If you are anything like me, you will understand the infatuation of finding the perfect shampoo and conditioner combo. Unfortunately, it has taken lots of time and money to figure out what works for my hair. It is important to remember that everyone’s hair is different. Besides color and texture, it also depends on the general health of your hair. I have been dying my hair for years, which happens to be one of my biggest regrets. This is because once you start, it is so hard to stop. I have naturally dark brown hair, and through the years I have had black, highlighted, balayage, ombre, and bleached hair. To say my hair has been through a lot would be an understatement. I am finally at a point where my hair is starting to look and feel healthy again, and I even have some blonde highlights throughout! Using the right hair products can make all the difference. I tried all the products so you wouldn’t have to, and now I am going to tell you which ones worked for me, and which ones didn’t.
Verb- The first absolute yes product on my list is Verb. I learned about this brand two years ago and have been using it on and off ever since. With their easy to use website, you can easily navigate to whichever line you’d like to buy, which includes a hydrating collection, curl collection, volume collection, and my favorite, the ghost collection. I have used almost all of them, and can say that each one really works. Each bottle is priced at $18, which is on the pricier side, but I would recommend it. Verb gets a five-star rating in my book.
Olaplex- This might be the most controversial thing I write all year, but Olaplex is a heavy no. Save your money with this one. It costs $28 per bottle, which in my opinion is way too expensive to not work. Olaplex is advertised as a saving grace for hair, using an intriguing number system to compel women with damaged hair to buy them all – but don’t fall for it. I had used their No. 4 and No. 5, which is their shampoo and conditioner, and it made my hair feel heavy, but also dry. I also used their No. 3 mask, which is raved about everywhere, but it just didn’t do it for me. If it wasn’t $28 maybe I would reconsider, but for such a small amount, there are better alternatives.
Shea Moisture- Not everyone wants to purchase high-end hair products, and not everyone needs to either. I have used Shea Moisture shampoos, conditioners, and masks and have experienced great results. I feel like every TikTok I watch that involves drugstore hair care says how everything is so bad, has a lawsuit, or the ingredients make your hair fall out, but Shea Moisture has great ingredients, no lawsuits, and makes your hair feel great! The pricing is very reasonable for the sizing of the products as well, ranging from $10-$15 per bottle. I would highly recommend this product!
Hairitage- I believe this product is so cheap because it makes your hair feel cheap, making it a no for me. This is another drugstore alternative that just didn’t work for me. I had seen this blow up on TikTok and was so eager to try it. I headed to my local Walmart where this is sold for roughly $8 a bottle. I had bought their shampoo and conditioner, and also tried one of their after-shower sprays. My hair felt very dry and just not clean after using these products. There were many options to choose from, and maybe I just chose the wrong one. Personally, this felt like a waste of money for me.
Fanola- I wanted to quickly mention how in love I am with Fanola, specifically their purple shampoo. If you are blonde, or having any blonde highlights, get this shampoo. You will not regret it. It eliminates brass and orange tones very well, while being extremely affordable. The size of the bottle is huge and will last you months. Only downside is that it will stain your hands purple, but that’s something I am willing to deal with for such an amazing product.