Cheap vs Expensive shampoos?

[LittleOgre]

Do you guys ever notice any difference between the quality shampoo you buy based on price tag? I tend to buy cheap shampoos, like $5 is rich girl expensive for me but only when I feel like indulging in my curiosity. I'm a pretty cheap person lol. Someone bought me some Dr.bronners which is just like the castille soap I would make but a bit more gentle honestly so I don't dilute with as much oil and water. So do you notice any difference between shampoos that are like over 10 dollars. shampoos around 5 dollars and the lovely $2 dollar suave shampoo.

[lapushka]

I never buy expensive shampoos. :)

I think 2/3 euro ones should do just fine, and there are good brands around that price range, like Garnier Ultra Doux, Elsève, L'Oréal, Pantene, Herbal Essences, etc.

[Ylva]

I look at the ingredients and I won't buy an expensive shampoo thinking it's better than a cheaper option if I don't like the ingredients. A lot of cheaper shampoos also come in a similar ingredient set as more expensive ones. I currently have one shampoo that I consider quite expensive - it was €9.90 (11.23 USD) for 200 ml. I don't notice a great quality difference, but I do feel that my scalp prefers this one a little better and my hair certainly becomes very soft, at least where I use the shampoo, as I don't actually use this expensive shampoo on all of my hair, just on my scalp and roots. My more commonly purchased shampoos are around €7 for 400 ml and €4 for 250 ml.

I probably wouldn't be willing to spend more than that €9.90 (200 ml) for a shampoo anyway, and I don't use this one every hair wash either.

[DaniGirl]

I’m just starting to look at ingredients and adjusting my use based on that. I’ve always used professional shampoos and I honestly can’t see that changing much. I find I can do more with less, my hair feels better etc.

I haven’t specifically compared like shampoo to like shampoo with ingredients etc. So I’m sure part of me not liking non-pro products is because they weren’t the right ones for my hair as well. I have never liked how non-pro products feel on my hair.

I’m also a hairdressers daughter and have been conditioned my entire life to use pro products. I’ve only rarely deviated and haven’t liked the results when I have. I might branch out more as I loon more into ingredients lists though.

[Natalia_A00]

Hmm it depends, some cheap shampoos work really well on me, like this one:
https://www.laboticashop.com/champu-hair-growth-miracle-natura-estonica/
I found it cheaper at the shop
Never had an issue with it

But I liked the Natura siberica maximum volume shampoo, it was a little expensive (found it at 11€ on the internet) but it was good
But other expensive shampoos I have tried were too harsh and caused me a little bit of dandruff, so I don't know, I guess it depends. A cheap shampoo can work perfectly fine with you and some of them are actually pretty decent.

[blackgothicdoll]

Expensive shampoos without fail make my hair feel like straw. I literally have no curl pattern after washing.

Even middle grade shampoos do this. The only shampoos I can always trust are V05. Some sulfate-free shampoos work alright, but I don't get the clean that I'm craving, and others of them are too drying too.

So in summary, the cheapest of the cheapest tend to be my go tos. Middle ground is a swing vote, expensive is a heck no.

[nycelle]

I'm the opposite of blackgothicdoll. The cheapest ones like VO5 and Suave give me straw like hair. For a regular drugstore brand I prefer Herbal Essences shampoos if I were still using sulfates.

Higher end depends - some work very well, others don't. My fave mid range (to me) is Not Your Mothers Naturals, and my favorite higher end is Briogeo.

The truth is you can find products that work for your hair from cheap to high end, some will probably just work better than others.

[Doreen]

I mainly use dandruff shampoo, which is usually $5-7. I have tried more expensive shampoos and they didn't work too well. Even tried an expensive dandruff shampoo and it wasn't as good as the drugstore version, probably because it didn't have sulfates and I like sulfates. Sometimes I use V05 clarifying shampoo.

[spidermom]

I've bought cheap, and I've bought expensive, and honestly it doesn't seem to make much difference as far as shampoo is concerned. The expensive, rich conditioners are much better for me than the cheap ones, however, so I put my money there. A little good conditioner goes a long way, too. I bought Formula 18 from my stylist last March and haven't run out yet. It only takes about a kidney bean size dollop of that conditioner for my current length.

[clandestine]

I've only bought cheap shampoo but I've been gifted expensive ones. There hasn't been any real winner with the cheap vs. expensive. I've had things I bought for below a dollar work just as well as salon brands. I stick to cheap because my scalp hates routine and needs new things pretty often so I always want enough things in my rotation.

[Kathie]

I've nearly always used pro products. I did go through a Chargin V shampoo bar phase for a year or so. I found them to be good, but a lot of work. Over the last three years my fav brand has been Shu Uemura. I've had great results with little effort. But the prices are obscene! I've decided that this year I'm going to try and find a more reasonably priced alternative. Hopefully, I can find one... I have hight hopes.

[Reyesuela]

Anything with soap in it shouldn’t go into your hair. Soap is basic and will destroy your hair over time. Detergents in shampoo are acid.

[aethyra]

Anything with soap in it shouldn’t go into your hair.

Hi Reyesuela.. So shampoo bars are a no go? I have several from Chagrin and they leave an odd film on my hair which gets sticky a day later. Even after using their ACV rinse. Do you poo?

[Xlena]

Hmm... My range of price for shampoos is very low, but for example I do find a huge difference between a 2€ shampoo and a 6€ shampoo. The 2€ one (Garnier, of course xd) makes my hair very dry in just a few washes, while de 6€ one (Tressemé) respects my hair and just washes it without damaging it at all.

[Reyesuela]

Hi Reyesuela.. So shampoo bars are a no go? I have several from Chagrin and they leave an odd film on my hair which gets sticky a day later. Even after using their ACV rinse. Do you poo?

Shampo bars should be detergent bars, not a true soap. I wouldn’t buy anything from Etsy though!

I’ve used everything from $3 Suave to $30 Bumble and Bumble. Really the difference between the expensive and cheap ones is largely marketing. Get what works for your hair.

I use Pantene conditioner and Nizoral shampoo.

[Joules]

I look at ingredients. I kinda think expensive shampoos and conditioners are a scam, to be honest. All hair stuff is made of the same ingredients. Whenever I look at a bottle of expensive shampoo, I see the same SLS and SLES, the same cationic conditioners and the same silicones as drugstore shampoos have...so why even bother?

If your hair likes a certan expensive product, it means something in its formula worked on you, it doesn't automatically make all expensive (or "professional", whatever that means) products good and cheap ones bad. Considering how huge the drugstore segment is, I believe anyone can find something cheap that works for them (unless they are allergic to sulfates or fragrances and need a very specific product). I've tried expensive shampoos and leave-ins before, and they didn't do anyhing remarkable to my hair.

[Joules]

Hmm... My range of price for shampoos is very low, but for example I do find a huge difference between a 2€ shampoo and a 6€ shampoo. The 2€ one (Garnier, of course xd) makes my hair very dry in just a few washes, while de 6€ one (Tressemé) respects my hair and just washes it without damaging it at all.

Here in Russia a 400ml bottle of Garnier shampoo costs exactly the same as a 400ml bottle of Tresemme, if not more...there was a 50% off deal on Tresemme a couple of weeks ago, and I got their big bottles for cheaper than small Pantene/Garnier bottles. So for me this brand isn't even remotely expensive :D

[Begemot]

I can't justify buying expensive shampoos to myself (expensive would be over 10 euros). It just goes down the drain in seconds. All I need is a somewhat gentle shampoo and I can find those from markets. I do buy more expensive conditioners sometimes because they are on my hair for a longer time and conditioning is the last step of washing, so it needs to leave my hair looking and feeling nice.

[Kathie]

Hi Reyesuela.. So shampoo bars are a no go? I have several from Chagrin and they leave an odd film on my hair which gets sticky a day later. Even after using their ACV rinse. Do you poo?

