You Pay For What You Get: Your Hair Care Expenses

[StopMakingSense]

Today while on LCHF I was SHOCKED and a little when I read the thread about Miss Jessie's. I was thinking that considering the price this stuff was from the super Moisturized world of Atlantis 20,000 leagues under the sea--but I was wrong as many PPs eluded to the fact that it contained mineral oil and petroleum and related those ingredients to products that are much cheaper. I totally understand that, but it brought up questions for me...

Which is this:

What determines what you will pay for a product?
How do you feel that you are getting your money's worth?
Is it the unique or best results that only the product yields that makes it worth it to you?
Or is it the caliber of ingredients used (organic/expensive formula etc.)? When do you feel you are getting taken advantage of by a manufacturer? Of course, we all know you have the choice of buying or not buying something--but do you look at something and think WOW! total rip off!
Do you feel that paying a higher price = better products?

 

[mzteaze]

I don't think that ALL high priced products are worth the money.

Then again I worked for a beauty products manufacturer and I will say this, many "cheap" products are made BY the same people who make higher end stuff. I know for a fact that certain lines simply contain better quality products and more of it than certain lower priced formulas. Those are the facts.

There are certain lines that I absolutely would not buy into and those that I KNOW aren't worth the high price (they are generally manufactured at a fraction of a percent of the cost). There is a certain infomercial-style commercial that used to run on tv that talked about its high price was justified because of its potency/effectiveness. That one was a HUGE snow job.

That said, I currently, if forced to, would buy into Aveda. The products work for me consistent and the brand clearly projects a more natural branding, something I like.

 

[JJamiah]

^^^ MZteaze could you list me some names because this sounds very interesting.

 

[Whimsy]

What determines what you will pay for a product?

I don't believe in paying more money for a brand name. I like buying sale items, and have found that many super inexpensive products work very well for me so there's no need for me to pay more.

How do you feel that you are getting your money's worth?

If I use a product and it works well then I feel I've gotten my money's worth. I recently bought 2 fekkai products with a gift card at bloomies. They were 22 each. IMO too much for a small tube of conditioner. One was terrible, and the other sucked as a condtioner but was an excellent leave in. So for that one, I'd say I got my money's worth.

Is it the unique or best results that only the product yields that makes it worth it to you?

For me the results is what counts most right now.

Or is it the caliber of ingredients used (organic/expensive formula etc.)?

I know that when I make my transition over to only organic/vegan products I'm going to have to pay more, and I'm okay with it knowing that what I'll be putting on my hair is healthier for me.

When do you feel you are getting taken advantage of by a manufacturer?

Hair products over $10-15 seems ripoffy to me (unless it's one of those jumbo salon sized items) because these products often have the same ingredients. You can find great working cheapie products so why pay more for a name?

Do you feel that paying a higher price = better products?

I feel a higher price = better profit for the company and the store. That's about it.

 

[Yoshi3329]

What determines what you will pay for a product?
If a product feature families of effective ingredients at maximum percentages, and have years of research behind it.

How do you feel that you are getting your money's worth?

Yes I do feel that I'm getting my money's worth with all the products I've tried so far. But only because I did my research to determine that the product would be right for me.

Is it the unique or best results that only the product yields that makes it worth it to you?

The best results are what I'm looking for.

Or is it the caliber of ingredients used (organic/expensive formula etc.)? When do you feel you are getting taken advantage of by a manufacturer?

1. That caliber of ingredients as well. But that's the reason why I get the best results. IMHO.

2. When they don't live up to their claims, or use cheap filler products.

Do you feel that paying a higher price = better products?

Yes. I'm paying for better ingredients, at higher percentages, and years of research. However, that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon my $5 Aussie moist conditioner. I think that people need a balance of good quality products and cheap products for certain reasons. Like conditioner-washing.

 

[westNDNbeauty]

There are some expensive products that are worth the money and then there are others that are not. I usually will not buy a product, especially an expensive one, if the store does not allow me to return it for a full refund (forget store credit).

Also, dont get me wrong, just because a product is inexpensive does not mean the ingredients are not quality or will not work well on your hair (i.e. - V05 conditioner)

Being a product junkie, I'm glad I found swagbucks and can now get my products for free.

 

[southerncitygirl]

i think products at any pricept can either suck or be highly effective but its important to me that my products be truly natural and be effective as i realize anything i put on my body goes into my bloodstream, thereby effecting my overall health. this is why i pay a little more for ao, kbb, and afroveda products but still spend less than many on this board because this stuff is concentrated and lasts a long time. i know that in addition to eating well, excercise, and technique that my products also play a part in keeping my hair on point.

 

[Americka]

What determines what you will pay for a product? It depends on the ingredients and the product's purpose. I will not buy expensive products with cheap ingredients. Certain products, for me, are not worth paying exorbitant amounts for.

