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The Hair RoundupOriginal count of Reddit commentsPublished and last updated 11 November 2026

Are expensive hair products worth it?

70% of the 201 commenters who compared cheap with expensive hair products in general said the cheap ones work as well or better, or that the expensive ones are not worth it.

The sample

140 of 201 commenters in 22 Reddit threads, 2021 to 2026. A commenter is one person in one thread. The threads were chosen because commenters in them discuss price and value. They are not a random sample.

How it was counted
140 bars: commenters who said cheap works as well or better, or expensive is not worth it

140 said cheap works as well or better, or expensive is not worth it

36 dashed bars: commenters who said it depends

36 said it depends

25 red bars set lower: commenters who said expensive is better

25 said expensive is better

140 said cheap works as well or better, or expensive is not worth it

140 bars: commenters who said cheap works as well or better, or expensive is not worth it

36 said it depends

36 dashed bars: commenters who said it depends

25 said expensive is better

25 red bars: commenters who said expensive is better

One bar is one commenter. All 201 are drawn. Solid: cheap works as well, or expensive is not worth it. Dashed: it depends. Red: expensive is better.

See these numbers as a table
Commenters who compared cheap with expensive hair products in general
What they saidCommentersShare of the 201
Cheap works as well or better, or expensive is not worth it14070%
It depends3618%
Expensive is better2512%

Check the bottle in your hand

What does yours cost an ounce?

In these threads, verdicts split by the brand’s price per ounce. See which band your bottle’s price falls in.

Divide the price by the fluid ounces on the label, then find that price in the list.

Across all four price bands, 80 price verdicts said a brand was worth its price and 40 said it was not.

  1. Under $0.75an ounce · 10-oz bottle under $7.50

    Under $0.75 an ounce: 42 worth it, 0 not worth it

    42 said worth it · 0 said not 100% of 42 said worth it.

  2. $0.75 to $2an ounce · 10-oz bottle $7.50 to $20

    $0.75 to $2 an ounce: 11 worth it, 1 not worth it

    11 said worth it · 1 said not Small group: read the two counts, not a percentage.

  3. $2 to $4an ounce · 10-oz bottle $20 to $40

    $2 to $4 an ounce: 15 worth it, 21 not worth it

    15 said worth it · 21 said not 42% of 36 said worth it.

  4. $4 and upan ounce · 10-oz bottle $40 or more

    $4 an ounce and up: 12 worth it, 18 not worth it

    12 said worth it · 18 said not 40% of 30 said worth it.

A price verdict is one commenter saying one named brand was, or was not, worth its price. Bands use each brand’s standard shampoo price on 11 November 2026. This is what commenters wrote about brands. It does not rate your bottle.

Four more figures to quote

Each says what it counts and how many. The button copies the sentence with its source.

Fig. 2Price band

$2an ounce

is the band edge where verdicts split. Under $2 an ounce, 53 of 54 price verdicts said the brand was worth its price (98%). At $2 and up, 27 of 66 did (41%).

The sample

120 price verdictson 36 of the 58 brands we priced. $2 an ounce is about $20 for a 10-ounce bottle.

Fig. 3Average price

$3.98against $1.76

an ounce is the average shelf price behind a not worth it verdict. Behind a worth it verdict it was $1.76.

The sample

40 and 80 price verdicts40 said not worth it, 80 said worth it. Each verdict counts once, at the price of its brand’s standard shampoo on 11 November 2026.

Fig. 4The other side

1 in 8commenters

who compared cheap with expensive hair products in general said the expensive ones are better. Another 36 said it depends.

The sample

25 of 201 commenters12% said expensive is better and 18% said it depends. The same 201 as the 70% above.

Fig. 5Did it work

78%of reports

on how a named brand’s products worked said they worked. 75 were mixed and 148 said they did not.

The sample

791 of 1,014 reportsA report is one commenter on one brand in one thread. It is what they wrote, not a measure of the product.

The price band

Verdicts split from $2 an ounce

We grouped brands by the shelf price per fluid ounce of their standard shampoo on 11 November 2026, then counted each price verdict: one commenter saying one named brand was, or was not, worth its price. “Worth it” includes “cheap for what it does.” $2 is the edge between two of our four bands, not a measured tipping point: cut at $3 instead, 58 of 63 verdicts below said worth it and 22 of 57 at or above did. The price is the brand’s shampoo today, not what each commenter paid. $2 an ounce is about $20 for a 10-ounce bottle.

