If your TikTok algorithm is the same as mine, then you must be constantly getting videos about the never-ending debate of which is better for your hair: drugstore or salon products. As someone who hyper fixates on the health of their hair and researches all of the latest hair trends, I am so happy this debate is finally circling its way back and I can give my two cents.Â
When I tell you I spend my free time researching haircare and how to improve it, I am not lying. It’s always been fun for me and I love learning what works for me and my hair type. After all of my research, the ultimate conclusion I have come to is…it truly depends on your hair type. Unfortunately, this is the answer everyone knows but no one wants to hear. Let’s think about it, though. Some people can use bar soap and their skin is comparable to Hailey Bieber’s, and others spend thousands of dollars on skincare for the same effect. At the end of the day, it doesn’t actually matter, but it’s hard to grasp that what works for others won’t work for you. Another tangible example is color analysis. I personally have never looked good in the color red, it washes me out and doesn’t match with my skin tone. On the other hand, some people are absolutely radiant in the color red and it makes me happy that one of us looks good in it. In my opinion this is equivalent to what is happening with haircare. No matter what angle you look at it, there are always pros and cons of drugstore versus salon haircare, and the best rebuttal I have to this debate is to genuinely use what works for you. For me personally, my hair doesn’t require much maintenance and I actually prefer drugstore over salon. Silicones always get a bad reputation, however my hair stylist told me that my hair loves silicone because it can cut through the thickness of my hair and get it cleaner than a salon shampoo ever could. However, I know people where drugstore shampoo is too clarifying and they need a more natural and diluted formula you can find in salon shampoos to maintain the health of their hair.Â
All in all, it doesn’t actually matter what hair products you use. Chemicals or not, you know your hair best and what it needs and TikTok trends shouldn’t make you feel like you’re doing it “wrong” because you’re not following the latest trend.