Is "designer" shampoo/conditioner better than bog standard?

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

Whenever I got the hairdressers, I always come out with sleek, straight, shiny hair, which looks lovely. My hair is fine and has a terrible tendancy to frizz, especially at the front and I have yet to find a shampoo that doesn't cost £15 a bottle (which the one the hairdresser uses seems to), which makes my hair look OK inbetween cuts. So, can anyone recommend a decent shampoo/conditioner for fine, frizzy hair that doesn't cost the earth. I can't really afford to just keep experimenting until I find a good one, so I tend to continue using whatever one I've bought even if my hair looks pants. Are those anti-frizz sprays any good? TIA

[PrincessRagnhild]

I have fine, wavy/frizzy hair and use Aussie Mega and an Aussie conditioning spray and love them. The Aussie Mega is good on fine hair because it doesn't build up and weigh your hair down. It's just as good if not better than expensive ones I've tried.

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Aveda is amazing but is £20 a bottle so is Xmas present worthy!

I use Aussie or treseme and they seem to do the job. Lush shampoo and conditioner actually makes my hair v v soft. Might get some actually

[PrincessRagnhild]

Actually yeah, Aveda is amazing, I would get that instead of Aussie if you can afford it Love their volume shampoos and their colour boosting conditioners and their shampoo called Shampure.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

This was on super scrimpers a while ago. They tested 3 shampoos cheap value stuff, herbal essence and really expensive "quality" stuff. Herbal essence won hands down.

[onthemetro]

I use Aussie shampoo and their 3 minute masks, and I only buy them when they're on offer. I used to buy Kerastase shampoo & conditioner after a hairdressers used it on me once, but they were £20 a bottle! I still have their serum which I'm slowly using up but I've since found that Tesco's 88p coconut conditioner makes my hair feel better than any fancy conditioner I've ever bought before - the combination of the frizz fighting Aussie shampoo and that gives me really soft, sleek and frizz free hair

[Absy]

Depends on what it is. I have run the gamut of fancy and not fancy shampoos and conditioners (various John Friedas, Timotei, Bumble and Bumble, Aveda) and without a doubt, the best shampoo and conditioner I have ever used is Kérastase and it is totally worth it. Nothing else comes close. I do have ridiculous hair (very fine, has a hissy fit over nothing, randomly looks different colours) and Kérastase makes it shiny, smooth, silky and generally wonderful. I could not switch back, but I do use discount sites to buy it as it's normally 30% cheaper.

[GreatUncleEddie]

I find it is worth extra money when I have long hair, now it is short I don't bother

[ginandtonicplease]

I?ve got fine dry hair - Absy which Kérastase conditioner & shampoo do you recommend? I know, I should be looking a herbal essence but have heard so many rave about Keratase...

[BrianButterfield]

Another Aveda fan - I buy them online so it's cheaper and they do last longer. I know that at the start of January I had about half a bottle of shampoo left and I'm coming to the end of it now so that's not bad (I have long hair too).

[Absy]

I use the one for dry and sensitised hair (started one winter when it was a mess)

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

Thank you! Lots of your recommending Aveda. I'll have a look online adn I have used Kerastase before and that was lovely. Aussie seems to be popular and I've not used them before, so another good tip, thank you. I guess if I knew it'd work well, it'd be money well spent. Good advice about using less shampoo too - I use too much, I expect!

[Absy]

It's called Bain Satin

[Fillyjonk75]

When my hair was really damaged by bleaching Kerastase really helped to sort it out and make it less frizzy. So if your hair is damaged I'd use a more expensive one for a time. Now I just use Tresemme and John Frieda serum and find them as good as any more expensive ones.

[polyhymnia]

I only use Kerastase and, though I'd be happy enough to use Aveda for a change sometimes, wouldn't dream of going for a cheaper one. Just doesn't seem worth it. Particularly as, because my hair's short and I take care not to over-wash it, a bottle of shampoo or conditioner lasts ages so seldom have to buy it.

On what to use, take the advice of a good hairdresser - many of them stock the Kerastase products. I follow my own hairdresser's recommendations, but, on few occasions I've needed something between visits, have also had sensible advice from people in the local chain, Headmasters, though don't/ wouldn't go to them for cutting.

[NuhichNuhaymuh]

Often it's the blow drying that gives the fabulous shine after a visit to the hairdressers.

You can get some if the high priced shampoo and conditioners in TK Maxx (at a lower price than normal) so it might be worth looking there

[blibblibs]

You can buy the Aussie in travel sizes in most of the supermarkets. So you can try before you buy big so to speak. (glad I did, I thought it was rubbish!)

[gregssausageroll]

My hairdresser has always said use what you can afford on your hair but never, ever to use Pantene.

[MrsDoomsPatterson]

Never, ever Pantene! Liquid plastic gives the shine. No ta.

I don't like Aveda, it really doesn't suit my hair. I use Aussie, the three minute mask for coloured hair and the shampoo, makes my hair do soft, I'm an Aveda blonde though!

[Twinklestarstwinklestars]

I use the pink tigi shampoo and conditioner, my hairdresser always comments how nice it smells and what good condition it's in considering I blow dry and straighten it every day.

It costs about £22 for the 2 bottles but they last months and I wash my hair every day.

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

Yes ,I've heard that about Pantene before yuk!
The thing is now I'm veering towards the more expensive ones people are suggesting - I hate it when my hair looks shit, and the frizzy, dry bits are just horrible. I'm having it coloured this week (to get rid of the awful white ones that are appearing way too frequently for my liking!), so I'll maybe ask the hairdresser whihc one she'd recommend - they use Kerastase and I've seen the Tigi ones there too - and just think of it as an investment!

[LittleAbruzzenBear]

I like Kerastase too, haven't used for a while though because of price.

[polyhymnia]

Get a recommendation for which Kerastase product/s and then buy it online from sites with discount.

Agree Pantene is particularly awful - haven't used for years but, when my DH did try some, he came out in a rash all over!

[BinksToEnlightenment]

Another recommendation for Aveda. I genuinely don't notice the cost because I don't wash my hair as often. It's £40 something for a giant bottle, but that lasts well over a year.

[Allthingspretty]

Aveda conditioner. I use damage remedy. Alternativly i have discovered sanctuary butter shine hair mask at two quid a sachet in boots. I think its on three for two and has stopped my hair being frizzy.