Home › Pharmacy beauty › Phyto
Phyto: the buyer's guide
Phyto (Phyto Paris) is the pharmacy-and-salon hair brand that treats hair the way skincare brands treat skin: by concern, with high concentrations of plant extracts and very little foam. It is the brand French salons send clients to the pharmacy for.
Links on this page go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What the brand is known for
Founded in Paris in 1969 by hairdresser Patrick Alès, Phyto built its formulas on botanical extracts (the name means plant) and was one of the first to sell concentrated hair treatments in glass ampoules. The core lines are Phytojoba (dry hair), Phytokératine (damaged hair), Phytocyane (thinning hair), Phytodéfrisant (smoothing) and Phytoapaisant (sensitive scalp).
Phytojoba and Phytokératine
Phytojoba is the moisturizing line, built on jojoba oil, for dry but not damaged hair. Phytokératine is the repair line, with botanical keratin, for hair that is chemically treated, heat-damaged or breaking. The Phytokératine Extrême mask is the most intensive treatment in the range and one of the best salon-strength masks sold over the counter.
Phytocyane for thinning hair
Phytocyane is a densifying treatment for temporary, reactional hair thinning (post-partum, stress, seasonal shedding) with a matching shampoo. It is not a minoxidil substitute and does not claim to be, but it is the product French pharmacists recommend first for shedding.
Phytodéfrisant
A smoothing balm applied before blow-drying that relaxes frizz and makes a blow-out last, without silicones. From a hairstylist's chair: this is the product I used on clients with coarse, wavy hair for twenty years, and nothing American has replaced it.
How to use Phyto shampoos
They foam very little. Use a small amount, add water, and work it through the scalp with your fingertips rather than piling on more product. One wash is enough.
What to buy
| Product | Why |
|---|---|
| Phytojoba Moisturizing Shampoo | Daily shampoo for dry hair. |
| Phytokératine Extrême Exceptional Mask | Intensive repair mask for damaged hair. |
| Phytocyane Densifying Treatment Serum | For temporary thinning and shedding. |
| Phytodéfrisant Botanical Smoothing Balm | Pre-blow-dry smoothing balm. |
| Phytoapaisant Soothing Shampoo | For sensitive, itchy scalps. |
| Phyto Huile Soyeuse | Lightweight hair oil for fine, dry hair. |
Questions people ask
Phyto or Klorane?
Klorane is the everyday pharmacy line; Phyto is a step up in concentration and price, closer to a salon brand. For damaged or thinning hair, Phyto; for daily washing, Klorane.
Why does the shampoo not lather?
The formulas use mild, low-foam surfactants. Low foam does not mean it is not cleaning; dilute it with water in your hands and it spreads fine.
Is Phyto sold in US salons?
Yes, Phyto has a US distributor and is sold in salons, Sephora and online; the formulas match the French ones.
More pharmacy beauty guides: La Roche-Posay · Avène · Caudalie · Bioderma · Klorane · René Furterer · all brands