Hair care that is worth splurging on?

[lakhesis]

What products do you buy even though they are on the pricey side? :)

I had a coupon that I had to use up, so I ended up buying the Olaplex line. I trust Olaplex because when I had a bleach disaster it really did fix my hair, plus there is science behind it and a patent. I’ve been using no. 3 (the treatment with active ingredient) at least twice year since then. However, I have never bought the shampoo or the conditioner as I couldn’t really justify the price, the ingredients did not seem too special :D

While trying to use up the coupon, I also looked at more high end products, like Kerastase, Redken, L’Oreal Professionnel and again, the ingredients just didn’t look too different from cheaper products. So I didn’t choose anything, but I am still wondering if some of these are worth trying out :)

[Ylva]

I can't say I have much experience with high-end haircare. I had a 200 ml Kerastase mask at some point; paid €30 for it and it was nothing special in the end. The only somewhat more expensive product that I find awesome is the Natura Siberica Oblepikha Intensive Hydration shampoo, but even though it's not dirt cheap, it's not high-end by any means, and the awesomeness is mainly for my bleached hair, not so much the virgin parts. I guess my virgin hair is of the sort that products don't make much of a difference on. Of course, I don't have so much of it yet that I would be able to tell how it acts when it's at hip, for example. :)

[Bat]

my favorite is the joico range, my hair loves that stuff

[Alexandrina]

What products do you buy even though they are on the pricey side? :)

I had a coupon that I had to use up, so I ended up buying the Olaplex line. I trust Olaplex because when I had a bleach disaster it really did fix my hair, plus there is science behind it and a patent. I’ve been using no. 3 (the treatment with active ingredient) at least twice year since then. However, I have never bought the shampoo or the conditioner as I couldn’t really justify the price, the ingredients did not seem too special :D

While trying to use up the coupon, I also looked at more high end products, like Kerastase, Redken, L’Oreal Professionnel and again, the ingredients just didn’t look too different from cheaper products. So I didn’t choose anything, but I am still wondering if some of these are worth trying out :)

Hmm I tend to be willing to spend money more on accessories than care products...
but I think part of that is I get super overwhelmed at just how many choices there are. I cant differentiate between 100 conditioners!
Like you, I'd have to look into the ingredients etc. Especially if you have time before your coupon expires.

[sipnsun]

I will splurge on anything that I feel makes a difference and that goes for skin care also. Right now I have a large rotation of products but my go-to shampoo and conditioner is Restore by Living Proof and leave ins are Nightblooming's Selkie spray and Freya's salve. They are working for me so I don't mind spending a little extra $$ on them.

[illicitlizard]

I bought the Shu Uemura colour lustre shampoo a few years back and loved it, but couldn't justify the cost. High end products seem to be more about scent and packaging and occasional trendy ingredients than actually being better haircare than drugstore, especially these days I think with so many options.
Olaplex is a pretty safe bet for colour treated hair especially.

[florenonite]

For me, salon products aren't really worth spending more on, as I tend to find the ingredients are a lot like the drugstore products. More of the higher-end shampoos these days are sulphate-free, but I'm pretty sure my scalp doesn't like the main surfactant they use in place of sulphates, so that's a bug, not a feature, for me. When it comes to skincare, I do use a very expensive (to me, anyway - $50 Canadian for 50ml) moisturiser, but I have picky skin and it works without setting off either my eczema or a breakout, so that's a win for me.

What I am often willing to spend more on are products that are more environmentally-friendly, like a syndet shampoo bar over a comparable bottled shampoo, or products with expensive ingredients, like a Nightblooming oil made with essential oils in a blend that I love (I will make everything smell of Nesah and nobody can stop me :p ).

[esmeralda80]

my favorite is the joico range, my hair loves that stuff

I second this! I’ve tried the Kpak reconstructor and Intense Hydrator with great luck so far!

[lapushka]

Kerastase, Bonacure by Schwarzkopf & last but definitely not least: Davines! Awesome brand!!!

[Bat]

I second this! I’ve tried the Kpak reconstructor and Intense Hydrator with great luck so far!

Same here both of those work for me!

[knobbly]

I’ve never found salon-level hair care to be worth it for me. I liked a few Bumble styling products back in the day, but those types of stylers wouldn’t work in my hair now. I haven’t done any super destructive dying since high school, and no single process color in a few years, so I have no need for the Olaplexes of the world. I’m fine with cheapo drugstore stuff or slightly more pricey health food store stuff if I’m being picky about ingredients or scents.

Like other folks I’m more likely to “splurge” on small batch indie makers like Nightblooming, but even that level of pricing can’t compare to redonk salon prices for Kérastase and the like.

[Julescarm]

Ive been trying the bondi boost products and spray and im impressed. 25 dollats a bottle but my hair has never been so shiny. For me, i let my hair air dry after shampoo and conditioning then applythe spray, let that dry, then detangle, it feels crunchy but after gently finger detangling itis so soft

[TechnoAngel]

I have one salon product by Kérastase, it's a cream called aura botanica crême the boucles. I bought it for a discount price.

