Spend or Save? Save.

Shampoos are designed to cleanse the hair, and any fancy ingredients will probably go down the drain with the suds. If you have normal, non–chemically treated hair, most drugstore shampoos will do the trick. If you love the feel or the scent of an expensive shampoo but worry about the cost, rotate in a less expensive brand every other day or once a week, depending on how often you wash your hair.

Recommended Product

Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo ($4 at drugstores) is touted by hairstylists as a great inexpensive shampoo.

The Exception

If you have spent a small fortune coloring or highlighting your hair, you might want to go with the product that your hairstylist recommends to best preserve your color.

Tip: If you bought a shampoo but don't like the way it makes your hair feel, use it to clean your makeup brushes, which are best washed with a gentle shampoo.