Salon-quality hair products typically contain higher-quality ingredients and greater concentrations than many drugstore options. Price often reflects ingredient quality, though large conglomerates can leverage bulk purchasing to offer relatively better formulations at lower retail prices. Indie brands selling in drugstore channels may reduce concentration to meet price targets. Ingredient concentration matters less when a product produces the desired results for a person's hair type. Some individuals prefer specific drugstore products because particular silicones or formulations suit their hair. A mixed approach—splurging on certain products while saving on others—can provide good results and budget balance.
Of course we'd all buy the fancy shampoo and conditioner at Ulta if we could, but these kids gotta eat, so I personally get mine at Walmart. But then I scroll through Instagram or my TikTok FYP, and I see influencers and hair experts explaining all the ways more expensive brands are better for my hair. So, I decided to ask someone who actually has experience formulating hair products: Is salon-quality shampoo worth it? Do I need the conditioner, treatment mask, and styling products that all cost in the double digits, or is my $6 can of mousse just fine?
When you're talking drugstore brand and you're looking at a huge conglomerate, there is a little bit more wiggle room on quality because they're producing it in mass quantities. So, when you have a conglomerate like a L'Oreal, for example, they may be able to provide you with a little bit better quality because they're buying these ingredients in bulk,
On the other hand, if you're buying an indie brand from the drugstore, Graciano says it may not be as concentrated as a salon-quality product because they're trying to keep it below a certain price point. But ultimately, the quality and concentration of ingredients don't matter much as long as a product is working well for your hair.
Collection
[
|
...
]