- First in the routine
- Kérastase Genesis Homme Bain de Masse Épaississant, 250 ml
- Tried afterwards
- ARGELAN Bouncy Up shampoo, 450 ml, with Moist Glow treatment, 450 g
- Personal scores
- 4.5/5 for Kérastase; 4.5/5 for the ARGELAN pairing
- Time with the products
- Two people; Kérastase for one month, ARGELAN for several weeks and counting
- Formula check
- ARGELAN describes Bouncy Up as sulfate-free; this is not a measure of cleansing strength.
- Edition detail
- Photographed Moist Glow treatment says 97% natural-origin ingredients; the current Japanese brand page says 98%.
Kérastase gave us the volume. ARGELAN gave us a softer, more natural-looking finish. Both earned 4.5/5, for different reasons. These bottles belong in the same story because we used Kérastase first, then decided to try ARGELAN. Curiosity was the reason for the change; Kérastase still had plenty to recommend it.
Two of us used these products: Kérastase for one month, then the ARGELAN pairing for several weeks, with use still ongoing. The impressions and scores here come from the owner’s account of that shared routine. Each score is one personal assessment of the option as used, rather than an average of two separately collected ratings.
The starting point was Kérastase Genesis Homme Bain de Masse Épaississant. The next chapter paired ARGELAN Bouncy Up Organic Shampoo with ARGELAN Moist Glow Organic Treatment. That last bottle is the rinse-out conditioning step. The two ARGELAN bottles are from different lines, brought together in our routine.
Kérastase Genesis Homme: the volume is the appeal
The clearest impression of Bain de Masse was simply how good the volume looked. It gave hair the fuller appearance we enjoyed, and that is the reason it remains such a good reference point in this comparison.
Kérastase positions this particular Genesis Homme shampoo around thickness and volume. Our observation is narrower and more personal: we liked the visible volume after using it. We did not measure changes to individual strands or assess hair growth.
The exact name matters when shopping. Bain de Masse Épaississant is the photographed bottle. Other Genesis Homme shampoos can look similar on a results page, so check the product name as well as the green packaging.
ARGELAN: soft hair that still looks like your own
ARGELAN felt very soft. The finish was natural and understated, almost as though the hair had not just been washed. That describes the appearance and feel we liked: there was less of an obvious freshly washed transformation.
It is a useful distinction if you are deciding what you want from wash day. Sometimes the pleasure is noticeable volume. Sometimes it is hair that feels comfortable and looks entirely at ease. Our ARGELAN pairing suited that second mood beautifully.
Bouncy Up is itself positioned by ARGELAN as a volume-oriented range. The softer impression here comes from our experience with this shampoo and the Moist Glow conditioning treatment together. It should not be read as a claim about every person’s result from Bouncy Up used alone.
Is ARGELAN Bouncy Up sulfate-free?
Yes: ARGELAN lists Bouncy Up as sulfate-free on its official haircare page. The published shampoo ingredient list includes sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate; its name should not be confused with a sulfate. Sulfate-free also does not mean that a shampoo has no cleansing ingredients.
That answers the question raised by the soft feel, without turning a personal sensation into a test of cleansing strength. The Kérastase global ingredient list we checked includes ammonium lauryl sulfate. Formulas can differ between markets, so the ingredient list on the bottle you are buying takes priority.
The scent that stays with you
Fragrance was part of the pleasure of both options. Our scent memory was natural-smelling, pleasant and lingering, with an association that leaned towards ginger.
The labels make a useful distinction from that personal impression. Bouncy Up names Atlas cedar and clary sage; the photographed Moist Glow treatment names geranium and chamomile. Ginger is our sensory association, not the advertised fragrance of those ARGELAN bottles. The Kérastase label does name ginger root, although an ingredient on a label does not tell the whole story of how a fragrance smells.
A leathery detour with Kérastase
We also experimented with adding an oil we know as “Safrolin” to the Kérastase bottle. The resulting leathery scent was a pleasure in its own right. That leather note belongs to our altered bottle, rather than the original shampoo. The owner describes the addition as an essential oil; its precise identity and composition have not been independently verified. This is a scent anecdote, not a mixing recommendation.
Why both earned 4.5/5
Kérastase is the one we remember for the volume. ARGELAN is the pairing we remember for its very soft feel, natural finish and lingering scent. Trying the latter did not diminish what we liked about the former.
The ARGELAN score belongs to the combination we used. It is not two separate ratings for the shampoo and treatment, and it does not assess the newly listed version of Moist Glow. Our bottle says 97% natural-origin ingredients; ARGELAN’s current Japanese page displays 98% for the treatment. The shopping note below keeps that edition difference visible.
For the next step after washing, our Glaze Milk guide looks at a leave-in styling spray. If your question is how to refresh curls between washes, ALAMA Curl Re-Activator belongs to that different part of the routine. Choose the step for the finish you want to live with.
Genesis Homme Bain de Masse Épaississant
Kérastase gave noticeably good volume and was a very enjoyable shampoo to use. It remains a strong choice in this personal comparison, even after trying ARGELAN.
Tested by Two people · One month
What we liked
- Noticeably good volume in the owner’s experience.
- An enjoyable shampoo that earned 4.5/5 from the owner.
Worth knowing
- The volume observation is cosmetic; hair growth was not assessed.
- Formula and availability should be checked for the bottle and market being purchased.
ARGELAN Bouncy Up shampoo + Moist Glow treatment
The ARGELAN pairing felt very soft and left hair looking natural, without an obvious freshly washed finish. The pleasant, lingering scent was a large part of the appeal. The 4.5/5 score applies to the pairing as used, not to two separate product tests.
Tested by Two people · Several weeks; use ongoing
What we liked
- Very soft feel and a natural-looking finish in the owner’s experience.
- Pleasant fragrance that lingered.
Worth knowing
- The understated finish may not suit someone seeking an obvious freshly washed look.
- The current Japanese Moist Glow edition differs from the photographed label.
The ShopMy affiliate link opens Sephora US’s Genesis Homme Thickening Shampoo for Men, 8.5 oz / 250 ml. This is Bain de Masse Épaississant; the similarly named strengthening shampoo is a different product. Availability and ingredients can vary by market.
This ShopMy link opens the official Matsukiyo Cocokara Japanese listing. ShopMy displayed no commission rate when checked; earning eligibility is unconfirmed. Check delivery eligibility for your country.
This ShopMy link opens the current Japanese treatment listing; ShopMy displayed no commission rate, so earning eligibility is unconfirmed. Our photographed bottle says 97% natural-origin ingredients; the current official range page says 98% and describes different featured ingredients. We have not established that the current edition matches the bottle used here. Check delivery eligibility for your country.
Sources & further reading
- Kérastase: Bain de Masse Épaississant — positioning and published ingredientshttps://www.kerastase.com/products/genesis-homme/bain-de-masse-epaississant?prescripted=hairdiag
- ARGELAN: official haircare ranges, fragrances and sulfate-free claimshttps://www.matsukiyococokara-online.com/mkc/argelan/haircare/?id=pure
- Matsukiyo Cocokara: Bouncy Up shampoo, 450 mlhttps://www.matsukiyococokara-online.com/store/catalog/product/view/id/4573583370922
- Matsukiyo Cocokara: current Moist Glow treatment, 450 ghttps://www.matsukiyococokara-online.com/store/catalog/product/view/id/4573583370854
A life well considered.