Aethyra, I didnt find that poo bars destroyed my hair. The ACV rinse counters the PH of the bars. But... I did have to work the ACV dilution until I found one that didn't result in that sticky feeling you're describing. So overall, this cheaper alternative to pro products worked well. I just wanted something a little less labour intensive (i.e., international bar orders and ACV dilutions in the shower).

[Kathie]

Anything with soap in it shouldn’t go into your hair. Soap is basic and will destroy your hair over time. Detergents in shampoo are acid.

Sorry but thats incorrect, detergents like SLS are definitely bases not acids.

[Nini]

I use Urtekram which is medium to expensive to buy here in Norway.

I think the main difference for me is that I often have a problem with the smell of cheap shampoos. It's just so overwhelming and intense that it leaves me with this cloud of smell surrounding me for much too long.

[Katsura]

There are sensitive series in my country that are inexpensive and without colorants or perfume. I like some of them.

[Ylva]

Hmm... My range of price for shampoos is very low, but for example I do find a huge difference between a 2€ shampoo and a 6€ shampoo. The 2€ one (Garnier, of course xd) makes my hair very dry in just a few washes, while de 6€ one (Tressemé) respects my hair and just washes it without damaging it at all.

Tresemmé only costs more than Garnier here, because Garnier tends to have 200 ml bottles and Tresemmé bottles are 600 ml or 900 ml. Looking at the ingredients, I'd much rather use Garnier than Tresemmé, having used both in the past. So for me, Tresemmé is just as much of a "cheap brand" as Garnier etc.

[spidermom]

Sorry but thats incorrect, detergents like SLS are definitely bases not acids.

In and of itself maybe, but shampoo formulas are generally on the acidic side.

[renia22]

Gahhh, I can’t find it now, but there was a good article that the scientists over that The Beauty Brains wrote regarding quality of ingredients. There is a difference in grade, so even if it’s the same ingredient in an expensive vs cheap product, doesn’t mean it’s the same quality. Kind of like if you look at a pricier/ quality vinegar like Bragg’s, and look at your dollar store vinegar, you can clearly see that one is good quality, and one isn’t.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that most expensive is going to mean best quality. They went on to say in the article that your best bet is to go with larger companies who are able to buy ingredients in bulk for cheaper, and who may use the good stuff across the board in their various brands, in different price points. Like if you like Kerastase, you might have good luck with the less expensive drugstore L’Oreal, since it’s owned by the same company. I personally do like some of the less expensive, larger companies like like Pantene and Clairol, have not had luck with cheapie/ dollar store stuff, and have liked pricier brands, but I do agree that the high cost isn’t necessarily worth it.

[Joules]

Gahhh, I can’t find it now, but there was a good article that the scientists over that The Beauty Brains wrote regarding quality of ingredients. There is a difference in grade, so even if it’s the same ingredient in an expensive vs cheap product, doesn’t mean it’s the same quality. Kind of like if you look at a pricier/ quality vinegar like Bragg’s, and look at your dollar store vinegar, you can clearly see that one is good quality, and one isn’t.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that most expensive is going to mean best quality. They went on to say in the article that your best bet is to go with larger companies who are able to buy ingredients in bulk for cheaper, and who may use the good stuff across the board in their various brands, in different price points. Like if you like Kerastase, you might have good luck with the less expensive drugstore L’Oreal, since it’s owned by the same company. I personally do like some of the less expensive, larger companies like like Pantene and Clairol, have not had luck with cheapie/ dollar store stuff, and have liked pricier brands, but I do agree that the high cost isn’t necessarily worth it.

I agree with the quality aspect, but also I think that after a certain point it becomes just about the brand. Expensive name, fancy packaging, being sold in professional stores rather than supermarkets. A lot of high end products are expensive mostly because of their *exterior*, not so much because of actual ingredients.

[Obsidian]

The only expensive shampoo I use is a chelating one. I've used suave daily clarifying for years and its great though I might be switching to pantene ice shine once my current bottle of suave is gone. I find the pantene to be a bit harsher which I need and I like the scent.

[renia22]

^ I agree, I’ve actually had some terrible luck with luxury/ higher priced brands because they tend to use trendy ingredients that do nothing but weigh my fine hair down. Some drugstore brands do that now, too. Aveda just reformulated their Shampure, for example, and now I can’t used the conditioner anymore because it’s too heavy. I found this article on active ingredients, I think it’s true what they say about companies adding a lot of “extras” now because it sounds good:

http://thebeautybrains.com/2014/07/what-are-active-ingredients-the-beauty-brains-show-episode-37/

[nycelle]

There are some cheap companies that make hair care products that are utter crap. I won't name them because I know some here love them and may take it as an insult.

But I checked the ingredient lists for their moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, and the ingredients that actually moisturize are the last on the list. The first 4-5 ingredients in the shampoos are all sulfates and surfactents followed by fragrance. I mean c'mon, does a moisturizing shampoo really need that many detergents to get the hair and scalp clean? No, it's just cheaper. These products may work for hair that's already healthy, or on the oily side, but they're absolute crap for hair that requires moisture.

Same for their conditioners- first 6-8 ingredients, you get more crap with only one fatty alcohol. The better moisturizing ingredients are at the end of the list.

Thing is, all the silicones may actually hide the fact that these products can be doing your hair more harm than good, but most of us won't realize until we start to notice that our hair is breaking and wonder what's causing it...

So yeah, I'm going to continue to stay away from the bottom of the barrel products. I'm not saying spend $$$, and I'm not saying all expensive products are amazing, but there's gotta be a happy medium so to speak. Products that use decent ingredients in quantities that do make
a real difference. Not products that throw in "panthenol" as the last ingredient, then claim how it helps strengthen the hair.

[lapushka]

I'm still a little bummed we can't get Suave or V05, because the first more affordable lines we have are Schwarzkopf, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Garnier Ultra Doux, Elsève, L'Oréal, and those are a little more on the pricey side (to me). I don't like to spend more than 2/3 euro a 250ml bottle of shampoo. Maybe that's just me. :)

[Cg]

I just use whatever's cheap, unless it has a strong or unappealing scent.

[nycelle]

I'm still a little bummed we can't get Suave or V05, because the first more affordable lines we have are Schwarzkopf, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Garnier Ultra Doux, Elsève, L'Oréal, and those are a little more on the pricey side (to me). I don't like to spend more than 2/3 euro a 250ml bottle of shampoo. Maybe that's just me. :)

Some people like the cheapest, others believe the cheapest are usually not the greatest (that's me based on personal experience.)

[littlestarface]

I love the more expensive shampoo and conditioners smell tbh, almost all the cheapie ones smell the same especially HE it all smells like gummy bears or fruity. The only time I see a good smelling cheapie is when they try to copy a higher end brand. Now I have found good n bad in both higher end middle and cheapie so just use what you think will be good for you and when you find one you love hold on to it.

[AmaryllisRed]

I used to use suave or vo5-- less than $1 a bottle! Then once I "splurged" on herbal essences ($2-3 a bottle) and never looked back! I won't spend over $3 on it, though.

I once bought a $6 bottle of shampoo because it didn't have "the bad stuff," and it was NOT good. I didn't even finish the bottle, and it was not that big. :)

If I were going to spend more, it would be on conditioner, not shampoo... but really my hair doesn't need it.

[Sparkles122]

Throughout the years, ive switched back and forth. Prior to november which is when my bleach damage occured, I swore by Biolage Hydrasource. It actually was kind of drying on my hair, but it didnt bother me. Now I use mostly store shampoo, Pantene and Garnier specifically. The silicones make my hair softer, less tangles and way easier to manage. If I try the Biolage I can barely get my hands through the bleach damaged section. I havent really tried any other salon shampoos. Ive tried a few different salon brand conditioners and im actually finding that the store ones are working ALOT better for me, specifically the garnier whole blend ones in the round containers that you scoop out

[Joules]

There are some cheap companies that make hair care products that are utter crap. I won't name them because I know some here love them and may take it as an insult.

