Are Expensive Hair Products Worth It? | What Shampoo To Buy At Sephora

I’ve never been a snobby shampoo girl. Face serum? Different story. Ever since my first date with Estée Lauder ANR, snobby skincare girl kicked into action.

I've indulged in hair care brands like Bumble and Bumble in the past, hoping that a higher price tag would mean better results. This was back when volumizing products were hard to find at the drugstore, but it still wasn’t worth it most of the time. Now that I push my hair washing to every other day, I'm using shampoo more sparingly and relying on styling products to do the work. Here are some of my favourite products from salon brands that might just pull you away from the drugstore.



I’ve recently upgraded from Herbal Essences (which I occasionally still use!) to Klorane, And over the past few months Alterna, Sebastian and Nioxin have found their way into my routine. I like all of their collections, so here are pros and cons from each of the sets, which I’ve tried heavily.

My Hair Type:

Fine, lots of hair. Untreated, straight, considerably limp. Normal scalp type, not too sensitive, but oily on occasion. Buildup of skin cells and clogged pores occur after 3 days of not washing.

Alterna

I literally said out loud “THIS is why they’re so expensive!” when I first used the Caviar shampoo and conditioner. It’s gorgeous. The Powerade-style cap turns to become unlocked, and you then squirt the bottle to release product from the automatic seal. It’s easy and glorious, gone are the days of slippery, clogged shampoo caps that trap moldy water. I adore the consistency of the shampoo, it’s so thick and luscious- you don’t need a lot. The conditioner is light and fresh even though this line is made for dry/damaged hair. It’s perfect for me in the winter when my hair is static-y and dry at the ends. 10/10

Pros:

- Incredibly convenient bottle design
- Great texture of product
- Keeps my hair fresh for a long time

Cons:

- Higher price

Sebastian 

This was my favourite shampoo in 2017. I like the simple shape of the bottles, and both the shampoo and conditioner work amazing for my basic hair needs. I can use it daily and my scalp will feel comfortable (not overly stripped or still dirty).

Pros

- Great texture
- Repairing to damaged hair

Cons

- Salon brand, could be hard to find
- Not the best packaging, hard to get the very last bits out

Nioxin

I’ll admit, I’m not the target audience for Nioxin products. They’re geared towards those with hair loss or thin hair that needs some serious thickening power. I thought there’s nothing to lose in this case, so I still use and enjoy the line. This is the one collection that I notice is almost too moisturizing for me. But dry hair girls and guys - listen in! Nioxin is so freaking smart, their conditioner bottle is smaller than the shampoo. Yes!! I never use a lot of conditioner since my hair isn’t long. The shampoo is blue and minty, it is meant to stimulate the scalp. The conditioner isn’t too rich feeling, but it definitely hangs on to the hair and is supposed to be applied root to tip. I don’t mind this collection as a 1 or 2x weekly treatment to revive dry hair if it needs some TLC. I don’t adore minty shampoos so I won’t repurchase.

Pros

- Proven to increase hair thickness and growth with regular use
- Clinical formulation including peppermint oil and cleansing agents to stimulate the scalp.

Cons

- Bottles can’t easily be turned upside down
- Expensive, and must be used continuously for results




I've been loving the Wella Root Shoot mousse for right after I wash my hair, the Nioxin Dry Cleanser on Day 2, and Alterna's CC Caviar cream for when I need some extra shine and conditioning on my ends. The Caviar Sheer Dry Shampoo is really interesting, it pumps out the dry powder into a puff/cloud that gently sits on the hair for you to massage through. My bottle is finicky so it isn't constantly pumping, but when it does come out evenly, the results are good with no white residue.  I'm excited to see how their Hydra-Gelée works to tame my frizz with little to no added weight.

Summary

If you’re at Sephora, buy Alterna Caviar. If you need hair growth and stimulation, buy Nioxin. If you want a reliable salon brand to leave your hair balanced clean, and nourished, buy Sebastian. You won’t be disappointed.

xx

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