All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors.
However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through links in this article.
A few months ago, I found myself in theshampooaisle at Target.
Courtesy of Kara Nesvig
But my wavy, highlighted hair wasnt feeling or looking right.
It was limp and flat.
It felt gummy and sticky, not soft and touchable.
My waves, freshly washed with Herbal Essences and smelling amazing.
So, on a whim, I tossed an old favorite into my cart:Herbal Essences Smoothing Shampoo.
You know, the one with the rose on the bottle that you probably used back in the 90s.
Was my secret to happier hair seriously in a $5 bottle of shampoo this entire time?
It turns out Im not alone.
Is it a myth that its bad for you or what?
Other TikTokers have shared similarbefore-and-after videosexplaining why theyre back on the drugstore shampoo train.
My waves, freshly washed with Herbal Essences and smelling amazing.
Why did so many of us stop shopping for hair care at the drugstore in the first place?
Sulfates can be drying and strip hair color and they can also be irritating to certain scalp types.
Some brands replaced sulfates with more natural cleansers derived from ingredients like coconut oil.
The short answer to that is yeah, but they still do the same thing.
High-end and other sulfate-free shampoos commonly rely on those coconut oil derivatives for their cleansing agents.
Addae points to cocoamidopropyl betaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate specifically.
This requires them to continually test their products with consumer groups."
Well, that depends.
You may just be using the wrong shampoo for your specific needs.
moment with Herbal Essences.
And not the kind from those 90s commercials.
As for me, I havent fully ditched all my expensive shampoos.