But I checked the ingredient lists for their moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, and the ingredients that actually moisturize are the last on the list. The first 4-5 ingredients in the shampoos are all sulfates and surfactents followed by fragrance. I mean c'mon, does a moisturizing shampoo really need that many detergents to get the hair and scalp clean? No, it's just cheaper. These products may work for hair that's already healthy, or on the oily side, but they're absolute crap for hair that requires moisture.

Same for their conditioners- first 6-8 ingredients, you get more crap with only one fatty alcohol. The better moisturizing ingredients are at the end of the list.

Thing is, all the silicones may actually hide the fact that these products can be doing your hair more harm than good, but most of us won't realize until we start to notice that our hair is breaking and wonder what's causing it...

So yeah, I'm going to continue to stay away from the bottom of the barrel products. I'm not saying spend $$$, and I'm not saying all expensive products are amazing, but there's gotta be a happy medium so to speak. Products that use decent ingredients in quantities that do make
a real difference. Not products that throw in "panthenol" as the last ingredient, then claim how it helps strengthen the hair.

I have both shampoos for oily hair and for dry hair (I alternate between those). Shampoos for oily hair all have SLS+SLES+Cocamidopropyl betaaine combination of surfactants, and shampoos for dry hair have SLES+Cocamidopropyl betaine. SLES is much milder than SLS, so the latter combination is a lot gentler on my hair. I always look at ingredients rather than claims.

But all of that doesn't even matter, because the only purpose of shampoo is to cleanse your hair and scalp. It won't moisturie or repair anything, it just can't do that. I want my shampoo to cleanse my scalp and make it stay cleaner longer. Yes, those shampoos will be harsh on the hair itself, but I drench my mane in olive oil a couple of hours before washing, and no amount of shampoo will ever harm it.

Humectants have to be in a certain amount. Like glycerin, there can't be no more than 5% of it in a conditioner or a mask, if there's more of it, it will do more harm than good. I sometimes add glycerin to my masks, and I use literally a drop per 100ml. Same thing with panthenol. No more than 5%. Maybe that's why it's in the bottom of the list?

Silicones aren't damaging if you know how to use them. When I mindlessly slathered my hair with ****ty coney stuff, it was breaking off and I couldn't gain any length for years. Now I know different types of cones, I use only specific ones and in moderation. My hair is healthier than ever. Besides, some professional brands are more cone-heavy than drugstore ones; my Mom's hairdresser uses an expensive "protective oil" that's just water and dimethicone.

What I mean is it's not what you use and how much it costs, it's how you use it and how you approach your hair care in general.

[nycelle]

I have both shampoos for oily hair and for dry hair (I alternate between those). Shampoos for oily hair all have SLS+SLES+Cocamidopropyl betaaine combination of surfactants, and shampoos for dry hair have SLES+Cocamidopropyl betaine. SLES is much milder than SLS, so the latter combination is a lot gentler on my hair. I always look at ingredients rather than claims.

But all of that doesn't even matter, because the only purpose of shampoo is to cleanse your hair and scalp. It won't moisturie or repair anything, it just can't do that. I want my shampoo to cleanse my scalp and make it stay cleaner longer. Yes, those shampoos will be harsh on the hair itself, but I drench my mane in olive oil a couple of hours before washing, and no amount of shampoo will ever harm it.

Humectants have to be in a certain amount. Like glycerin, there can't be no more than 5% of it in a conditioner or a mask, if there's more of it, it will do more harm than good. I sometimes add glycerin to my masks, and I use literally a drop per 100ml. Same thing with panthenol. No more than 5%. Maybe that's why it's in the bottom of the list?

Silicones aren't damaging if you know how to use them. When I mindlessly slathered my hair with ****ty coney stuff, it was breaking off and I couldn't gain any length for years. Now I know different types of cones, I use only specific ones and in moderation. My hair is healthier than ever. Besides, some professional brands are more cone-heavy than drugstore ones; my Mom's hairdresser uses an expensive "protective oil" that's just water and dimethicone.

What I mean is it's not what you use and how much it costs, it's how you use it and how you approach your hair care in general.

Joules - That's why I said "moisturizing". The shampoo and conditioners I'm referring to are supposed to be moisturizing, that's the claim the companies are making. They're not for oily hair.

I've tried their products and I find them terrible. But maybe my idea of terrible and someone else's are very different.

[lapushka]

The only thing I tend to spend more on is stylers. I love Shea Moisture (curl enhancing smoothie, JBCO leave-in, frizz-taming smoothie), Cantu leave-in, Eden Bodyworks curl cream, Every Strand curl cream (can't use that one with gel though or it flakes big time). They cost some money, but for something I leave in my hair an entire week, to me it's worth it. It's not something that is just going to quickly rinse down the drain.

From cheapest to more pennies, it's shampoo, then conditioner, then stylers, for me.

[littlestarface]

Whats up with this "it goes down the drain" motto people keep chanting. If that's how to look at it then why use any shampoo or conditioner, it all just goes down the drain anyway, LAWL dude!

[renia22]

I love the more expensive shampoo and conditioners smell tbh, almost all the cheapie ones smell the same especially HE it all smells like gummy bears or fruity. The only time I see a good smelling cheapie is when they try to copy a higher end brand. Now I have found good n bad in both higher end middle and cheapie so just use what you think will be good for you and when you find one you love hold on to it.

This is my weakness. Although I do like the smell of Pantene Micellar Water & some of the Herbal Essences, I’ve bought some luxury/ high end products before that smelled lovely, and most likely will again, since I’m a such a sucker for nice smelling hair things. I might buy a little Oribe conditioner after I use a bunch of things up because I like the smell of that line so much, and I bought an Etsy dupe scent of one of Le Labo’s perfumes recently. I’m not going to spend $50 for the actual Le Labo conditioner, but $15 with shipping on the Etsy one is a little more than I would normally spend. I’ve also liked some of the Aveda conditioner scents over the years, even though their formulas tend to be disappointing on my hair type, but I just love some of the scents.

[littlestarface]

This is my weakness. Although I do like the smell of Pantene Micellar Water & some of the Herbal Essences, I’ve bought some luxury/ high end products before that smelled lovely, and most likely will again, since I’m a such a sucker for nice smelling hair things. I might buy a little Oribe conditioner after I use a bunch of things up because I like the smell of that line so much, and I bought an Etsy dupe scent of one of Le Labo’s perfumes recently. I’m not going to spend $50 for the actual Le Labo conditioner, but $15 with shipping on the Etsy one is a little more than I would normally spend. I’ve also liked some of the Aveda conditioner scents over the years, even though their formulas tend to be disappointing on my hair type, but I just love some of the scents.

Yea that pantene one is so lovely,scent is my weakness too, if it smells good I want my hair to smell like it. I just wish le labo was cheaper and oribe dear god they are so expensive!

FYI kristin ess products smell close to chanel chance eau tendre, if your in ulta one day and wanna take a gander.

[Dark40]

I like to buy both expensive and cheap shampoos. But no, I don't a significant amount of different between them in quality. I think shampoos like, Alberto VO5, Pantene, and Garnier are just as good as the ones like the high-end ones like Joico K-PAK, Paul Mitchelle, and others.

[AngelAlly]

I used to use a cheap Suave shampoo and conditioner for years but they changed the formula and it messed my allergies up. I ended up switching to the pricier version. I like the more expensive version especially the conditioner but if suave still made it with the old formula I would just use that.

[renia22]

Yea that pantene one is so lovely,scent is my weakness too, if it smells good I want my hair to smell like it. I just wish le labo was cheaper and oribe dear god they are so expensive!

FYI kristin ess products smell close to chanel chance eau tendre, if your in ulta one day and wanna take a gander.


Oh I know, the prices are so over the top, it’s crazy, but they do smell good! I’ll check out Chanel, I do like that Kristen Ess line, I have the purple conditioner in my shower as we speak.