Under $2 an ounce

53 of 54 said worth it98%

42 of 42 under $0.75, 11 of 12 from $0.75 to $2
$2 an ounce and up

27 of 66 said worth it41%

15 of 36 from $2 to $4, 12 of 30 at $4 and up

42 worth it

Under $0.75 an ounce: 42 price verdicts said worth it
Under $0.75an ounce

0 not worth it

42 of 42 worth it (100%) 10-oz bottle: under $7.50 14 brands priced

11 worth it

$0.75 to $2 an ounce: 11 price verdicts said worth it
$0.75 to $2an ounce
$0.75 to $2 an ounce: 1 price verdict said not worth it

1 not worth it

Small group: read the two counts, not a percentage 10-oz bottle: $7.50 to $20 16 brands priced

15 worth it

$2 to $4 an ounce: 15 price verdicts said worth it
$2 to $4an ounce
$2 to $4 an ounce: 21 price verdicts said not worth it

21 not worth it

15 of 36 worth it (42%) 10-oz bottle: $20 to $40 17 brands priced

12 worth it

$4 an ounce and up: 12 price verdicts said worth it
$4 and upan ounce
$4 an ounce and up: 18 price verdicts said not worth it

18 not worth it

12 of 30 worth it (40%) 10-oz bottle: $40 or more 11 brands priced

  • Under $0.75: 42 of 42 worth it (100%).
  • $0.75 to $2: 11 worth it, 1 not. Small group: read the two counts, not a percentage.
  • $2 to $4: 15 of 36 worth it (42%).
  • $4 and up: 12 of 30 worth it (40%).

one price verdict: worth it (above the shelf) one price verdict: not worth it (below the shelf) Verdicts on brands we could not price are left out of this chart: 98 worth it and 46 not worth it were counted in all.

See these numbers as a table
Price verdicts by price band (shelf price of each brand’s standard shampoo, 11 November 2026)
Price per ounce10-oz bottleBrands pricedWorth itNot worth itShare worth it
Under $0.75under $7.5014420100%
$0.75 to $2$7.50 to $2016111Small group
$2 to $4$20 to $4017152142%
$4 and up$40 or more11121840%
Average price per ounce behind each verdict$1.76 (80 verdicts)$3.98 (40 verdicts)

“This “cheap” L’Oréal cost me like $6 each and the salon ones were $50 and $40 per bottle” …

Read as: L’Oréal, worth its pricer/HaircareScienceReddit score 31Open the thread

“I can’t believe I used to shell out $60 for Olaplex every couple of months.”

Read as: Olaplex, not worth its pricer/HaircareReddit score 18Open the thread

A separate count

Did it work for them? Mostly yes, at every price

Reports of how a named brand’s products worked. A report is one commenter on one brand in one thread, so a commenter who wrote about three brands appears three times. It is what they wrote, not a measure of the product. Bars come in tens. A full row is 100 reports.

said it workedmixed (dashed)said it did not (red, set lower)

Under $0.75

an ounce. A brand here was named 498 times. 398 of those said how it worked.

Under $0.75 an ounce: 338 said it worked, 28 were mixed, 32 said it did not

85% of the 398 reports said it worked 338 worked · 28 mixed · 32 did not

$0.75 to $2

an ounce. A brand here was named 105 times. 86 of those said how it worked.

$0.75 to $2 an ounce: 76 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 8 said it did not

88% of the 86 reports said it worked 76 worked · 2 mixed · 8 did not

$2 to $4

an ounce. A brand here was named 275 times. 194 of those said how it worked.

$2 to $4 an ounce: 122 said it worked, 16 were mixed, 56 said it did not

63% of the 194 reports said it worked 122 worked · 16 mixed · 56 did not

$4 and up

an ounce. A brand here was named 235 times. 163 of those said how it worked.

$4 an ounce and up: 116 said it worked, 14 were mixed, 33 said it did not

71% of the 163 reports said it worked 116 worked · 14 mixed · 33 did not

Across every brand named, priced or not: 791 of 1,014 reports said it worked (78%), 75 were mixed, 148 said it did not.

See these numbers as a table
How brands worked for commenters, by price band
Price per ounceTimes a brand was namedReports of how it workedWorkedMixedDid notShare worked
Under $0.75498398338283285%
$0.75 to $210586762888%
$2 to $4275194122165663%
$4 and up235163116143371%
Every brand, priced or not1,3511,0147917514878%

Brands

Brand by brand

30 brands were named by 10 or more commenters. The 8 most discussed come first. The price is each brand’s standard shampoo on 11 November 2026; commenters may have meant any of its products. Smaller brands are counted in the price bands but never shown alone.

