Can a hair sheet replace your favorite shampoo?

First, face masks took the skin care world by storm.

Now hair care companies have taken action, promising to deliver all the benefits of your favorite shampoo or conditioner in sheets, cloths and caps.

Some claim they can even be used on the go – no water required.

But can hair sheets really match your bath favorites? And are disposable sheets the right choice at a time when brands are trying to be more environmentally friendly?

Claire Coleman tried out a few. . .

WET WIPES FOR YOUR LOCKS

Sam McKnight Lazy Girl Hair Cleansing Wipes (£17 for 20, sammcknight.com)

These wipes are a spin-off of the iconic hairdressing cult’s Lazy Girl dry shampoo. Infused with witch hazel and aloe vera, wipe the roots when you’re short on time to wash your hair, and the wipe (package pictured below) absorbs the oil. It worked a treat on my less than fresh hairline.

The cloths are made from tree pulp cellulose and are compostable.

Verdict: A great base piece for sports bags, with a wonderful scent. 4/5

FRESH SMELL ON THE GO

Ikoo Infusions Hair Fresh-Ups perfume sheets (£7.49 for eight, myhairandbeauty.co.uk)

With extracts of mint and camellia, these textured pads are designed almost like little pouches, so you can stick two fingers in and run the pad over your hair. The pads are moist but don’t leave hair wet, and the fresh scent did a good job of getting cooking smells out of my hair. However, they didn’t make it any less greasy – in fact, they made it worse!

Despite several inquiries from the manufacturer, I do not know what the pads are made of – I assume non-environmentally friendly synthetic material.

Verdict: A pump-action hair mist – buy one or make one with essential oils and water – is a much better option. 1/5

JUST ADD WATER FOR A GREEN BEAUTY

Rehab shampoo sheets (£24 for 25, rehabyourhair.com)

Billed as ‘zero waste’: you remove this lightly scented square of dehydrated shampoo from the sachet, add water and lather it in your hands, then apply it to wet hair as you would regular shampoo. The bag also dissolves completely in the shower.

The sheet created a decent lather and cleaned my hair well. At £24 for 25 washes it’s not a cheap option, but in terms of cost it’s comparable to more expensive shampoos.

Verdict: This sets the standard for durability, and it’s also a high-performance product. 5/5

PLASTIC BUT NOT SO FANTASTIC

Fresh Wipes rinse-free shampoo cap (£20 for five, freshwipes.co.uk)

This lined shower cap has a liquid detergent soaked into it that requires no rinsing. Each cap comes in a plastic bag and can be microwaved to warm up before use. You put the cap on, massage your hair in it for three minutes, remove the cap and then blow dry your hair.

These were designed to wash the hair of bed-bound patients, so while it got rid of all the oiliness and left the hair with a neutral odor, it didn’t provide a shiny end result.

Verdict: A godsend for people who are too sick to wash their hair, but the results are otherwise average and I don’t like the amount of plastic. 2.5/5

SHEET MASK FOR SOFTNESS

Derma V10 hair mask (£7.95 for four, amazon.co.uk)

This mask is basically a sealed plastic disposable shower cap with a conditioning treatment inside.

The coconut-scented mask was fine, but you could achieve the same effect with a hair mask and reusable shower cap, which would be more eco-friendly.

Verdict: A waste of plastic and not particularly effective. 1/5