I used to use a cheap Suave shampoo and conditioner for years but they changed the formula and it messed my allergies up. I ended up switching to the pricier version. I like the more expensive version especially the conditioner but if suave still made it with the old formula I would just use that.


I’m going way back here, but I liked Suave, Vo5, and White Rain up until the 90s, early 2000s or so, when they were in bottles shaped like these. The ones in stores now seem to be cheaper quality than they used to be, some of the cheapie shampoos are like watery jello now. The Vo5 ones especially used to be so nice and rich, I loved the henna one:

https://i.ibb.co/FsV9vtk/6-BF20-C49-960-C-470-B-877-C-2886735-DF01-E.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/Yj74Crx/59-ABBE2-A-57-A1-4632-B7-E7-E94-A18147702.png (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/ZGGxxK8/28-AFE6-DD-F3-DA-46-C8-BDDA-AFBFA3-C4-D420.png (https://imgbb.com/)

[dyna]

The dollar store shampoos and conditioners (VO5, Herbal Essence, White Rain, Silkience, Suave) work just fine for me. But then, what do I know, before I grew my hair long sometimes I'd use diluted dish detergent, and it seemed to work ok (it doesn't lather, but lemony fresh). I don't understand why so many are food-scented (strawberry! kiwi! coconut! orange tea!), but fortunately the scent doesn't seem to last very long.

[LittleOgre]

I used to use suave or vo5-- less than $1 a bottle! Then once I "splurged" on herbal essences ($2-3 a bottle) and never looked back! I won't spend over $3 on it, though.

I once bought a $6 bottle of shampoo because it didn't have "the bad stuff," and it was NOT good. I didn't even finish the bottle, and it was not that big. :)

If I were going to spend more, it would be on conditioner, not shampoo... but really my hair doesn't need it.

First of all. How did you get a suave shampoo for less than a dollar? Where I am it's $2 lol. What's so good about herbal essence by the way?

[hannabiss]

I use cheap shampoos. I use them just for stripping my hair. I wash twice a week and have thin hair. More expensive shampoos for volume in my opinion font do much more than a clarifying shampoo. And I can get a nice one for a dollar at Dollar Tree. My hair is chin length so Im not currently using conditioner. But Dollar Tree has a decent conditioners.

[lapushka]

First of all. How did you get a suave shampoo for less than a dollar? Where I am it's $2 lol. What's so good about herbal essence by the way?

Have you ever tried their Hello Hydration conditioner? It's amazing!

[AmaryllisRed]

First of all. How did you get a suave shampoo for less than a dollar? Where I am it's $2 lol. What's so good about herbal essence by the way?

At my Wal-Mart (I'm in the US) Suave is currently $.94 a bottle. It used to be even less!

I tried herbal essences because I loved the way it smelled and for me it's like middle-tier, suave and vo5 being bottom tier and anything over $5 being fancy shmancy. :)
I use the "long term relationship" shampoo and conditioner. I don't know what it's supposed to do for long hair that other shampoos won't (probably actually nothing) but it smells good and it's affordable and it's pink and my hair is nice. So I'm happy with it. :)

[aethyra]

Aethyra, I didnt find that poo bars destroyed my hair. The ACV rinse counters the PH of the bars. But... I did have to work the ACV dilution until I found one that didn't result in that sticky feeling you're describing. So overall, this cheaper alternative to pro products worked well. I just wanted something a little less labour intensive (i.e., international bar orders and ACV dilutions in the shower).

Hey Sweet Pea! Thank you for your assistance and expertise. You are all over this ! I was using Chagrin Valley organic soap bars. I purchased 4. All moisture oriented. I lathered in hands only then applied. Their ACV rinse has added rosemary and sage.

I want to like soap bars. Seems so much more benevolent to scalp in theory.

So the waxy residue the day after can potentially be resolved by the proper ACV dilution ratios? Hmmmmm. I am going to try again going more dilute.

As to the question of expensive vs cheap shampoos, I have been using 35.00 and 40.00 per bottle kerastase poos until December, for the previous 2 years off and on. I always alternate with other poos like Chi Tea Tree and Mills Creek Jojoba, Pureology Strength Cure, etc.. I am quite sure that the most expensive ones (kerastase) caused little scalp bumps after the 2 years of usage.

I must find a better way to clean my scalp sans conventional shampoos. The herbal poos are great for the scalp, but I cannot even have the scalp lather run down the hair without drying my hair.

Your hair is beautiful, shiny and healthy, so that is likely not your experience.

Also, why do they even put silicones in shampoos? I get it about the added slip but that is the conditioner's job.

I am going to order a natural shampoo (no sili and no sulfates) from Kerastase (Aura Botanica) for 35.00 tomorrow. I will post back about the Aura Botanica to let you know if this ridiculousy expensive shampoo has any benefit over something not so pricey.

.

[aethyra]

The dollar store shampoos and conditioners (VO5, Herbal Essence, White Rain, Silkience, Suave) work just fine for me. But then, what do I know, before I grew my hair long sometimes I'd use diluted dish detergent, and it seemed to work ok (it doesn't lather, but lemony fresh). I don't understand why so many are food-scented (strawberry! kiwi! coconut! orange tea!), but fortunately the scent doesn't seem to last very long.

I love this post!! I absolutely detest fake fruit scents! Every drug store has a vast array of hideous smelling food scented poos and conditioners. ;)

[lapushka]

I love this post!! I absolutely detest fake fruit scents! Every drug store has a vast array of hideous smelling food scented poos and conditioners. ;)

Fruit, fresh, marine, all nice scents to me, but food scents are a little "much" even for my concrete can-stand-it-all nose. :lol:

[MusicalSpoons]

Fruit, fresh, marine, all nice scents to me, but food scents are a little "much" even for my concrete can-stand-it-all nose. :lol:

I had to stop using Palmer's unscented cocoa butter lotion because it kept making me want chocolate all the time - the scented version would have driven me batty! And I've never dared use neem oil since the first time, because I spent the entire afternoon hankering after curry ... :rolleyes:

On the subject of cheap/expensive - I have mixed thoughts. Very mixed! I'm a cheapskate at heart but I have learned that sometimes it is worth paying a bit more for quality. But that's just it - for quality, not for the same ingredients list in fancier packaging! I think there are super-cheap products that do the job they claim, like supermarket own-brands 'shampoo with xyz'. No frills, no claims to repair your hair or fight the signs of ageing (!?!), just bog-standard cleanser. That's fine.
There's a weird area of slightly-less cheap stuff that starts to make claims, spend huge money on marketing and advertising when actually I'd rather they put that money towards slightly better ingredients. Kind of what nycelle said, about it being the cheap ingredients making your hair feel nice and the hyped up claims being based on the ingredients at the very end of the list. That bit does annoy me! Like 'ooh that sounds nice ... oh, it's all silicones and coconut oil*, with fairy wings and unicorn tears at the end to let them legitimately claim it contains it'.
The next step I find might live a bit more up to its ingredient claims. I'm talking about £5-10 per 250-400ml bottle. I've not actually tried many of these conventional ones because I can't afford to waste money on something that may well not agree with my scalp, but the list of ingredients gives their claims a bit more credibility. As in, it actually *is* sulphate-free, not using sodium-coco-sulphate or ALS/ALES to jump on the bandwagon. Or uses ingredients that actually might make your hair feel nice without just covering up damage.
Beyond that ... I don't know. My previous experiences were very uneducated, but I did use Ojon for a bit (which to me was definitely expensive - £15-20/250ml) and noticed a difference. Our hairdresser noticed a difference too, and asked what I was using. That was silicone-free and I genuinely didn't need to use as much as with regular products, despite my skepticism about it. I don't know if I'd be as impressed now, but then again I might be if I had chance to use it again (they've discontinued it and changed into a new company, Origins).