Brand, price per ounce, commenters Did it work for them? Worth its price? No brand reaches 20 price verdicts. Small group: read the two counts, not a percentage.
  1. Pantene

    $0.36/oz

    106 commenters named it · 13 threads

    Pantene: 75 said it worked, 3 were mixed, 7 said it did not

    75 worked · 3 mixed · 7 did not88% of the 85 who said

    Pantene: 13 worth it, 0 not worth it

    13 worth it · 0 not worth it

    1 said the formula changed

  2. L'Oréal Paris

    $0.27/oz

    89 commenters named it · 16 threads

    L'Oréal Paris: 56 said it worked, 9 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    56 worked · 9 mixed · 1 did not85% of the 66 who said

    L'Oréal Paris: 8 worth it, 0 not worth it

    8 worth it · 0 not worth it

    1 said the formula changed

  3. Olaplex

    $3.58/oz

    86 commenters named it · 17 threads

    Olaplex: 37 said it worked, 6 were mixed, 17 said it did not

    37 worked · 6 mixed · 17 did not62% of the 60 who said

    Olaplex: 6 worth it, 6 not worth it

    6 worth it · 6 not worth it

  4. Redken

    $3.07/oz

    73 commenters named it · 12 threads

    Redken: 29 said it worked, 5 were mixed, 19 said it did not

    29 worked · 5 mixed · 19 did not55% of the 53 who said

    Redken: 2 worth it, 4 not worth it

    2 worth it · 4 not worth it

  5. K18

    $4.59/oz

    71 commenters named it · 13 threads

    K18: 34 said it worked, 1 was mixed, 10 said it did not

    34 worked · 1 mixed · 10 did not76% of the 45 who said

    K18: 4 worth it, 2 not worth it

    4 worth it · 2 not worth it

  6. TRESemmé

    $0.20/oz

    64 commenters named it · 8 threads

    TRESemmé: 41 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 6 said it did not

    41 worked · 2 mixed · 6 did not84% of the 49 who said

    TRESemmé: 4 worth it, 0 not worth it

    4 worth it · 0 not worth it

    2 said the formula changed

  7. Kérastase

    $5.29/oz

    43 commenters named it · 15 threads

    Kérastase: 21 said it worked, 3 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    21 worked · 3 mixed · 1 did not84% of the 25 who said

    Kérastase: 4 worth it, 5 not worth it

    4 worth it · 5 not worth it

  8. Garnier

    $0.29/oz

    37 commenters named it · 13 threads

    Garnier: 27 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    27 worked · 0 mixed · 1 did not96% of the 28 who said

    No price verdicts

Show all 30 brandsHide the other 22 brands
  1. Suave

    $0.17/oz

    35 commenters named it · 9 threads

    Suave: 22 said it worked, 1 was mixed, 4 said it did not

    22 worked · 1 mixed · 4 did not81% of the 27 who said

    Suave: 4 worth it, 0 not worth it

    4 worth it · 0 not worth it

  2. Dove

    $0.32/oz

    35 commenters named it · 8 threads

    Dove: 28 said it worked, 1 was mixed, 3 said it did not

    28 worked · 1 mixed · 3 did not88% of the 32 who said

    Dove: 2 worth it, 0 not worth it

    2 worth it · 0 not worth it

  3. Herbal Essences

    $0.64/oz

    33 commenters named it · 9 threads

    Herbal Essences: 23 said it worked, 3 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    23 worked · 3 mixed · 1 did not85% of the 27 who said

    Herbal Essences: 3 worth it, 0 not worth it

    3 worth it · 0 not worth it

  4. Pureology

    $4.33/oz

    31 commenters named it · 7 threads

    Pureology: 16 said it worked, 1 was mixed, 7 said it did not

    16 worked · 1 mixed · 7 did not67% of the 24 who said

    Pureology: 0 worth it, 1 not worth it

    0 worth it · 1 not worth it

    1 said the formula changed

  5. OGX

    $0.43/oz

    25 commenters named it · 7 threads

    OGX: 15 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 3 said it did not

    15 worked · 2 mixed · 3 did not75% of the 20 who said

    OGX: 1 worth it, 0 not worth it

    1 worth it · 0 not worth it

  6. Head & Shoulders

    $0.39/oz

    25 commenters named it · 7 threads

    Head & Shoulders: 18 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 2 said it did not

