity for baldness. Hair loss can also be caused by aging or stress. Phyto can still come to the rescue in most of these cases, but once a man loses hair because the bulb is dead, no new hair can grow anymore.

"In the case of women, hair loss is usually temporary, especially during pregnancy and stress," Hurel says.

When asked how plant extracts are transformed into haircare products, Hurel starts to describe methods like maceration, infusion, distillation ... and he explains how a tiny 25-milliliter bottle can contain the extracts of about 2 kilograms of fresh plants. Whew!

So many scientific processes, so little time. The time to save your hair is now. A good haircare product is still the best accessory for the head.

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In the Philippines, the Phyto line of haircare products is available at Rustan’s Essenses. For inquiries, call 844-2451 local 118 or 844-0872. Phyto is also available at Kaizen Salon in Alabang and Quezon City.