Cheap vs expensive shampoo: does the price matter

Verdict: buy a plain, cheap shampoo for daily use. Spend more only when you have a clear reason, such as color treated hair, a very dry scalp or a doctor's advice.

What shampoo does

Shampoo cleans oil and dirt from the scalp. Both cheap and pricey ones use cleaning agents called surfactants. The label looks different. The job is the same.

What you pay extra for is often:

• Scent and feel.
• A smaller bottle with a fancy cap.
• Added ingredients that sit in the formula in small amounts.
• The brand and where it is sold.

Which wins on

Rule that matters most: the best shampoo is the one that leaves your scalp comfortable and your hair clean, whatever it costs.

Cost per wash

These are examples, not quotes.

Over a year of three washes a week, the gap is about $20 to $100. Use that as a guide to what the difference could buy elsewhere, like a basic skincare routine.

Make any shampoo work better

• Use a coin sized amount. More does not clean more.
• Shampoo the scalp, not the lengths.
• Rinse well.
• Add conditioner to the ends if your hair is dry.

Shampoo is the easiest place to save in a bathroom. Our guide to moisturizer for dry skin on a budget is another place where a plain product often does the job.

Caution

If you have itching, flaking, redness or hair loss, see a doctor or a dermatologist. A special shampoo from a shop is not a treatment for a medical problem.