    18 worked · 2 mixed · 2 did not82% of the 22 who said

    Head & Shoulders: 2 worth it, 0 not worth it

    2 worth it · 0 not worth it

  7. amika

    $2.90/oz

    24 commenters named it · 10 threads

    amika: 10 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 8 said it did not

    10 worked · 0 mixed · 8 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    amika: 3 worth it, 2 not worth it

    3 worth it · 2 not worth it

  8. Aussie

    $0.30/oz

    22 commenters named it · 7 threads

    Aussie: 17 said it worked, 3 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    17 worked · 3 mixed · 1 did not81% of the 21 who said

    Aussie: 1 worth it, 0 not worth it

    1 worth it · 0 not worth it

  9. Davines

    $4.53/oz

    21 commenters named it · 4 threads

    Davines: 9 said it worked, 1 was mixed, 6 said it did not

    9 worked · 1 mixed · 6 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Davines: 1 worth it, 2 not worth it

    1 worth it · 2 not worth it

  10. Oribe

    $6.59/oz

    19 commenters named it · 6 threads

    Oribe: 10 said it worked, 1 was mixed, 3 said it did not

    10 worked · 1 mixed · 3 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Oribe: 2 worth it, 2 not worth it

    2 worth it · 2 not worth it

  11. Paul Mitchell

    $1.57/oz

    17 commenters named it · 7 threads

    Paul Mitchell: 13 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 0 said it did not

    13 worked · 0 mixed · 0 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Paul Mitchell: 2 worth it, 1 not worth it

    2 worth it · 1 not worth it

  12. Kevin Murphy

    $4.40/oz

    16 commenters named it · 4 threads

    Kevin Murphy: 7 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    7 worked · 2 mixed · 1 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Kevin Murphy: 0 worth it, 1 not worth it

    0 worth it · 1 not worth it

  13. Biolage

    $2.00/oz

    15 commenters named it · 6 threads

    Biolage: 7 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 2 said it did not

    7 worked · 0 mixed · 2 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    No price verdicts

  14. SheaMoisture

    $0.62/oz

    13 commenters named it · 8 threads

    SheaMoisture: 6 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 3 said it did not

    6 worked · 2 mixed · 3 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    No price verdicts

  15. Moroccanoil

    $3.53/oz

    13 commenters named it · 7 threads

    Moroccanoil: 6 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 5 said it did not

    6 worked · 0 mixed · 5 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Moroccanoil: 0 worth it, 5 not worth it

    0 worth it · 5 not worth it

  16. Living Proof

    $4.50/oz

    12 commenters named it · 6 threads

    Living Proof: 6 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    6 worked · 2 mixed · 1 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Living Proof: 0 worth it, 1 not worth it

    0 worth it · 1 not worth it

  17. Kristin Ess

    $1.20/oz

    12 commenters named it · 7 threads

    Kristin Ess: 10 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 0 said it did not

    10 worked · 0 mixed · 0 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Kristin Ess: 2 worth it, 0 not worth it

    2 worth it · 0 not worth it

  18. Aveda

    $2.47/oz

    12 commenters named it · 4 threads

    Aveda: 8 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    8 worked · 0 mixed · 1 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Aveda: 1 worth it, 0 not worth it

    1 worth it · 0 not worth it

  19. Color Wow

    $2.98/oz

    11 commenters named it · 6 threads

    Color Wow: 4 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    4 worked · 2 mixed · 1 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Color Wow: 1 worth it, 1 not worth it

    1 worth it · 1 not worth it

  20. VO5

    $0.44/oz

    11 commenters named it · 6 threads

    VO5: 7 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 0 said it did not

    7 worked · 0 mixed · 0 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    VO5: 4 worth it, 0 not worth it

    4 worth it · 0 not worth it

  21. OUAI

    $3.40/oz

    10 commenters named it · 4 threads

    OUAI: 7 said it worked, 2 were mixed, 1 said it did not

    7 worked · 2 mixed · 1 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    OUAI: 1 worth it, 2 not worth it

    1 worth it · 2 not worth it

  22. Kenra

    $1.98/oz

    10 commenters named it · 4 threads

    Kenra: 4 said it worked, 0 were mixed, 3 said it did not

    4 worked · 0 mixed · 3 did notSmall group: read the counts, not a percentage.

