Expensive vs. cheaper products

Hi,In my opinion, salon products are better for a number of reasons. As Mickhael pointed out, Aveda uses a lot of herbs and oils that when combined with the normal chemicals that used in shampoos, will override the potential drying or damage. I am not aware of any grocery store brands, other than Citre Shine, that I get good results from.Before I used salon products I used Flex and Herbal Essence and Clairol and Vidal Sasson and Pantene and Salon Selectives. I tried just about every brand. I grew up using Prell because my mom liked that (heaven forbid I don't know why). As a side note, I found out some years ago that Prell is used to strip hair color from hair. :-)I know that my hair looks its best when I use Aveda, ARTec or one of the top notch brands from a salon. Even then, some of the salon brands work really well for me and some don't. I think overall that you get a much better result with the higher quality shampoos.That is just my opinion. I know that Cher and many others have had some great results with Nature's Gate which is sold in health food stores. I know that Victor and others have had good luck with Citre Shine.I guess you have to try it for yourself and make your own judgement. Jeff loves ARTec and his hair has never looked better, however another male friend of mine has thin hair (Jeff has thick wavy hair) and he does not like ARTec but he loves Aveda Blue Malva. A third male friend...Micheal...love ARTec Kiwi and he has very curly hair.So go figure. It really does depend on a number of factors.That is why I recommend that everyone start slow and buy small bottles of new products. Also, with Aveda, you need to be aware of the fact that the color shampoos (blue malva, chamomile) are somewhat drying and that the Shampure is moisturizing.Good luck and let us know how it goes for you.Best wishes,Karen> SO what really is the truth, are expensive> products really better for your hair than cheaper> products, or is there really no difference? Because> I would like to try Aveda's products, if they> really honestly are better for the hair than cheaper> products (like from a drugstore, etc.)

I very seriously doubt it. : )

I have tried practically every product available in the stores and that includes beauty supply stores. I also have tried alot of salon products. I don't think I test as much as Karen! but I have done enough to know that using quality products is the answer. And finding the "right" product for you. I jumped from one product to another for years and years til I found Aveda. I absolutely love Aveda products. I used AVeda for 4 straight months with no build up which is amazing to me. I am one of the ones who experience build up very quickly. It usually takes only about 4-5 shampoo's with one product then I have to switch..not so with Aveda. My hair is thick tho and I like to be generous in my slurping on the conditioner and everyone knows Aveda isn't cheap. I wanted to find a good second product to intermingle with Aveda and I found that with Nature's Gate. I think NG is "cheap" only in price- not in quality. I pay close to 10 bucks for both the shampoo and conditioner. I think Aveda is worth it's money. And I doubly love NG cause it's so reasonable in price along with good quality. I think the answer is finding a good quality system.. and sometimes that will cost you more in the pocketbook. But don't judge it totally on price. I have used some pricey systems that just didn't do a thing for me.. That's why I was leary of trying Aveda out. I have found a good system for myself in switching back and forth from Aveda to NG... hope you find your perfect system also.. Cher~> SO what really is the truth, are expensive> products really better for your hair than cheaper> products, or is there really no difference? Because> I would like to try Aveda's products, if they> really honestly are better for the hair than cheaper> products (like from a drugstore, etc.)

