Cheap Shampoo Caution

[abrama08]

Try shampoo by Ellin Lavar. The grapeseed oil shampoo contains no detergent whatsoever . It's a personal fave. I'm have curly and unruly hair and this shampoo works miracles for me. It's about $7 but it's so worth it! ~ Ashley

[New_Leaf]

I have naturally curly hair. I am always complaining about my hair being just wavy in some spots and curly in others -- there's no consistancy.

My hairdresser, who is also my best friend's mother, asked me to try something for her. She asked me to STOP using shampoo. She said to just try it for a month or two as a favor to her.

What I did was wash my hair with a paste made of baking soda and water (I wrote about it on another thread) and let my hair air dry. After that -- no shampoo and no baking soda an when drying my hair I used the lowest setting on cool and only used my fingers while drying, no using a brush or comb while drying.

After a couple of days my hair looked so good! The curls were all there and they were evenly distributed.

Now, I know what you are thinking ... NO, I didn't stop washing my hair. I continued to shower just like always, but when it came to my hair, I scrubbed it just as if I had used shampoo, but I didn't use anything other than water. My hair looked great. I couldn't go a whole month without shampoo though, just because mentally, I didn't like the though of going without it.

Now I use shampoo about once every couple of weeks and I use the baking soda about once a month.

It was an interesting experiment!

[emily1067]

Dove is a great, inexpensive shampoo.  It's all I ever use and my boyfriend says I have the softest silkiest hair around....and I don't think he's just saying that to be nice  

[chea]

another idea would be to wash your hair less often.  Its less drying that way.

[mjwilco]

There's no need to switch to a more expensive shampoo. Just choose a less abrasive detergent (by the way, all shampoos have detergents, not just cheap ones). Have a look at http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com/ed_cheapskate.asp?ID=11192 for some more info. You might want to try a shampoo with TEA Lauryl Sulfate, a gentle detergent.

[CSinbad]

I have used vinegar once.  It seemed to strip my hair of color.  Parts of it seemed to turn gray.  It took about a month for the color to become normal.  I never dye or perm my hair (natural wave).  I do use a clarifying shampoo for build-up about every one to two months.  Instead of adding water to my new bottle of shampoo I just pour a small amount in my hand.  I prewash my hair with the end of a shampoo that I have added water to get the remainder out of the bottle.  By using that prewash I need less full strength shampoo and my hair gets really clean.  

[allie_b]

I buy my shampoo & conditioner at Sally's beauty supply by the gallon when it goes on sale. I put some in a regular shampoo bottle and then dilute it. it works great. I find that if I buy it in bulk like this I am not tempted by advertisements to try something new. Everyone says that shampoos stop working at sometime and you need to switch. When this happens - i rinse my hair with white vinegar- let it sit for just a minute while you are in the shower and rinse out. I use the conditioner while in the shower and keep a small spray bottle with it diluted that i use when i need additional help/ i also use it on my dogs when their long hair is particularly dry between baths. Sally's also has a silicone spray that is the best thing i have found to keep my hair from being damaged from blow drying.

When ever i get a perm my hair dries out and bleaches out. i find if i put a mixture of 1part earth brown henna to two parts neutral henna it really conditions and gives my hair a lot of body. If i do it every 4 weeks i can get by without a perm for quite a while. if you dont want to freshen your hair color you can just use the neutral. you would not beleive the body and shine it gives.

[ChristyVA]

I totally agree.  After years of trying cheap shampoo, being told it's just as good as anything else,   I am through with it, because it makes my hair "dull and unmanageable", to quote the commercials.  My hair is thin, and I have lots of it.  My scalp tends to be dry.  I need something gentle, as well as a good conditioner to keep the static and frizzies down.  All hair is not created equal, and all shampoos are not created equal, either.

I have found, however, that often you can water the good shampoos down and get the same good results.  A solution of half water and half shampoo usually does the trick, and if in doubt, shampoo again --

An inexpensive shampoo is no bargain if it makes you ugly!

[VDawson]

I read a lot of helpful hints on money-saving websites that recommend using the cheapest shampoo to wash one's hair -- that they work just fine.  Yes, they may work fine if you don't color or perm your hair!  Many years ago, I'd pay a high cost to have a professional color my hair and she'd always wonder why my hair kept losing its sheen from visit to visit until I mentioned I used Prell shampoo religiously.  She said the cheap shampoos are detergents and strip the hair of the very tinting process I was paying her to put in!  Likewise, they can also weaken the curl in permed hair.