Looking to save money on your beauty routine? Changing your shampoo for a more affordable alternative could be an easy swap that could save you hundreds over the course of a year.
We are a nation obsessed with trying to find the best shampoo and conditioner for each and every hair type and are all guilty of spending more than we should in the quest to find the best hair products. But do we really need to invest in expensive or luxury products to get the best results? And is expensive shampoo better for your hair?
“You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good quality shampoo," Michael Douglas, celebrity hairstylist and founder of MDLondon tells us. "I know that the formulations on the shelves of supermarkets are extremely good and comparable with the formulations that you can get in the hair salon.” Knowing that the budget brands are just as effective as luxury options, we took it upon ourselves to try and test the best affordable shampoo formulas so you don't have to. Here are our favourite picks...
Michael Douglas is an experienced hairdresser who has worked in the industry for more than 35 years. In 2022, he launched his own brand of tools which now includes the BLOW Hair Dryer and STRAIT Hair Straightener.
9 of the best budget shampoo buys, selected by our beauty writer
Why you can trust Woman & Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
This deliciously scented tropical treat really is one of the best high-street shampoo buys I think you can find. Ticking literally every beauty box you could imagine this formula is vegan & cruelty-free, contains 96% natural origin ingredients, and is in a recycled plastic bottle, in addition to promising to deeply nourish and boost shine.
If you're looking for a vegan shampoo and conditioner, then this offering will certainly impress you. Coming with a matching conditioner and hair mask, you can stock up on the entire collection for less than the price of just one luxury shampoo. Ideal for those with long locks, this shampoo lathered really easily and quickly and got to work straight away. Post shower, I noticed my hair felt cleansed, soft and also super shiny. My hair didn't feel weighed down and I could leave it for two days without washing (as someone with quite fine hair, I'm normally a daily washer). A total all-rounder, I could not recommend this shampoo more, affordable, effective and quite moreish.
I suffer with a particularly dry scalp, so I was really looking forward to trying this gentle soothing shampoo. Made with colloidal oats and wholesome, botanical ingredients, this pH-balanced formula gently cleanses and weightlessly nourishes dry hair while respecting the scalp balance. One to definitely use alongside your best scalp treatments, this soothing shampoo helped keep my scalp happy and noticeably less dry.
The shampoo itself is quite thick so a little goes a long way, plus, it lathered quickly making cleansing my hair a total breeze. The smell was gorgeous too, a mix of delicate rose and subtle chamomile, this was a treat to use after a stressful day as the aromas helped to de-stress and relax. Teamed with the matching conditioner, this scalp soother managed to deeply nourish and prevent flakiness on the days that I used it – it's a real winner.
There are so many factors that can cause our hair to feel thinner, weaker and as a result, fall out and end up on our hair brushes. Stress, diet, seasonal changes and hormones are just some of the five leading causes of hair loss. Here's where this clever formula comes in. Promising to reduce hair loss by 92% thanks to the Aminexil molecules that strengthen hair and reduce hair fall, this is the best budget shampoo for those who end up with what feels like half their hair on their brush every day.
The silky formula is boosted with biotin and arginine which act as a barrier to protect and strengthen your hair, in addition to generally supporting your hair's health and happiness. I often find strands of my hair all over the house, on clothing and a disappointing amount on my hairbrush, so I loved using this. After a couple of weeks of use, I noticed that fewer strands were floating about on clothing and much less hair was in my brush. I can't wait to continue to use this and hopefully see even more impressive results.
I really struggled to find something I didn't love about this but honestly, I can't fault it. The grapefruit scented formula was one of the best drugstore shampoo options I tried as it ticked so many boxes such as certified cruelty-free, dermatologist tested, free from colourants, dyes, palm oil and so much more.