Ultimately I don't think products can be judged on price alone (and I'm not judging anyone for using whatever their hair likes best! But I do always think it's best to make informed decisions either way), only whether it is good for your hair or not, and unfortunately ingredients lists can't always tell you that. Alas!

*Coconut oil is one of the ingredients used by the industry as a raw material for producing sulphates, so while it might sound good on the front of the bottle, it's still a fairly standard cheap ingredient.

[aethyra]

Fruit, fresh, marine, all nice scents to me, but food scents are a little "much" even for my concrete can-stand-it-all nose. :lol:

I am thinking they will soon come out with Fresh Baked Lasagna and Sizzling Steak scented hair products.:eek:

I love marine, fresh air, green tea and essential oil type of scents the best.

[Sparkles122]

I love love looovvveee the smell of all things Biolage. And even though I do use Pantene, their products smell nauseating and linger throughout the day, making me dry heave randomly.

[lakhesis]

I just decide based on ingredients. I never spent more than 10 euros per bottle of shampoo because I never found something sooo interesting that would be worth it.

Right now I use Balea that is around 1-2 euros, because I *finally* have access to dm drugstore. I love their products, most of them have great ingredients, much better than some of the more expensive products.

Back when I lived in Denmark I used medium expensive products - like Urtekram, where shampoo is around 7 euros and honestly it wasn't best choice for me - but it could have just been the horribly hard water there. I also used Alpecin caffeine shampoo (8-9 euros) and a lot of Garnier products that were around 3-4 euros per bottle. I was happy with both.
Surprisingly, I can't find the same Garnier products here in Czech Republic, those here are full of silicones, same as other drugstore shampoos and conditioners here.

[LittleOgre]

I just decide based on ingredients. I never spent more than 10 euros per bottle of shampoo because I never found something sooo interesting that would be worth it.

Right now I use Balea that is around 1-2 euros, because I *finally* have access to dm drugstore. I love their products, most of them have great ingredients, much better than some of the more expensive products.

Back when I lived in Denmark I used medium expensive products - like Urtekram, where shampoo is around 7 euros and honestly it wasn't best choice for me - but it could have just been the horribly hard water there. I also used Alpecin caffeine shampoo (8-9 euros) and a lot of Garnier products that were around 3-4 euros per bottle. I was happy with both.
Surprisingly, I can't find the same Garnier products here in Czech Republic, those here are full of silicones, same as other drugstore shampoos and conditioners here.

Heard there is a shampoo called ten Voss that cost like $300

[sophia_]

I always use drugstore shampoos, since I wash daily and I'm not Bill Gates, lol. If it doesn't make me shed/tangle, I can use any shampoo, really. I've been sticking to the ogx teatree and mint shampoo for a long time, because I have been noticing growth and don't want to change anything, lol. I love the way the mint feels, so I have no desire to switch to anything else.

[AmaryllisRed]

I always use drugstore shampoos, since I wash daily and I'm not Bill Gates, lol. If it doesn't make me shed/tangle, I can use any shampoo, really. I've been sticking to the ogx teatree and mint shampoo for a long time, because I have been noticing growth and don't want to change anything, lol. I love the way the mint feels, so I have no desire to switch to anything else.

I am Bill Gates.
I keep my long hair hidden under a short wig when I go out because people would be really jealous if they knew that I not only have boatloads of money but also long, flowing, gorgeous locks.

And to stay on topic.
$300 shampoo? Like... How? Is it made of unicorn tears?

[lapushka]

I am Bill Gates.
I keep my long hair hidden under a short wig when I go out because people would be really jealous if they knew that I not only have boatloads of money but also long, flowing, gorgeous locks.

And to stay on topic.
$300 shampoo? Like... How? Is it made of unicorn tears?

Probably. ;)

[LittleOgre]

I always use drugstore shampoos, since I wash daily and I'm not Bill Gates, lol. If it doesn't make me shed/tangle, I can use any shampoo, really. I've been sticking to the ogx teatree and mint shampoo for a long time, because I have been noticing growth and don't want to change anything, lol. I love the way the mint feels, so I have no desire to switch to anything else.

Its probably the mint that is growing your hair.

[LittleOgre]

I am Bill Gates.
I keep my long hair hidden under a short wig when I go out because people would be really jealous if they knew that I not only have boatloads of money but also long, flowing, gorgeous locks.

And to stay on topic.
$300 shampoo? Like... How? Is it made of unicorn tears?

I think with any product that is impossible to make valuable with the actual stuff inside they decorate the outside and make it as fancy as possible to heighten the price. That's how they made 8 price Buffalo Chicken like 1000 dollars all because they cover it in edible gold.

[sophia_]

I am Bill Gates.
I keep my long hair hidden under a short wig when I go out because people would be really jealous if they knew that I not only have boatloads of money but also long, flowing, gorgeous locks.


I guess expensive shampoo makes your hair microsoft :disco:

[nycelle]

waaiit.. is it based on the VOSS water?
If so, it's still way over priced but I am wondering what other ingredients it has. Off to google..

[MusicalSpoons]

I guess expensive shampoo makes your hair microsoft :disco:

:rollin:

(characters)

[AmaryllisRed]

I guess expensive shampoo makes your hair microsoft :disco:

:spitting:
Oh my goodness.

[aethyra]

I guess expensive shampoo makes your hair microsoft :disco:

Good one!!!

[blackgothicdoll]

I guess expensive shampoo makes your hair microsoft :disco:

:applause

actually laughed out loud quite a bit hahaha!

[blackgothicdoll]

On the topic of scents, a lot of drug store 'natural' products smell far too strongly of coconut and I physically cannot tolerate the smell. I think that's another reason I don't like salon brands, that weird perfumey smell. I prefer either herbal or floral scents, but they need to at least pretend to smell natural, not like a bucket of perfume.

I love cocoa butter though. Who doesn't want to smell like chocolate? lol!

[LittleOgre]

On the topic of scents, a lot of drug store 'natural' products smell far too strongly of coconut and I physically cannot tolerate the smell. I think that's another reason I don't like salon brands, that weird perfumey smell. I prefer either herbal or floral scents, but they need to at least pretend to smell natural, not like a bucket of perfume.

I love cocoa butter though. Who doesn't want to smell like chocolate? lol!

Thr scents don't bother me but I do wish they'd stick to unscented lol

[renia22]

I guess expensive shampoo makes your hair microsoft :disco:


:bluebiggr

[RottenMango]

For me, I simply need a shampoo that is going to suck the oil out of my oily scalp without over drying my coarse curly hair. I am okay with using a moisturizing drugstore shampoo. Lately, I have been in love with the Garnier Whole Blends shampoos. They are very rich and moisturizing. I have used high end shampoos before, too and I haven’t noticed much of a difference. It’s conditioner and hair masks that I think it is more important to splurge on in order to get one which truly moisturizes the hair.

[H o n є y ❤]

99% of the time I don't notice any difference. I like to buy expensive shampoos sometimes to pamper myself though.

[Begemot]

I like sulfate free shampoos and they tend to cost a little more compared to regular sls shampoos. The difference is smaller these days though. I would buy a more expensive shampoo if it's chelating, or some other kind of special shampoo I would use only occasionally. My regular shampoo shouldn't cost too much.

[lapushka]

The only expensive shampoo I *have to* buy is Nizoral 2%, which is 14.25 euro for a 100ml bottle, so tiny bottle & high price, that's like 140 euro per liter. That's expensive! :( So if I can somehow avoid using the medicated shampoo as often, I will do it. Sometimes regular Head & Shoulders does a pretty nifty job, but other times it's just too bad to try anything "lighter".

[Natalia_A00]

I don't know, one of my favourite shampoos was like 4€. An expensive shampoo I tried (Blumin Onion shampoo) made my hair feel very dry and I noticed I was shedding more, so... It was supposed to be a "professional shampoo used in salons", but well... You never know how your hair and scalp is going to react to the formula.

