Chemical Guys Stripper Suds Shampoo Review

What We Say

What is it:

After the ever-popular air freshener/odour neutraliser from Chemical Guys comes Stripper Suds, the luxury car shampoo based on the scent of Stripper Scent. Chemical Guys UK describe the product as follows: Stripper Suds Car Wash Soap cleans and shines with the smell of success. Chemical Guys master chemists distilled that ohh-so-familiar scent you won't smell anywhere else, and blended it with a premium super-slick high foam car wash soap. The fun fragrance evokes memories made on the brass poles and in the private booths of elegant clubs. Was her name Summer? Candy? Cinnamon? Even if you couldn't take her home, here's a keepsake for every car wash! Stripper Suds Soap lifts and lubricates abrasive dirt from paintwork, and gently guides it away with foaming suds before it can scratch. The pH-balanced formula will not spot or stain in direct sunlight, and will not strip wax or sealant off of paintwork.

How we tested it:

We bought this immediately upon release. We adore the Stripper Scent air freshener and always enjoy using high-quality shampoos. This should be a no-brainer. We were obviously looking at the scent of the product and enjoyment of use and the quality of the shampoo in cleaning power and lubricity.

We Liked:

• Real luxury, quality feel to the product. The shampoo is super thick, well-presented and has a very good dispensing mechanism.
• Suds up nicely in the bucket to a foamy/mousse-like consistency.
• Lovely and slick on the bodywork and feels very safe on delicate paint surfaces.
• PH-balanced formula makes for coating and LSP-safe cleaning.

We Didn't Like:

• Where is the smell? Yes, it smells slightly of Stripper Scent but very disappointing. This whole product is built around the smell, it should be heavenly.
• Not the most economical of shampoos. A bottle is good for 16 washes, rivals offer higher economy.

Overall:

As a shampoo, this is a very good product. It feels ultra slick and is a real joy to use from that perspective. We love the high-quality feel of the product and it does feel as though you are washing the vehicle with a premium shampoo. However, we have to view the product in the light of what it is trying to achieve and as the product is marketed around the Stripper Scent and branded as such, this is sadly where for us it falls flat. We are used to being treated to the likes of Autobrite Purple Velvet and KKD Choccy Wash smelling heavenly through the wash process and were praying this would be the same. We love Stripper Scent in air freshener form and it is a hugely popular product but the scent just simply isn't strong enough and in fact we often struggled to smell it at all, even upping the quantity of product. A very competent shampoo but an anti-climax of a product.