People have very strong opinions when it comes to hair products. Whether they extol the virtues of only using salon-purchased shampoo or they insist that drugstore shampoos are a better value for the money, you can be sure that pretty much everyone in the beauty world has an opinion on drugstore versus salon shampoo. The question on everyone’s mind, of course, is simple: Is the extra cost actually worth it?

There are definitely reasons to spring for salon shampoo, but some people can manage their hair using a mixture of salon products and regular drugstore versions. Think about these things when you’re trying to calculate the actual price of your next shampoo purchase.

1. Salon Products Should Target Your Hair Concerns

When it comes to normal hair without difficult-to-manage textures or problems, you can usually get by with drugstore products or lower-end salon products. However, if you’re dealing with substantial amounts of dandruff, hair that’s incredibly brittle, or a frustratingly oily scalp, you’ll get better results with salon products. These products usually contain better nutrients and high-quality ingredients, which means your hair will benefit more from high-end products.

Concerns aren’t the only thing you need to think about when it comes to salon products. The texture and type of hair are important as well. Very curly hair is going to need a different formula than straight hair needs, and coarse hair may need different care than thin hair does. If you don’t have thin, fine, straight hair, then you’re going to want to give more thought to salon products.

2. Salon Products Are Often More Concentrated

One of the most important things to think about when it comes to the price of salon products is the actual product’s concentration. A salon product may be more expensive bottle-for-bottle, but if you have to use three times as much of the drugstore product, the salon product may be the same price or even less expensive in the end. Remember that if you’re used to washing your hair with a drugstore product that has sulfates, you won’t get as much of a lather with sulfate-free salon products. That doesn’t mean you need to use more product, just that it’s cleaning in a different way.

In addition, while drugstore shampoos may be able to help your hair in some circumstances, drugstore conditioners are much more uncertain. Many low-end conditioners contain wax or wax-type ingredients, which build up over time to create an impenetrable layer around your hair strands. Then, none of your products will do anything for your hair. Salon conditioners almost never contain wax, making them a very useful part of your hair care regimen.

3. Drugstore Products Should Contain no Fillers or Harmful Ingredients

If you do decide to use drugstore products for some of your hair care routine, it’s important to make sure they’re at least of decent quality. are well known for being natural or more highly concentrated, and by finding those specifically, you can save some money while still being kind to your hair. Ask your stylist if you’re not sure; many will know what drugstore products are safe to use, even if they’re not ideal, and which ones can damage your hair.

4. Buying the Most Important Salon Products Can Help You Save

For many people, price is a big reason why they don’t purchase salon products all the time. Even if it’s better for your hair, you may just not be able to buy salon products for your entire hair care regimen. If that’s an important part of your decision-making process, consider buying the most important products from the salon, and supplementing them with drugstore products. For example, conditioner can be an essential part of keeping your hair smooth and soft, and drugstore conditioners tend to have less desirable ingredients. If you don’t know the most crucial products for your hair, ask your stylist to give you more information.

Salon products and drugstore products will always exist at odds with each other, but that doesn’t mean you have to go completely to one or the other. Ideally, you’d want to use salon products exclusively, but until you’re able to make that a reality, ask your stylist for assistance. Book an appointment at an Ogle School salon to get that insider information for your hair.