No matter how much you might spend on it, there’s something about shampoo that always feels like the most basic step of your hair routine. After all, sudsing up in the shower just isn’t that exciting—it’s the masks, hair oils and styling products that bring the fun later. However, while I am partial to a more expensive shampoo and conditioner duo, I often recommend that it’s the place in your hair routine where you can cut costs if you’re looking to save some money—leaving you to invest more in your styling products instead. As a beauty editor I have tested a lot of shampoos over the years but while the luxe cleansers often feel great, and smell even better, there are plenty of drugstore shampoos that I use regularly and recommend to my friends with a plethora of hair types.
Before we get into my favourites, however, it’s important to note is that a lot of inexpensive shampoos tend to contain SLS—a.k.a. sodium lauryl sulphate—an ingredient that’s used purely to create that classic shampoo lather. This isn’t an issue for all hair types as it is effective at removing grease from the hair, but it’s definitely an ingredient to watch out for if you have curly or Afro-textured hair as it can leave hair looking and feeling drier than when you wash with a SLS-free shampoo.