The £5 jumbo-sized shampoo (with a luxe pump dispenser) lathered immediately and deeply clarified and cleaned my head and hair. Designed to help remove product buildup, dirt, grime and excess oil, this balanced my scalp with total ease. The detoxing product gently cleaned my scalp without drying it out and left my strands looking and feeling happy and healthy. I fell in love with this after just one use and would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
A total saviour, this is one of the best shampoos for fine hair on the market. Packed to the brim with hair-building blocks biotin and keratin, and fortified with marine collagen and seaweed extract, this thickening shampoo strengthens and reduces breakage leading to naturally fuller, thicker, healthier-looking hair in just a couple of weeks. If, like me, you have fine and totally flat hair that could do with a major dose of volume, then this will be your best hair friend.
After a few days of use, my strands looked like they had more body than before and a subtle level of volume had appeared. Whilst it didn't provide me with J-Lo levels of oomph, for me the subtle difference was encouraging and I will continue to use it to hopefully see even better results. My strands also were left hydrated, soft and full of life. Without a doubt, this is one of the best affordable shampoo options for fine and thinning hair.
Been wondering how to get rid of dandruff? Meet your new hair hero. Designed for dry, itchy and flaky scalps, the minimal ingredient formula leaves your scalp and hair squeaky clean, effectively protecting you from dandruff. Smelling like a fresh, coconutty dream, this orchid, aloe and coconut-scented shampoo works hard to nourish dry and flaky scalps and soothe any irritation.
This Bare edition of the classic anti-dandruff shampoo from Head & Shoulders was a breath of fresh air to use. Feeling completely different to the original formula, this was lightweight, refreshing and seriously soothing. I massaged the plant-derived shampoo into my dry scalp and instantly felt it work its magic. Immediately soothing, nourishing and balancing, this bargain buy really came to my scalp's rescue. I use it every time I feel my scalp needs a little extra TLC and attention and after a few uses balance is restored.
Calling all those with natural hairstyles, coily hairstyles and curly hairstyles – this ringlet-loving shampoo is designed to bring back your bounce. After figuring out your individual curl type, it's likely you'll want to find the best products to keep them looking their best. This is where this product delivers one of the best drugstore shampoo results for curls. Bursting with all the good stuff our hair craves (think jojoba oil, coconut oil and macadamia nut oils) it'll deeply nourish your curls from root to tip.
This affordable buy is designed for 2B-3B curly hair, is free from SLS and silicones, and is also vegan-friendly. It also comes in a recyclable plastic bottle, made of 100% recycled plastic, so it really is impressive across the board. We tried this out and can safely say that it added some much-needed moisture to our curls, defined them without weighing them down and also added a glorious shine.
If you have highlights, balayage hair or even babylights, this shampoo will have your back. Designed to help protect your colour, this nourishing formula makes for one of the best high-street shampoo buys for coloured hair. This shampoo adds a protective layer to help seal in vibrancy for healthy-looking radiance, and also prevents heat styling damage – giving your best heat protection spray a helping hand.
This clever shampoo has a unique Pro-V blend with strengthening lipids + protective anti-oxidants which works to keep your hair colour looking vibrant and full of life. We found this shampoo to be lovely and hydrating, strengthening and of course colour-boosting. Use it to maintain your highlights in between salon visits and to keep your strands happy, healthy and hydrated.
Found yourself asking is sulfate bad for your hair? You aren't alone. It's long been debated whether sulfates in your beauty products are safe or not. But, after much debate, if you don't suffer from a sensitive scalp and skin then they are considered safe enough. This affordable option is one of the best drugstore shampoo buys that contains sulfates for both the body and hair. It's an effective cleanser that removes oil, dirt and product build-up without affecting coloured hair.
If you're finding that your hair and scalp are becoming increasingly greasy or dry, then it's worth trying out a sulfate shampoo like this option to help create a clean scalp environment. If you also need to speed up your shower time in the morning, then this option will impress you as it can be used from head to toe. A nice option that gently and effectively cleansed both my skin and hair.