[pinkypoo]

I tend to buy more expensive shampoos focused on being moisturizing or repairing since I only shampoo once a week and they last me ages. I also use a cleansing conditioner or sulfate free shampoo once a week which tend to be more costly. The real workhorse in my hair products is my tresemme Botanique Conditioner, I use it to detangle, cleanse and conditioner and go through it like crazy. it's cheap and I refuse to spend a lot on a conditioner I know will be used up quickly.

[Izzyivy]

I like to use shea moisture shampoos, especially the jamaican black castor oil one. They are slightly more pricy but you get a decent sized bottle and it lasts me ages as I only wash my hair once or twice a week. I like the ingredients as I am sulfate and silicone free and they work well for me. I also like the Indian brand Khadi which does slightly cheaper shampoos with nice ingredients.

[ExpectoPatronum]

I've used both high end and drugstore shampoos. I use Nature's Gate Tea Tree Oil shampoo which is about $7 where I live. I also love Love Beauty and Planet conditioners which are also fairly cheap (also about $7). Both of those products work really well for me. Sometimes I'll buy something high end just to pamper myself, but I usually reserve that for stylers since I don't like washing money down the drain.

[Dark40]

I rather the $5 shampoos also other than the expensive ones. Now, sometimes I do indulge and treat myself to an expensive shampoo but other than that my hair loves the cheap shampoos.

[mackensey]

I only use expensive shampoos when my hairdresser does it in the salon ;) I do admit, it feels amazing to use them, but I don't feel it's necessary for me to spend that much on shampoo if my hair is happy with what I am currently using :D

[Caribbean_girl]

The same happens to my hair, VO5 shampoo tangles and dries my curls up. I’ve tried other shampoos like Garnier Fructis and Herbal Essences. They are really good affordable brand.

[NicoleJean]

So my sister has a beauty license and can buy products at the beauty supply for about 50% less than retail. So between her giving me things to try and trying things on my own I seem to feel that some more expensive products have been worth the splurge and some not. For regular shampoo and conditioner I have loved for years the suave professionals almond + Shea butter moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. It’s super cheap and I have tried a lot of more expensive brands and have yet to find one that leaves my hair as nice as the suave. For hair mask I have found the Neutrogena triple moisture hair mask to be as good or better than a lot of the speedy ones but I also find the it’s a 10 miracle hair mask really good too but it’s more expensive. So there are some good shampoos and conditioners that are more expensive but overall I have found that if you keep tying you can usually find a cheaper alternative that works just as well as the more expensive brands. Unfortunately it usually takes a lot of trial and error until you find what you like and what works for you hair which of course unfortunately results in a lot of wasted money so I like to stick with products once I find ones I really like to avoid wasted money.

[ExpectoPatronum]

I use cheap shampoo and conditioners because I'm rinsing them down the drain anyway. I prefer to spend my money on things that I'll be leaving on my hair.

[MusicalSpoons]

I seem to feel that some more expensive products have been worth the splurge and some not ...

... it usually takes a lot of trial and error until you find what you like and what works for you hair which of course unfortunately results in a lot of wasted money so I like to stick with products once I find ones I really like to avoid wasted money.

This is exactly why I'm very hesitant to try more expensive products. There might be something that really is my Holy Grail shampoo out there, but I can't afford to take the risk - not only might things I try not be worth it, but I might not even be able to use them more than once or twice if my scalp actively dislikes them (which is quite likely!) :-(

[Dark40]

Do you guys ever notice any difference between the quality shampoo you buy based on price tag? I tend to buy cheap shampoos, like $5 is rich girl expensive for me but only when I feel like indulging in my curiosity. I'm a pretty cheap person lol. Someone bought me some Dr.bronners which is just like the castille soap I would make but a bit more gentle honestly so I don't dilute with as much oil and water. So do you notice any difference between shampoos that are like over 10 dollars. shampoos around 5 dollars and the lovely $2 dollar suave shampoo.

No, I don't see a difference at all between the $5 and $10 shampoos. I'm a cheap person when it comes to shampoos too. I think the cheap $2 and $5 shampoos are just as good as the $10 ones.

[Krissycats]

I am trying to use up my shampoos and then use a shampoo bar with my two conditioners, VO5 and Garnier Whole Blends Cocoa Butter. Currently, I am using up a purple shampoo for blondes that is from Sally's brand. After that, I think I've used up my shampoos, which were mainly VO5's.

[NicoleJean]

Some of the salon products that my sister got for me with her discount I tried and my hair felt and looked horrible after and I could not believe they cost 5 times as much as my favorite drug store cheap shampoo and conditioner. I’m not saying you won’t find Salon or more expensive brands that are good but that you can usually almost always find something comparable or as good or even better for much less.

I would start out trying some of the recommended cheaper brands and see if any of those work for you first and if not than explore more expensive brands. Most likely you will be able to find something that works well for you without costing so much. A lot of the drugstore brands you can also pick up travel sizes of the more popular ones if you just want to try. It’s not the most cost effective way as far as in value for size but a good way to try many different brands within a short period of time and not end up with tons of full bottles of rejects to throw away.

[Katsura]

I can find what I want in cheaper range of shampoos. I like quite short inci-lists. My shampoos usually cost 2-5€ a bottle. They usually are a Finnish brand also, so I'm being a good countryman. :D

[AutobotsAttack]

One of the best clarification shampoos I’ve ever used was ISOPLUS. It’s 1.89$. I typically don’t shampoo my ends at all, and dilute them anyways, but on the occasions I’m experiencing buildup that shampoo is amazing.

On the other hand, I once bought some Aveda shampoo that was 74$ and almost ended up almost having to cut giant matted pieces of hair.

So it definitely depends on what your hair is like.

[RottenMango]

Ive used both cheap and expensive shampoos. Expensive shampoos, on average, were much more concentrated in my experience. I needed much less product to get a creamy, rich lather. It was very potent stuff. I used the Bumble & Bumble Seaweed Shampoo and the Philip B Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo.

[lapushka]

I use cheap shampoo and conditioners because I'm rinsing them down the drain anyway. I prefer to spend my money on things that I'll be leaving on my hair.

Same with me. Regular shampoo and rinse-out conditioners are in the drugstore for 2-4 euro a piece, so I'd rather get them there.

Then stylers are a bit harder to find. A regular leave-in you might still find, and a serum, though not every brand carries those. So I use an import shop for my stylers and get "the good" brands like Eco Styler, Cantu, or Eden Bodyworks, or Shea Moisture. And I do spend more on those, but these things last me a long time and since I put them on for the entire week, I don't mind spending a bit (good chunk) more. It's the only way I can get stylers, so yeah... gotta do it.

[LittleHealthy]

In Australia we have a brand called Organic Care in most supermarkets, it’s cheap and has no sulphates or silicones. My sister swears by it and loves it (she’s into Haircare too). But for me it feels awful. I do actually love cheap shampoos and conditioners in certain brands (I love Herbal Essences and Garnier), but I am partial to a few more expensive brands too. I love some of the OGX products, and Sukin (Australian brand), but rarely buy them unless they’re at least 50% off.

As far as hair care and growth, I’m not precious.
For each person, price aside, it just depends on what you consider important. Ingredients, ethics, the environment etc.
Whatever is going to clean my hair and moisturise my ends a bit, that will do. Bonus if it’s in large bottles so that I’m not buying so many little plastic bottles for hair care. I even sometimes take my big pump bottles to the health food shop and have them refilled. . I don’t buy into all the extremely expensive ‘natural’ products, you may as well make your own instead of paying so much if being natural is high on the priority list :)
The one thing I noticed when I came to this forum was that some people buy so many expensive products all of a sudden. It’s a lot of money and sometimes a bit of a waste (waste of money AND plastic for the environment), though it is indeed fun to try new hair products, the more expensive ones aren’t going to make your hair grow faster (if only they did, haha)! :D

[nycelle]

In Australia we have a brand called Organic Care in most supermarkets, it’s cheap and has no sulphates or silicones. My sister swears by it and loves it (she’s into Haircare too). But for me it feels awful. I do actually love cheap shampoos and conditioners in certain brands (I love Herbal Essences and Garnier), but I am partial to a few more expensive brands too. I love some of the OGX products, and Sukin (Australian brand), but rarely buy them unless they’re at least 50% off.

