I am having trouble finding a good shampoo. SOme leave it dry, some frizzy, some icky. I’ve tried fructis, suave, aussie, finesse.
None of them work well.
What works for you?
If you’ve got the bucks, nothing works quite as well as the salon stuff. I use Kérastase.
Are you also using a conditioner, or just shampoo?
I find I can’t get away without conditioner (though I might be able to if my hair were shorter). I buy what-the-hell-ever-is-cheapest shampoo when I need it and spring for the expensive conditioner. I currently use, and love so deeply it’s probably wrong on some level, Victoria Secret’s “So Sexy” conditioner for normal hair. However, it’s ~$1/oz (more if you only buy one bottle at a time), so I’m very likely to switch to something cheaper when this bottle runs out. This makes me sad, but it’s the realities of being tight on money.
I agree with Cat Fight, even if you wash it less so the shampoo lasts longer. I can’t remember the name of the stuff I am using, but it was ridiculously expensive, and bought at a salon.
Yes, I prefer Nexxus, but its a bit pricey for me at the moment.
For pricey, I love Aveda products. For not-so-pricey, I get the Tea Tree shampoo and conditioner from Paul Mitchell. They sell it at the place I get my kids’ hair cut, and I love it.
I use Matrix products and find them now at drug stores (Rite Aid) and chain megamarkets (Meijer). I can’t use conditioner AT ALL; even the lightest formulas weigh my hair down like motor oil.
That said, half the week I used ultra-cheap Suave “daily clarifying” shampoo and my hair does very well. I do use a rather heavy gel (Redken “Hardware 16”) as well as some hair spray, so I suppose I have some buildup removal that needs to be done.
At a salon once, a hairdresser told me she picks up a bottle of Vidal Sasson in the grocery store every once in a while, because it’s so good. I immediately started buying it. This was years ago. I haven’t seen Vidal Sasson in stores in ages!
I love my herbal essence. Simple. Basic. Clairol. $3 a bottle at Target or Wal-mart. For me, the matching conditioner is essential. I’m currently using “Long Term Relationship;” it’s designed for long hair and in a bright red bottle. Get the one that matches your hair type best. 
Trader Joe’s has a citrus shampoo and conditioner I like, a lot. $1.99/bottle. I’ve used more expensive stuff but I feel the cheaper stuff does just about the same job, YMMV.
One of those 20/20, 60 Minutes, etc. news program did a big report on shampoo. Interviews, lab analysis, and all that kind of stuff.
Their conclusion was that, basically, shampoo is shampoo.
It did vary within shampoo types, ie: shampoo for oily hair is different than shampoo for dry hair but other than that, brand didn’t make much difference.
They concluded that brand however did make a big difference in conditioner.
Their suggestion? Get any cheap shampoo and spend your bux on a good conditioner.
I have no conditioner suggestions for you, though. My hair is an eighth of an inch long. Conditioner is somewhat superfluous in my case.
My hair is curly, dry, and color-treated. Lately I’ve been using Dove shampoo and condish for colored hair. I like Dove products in general, they’re gentle and don’t dry out my hair.
I also use Redken’s clarifying shampoo once a week to remove buildup, followed by a deep conditioning hair mask for 5-10 minutes. My hair stylist says a deep conditioner once a week is about the greatest thing you can do for your hair, especially if it’s prone to dryness and frizziness.
I am faithful to Nexxus’ Therappe and Humectress, although I do buy it in non-salon locations which carry the old design not the new salon one. I have thick wavy hair and the moisturizingness does good things for its texture and overall control. It is expensive but you don’t need as much. When I had really long hair I put a line of the conditioner on a wide-toothed comb and combed it through and that was enough.
I have found that I can’t just use one type of product. I switch between three different shampoos and conditioners at the moment:
Aveda Color Conserve Shampoo
Aveda Volumizing Shampoo
Body Shop Nettle Oil Balance Shampoo
Aveda Madder Root Color Conditioner (Use approx 3 times a week)
Aveda Damage Remedy Restructuring Conditioner (Only use about 1-2 times per month)
Body Shop Nettle Oil Balance Conditioner
The reason is that if I use the harsher shampoos too much, I end up with frizz, but if I use the gentle stuff too much, I end up with limp, oily locks. Same with the conditioners - I love the color conditioner, but if I used it every day I’d look like Lucille Ball, so I alternate with a different kind, and occasionally use a deep conditioner to fight damage.
V05. A buck gets you a bottle that lasts for a while, another buck gets conditioner so it don’t tangle too much. Works perfect every time. I speak as someone with (long) hair that is so oblivious to moist/dry/oily categorization it must be an extraterrestrial invader.
I use the Philosophy line from Sephora, where they come in really yummy scents like Strawberry Milkshake and Red Velvet Cake. Their website doesn’t have nearly as much as the company makes though, I find more in the actual Sephora shop on Oahu. The scents are amazing, and they’re really great shampoos for me.
Plus they also work as shower gels and as bubble baths.
They’re really rich, but even then work well for my hair, which is on the oily side.
I love Aveda, but can’t afford it. I have long, thick, frizzy curly hair, and I’ve found that Pantene works well for me. I used to use Suave, because it was so much cheaper, but I used twice as much conditioner, and it didn’t tame my frizz.
I’ve used it a lot- it’s very good.
Pert Plus, Medium.
Once a month or so, a clarifying wash with some cheapo Suave stuff.
I have waist-length highlighted and colored hair, and I use the Tresemme shampoo for color-treated hair. I get creative on the conditioners.
If I’m going to flat-iron my hair, I’m currently using either Fructis or I’ll use something from my salon, Aquage Healing Conditioner, and a leave-in spray conditioner (also Aquage). I’ll also use some sort of smoothing/sealing/protecting spray - currently I’m using either Got2B Crazysleek, BedHead Sleek or Tresemme Heat Protection spray.
If I’m going to futz with my natural waves and make them into curls, I’ll use the Healing Conditioner or a rich curl-enhancing conditioner, and then Fructis curl activating gel.
I agree only to a certain extent with the idea that conditioner should be the focus of your money - I’ve used the really cheap shampoos and they make my hair crunchy (even though they’re supposed to be all alike). Since the ends of my hair are much older than the hair close to my head, I treat it gently. I like having long hair, but I don’t want the ends to look dead or dry or crispy, so I am always experimenting with conditioners.
I use Biolage Matrix products. They are amazing, expensive, but WELL worth the price.
I have also used Aussie, Garnier products and just simple Suave shampoo with the conditioner that comes in coloring kits. (my hair is color treated.)
Good luck.
E