How we tested the best shampoos on the high street
I took on the task of testing as many products as I could for this feature, as I wanted to make sure that we had an option of the best drugstore shampoo for each and every hair type and concern. Of course, I can only comment from the perspective of one hair type (fine, naturally straight) so I delegated some to the rest of the beauty team for authentic, non-biased opinions on all. While all are great affordable options, each product in this best drugstore shampoo round-up has lots of other amazing benefits and would genuinely be something I would recommend to a friend or family member.
HOW TO PICK THE BEST DRUGSTORE SHAMPOO FOR YOU
Now you've heard all about which products are the best affordable shampoo options on the market, here's how to pick the one that's most suited and beneficial to you and your hair type.
Douglas advises us, "have a think about what your hair has been through over the last six months. Has it been coloured? Has it been through a lot of heat styling? Have you been on holiday? How does it feel? Through this self-consultation process, you should be able to work out the overall condition of your hair and then choose a shampoo that seems appropriate."
He continues, "there are shampoos for colour to dry damaged hair, brittle hair, flat hair, fine hair. So, choose the one that most suits your hair type and condition. There is an element of trial and error with shampoos and conditioners, so be careful not to choose a very expensive one if you are in the process of working out which one is correct. Anything over the £7 mark I would say should be of a good formula with good ingredients."
TOP TIPS FOR APPLYING THE BEST DRUGSTORE SHAMPOO
While it may seem like a basic and self-explanatory task, learning how to use the best drugstore shampoo for your hair may benefit you and your strands.
Neil Moodie, a top British hair session stylist, says "My main tips are to use less, not more. A lot of shampoo gets wasted and ends up down the plug. Use an amount that is right for your hair length and concentrate on massaging your scalp as it's important to keep your scalp clean and healthy as well as your hair."
Douglas reveals, "You just want to make sure that the shampoo is distributed evenly throughout the roots and scalp and massage the area. Your roots and scalp are the dirtiest area so concentrate more of the product and more of the effort on that area."
He finishes by telling us, "My advice is always that shampoo is for the roots and conditioner is for the ends, trying to keep conditioners off the roots and scalp. This area does not need conditioning."
Neil is one of the UK’s most renowned session stylists, with more than three decades of experience in the industry.
Q+A
Which shampoo should you use if you have two different hair concerns?
If you think your hair falls into two categories i.e. flat and dehydrated or coloured and curly, then there is a way to make sure you are catering to all your hair needs. You can stock up on the best drugstore shampoo for two different needs and alternate days.
Douglas explains, "If you have two hair needs, it’s a good idea to mix and match the conditioners with the shampoos. So, for example, if your hair is fine highlighted choose a shampoo for fine hair and a conditioner for coloured or highlighted or dry damaged hair. This way you get the best of both."
Should you wash your hair everyday?
Unsure about how often you should wash your hair? We spoke to two industry experts to get the official low down about hair washing and how often to use the best drugstore shampoo products.
Moodie explains, "There is no hard rule for this, although hair that is finer and prone to be oilier tends to need to be shampooed more often. It's important to use a shampoo that doesn't just strip your hair of all its natural oils though."
Douglas agrees with this; "Thicker, coarser hair can tend to go longer without shampooing but it's important to keep an eye on your scalp if you shampoo less. Scalp health is as important as hair health."
Does double rinsing have any benefits?
Just like you find yourself double cleansing your skin, should we be double rinsing our hair? Moodie and Douglas weigh in on the debate...
"I believe in double rinsing but I think the second rinse should be with cooler or cold water," Moodie reveals. He explains that this process "helps to close down the hair cuticle, which in turn causes less frizz and flyaways and is also good for circulation to the scalp."
Douglas warns, "Rinsing all of the shampoo out of your hair is important. Within the shampoo are surfactants and these surfactants attract dirt and debris. If you don’t rinse all the shampoo out of the hair, your hair will continue to attract the dirt debris therefore, getting dirtier faster, so a double rinse is a great way to make sure all the shampoo is removed from your hair."
So, if you were still thinking that washing your hair needs to be an expense akin to actually visiting the salon, hopefully this has proved you wrong. With so many affordable shampoo options available to pick up in the supermarket or on the high-street, there's no need to pay more.
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