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Affordable shampoos that boost your color-treated hair, reparative hair masks and more.

He claims that the efficacy of a hair care product is driven by its formulation and ingredients, not the price point.

“Many drugstore brands include the same active ingredients used in professional products, like ceramides for strength, glycerin for moisture, and protective polymers for styling,” Vaccaro told us.

Another myth when it comes to drugstore formulas, according to Vaccaro, is that all drugstore products are full of harsh chemicals that damage hair. He argues that ingredient safety and performance vary across all price points.

“There are drugstore products today formulated without sulfates, parabens, or silicones for those who prefer gentler formulas. Dismissing an entire aisle of products based on assumptions about ingredients means missing out on effective options.”

He said that achieving salon-worthy results at home is more about selecting the right type of product for your hair and using it correctly than about paying more. And now that he believes drugstore brands have advanced significantly in formulation science over the past decade, finding these products at accessible price points is easier than ever.

Ahead, Vaccaro and other, share some of the best drugstore hair products that you could be sleeping on because of some silly belief that expensive always means better.  

The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.

According to Louise Rusk, a master colorist and founder of Jes + Lou Beauty, Native is a popular retail clean brand with a low, affordable price point that she recommends because it uses all-natural ingredients and no silicones.

"As a stylist and colorist, silicones are one of the worst things we can put in a shampoo formula. The molecules build up on the hair and scalp," Rusk said.

Native offers several targeted shampoos and conditioners, but this particular formula specifically for curly hair, had over 11,000 ratings on Amazon and 4.5 stars. This nourishing set is meant to help create defined, silky and bouncy curls without the weight of some hydrating shampoo and conditioner formulas.

Get them from Amazon for $17.59+ (available in nine scents).

Tylor Johnson, a colorist and the founder of Nous Haircare, said that the L'Oréal Ever Pure line of shampoo and conditioner is by far one of the best for color-treated hair of all drug store products.

"I tell anyone who wants to go the drug store route to go for this line, as it has quality ingredients and is sulfate-free, so it will not strip your hair color!" she said.

Though this line offers tons of different formulas from curl care to scalp care, this particular formula, featuring lotus flower extract, is meant to restore flat and lifeless hair and add volume to thin tresses. 

Vaccaro recommended the Signature shampoo and conditioner set by Kristen Ess, a product that I myself used for a couple of years. According to Vacarro, this duo provides balanced cleansing and hydration that works across most hair types. It strengthens the hair while smoothing texture, making it a strong everyday shampoo and conditioner option that also supports styling. 

"I love the way the hair feels after using this shampoo and conditioner," he said. 

Beautifully scented like magnolia, white amber, pear water and sandalwood, the formula is free from sulfates and phalates and never accelerates the fading of my color-treated hair.

Get them from Amazon for $22.49 (also available in a mini travel set).

"This deep conditioning mask stands out in the drugstore space for seriously strengthening and restoring moisture," Vaccaro said of the Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil hair mask. "It’s particularly effective for dry, damaged, or chemically stressed hair and can be used weekly to reinforce resilience and softness."

This paraben-free formula features a nourishing blend of shea butter and castor oil, as well as apple cider vinegar, which may promote shine and reduce dandruff and product buildup from the scalp. 

For tresses that tend to be frizzy or a little unruly, Vaccaro suggests the OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco hair oil that claims to deeply penetrate the hair shaft to hydrate dry and coarse hair.

"As a stylist, my concern with oils is always, 'will it weigh the hair down?'" Vaccaro said. "This lightweight oil is a versatile styling and treatment product. It helps smooth frizz, boost shine, and adds conditioning without weighing hair down. It can be used before blow-drying or as a finishing touch for polished styles."

This cold-pressed oil and serum is infused with water-based silk proteins and pure argan oil help reduce breakage for strong hair, according to the brand. 

Stanley Nolan, cosmetologist and beauty education specialist at Ogle School Stafford, suggested the Nexxus Keraphix conditioner for damaged, over-processed and frequently heat-styled hair. It uses keratin proteins — a key ingredient for healthy hair, according to Vaccaro — and liquid crystal amino acids, which help to reconstruct the broken bonds in hair strands.

"[It] works really well on damaged hair and adds strength and smoothness to the hair shaft," she said.

Get it from Amazon for $16+ (available in two sizes).

Professional hair stylist Kirsten Patterson previously suggested another formula by Nexxus, a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner combo that's formulated specifically for color-treated hair. 

The Color Assure line from Nexxus has 4.6 out of 5 stars and 9,400+ ratings on Amazon and is infused with a protein blend, which is intended to enhance the vibrancy of color and create a defensive layer to protect the essential proteins within each hair fiber.

The prices below are for a duo of shampoo and conditioner. 

Nolan also recommended the Aveeno scalp-soothing Clarify & Shine apple cider shampoo because it's "good for all hair types and deep cleanses the hair without stripping it of its natural oils," she said.

This shine-inducing shampoo features a pH-balanced formula that's free from sulfate-based surfactants, parabens and phthalates. It promises to remove product buildup for a healthy scalp and balance oil production. 

When it comes to shampoo, Vaccaro said it's good to opt for gentle clarifiers periodically to reset your hair and scalp. The Neutrogena Healthy Scalp Clarify & Shine shampoo was previously suggested by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mona Foad as a good shampoo option for overly oily and dandruff-prone scalps.  

"It uses gentle exfoliants to lift away residue and balance oil while keeping the hair lightweight and shiny," she said of this shampoo infused with pink grapefruit extract for adding shine to tresses. The cream formula is pH-balanced and meant to maintain a healthy skin barrier for the scalp, without stripping or drying. Non-medicated, sulfate-free and scented like bergamot, citrus and fresh florals, this shampoo promises to be safe for all hair types, including color-treated hair.

If conditions like dandruff, eczema, or psoriasis are causing you strife, Neutrogena's T/Sal therapeutic shampoo was a previously recommended drugstore formula that uses salicylic acid as an exfoliator and anti-inflammatory to help treat oily scalps. This fragrance-free formula claims to soothe troubled and irritated scalps for hours after rinsing, providing long-lasting comfort.

"Look for strengthening ingredients like keratin or proteins if your hair feels brittle," Vaccaro suggests, while Nolan mentioned the benefits of having a heat protectant. Based on this guidance, we chose to include this popular "miracle" leave-in spray by It's a 10 that also doubles as a heat protectant. This drugstore staple contains hydrolized keratin to strengthen hair structure so hair feels more conditioned, smoother and softer. 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.