Why is it that a bottle of generic shampoo can go for less than a dollar at the drug store, while the same product can cost you over $20 bucks if you want "salon" quality?

These figures don't add up, and you might immediately assume that cheap shampoo is bad for your hair while pricier alternatives are much safer.

However, the truth is a lot murkier, as we are about to find out with our Suave analysis, a popular shampoo with lots of reviews. This shampoo costs just about $2, and a lot of people are familiar with this brand.

The product is targeted at discount stores.

If you are most people, hair is sacred. That means it needs to be kept in the best possible condition to maintain its vibrance.

Unfortunately for you, price does not always equal quality. There are also lots of terrible expensive shampoos that will do a lot of damage to your hair.

What's In A Shampoo?

Obviously, all shampoos are different in their own special ways. Nevertheless, the main ingredients are water and detergent. From there, the manufacturers add moisturizers, thickeners, conditioners, extracts, fragrances, and dyes.

However, the detergent in the shampoo plays the most critical role as it washes away all these other compounds.

How Detergents Make The Difference Between Good And Bad Shampoos

Usually, the problem with some shampoos is that they have a very powerful detergent in them. For instance, ammonium lauryl sulfate is as harsh as a detergent can get, while TEA or MEA laureth sulfate is very gentle.

The FDA approves all these detergents, but that does not mean they are all great for your hair.

Suave contains ammonium laureth and ammonium lauryl. The former is harsh, but the latter is even harsher.

Customer Reviews About Suave Shampoos

There has been a heated debate about Suave shampoo and whether or not it's good for your hair, with some people swearing that it's one of the worst shampoos for your hair. In fact, many people have come out and revealed the horrible things it has done to their hair.

According to one customer, using the shampoo caused the hair to shed "like a cat's." Ironically, this person had decided to take better care of their hair by committing to use a shampoo and picked Suave as it promised to moisturize the hair and leave it tangle-free.

Some people have used the shampoo without noticing any serious side effects but ditched it as soon as they learned that it was doing a lot of damage to some people's hair.

However, there are people using the shampoo without any negative effects, but that is usually because they pair it with a good quality conditioner that reverses the damage the shampoo does.

Many have explained that although the hair smells great immediately after you wash it, in addition to looking shiny, it will eventually be dry as a "haystack" because Suave has ingredients such as sulfates which strip your hair of all its natural oils.

Why Suave Is Horrible For Your Hair

It is best to stay away from this shampoo. The product might be insanely cheap, which might partly explain why it so terrible for your hair.

Good quality products tend to cost a lot more. In fact, with coupons, you can get Suave shampoo for just 50 cents.

The shampoo has been shown to get rid of stains in dirty old porcelain sinks with hardly any scrubbing in experiments. So, you can imagine the damage it can do to hair, especially if it has been dyed.

Because the shampoo has sodium laureth sulfate in it, it can strip your hair and make it very dry. For healthy hair, you need gentle care and hydration.

Similar complaints have been made about some TRESemme and OGX shampoos, and it's best to tread lightly while shopping for these products.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time Suave products have caused controversies. In 2012, a Suave hair treatment solution was discontinued because it contained thioglycolic acid, which users claimed would cause hair to fall out.

Alternative Uses For Suave Shampoo

As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. So, even though Suave is not very good for your hair, it's good for something.

If you are stuck with a bottle of this stuff, you can use it for many other things around your home instead of tossing it out. For instance, some people have discovered that it can clean tubs, stainless steel items, tires, tools, and even jewelry.

Apparently, you can also use Suave on your hair if you feel it has too much dye since it's strong enough to wash off the unwanted color.

How To Buy Shampoos

The next time you are buying shampoos, don't let the price be your guide. Instead, pick up the bottle and have a look at the ingredients.

If you realize the shampoo has a harsh detergent, put it back and get an alternative with a milder detergent.

In general, avoid shampoo that contains ammonium lauryl sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate detergents as they will harm your hair.

Ideally, a good shampoo should have sodium laureth sulfate, which is a mild detergent.

In fact, you can make your own shampoo at home. All you have to do is gather the required ingredients and follow a recipe.

A Few More Things You Should Know About Shampoos

Remember that every shampoo you get needs to have a specific purpose. There are shampoos for an itchy scalp, dry shampoos, dandruff shampoos, curly hair shampoos, fine hair shampoos, clarifying shampoos, shampoos for damaged hair, and so forth.

In other words, understand your hair needs first before you buy any shampoo.

However, stay away from the Suave shampoo if you can. The harsh detergents in this hair care product make it highly unsuitable for your hair.

Sooner or later, your hair might have to pay the price after its stripped of all its essential oils and natural beauty. Shop for a good quality shampoo, or better yet, make your own.

Homemade Remedy/Shampoo For Damaged Hair

If you feel like your luck with store-bought shampoos has run out, then you could always make your own safe shampoo. The best part is that you will cut down on your costs significantly and undo some of the damage your hair might have suffered after using a bad shampoo.

Here's a simple recipe you can use to make a safe and effective shampoo in your own home. After you have all these ingredients, mix them gently to whip up your own quality shampoo.

Nettle shampoo 750 ml

AD vitamin oil drops

Castor oil 50 ml

100 ml of liquid panthenol

Nettle drops 30 ml

1 ampoule of vitamin B (bedoxin or beviplex)

You can buy all these ingredients at the pharmacy. With the rich vitamin content in this homemade shampoo, your hair will be especially thankful if you recently used bad shampoo on it.

So, you don't have to complain anymore that you can't find a great shampoo the next time you are out shopping. The power to keep your hair healthy, strong, and beautiful is in your hands, not a cosmetics brand that cares more about your money than your hair.