As far as hair care and growth, I’m not precious.
For each person, price aside, it just depends on what you consider important. Ingredients, ethics, the environment etc.
Whatever is going to clean my hair and moisturise my ends a bit, that will do. Bonus if it’s in large bottles so that I’m not buying so many little plastic bottles for hair care. I even sometimes take my big pump bottles to the health food shop and have them refilled. . I don’t buy into all the extremely expensive ‘natural’ products, you may as well make your own instead of paying so much if being natural is high on the priority list :)
The one thing I noticed when I came to this forum was that some people buy so many expensive products all of a sudden. It’s a lot of money and sometimes a bit of a waste (waste of money AND plastic for the environment), though it is indeed fun to try new hair products, the more expensive ones aren’t going to make your hair grow faster (if only they did, haha)! :D

Don't think most people who choose to buy higher end hair shampoos/conditioners believe their hair will grow faster for it. They use them for various reasons like you first mentioned. And why would the waste created by 5 expensive products, be different than the waste created by 5 cheap products?

I rarely post here anymore is because of this- the backlash I felt because I prefer to use more expensive products. To be honest, it's no one's business how much I spend on hair care, and I'm certainly not more wasteful than someone spending half the price.

There's a reason very few people who don't use drugstore brands post - because they're absolutely frowned upon. As soon as they mention what they use, here comes the "Price Police" to offer a cheaper alternative "that works just as well", or give a speech about how these products aren't any better- even when no one asked.

There's nothing wrong with using more expensive brands if that's what someone prefers, not everyone is looking for an alternative. Respect their choice like you want your respected (the last bit wasn't directed at you @Littlehealthy).

[lapushka]

[/B]

Don't think most people who choose to buy higher end hair shampoos/conditioners believe their hair will grow faster for it. They use them for various reasons like you first mentioned. And why would the waste created by 5 expensive products, be different than the waste created by 5 cheap products?

I rarely post here anymore is because of this- the backlash I felt because I prefer to use more expensive products. To be honest, it's no one's business how much I spend on hair care, and I'm certainly not more wasteful than someone spending half the price.

There's a reason very few people who don't use drugstore brands post - because they're absolutely frowned upon. As soon as they mention what they use, here comes the "Price Police" to offer a cheaper alternative "that works just as well", or give a speech about how these products aren't any better- even when no one asked.

There's nothing wrong with using more expensive brands if that's what someone prefers, not everyone is looking for an alternative. Respect their choice like you want your respected (the last bit wasn't directed at you @Littlehealthy).

I didn't see any backlash because you use expensive products. It's different when you keep saying it's "better" and try to push this on people but I saw no such thing. And it's all YMMV here.

I saw none of that, honestly.

[Ylva]

Same with me. Regular shampoo and rinse-out conditioners are in the drugstore for 2-4 euro a piece, so I'd rather get them there.

Then stylers are a bit harder to find. A regular leave-in you might still find, and a serum, though not every brand carries those. So I use an import shop for my stylers and get "the good" brands like Eco Styler, Cantu, or Eden Bodyworks, or Shea Moisture. And I do spend more on those, but these things last me a long time and since I put them on for the entire week, I don't mind spending a bit (good chunk) more. It's the only way I can get stylers, so yeah... gotta do it.

But you also kind of "put on" the rinse-out conditioners for the whole week, just not literally. I don't quite understand the "down the drain" mentality in that sense. :D

For me, it's about how long stuff lasts whether it's reasonable to spend x amount of money on it (which you did also mention). If I used notably less conditioner, it would be easier to buy a more expensive brand should that be necessary, but luckily I've found good cheap(er) ones that my hair loves!

[MusicalSpoons]

But you also kind of "put on" the rinse-out conditioners for the whole week, just not literally. I don't quite understand the "down the drain" mentality in that sense. :D

For me, it's about how long stuff lasts whether it's reasonable to spend x amount of money on it (which you did also mention). If I used notably less conditioner, it would be easier to buy a more expensive brand should that be necessary, but luckily I've found good cheap(er) ones that my hair loves!

True. My hair adores a more expensive conditioner (~£5 for 250ml) which lasted me much longer than I anticipated, but I have cheaper alternatives that are almost as good and cost £1 for 400ml. If I had only a small product stash to use and slightly better finances, for me the more expensive one would still be reasonable because it does such a great job, and actually my ends were happier for longer than usual with it! (Too bad my scalp didn't do the same.)
Also for me, the conditioners stay on my head for either a very long time (1hr+) or 5-10mins so it's not just going straight down the drain :lol:


nycelle I'm sorry to hear you feel that way and if I have contributed to it, I really do apologise :flowers: My own circumstances are such that I generally feel quite keen to 'reassure' people that caring for long hair needn't necessarily be costly or very time-consuming / energy-intensive, and that the general pressure from things like glossy magazines and hair company blogs isn't the only way. However if I've come across too forcefully or in a belittling / dismissive manner I sincerely apologise, because that has never been my intention.

[NicoleJean]

I think there are good products and not so good products in all price ranges. Most important is finding what works for you and what you like. I use about 50% drugstore products and 50% salon/more expensive brands because those are the ones that have worked best for me and I like.

I think for many people it’s a cost issue and not that they are opposed to more expensive brands. If the more expensive products were given at the same cost as the drugstore products or given free to try I think most people would love to try them and continue to use them if they liked them. I know for me that the longer my hair gets the more product my hair requires to use and therefor I need to purchase my products more often. and being a one income family I can only afford to purchase a couple of more expensive products regularly so I choose to purchase the couple items I really love and I feel matter more such as my hair oil and hair mask and choose to use cheaper alternatives for things such as regular shampoo and conditioner.

[lapushka]

But you also kind of "put on" the rinse-out conditioners for the whole week, just not literally. I don't quite understand the "down the drain" mentality in that sense. :D

No it rinses out, right? So it goes down the drain. Shampoo doesn't "stay" on the hair, and neither should your conditioner, you need to rinse that out properly. So it does go down the drain, Ylva.

I don't want to spend more than 2-4 euro on a shampoo or conditioner, but that's me.

Stylers? Yes sure. That "molds" my hair for the next week and sets it (and I can smell that the entire week).

[lapushka]

I think there are good products and not so good products in all price ranges. Most important is finding what works for you and what you like. I use about 50% drugstore products and 50% salon/more expensive brands because those are the ones that have worked best for me and I like.

I think for many people it’s a cost issue and not that they are opposed to more expensive brands. If the more expensive products were given at the same cost as the drugstore products or given free to try I think most people would love to try them and continue to use them if they liked them. I know for me that the longer my hair gets the more product my hair requires to use and therefor I need to purchase my products more often. and being a one income family I can only afford to purchase a couple of more expensive products regularly so I choose to purchase the couple items I really love and I feel matter more such as my hair oil and hair mask and choose to use cheaper alternatives for things such as regular shampoo and conditioner.

^^ very true!

[littlestarface]

I have both high end like CHI Matrix REDKEN Paul mitchell and low end like suave,tresemme,HE,pantene and for me I prefer higher end products they work better and my hair loves them more and NO its not just going down the drain lol what kind of thinking is that? That's not how any product should be looked at, The same could be said for everything lmao,.

[Ylva]

No it rinses out, right? So it goes down the drain. Shampoo doesn't "stay" on the hair, and neither should your conditioner, you need to rinse that out properly. So it does go down the drain, Ylva.

I don't want to spend more than 2-4 euro on a shampoo or conditioner, but that's me.