I'd rather buy a salon brand cream, leave-in or styling product instead of a salon brand shampoo, conditioner or mask. I use way too much product for that ;)

[GordonMurphella]

I'm so low maintenance anymore I haven't purchased anything even remotely high end in about 3 years. Closest is Keracolor in Platinum to keep my silver sparkly, but even that hasn't come into my house since going into lockdown in March.

I am lucky, I know, to have pretty laid-back hair, but I've always had really good luck with drugstore priced products, even when I was colouring years ago.

[Hedwig]

I've tried Kerastase, Redken, Pureology and Davines and none of them really blew me away ... Davines did nothing special to my hair at all, it wasn't even particularly soft after using their LOVE conditioner. I was always quite fond of Pureology, but that brand is targeted specifically to chemically processed (dyed or bleached) hair, so keep that in mind. In general, I think that untreated hair doesn't really need salon-priced products.

[NicoleLionne]

I always come back to Kevin Murphy products. So far that's the only shampoo that makes both my hair and my scalp happy. And since I need only a tiny bit compared to drugstore shampoo, it's not that expensive in the end. And I like that it's cruelty free and that the bottles are made from recycled plastic.

When possible, I try to buy cruelty free (and sulphate free), and most of those shampoo's just aren't cleansing enough or the conditioners don't seem to do anything for my chemically dyed length. Kevin Murphy conditioners are the only ones so far that actually do something without causing buildup.

I have tried a few other salon brands, but most of them weren't anything special (at least not for my hair). Redken's anti-snap leave-in has become a holy grail product though. Still on the hunt for a cruelty-free alternative for that one.

When it comes to styling products, dry shampoo's etc. I haven't found any high-end product worth repurchasing. But my hair doesn't require a lot of styling :)

[esmeralda80]

I've tried Kerastase, Redken, Pureology and Davines and none of them really blew me away ... Davines did nothing special to my hair at all, it wasn't even particularly soft after using their LOVE conditioner. I was always quite fond of Pureology, but that brand is targeted specifically to chemically processed (dyed or bleached) hair, so keep that in mind. In general, I think that untreated hair doesn't really need salon-priced products.

I concur with all of this. The Pureology Hydrate shampoo in particular is the only shampoo that doesn’t turn my hair into a frizzy mess - and I think this was true even when my hair was undamaged.

I’ve also tried a lot of Kerastase products but have had to give most of them away due to the overpowering fragrance! The only product I’m still using is their elixir Ultime hair oil. I like it well enough as it does not weigh down my hair at all, although I’m not sure I will re-order when I’m out.

[Sparkles122]

Biolage hydrasource shampoo and hydrasource conditioning balm, ive been in love with it for years

[Finda]

A friend of a friend uses paul mitchell products at her salon. So I tried out the Marulaoil and the awapuhi wild ginger lines. Back then (when I started to change my haircare routine and let my hair grow) my ends were in an awful condition and I really had the impression the produts helped a lot more to smooth things over than the stuff I tried from the drugstore ( I hadn't figuered out yet how to wash my hair without tangling, though). I think there are lots of silicones in it, but back then my hair really needed it.
I also tried their keratin treatment at the salon two times, but I'm not sure that was worth the money.
Since I have found my routine I'm okay with for example the garnier hair food line.
I still buy the conditioner from time to time, when I want my hair to be super smooth and shiny for a special occasion, I use it.

[Dark40]

What products do you buy even though they are on the pricey side? :)

I had a coupon that I had to use up, so I ended up buying the Olaplex line. I trust Olaplex because when I had a bleach disaster it really did fix my hair, plus there is science behind it and a patent. I’ve been using no. 3 (the treatment with active ingredient) at least twice year since then. However, I have never bought the shampoo or the conditioner as I couldn’t really justify the price, the ingredients did not seem too special :D

While trying to use up the coupon, I also looked at more high end products, like Kerastase, Redken, L’Oreal Professionnel and again, the ingredients just didn’t look too different from cheaper products. So I didn’t choose anything, but I am still wondering if some of these are worth trying out :)

I can say I have a lot of experience with high-end products. I have 32oz bottles of Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner, a 10oz bottle of It's a 10 Miracle Leave-Ibn Treatment, Biosilk Serum as well. I also have some Giovanni products as well. I also use Loreal Professional products too. I also have Goldwell shampoo, conditioner, and deep conditioning treatment. I'm like you, I've always wanted to try the Olaplex products but always felt that they were entirely too pricey. You're right you do need a coupon to be able to afford it.

I love splurging on haircare products!

[Jo Ann]

Joico, definitely! The Moisture Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner, K-Pac Intense Hydrator and the K-Pac Reconstructor.

I've tried others, but those are the ones I come back to, every time--when I can afford them :)