‘I thought I’d hate a 75p Boots shampoo but it made my hair so silky’ – can YOU tell who went budget & who paid £50?
THE idea of splurging more than £50 on a high-end hair product would get most of us in a lather.
Especially as a no-frills shampoo costing less than £1 could offer equally luscious locks.
In a unique experiment for Fabulous, we asked six women to trial two very different shampoo and conditioner combos in place of their usual products for a week.
Three were given Boots Everyday coconut and almond shampoo and conditioner, costing just 75p per bottle.
The other three were handed luxurious Oribe Gold Lust Repair and Restore shampoo and conditioner, which would set you back more than £50 each — £108 in total.
The price of shampoo in the UK has dipped by 8p since September 2023, with the average bottle now clocking in at £4.60.
But taking salon treatments into account, the average woman still spends £378.51 a year on hairstyling.
Hair expert Neil Harvey, of the Institute of Trichologists in London’s Harley Street, says, for most people, any regular shampoo will do the job.
But certain hair types may benefit from splashing a bit more cash.
“One can expect any shampoo, whatever its ingredients or cost, to clean the hair and scalp,” says Neil.
“If you have strong, healthy, short hair and no scalp sensitivity, then almost any shampoo will do the job.
“But if your hair is long, fine, dry or very thick — or if you have any form of scalp problem — then investing in a more expensive option could really pay dividends.”
This is largely due to the specific ingredients in the superior-quality shampoos.
“A more expensive one will usually contain a higher percentage and combination of higher-quality ingredients, such as essential oils, plant or fruit extracts, botanicals and antimicrobial agents,” he says.
Neil noticed a big difference between the products in the two shampoos used.
“The cheaper one contained only 16 ingredients — mostly foaming agents, preservative and thickening agents,” he says.
“There were only three ingredients that were added to aid the hair’s look and feel.
“But the more expensive shampoo contained 89 ingredients, the majority of which were either more complex or expensive botanical ingredients, and many that would potentially benefit not just the condition of the hair, but also that of the scalp.”
Here’s what the six ladies thought of their dramatically different shampoos . . .
JANICE BRYANT, 65, is a retired IT business analyst from St Ives, Cambridgeshire. She says:
“My hair is long and grey and has a tendency to be a bit static, but the right products make that go away.
I have never found budget shampoos that amazing.
I’ve tried brands like Tresemme and John Frieda, which vary from £3 to about £7.
The Oribe one arrived in a very posh bottle, so I was excited to try it. It’s lovely quality and really lived up to its impressive exterior.
Even though it’s expensive, a little goes a long way.
After using it, my hair felt soft and silky, whereas cheap ones can leave it feeling wiry and rough.
The Oribe got rid of all the flyaway bits that annoy me, too.
I would never pay more than £50 for a bottle of shampoo, but there is no denying how lovely this was.”
CHLOE HAYWOOD, 49, is a sustainable fashion designer from Cheddar, Somerset. She says:
“I HAVE a tiny bit of grey coming through at the front, which I hate. It’s a strange texture and I dye it.
I spend around £35 a month on hair products, as I try to use sustainable brands and refills.
I don’t spend a lot of time on my hair – I need it to be simple.
I loved the Oribe shampoo. I was blown away by the luxurious-looking gold bottle and it smelled really nice.
You get a lot of lather when you use it, which was lovely, and the colour of my hair afterwards was really nice.
Blonde hair can go yellowy but with this it had a lovely tone and was bright and shiny.
The roots didn’t seem to show as much and it felt in amazing condition – soft and smooth, and not too flat.”
PAULOMI DEBNATH, 44, is a jewellery designer, from Romford, Essex. She says:
“I AM originally from India and whenever I go back to visit, I stock up on hair oil.
Other than that, all I use is shampoo and conditioner. I’m quite lucky as I still have plenty of hair.
It bounces and is wavy and smooth. But it went grey when I was 40, which I loathe.
I never use basic brands – I always buy my shampoo from a salon and am currently using Tigi, which costs around £12.99 a bottle.
I love the bounce of my hair, but it can be a challenge and a good shampoo and conditioner helps to tame it.
The Oribe wouldn’t usually fall within my budget, but it was lovely.
It made my hair look shiny and full and had a light scent fresh cotton.
It also left my hair less frizzy.”
NIKI WOODS, 47, is a wellness coach and menopause educator from Leeds. She says:
“I’m often told that my hair looks glossy and shiny, but I don’t do much to look after it.
I dye it at home every four weeks to hide the grey and sometimes suffer with a dry scalp when the roots come through.
I usually use Herbal Essences shampoo, which costs around £3, and try to avoid blow-drying my hair too often.
My hair felt a lot bushier after using the Boots products.
The scent was nice and not too overpowering.
My usual shampoo has quite a thick lather, but this felt airy.
My hair was duller and not as sleek after using it for a week. I also had to blowdry it more often, to tame it.
I do worry it’s drying my scalp – I’d rather spend extra on a product that gives my hair a silkier look and leaves it in better condition.”
JO FRANCIS, 50, runs a digital marketing agency and lives in Maidstone, Kent. She says:
“I used to be a brunette, but as I started to turn grey, I began dyeing my hair red.
I have it coloured and cut at a salon every five or six weeks and only ever use salon-quality products.
My favourite is Redken, which costs around £40 for the shampoo and conditioner.
I feel it prolongs my colour. I also use a serum to reduce frizz.
I thought I was going to hate the Boots products, but actually, the conditioner is amazing.
My hair feels gorgeous after using it. It tamed it beautifully and it felt soft and silky afterwards.
I was much less impressed with the shampoo, but for a cheap bottle to keep for emergencies, it’s OK.”
JOYCE CONNOR, 60, is a make-up artist, from Reading, Berks. She says:
“I wash my hair a couple of times a week and love experimenting with different products.
My favourite brand is Design Essentials, which costs around £15 and is made for Afro hair.
Sometimes I do a hot oil treatment, too.
My hair is harder to manage than you’d think – it’s very soft and fluffy – so I use a moisturising mist and styling cream daily, and at night I wear a satin cap, which stops it drying out.
When I opened the Boots bottles, I was pleasantly surprised by the smell, but I was worried the shampoo would dry my hair out.
It didn’t, especially after using the conditioner.
I will probably go back to using more expensive products, keeping the Boots ones as a back-up – 75p per bottle is insanely good value.”