Hi Cher,I totally agree with everything you said. When I have been through a test with a product that leaves my hair with build up or feeling dry and yucky, I head back to the surefire thing for my hair...Aveda Shampure and Aveda Curessence.I have always felt a little bad about the price and I hate to refer it to people because of the price, but that is what has worked consistently on my hair for years. I used to get bored...before Hair Boutique and about once a year I would try another product. I tried George Michael and it was OK for awhile but I too had build up. Then another year I tried Baid de Terre and liked that for awhile but I would always come back to Aveda. I think I will always have it as my major backup even though now I am enjoying the ARTec so much. Who knows, maybe in 6 months I will be sick of ARTec. Maybe not.The only consolation I have about the Aveda is that I know how to buy it at the absolute lowest prices (WW Beauty Store) and in Dallas I found a place that sells it for the lowest prices (Ecco Salon in Plano). So that helps a little bit.It is also true that everyone's hair is so different. Jeff just loves the Aveda Blue Malva and Cherry Almond Bark. His hair is not as dry as mine, has beautiful gray and is not highlighted. Mine is highlighted so it tends to be dry. Plus my hair is a little coarser than his. So I do better with Shampure and Curessence which he doesn't particularly like.Each person...as you said so well Cher....needs to find the best combination of shampoo and conditioner for their hair.It was great seeing your post. I hope you are enjoying your new boat.HugsKaren> I have tried practically every product available> in the stores and that includes beauty supply> stores. I also have tried alot of salon products.> I don't think I test as much as Karen! but I have> done enough to know that using quality products> is the answer. And finding the "right"> product for you. I jumped from one product to> another for years and years til I found Aveda.> I absolutely love Aveda products. I used AVeda> for 4 straight months with no build up which is> amazing to me. I am one of the ones who experience> build up very quickly. It usually takes only about> 4-5 shampoo's with one product then I have to> switch..not so with Aveda. My hair is thick tho> and I like to be generous in my slurping on the> conditioner and everyone knows Aveda isn't cheap.> I wanted to find a good second product to intermingle> with Aveda and I found that with Nature's Gate.> I think NG is "cheap" only in price-> not in quality. I pay close to 10 bucks for both> the shampoo and conditioner. I think Aveda is> worth it's money. And I doubly love NG cause it's> so reasonable in price along with good quality.> I think the answer is finding a good quality system..> and sometimes that will cost you more in the pocketbook.> But don't judge it totally on price. I have used> some pricey systems that just didn't do a thing> for me.. That's why I was leary of trying Aveda> out. I have found a good system for myself in> switching back and forth from Aveda to NG... hope> you find your perfect system also.. Cher~

Hey Everyone!I agree professional products are better! Regarding Prell, there is one great use for it. If you get lice wash with the prell before using the lice killing product. By the way I have a funny lice story and a treatment recomendation but I'll post it separate from this.> Hi,> In my opinion, salon products are better> for a number of reasons. As Mickhael pointed out,> Aveda uses a lot of herbs and oils that when combined> with the normal chemicals that used in shampoos,> will override the potential drying or damage.> I am not aware of any grocery store brands, other> than Citre Shine, that I get good results from.>> Before I used salon products I used Flex> and Herbal Essence and Clairol and Vidal Sasson> and Pantene and Salon Selectives. I tried just> about every brand. I grew up using Prell because> my mom liked that (heaven forbid I don't know> why). As a side note, I found out some years ago> that Prell is used to strip hair color from hair.> :-)> I know that my hair looks its best when I> use Aveda, ARTec or one of the top notch brands> from a salon. Even then, some of the salon brands> work really well for me and some don't. I think> overall that you get a much better result with> the higher quality shampoos.> That is just my opinion. I know that Cher> and many others have had some great results with> Nature's Gate which is sold in health food stores.> I know that Victor and others have had good luck> with Citre Shine.> I guess you have to try it for yourself and> make your own judgement. Jeff loves ARTec and> his hair has never looked better, however another> male friend of mine has thin hair (Jeff has thick> wavy hair) and he does not like ARTec but he loves> Aveda Blue Malva. A third male friend...Micheal...love> ARTec Kiwi and he has very curly hair.> So go figure. It really does depend on a> number of factors.> That is why I recommend that everyone start> slow and buy small bottles of new products. Also,> with Aveda, you need to be aware of the fact that> the color shampoos (blue malva, chamomile) are> somewhat drying and that the Shampure is moisturizing.>> Good luck and let us know how it goes for> you.> Best wishes,> Karen