    Kenra: 3 worth it, 0 not worth it

    3 worth it · 0 not worth it

See all 30 brands as a table, cheapest first
Brands named by 10 or more commenters
BrandPer ounceBandCommentersThreadsWorkedMixedDid notWorth itNot worth it
Suave$0.17Under $0.75359221440
TRESemmé$0.20Under $0.75648412640
L'Oréal Paris$0.27Under $0.758916569180
Garnier$0.29Under $0.753713270100
Aussie$0.30Under $0.75227173110
Dove$0.32Under $0.75358281320
Pantene$0.36Under $0.75106137537130
Head & Shoulders$0.39Under $0.75257182220
OGX$0.43Under $0.75257152310
VO5$0.44Under $0.7511670040
SheaMoisture$0.62Under $0.7513862300
Herbal Essences$0.64Under $0.75339233130
Kristin Ess$1.20$0.75 to $2127100020
Paul Mitchell$1.57$0.75 to $2177130021
Kenra$1.98$0.75 to $210440330
Biolage$2.00$2 to $415670200
Aveda$2.47$2 to $412480110
amika$2.90$2 to $42410100832
Color Wow$2.98$2 to $411642111
Redken$3.07$2 to $473122951924
OUAI$3.40$2 to $410472112
Moroccanoil$3.53$2 to $413760505
Olaplex$3.58$2 to $486173761766
Pureology$4.33$4 and up317161701
Kevin Murphy$4.40$4 and up16472101
Living Proof$4.50$4 and up12662101
Davines$4.53$4 and up21491612
K18$4.59$4 and up71133411042
Kérastase$5.29$4 and up4315213145
Oribe$6.59$4 and up196101322

In their words

What the three views sound like

Exact excerpts, no usernames. The yellow phrase earned the comment its reading.

140 said cheap works as well, or expensive is not worth it

140 commenters

“Maaan I’m so tired of pretending to like these expensive shampoos… tresemme always comes through for me.”

Read as: cheap works as well, or expensive is not worth itr/HaircareReddit score 56Open the thread

“I feel like we've all been caught up with an expensive shampoo fad and it really is just - do what makes your hair happy.”

Read as: cheap works as well, or expensive is not worth itr/HaircareReddit score 63Open the thread

36 said it depends

36 commenters

“Some hair just does better with certain ingredients in cheaper shampoos.”

Read as: it dependsr/HaircareReddit score 126Open the thread

25 said expensive is better

25 commenters

“I’m never going back to drugstore brands because of how unproblematic those salon brands are.”

Read as: expensive is betterr/HaircareScienceReddit score 2Open the thread

Method

How the count was done

The Hair Roundup
Price census: what was read

11 November 2026

Reddit threads read39

Opening post or its author gone17

Threads counted22


Comments read in them2,483

Since deleted, left out96

Comments counted from2,387


Said nothing we could count1,570

Comments with a reading817

Commenters behind them702

Each thread’s opening post
is counted as a comment.

One comment, start to finish

  1. 1. The comment

    “My hair does the absolute best with cheap drugstore shampoo and washing every other day.”

    r/Haircare · open the thread

  2. 2. How it was read

    A general view that cheap works as well or better. No brand is named, so no brand gets a mark.

  3. 3. What it adds

    One barOne bar. It is 1 of the 140 behind the 70% at the top of this page.