Stylers? Yes sure. That "molds" my hair for the next week and sets it (and I can smell that the entire week).

Everything goes down the drain in the end. You gain a desired effect on your hair from the shampoo and conditioner, so in that sense, they don't go down the drain any more or less than the stylers do.

[littlestarface]

Everything goes down the drain in the end. You gain a desired effect on your hair from the shampoo and conditioner, so in that sense, they don't go down the drain any more or less than the stylers do.

Like with conditioners, a really good one will make the hair softer,slip and put nourishment in the hair and the smell stays for a long time too so saying it all goes down the drain, its not good to look at it that way to justify how you wanna spend money on hair products.

[Ylva]

Like with conditioners, a really good one will make the hair softer,slip and put nourishment in the hair and the smell stays for a long time too so saying it all goes down the drain, its not good to look at it that way to justify how you wanna spend money on hair products.

Indeed. I can't say I get any greater pleasure from rinsing cheap products down the drain than I do rinsing more expensive products. What they do to one's hair and scalp is what matters, not what's going down the drain exactly. I'm just personally glad that I've found affordable products that work well for my hair, otherwise I'd be in trouble considering the amount of conditioner I need to achieve the effect that I want to see on my hair.

[littlestarface]

Indeed. I can't say I get any greater pleasure from rinsing cheap products down the drain than I do rinsing more expensive products. What they do to one's hair and scalp is what matters, not what's going down the drain exactly. I'm just personally glad that I've found affordable products that work well for my hair, otherwise I'd be in trouble considering the amount of conditioner I need to achieve the effect that I want to see on my hair.

True, the most important is how the products make the hair feel cause even tho they get rinsed and go in the drain they still have an effect on my hair.

I been trying to use mid end kristin ess products its making my hair feel coated and nasty after but the smell tho I love the smell so much but its a fail on my hair. I wish I can always use CHI but dang its so expensive and my hair really loves it. I hate having picky hair. Suave and pantene have been doing good for me in my poor faze right now lol :wail:

[lapushka]

It's just how I look at it. Besides, I can't get cheaper stylers where I live, so there's that.

[ExpectoPatronum]

^^It's how I look at it too, Lapushka. I've used both expensive and inexpensive shampoo and conditioners and at the end of the day, that's where I choose to save money on my hair care routine. I can see the argument for spending more money there though :flower:

[lapushka]

Yep, ExpectoPatronum, you have to have a "reason" to save somewhere... I find, at least. ;) I don't mind using more expensive things, if they actually do perform better, but I haven't found a product (except in my stylers) that deserves that money thrown at it. I do however give props to the curl enhancing smoothie, the frizz-taming smoothie (underrated and not much talked about), and the JBCO leave-in by Shea Moisture. All great stylers, that I would not mind paying more for... at all!

[ExpectoPatronum]

How do you find the frizz-saving smoothie compares to the CES? I've been curious but I'm kind of in love with Jessicurl's spiralicious at the present moment.

[lapushka]

How do you find the frizz-saving smoothie compares to the CES? I've been curious but I'm kind of in love with Jessicurl's spiralicious at the present moment.

It's a different scent. For one. It smells like a spa treatment. For real! The frizz-taming smoothie is thicker in consistency to me, a little whiter in color while the CES is beiger, but even though it's thicker, you can still spread it through palms quite well. I like it a lot. I have been using it for 3 weeks consistently now. Love it. And the scent stays for a week for me.

If you like the Jessicurl though, stick with it; only spend the money when it's on sale and you can trial it.

[ExpectoPatronum]

Good to know. I'll have to keep my eye on sales and see if I can score some for cheap. Thanks for the info!

[Ylva]

^^It's how I look at it too, Lapushka. I've used both expensive and inexpensive shampoo and conditioners and at the end of the day, that's where I choose to save money on my hair care routine. I can see the argument for spending more money there though :flower:

I'm not sure if my and littlestarface's point was misunderstood, but nobody's either for or against using cheap or expensive hair products. Each to their own. It's just that the whole "down the drain" mentality is a bit off, in my opinion, because you're looking at what it does to your hair, not what you squeeze down the drain.

[lapushka]

Good to know. I'll have to keep my eye on sales and see if I can score some for cheap. Thanks for the info!

You're welcome! :D


I'm not sure if my and littlestarface's point was misunderstood, but nobody's either for or against using cheap or expensive hair products. Each to their own. It's just that the whole "down the drain" mentality is a bit off, in my opinion, because you're looking at what it does to your hair, not what you squeeze down the drain.

To me it's a good point, and a difference. But we probably all have our own opinion on that. ;)

[Caribbean_girl]

[/B]

Don't think most people who choose to buy higher end hair shampoos/conditioners believe their hair will grow faster for it. They use them for various reasons like you first mentioned. And why would the waste created by 5 expensive products, be different than the waste created by 5 cheap products?

I rarely post here anymore is because of this- the backlash I felt because I prefer to use more expensive products. To be honest, it's no one's business how much I spend on hair care, and I'm certainly not more wasteful than someone spending half the price.

There's a reason very few people who don't use drugstore brands post - because they're absolutely frowned upon. As soon as they mention what they use, here comes the "Price Police" to offer a cheaper alternative "that works just as well", or give a speech about how these products aren't any better- even when no one asked.

There's nothing wrong with using more expensive brands if that's what someone prefers, not everyone is looking for an alternative. Respect their choice like you want your respected (the last bit wasn't directed at you @Littlehealthy).

Wow, you just wrote what I was thinking while reading this thread. I feel the same way. Best reply ever.

[littlestarface]

[/B]

Don't think most people who choose to buy higher end hair shampoos/conditioners believe their hair will grow faster for it. They use them for various reasons like you first mentioned. And why would the waste created by 5 expensive products, be different than the waste created by 5 cheap products?

I rarely post here anymore is because of this- the backlash I felt because I prefer to use more expensive products. To be honest, it's no one's business how much I spend on hair care, and I'm certainly not more wasteful than someone spending half the price.

There's a reason very few people who don't use drugstore brands post - because they're absolutely frowned upon. As soon as they mention what they use, here comes the "Price Police" to offer a cheaper alternative "that works just as well", or give a speech about how these products aren't any better- even when no one asked.

There's nothing wrong with using more expensive brands if that's what someone prefers, not everyone is looking for an alternative. Respect their choice like you want your respected (the last bit wasn't directed at you @Littlehealthy).
Yea I feel you, anytime someone mentions an expensive product there's goes someone behind saying "well I wouldn't spend a lot on blhblhblh" its like their challenging you(general you) or something.

[Carrieberry77]

I think whatever works for your hair and is in your budget.
As for me, the shampoo that works best for my fine oily hair is a cheap sls/paraben/cone free baby shampoo.

[sillyme]

Do you guys ever notice any difference between the quality shampoo you buy based on price tag? I tend to buy cheap shampoos, like $5 is rich girl expensive for me but only when I feel like indulging in my curiosity. I'm a pretty cheap person lol. Someone bought me some Dr.bronners which is just like the castille soap I would make but a bit more gentle honestly so I don't dilute with as much oil and water. So do you notice any difference between shampoos that are like over 10 dollars. shampoos around 5 dollars and the lovely $2 dollar suave shampoo.

I have noticed a difference! My hair evidently just has "cheap taste," because the higher-end products leave my oily, fine hair too moisturized and flat. I've found that to be true for even the "volumizing" ones. The Vo5 Strawberries and Cream shampoo and conditioner are leaving my hair looking better than any other brand I've tried. And, I just happen to love yummy fruit scents!

I respect others' choices and I don't doubt for a minute that the more expensive products are better for some. And if that's what worked best for my hair, and I could afford it, that's what I would be washing down my drain too. :)

There are quite a few things that get washed away after using. I'm thinking toilet tissue here. :laugh: It's all about what it does for me first.

To each their own!

[GrowingGlory]

It just goes down the drain like food just goes down the throat and sex is just a spasm.