Can you tell who used budget Boots shampoo and who paid £50?

THE idea of ​​spending more than £50 on a high-quality hair product would confuse most of us.

Especially since a simple shampoo that costs less than $1 can provide equally luscious locks.

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In a unique experiment for Fabulous, we asked six women to try two very different shampoo and conditioner combinations instead of their usual products for a week.

Three received Boots Everyday coconut and almond shampoo and conditioner, for just 75p a bottle.

The other three received the luxurious Oribe Gold Lust Repair and Restore shampoo and conditioner, which would set you back more than €50 each – a total of €108.

The price of shampoo in Britain has fallen by 8p since September 2023, with the average bottle now £4.60.

But when we take salon treatments into account, the average woman still spends $378.51 a year on hair styling.

Hair expert Neil Harvey, from the Institute of Trichologists on Harley Street in London, says that for most people any regular shampoo will do.

But certain hair types may benefit from a little more money.

“You can expect any shampoo, regardless of ingredients or cost, to cleanse the hair and scalp,” says Neil.

“If you have strong, healthy, short hair and no scalp sensitivity, almost any shampoo will do the job.

“But if your hair is long, fine, dry or very thick – or if you have some sort of scalp problem – then investing in a more expensive option can really pay off.”

This is largely due to the specific ingredients in the superior quality shampoos.

“A more expensive one usually contains a higher percentage and combination of higher quality ingredients, such as essential oils, plant or fruit extracts, botanicals and antimicrobials,” he says.

Neil noticed a big difference between the products in the two shampoos used.

“The cheaper one contained only 16 ingredients – mainly foaming agents, preservatives and thickeners,” he says.

“Only three ingredients were added to improve the look and feel of the hair.

“But the more expensive shampoo contained 89 ingredients, the majority of which were more complex or expensive botanicals, many of which could potentially benefit not only the condition of the hair, but also the scalp.”

Here’s what the six ladies thought of their dramatically different shampoos. . .

JANICE BRYANT, 65, is a retired IT business analyst from St Ives, Cambridgeshire. She says:

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“My hair is long and gray and tends to be a bit static, but the right products make that go away.

I have never found such great shampoos.

I’ve tried brands like Tresemme and John Frieda, which range from £3 to around £7.

The Oribe came in a very fancy bottle, so I was excited to try it. It is of nice quality and really lives up to the impressive exterior.

Even though it’s expensive, a little goes a long way.

After use my hair felt soft and silky, while cheap bristles can leave it feeling stiff and rough.

The Oribe has removed all the flying bits that irritate me too.

I would never pay more than £50 for a bottle of shampoo, but there’s no denying how lovely this was.”

CHLOE HAYWOOD, 49, is a sustainable fashion designer from Cheddar, Somerset. She says:

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“There’s a little bit of gray showing through at the front, which I hate. It’s a strange texture and I paint it.

I spend around £35 a month on hair products as I try to use sustainable brands and refills.

I don’t spend a lot of time on my hair – I want it to be simple.

I loved the Oribe shampoo. I was blown away by the luxurious looking gold bottle and it smelled really nice.

You get a lot of lather when you use it, which was lovely, and the color of my hair afterwards was really nice.

Blonde hair can turn yellow, but this left it with a beautiful shade and was bright and shiny.

The roots didn’t seem to show as much and it felt in amazing condition: soft and smooth, and not too flat.”

PAULOMI DEBNATH, 44, is a jewelery designer from Romford, Essex. She says:

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“I’m originally from India and every time I come back I stock up on hair oil.

Other than that I only use shampoo and conditioner. I’m lucky because I still have a lot of hair.

It bounces and is wavy and smooth. But it turned gray when I was forty, which I despise.

I never use basic brands – I always buy my shampoo from a salon and currently use Tigi, which costs around £12.99 per bottle.

I love the bounce of my hair, but it can be a challenge and a good shampoo and conditioner helps tame it.

The Oribe wouldn’t normally be in my budget, but it was beautiful.

It made my hair look shiny and full and had a light scent of fresh cotton.

It also made my hair less frizzy.”

NIKI WOODS, 47, is a wellness coach and menopause lecturer from Leeds. She says:

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“I’m often told that my hair looks shiny and lustrous, but I don’t do much to care for it.

I dye it at home every four weeks to hide the gray and sometimes suffer from a dry scalp as the roots come through.

I usually use Herbal Essences shampoo, which costs about £3, and try to avoid blow-drying my hair too often.

My hair felt a lot bushier after using the Boots products.

The scent was nice and not too overpowering.

My usual shampoo foams quite thickly, but this one felt light.

My hair was duller and not as smooth after a week of use. I also had to blow-dry it more often to tame it.

I’m afraid it will dry out my scalp. I’d rather spend the extra money on a product that gives my hair a silky look and keeps it in better condition.”

JO FRANCIS, 50, runs a digital marketing agency and lives in Maidstone, Kent. She says:

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“I used to be a brunette, but when I started going gray I started dying my hair red.

I get it colored and cut at a salon every five to six weeks and only use salon quality products.

My favorite is Redken, which costs around £40 for the shampoo and conditioner.

I feel it prolongs my tan. I also use a serum to reduce frizz.

I thought I would hate the Boots products but actually the conditioner is great.

My hair feels wonderful after use. It tamed it beautifully and it felt soft and silky afterwards.

I was much less impressed with the shampoo, but for a cheap bottle to keep for emergencies it’s fine.”

JOYCE CONNOR, 60, is a make-up artist from Reading, Berks. She says:

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“I wash my hair a few times a week and like to experiment with different products.

My favorite brand is Design Essentials which costs around £15 and is made for Afro hair.

Sometimes I also do a hot oil treatment.

My hair is harder to manage than you might think – it’s very soft and frizzy – so I use a moisturizing mist and styling cream every day, and at night I wear a satin cap, which keeps it from drying out.

When I opened the Boots bottles I was pleasantly surprised by the scent, but I was concerned that the shampoo would dry out my hair.

That didn’t happen, especially after using the conditioner.

I’ll probably go back to using more expensive products, keeping the Boots products as a backup – 75p a bottle is insanely good value for money.”