Show the method, step by stepHide the steps
22 threads, chosen on purpose
Threads where commenters discuss whether hair products are worth their price, posted 2021 to 2026: r/HaircareScience (9), r/Haircare (7), r/finehair (3), r/curlyhair (2), r/femalehairadvice (1). Some open with a routine or a problem and turn to price in the comments. They are not a random sample. We read 39 threads and left out 17, along with the 1,537 comments under them: in 16 the opening post has since been deleted by its author or removed by moderators, and in 1 the author’s account is gone.
Every comment read
2,483 comments. 96 have since been deleted or removed on Reddit and are left out of every count. Every thread was re-read on Reddit on 11 November 2026.
Two AI readers, then a third
The readers were AI language models, not people. Two of them (Claude Opus 5.5 and Claude Fable 5.2), working separately from one written codebook, coded every comment. A third (Claude Sonnet 5.5) settled their disagreements without being told which reader wrote which reading. In the 22 threads counted, the two readings matched 1,612 times and the third reader settled the other 217. A comment with no view in it got no reading.
What a reading is
One commenter’s view of one brand, or of cheap against expensive in general, in one thread. One comment can hold several readings, one for each brand it judges. Several comments by one person about one brand in a thread make one reading.
How the three general views were told apart
Cheap works as well: cheap or drugstore products work as well as or better than expensive ones, or expensive products are not worth it in general. Expensive is better: expensive, salon or professional products are better in general, or cheap ones do damage or underperform. It depends: the commenter says outright that it depends on the product, the hair or the ingredient, or that neither is better across the board.
One reading per commenter, per thread, per brand
Ten comments about one brand in one thread still count once.
Four price bands
By the shelf price per fluid ounce of each brand’s standard shampoo, read once on 11 November 2026, most of them on Amazon’s US store: under $0.75, $0.75 to $2, $2 to $4, $4 and up. Each band includes its lower price and stops just short of its upper one. 58 brands were priced.
Also coded: formula changes and fakes
14 commenters said a brand’s formula had changed and 2 warned about counterfeit bottles or unauthorized sellers. Both groups are too small to break down.
What was left out
Drugs and medical treatments, supplements, and salon services. Brands named by fewer than 10 commenters are counted in the bands but not shown alone. A brand’s commenter count is everyone who named it in a comment, with or without a view of it.
Limit: two threads carry most of the headline
128 of the 201 general views come from two threads (“Just me or are salon quality shampoos not worth it?” and “Why does my hair look best when I use the cheapest shampoo”). Without the first the share is 76% of 123. Without the second it is 66% of 151. Without both it is 73% of 73.
Limit: these threads, and Reddit
The figures describe these 22 threads only. Reddit skews: its commenters are not a cross-section of everyone who buys hair products. Under 20 verdicts, this page prints counts and no percentage.
Limit: opinions, not measurements
The count records what commenters wrote. It does not measure how any product performs.

Sources

The 22 threads

Largest first. The bar is the number of comments counted in each: 2,387 in all.

ThreadSubreddit and yearComments countedReadings
Why does my hair look best when I use the cheapest shampoo r/Haircare · 2024 363 193 readings
Just me or are salon quality shampoos not worth it? r/finehair · 2024 360 416 readings
is it possible to achieve this kind of glow w only drugstore products? r/Haircare · 2023 268 86 readings
Silicons and sulphates…… hair feels amazing? r/HaircareScience · 2023 255 77 readings
Are hair glosses worth it? r/HaircareScience · 2024 112 32 readings
PLEASE HELP!! Hair oily immediately after shower r/Haircare · 2025 109 43 readings
Why does my hair look and feel better with cheap shampoo? r/HaircareScience · 2022 103 53 readings
Im glad Im not the only person that hates sulfate free shampoos r/HaircareScience · 2021 95 40 readings
Why does my hair always end up like this? r/Haircare · 2025 83 8 readings
It seems impossible to find the perfect shampoo r/HaircareScience · 2023 66 42 readings
Show all 22 threadsHide threads 11 to 22
ThreadSubreddit and yearComments countedReadings
Trying to embrace my hair… r/curlyhair · 2024 61 3 readings
Drug store routines? r/finehair · 2025 61 11 readings
Expensive shampoo & conditioners vs drug store r/Haircare · 2025 59 73 readings
Run down of every expensive/viral product influencers have told you to buy from a girl who is very easily influenced and loves to waste money r/Haircare · 2025 56 29 readings
Best drugstore recommendations for Shampoo and Conditioner? r/Haircare · 2022 50 22 readings
K18: My experience, part 1 r/HaircareScience · 2021 49 26 readings
K18 vs Olaplex (my experience) r/HaircareScience · 2022 47 30 readings
My hair slowly got dryer and weaker while living in Japan. r/femalehairadvice · 2026 41 9 readings
“Bad Ingredients” in haircare r/HaircareScience · 2023 39 10 readings
Advice from a curl specialist r/curlyhair · 2025 39 8 readings
Typical K18 AirWash results (for me) r/finehair · 2026 38 10 readings
Sulphates and silicones make my hair feel amazing part 2 r/HaircareScience · 2023 33 13 readings

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Coded dataset CSV · 1,556 rows: 1,234 readings from 702 commenters, and 322 rows where a commenter named a brand without a view. Commenters are numbered, not named.

Columns: thread, commenter, brand, price_per_oz_usd, price_band, general_view, experience, price_verdict, warning. A row with the last four columns empty is a commenter naming a brand without a view of it.

Using a figure? Please link to this page so readers can check the count.

How to cite

The Hair Roundup, "Are expensive hair products worth it?" (a count of 22 Reddit threads), 11 November 2026, https://www.thehairroundup.com/research/are-expensive-hair-products-worth-it/

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