Hear Me Out: This $5 Shampoo Has Worked Better Than All of My ‘Fancy’ Formulas

Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Sometimes you just need to return to your roots

Having worked in the beauty industry for nearly a decade, I’ve gone through my fair share of shampoo trials: purple formulas, “natural” blends, formulas that claim to help you grow more hair… you name it. For my thin, slightly wavy, color-treated hair, I gravitate toward shampoos that will impart a healthy amount of moisture and volume but won't won't strip my color, and luckily, there have been a number of products on the market that have fit these criteria on paper. However, with each new test, I've found myself increasingly frustrated and disappointed. The end result is oftentimes incredibly dry and straw-like to the point where I can't even get a comb through my wet hair without dousing my strands in detangler or a leave-in treatment first, meaning my hair quickly appears string-y and oily and requires a quick follow-up wash. It's a vicious cycle.

Interestingly, a lot of these drying formulas end up being pricey department store or prestige brands, despite also using their corresponding conditioners. My hair hasn't always been dry, though — when I think back to my college years, when I was living on a ramen-noodle budget, I was using drugstore shampoos and my hair was sleek, soft and shiny. It got me thinking, Could cheaper shampoo actually be better for me? I picked up a bottle of an old favorite, Pantene's Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo ($5) and conditioner ($5) to test my theory, and the results were a bit shocking.

Knowing I would be embarking on this hair experiment, I had my husband snap a picture of my hair prior to this test. As you can see in the above "before" photo, my hair looks dry and has visible breakage. It's in its more natural wavy state here because I could barely get a brush through it in order to blow it out (the tangles were a-plenty). However, in the "after" photo, my hair is shiny, smooth, and has no visible damage or frayed cuticles. Combing out my hair was a breeze, even just after the first wash with Pantene, so I blew it out with a round brush to reap the maximum shine and smoothness benefits — no flat iron needed. When I was done, I found myself constantly touching my hair, amazed at how soft and healthy it felt.

Buy It! Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo, $5, walgreens.com

Also available on Amazon ($8) and Target ($5)