This Shampoo May Be Expensive, but It’s the Only Formula That Makes My Fine Hair Look Like I Just Left a Salon

Ok, let’s get this out of the way right up top: This shampoo isn’t cheap. “Splurge-worthy” is the preferred term you’ll see all the time when referring to pricier items. But that basically translates to: “this sh*t is expensive.” I definitely used to think, who would pay more than drugstore price for shampoo? It’s soap for your head! But then I actually tried a prestige shampoo brand, and I realized, OH. There’s a reason why the price tag is so different.

At least, there’s a reason in this case (not knocking on drugstore shampoo at all, here). I first discovered the brand Oribe years ago at my hair salon. Stylists describe my hair as “very fine, but high density.” Which means my strands are delicate, but I have a lot of them. My hair takes a long time to style, but it’s also easily weighed down by product…kinda the worst of both worlds. So that’s why I splurged and switched from my typical drugstore shampoo.

After the first week of using Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo ($49) I could feel the difference immediately. My hair was less frizzy, shinier, bouncier, and just overall easier to manage. There’s only a handful of beauty products I’ve used over the years that people actually noticed after, and this is one of them. Just a few days after I made the switch, I was out to lunch with a friend, and she said “Your hair looks really good, did you just get it cut?” But I hadn’t gotten it cut or highlighted in months.

Oribe Gold Lust Repair Restore Shampoo — $49.00

I did a lot of damage to my hair in my teens and 20s–a lot of flat ironing on oven-level temperatures. So for me, a shampoo that goes beyond just cleaning and restores my hair is worth it. Oribe Gold Lust Repair Shampoo is made with a mixture of biotin, plant collagen, caffeine and niacinamide (a form of vitamin B) that’s formulated to penetrate the hair cuticle, fortify and strengthen it. That’s a lot of science talk, but basically it’s made with higher-end ingredients than your typical drugstore shampoo (which is typically—not always though!—made with a lot more water and fewer nourishing ingredients).

Also, a big thing for me when buying hair products is scent. Even if it works, if I don’t like the way it smells, I won’t use it. The best way I can describe the scent of this shampoo is “salon-y.” Like you walked into a fancy Beverly Hills hair salon. It has a very light, citrusy fragrance, and using it in the shower has the same calming effect as lighting my favorite candle.

Now, let’s get down to brass tacks. It costs $49 for 8.5 fluid ounces. But also it’s important to remember that a dab will do ya. I’ve been guilty of using way too much shampoo, but all you need is a quarter sized amount at most. And even though it’s quite pricey, if it can keep my hair healthy and lengthen the time between my salon visits–it’s worth it for me.

That said, I’m definitely not implying you have to spend this much money on shampoo. We’re still in a pandemic, gas prices and inflation are painful, and drugstore shampoos will absolutely get the job done. But if you’ve set aside some cash to splurge and want to invest in your hair–go with a restorative, luxury shampoo like Oribe.

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