How do you feel that you are getting your money's worth? My hair's health is the determining factor.

Is it the unique or best results that only the product yields that makes it worth it to you? Yes, it can be.

Or is it the caliber of ingredients used (organic/expensive formula etc.)? When do you feel you are getting taken advantage of by a manufacturer? Of course, we all know you have the choice of buying or not buying something--but do you look at something and think WOW! total rip off! I have felt that way with certain products.

Do you feel that paying a higher price = better products? No.

 

[Lady S]

I'm strictly a drug store/Sally's Beauty Supply shopper. And even with Sally's, there's only so high I'll go ($12-ish). In my experiences, I haven't been too impressed by the upscale products.

What I will go high on price is for shampoo, because my scalp is obnoxious. I can't wash my hair with sulfates or my scalp gets flaky and itchy. Not cute. Dandruff shampoos and hair treatments with salicylic acid just make it worse. So, I've ended working with Nizoral & recently Jason Tea Tree shampoo (which I like so far). If it weren't for my crappy scalp, I'd stick with $4 shampoo and love every minute of it. But since I do have a crappy scalp, I'm okay with going above my cheapo tendencies for my scalp.

I do look at ingredients in conditioners & styling products. If it's touting some ingredient for it's moisturizing properties, but that ingredient is last on the list of ingredients listed on the bottle, I'm not a happy camper. It's set back on the shelf.

For the most part, I don't think $$$ equals quality. One of my favorite conditioners in my arsenal is Organix Shea Butter and that's drugstore. Hair tools can go either way. I do think flat irons & curling irons marketed to professionals is better then drug store stuff.

Oh, something else to consider. I'm a product junkie.

 

[Vashti]

What determines what you will pay for a product? If it actually does what I want it to do for my hair.

How do you feel that you are getting your money's worth? If it's good enough to become a staple (keeping my hair moisturized, or generally doing what it claims it will do).

Is it the unique or best results that only the product yields that makes it worth it to you?
Or is it the caliber of ingredients used (organic/expensive formula etc.)? The results I look at first and then the caliber of ingredients. I prefer natural ingredients but I'm not obsessive about it. Whether its organic/natural or not it needs to be effective first and foremost. I don't buy shampoo or conditioner for over $10.00 or hair care products that cost more than $15.00 to $20.00 a bottle/jar, whatever. I don't see the need or justification for expensive hair care products. But I suppose "expensive" could be a relative term.

When do you feel you are getting taken advantage of by a manufacturer? Of course, we all know you have the choice of buying or not buying something--but do you look at something and think WOW! total rip off! When I look at the ingredients in a product and realize that I can get the same stuff at the grocery store and my kitchen cabinets and mix them up and get the same results for much less with pure products.

Do you feel that paying a higher price = better products? Only sometimes. Some products really do justify a higher price because the ingredients they put in them cost more but when I see a hair product for over $20.00 or $30.00 dollars that contains most of the SAME kind of industrial ingredients as a cheap staple like Queen Helene or Suave (products under $5.00) I usually suck my teeth and roll my eyes. Please.

 

[silenttullip]

What determines what you will pay for a product?
My financial situation at the current time and how convincing reviews are about the function I need the product to serve

How do you feel that you are getting your money's worth?
I feel I'm getting my money's worth if it's under 15 bucks and larger than 10oz and does what it says it will.

Is it the unique or best results that only the product yields that makes it worth it to you or the caliber of ingredients used (organic/expensive formula etc.)?
Ingredients and then results

When do you feel you are getting taken advantage of by a manufacturer? Of course, we all know you have the choice of buying or not buying something--but do you look at something and think WOW! total rip off!

When they charge 20+ dollars for an 8-12 oz product that contains the ingredients I try to stay away from or has the same ingredient list as a mainstream cheaper brand

Do you feel that paying a higher price = better products?
Nope maybe more quality ingredients BUT most of us know you can have something with great ingredients and yet something with not so great ones likes your hair more
As it says in one of my go to books "often times so called natural or organic products rarely have enough of the natural ingredients to have any effect

 

[Minty]

I don't put that much thought in it. The ingredients are important to me, but I look at them as a relative guiding factor now. I used to be "no this, no that" but now I just really try to avoid certain ingredients or limit the use of a product that contains them.

I buy what I like, even if its just to try it once.

example: I really like the Sebastian Line, Joico Line and some Redken products from the line. - There are no cheaper substitutes for these lines (for my hair type)

Can I buy drugstore products - yes I can and I have, but I found the fillers in those products to give me more trouble over the long run than salon quality products.

(The Naat line is pretty good, so is Silicon Mix and Crece Pelo....I would use these on a regular basis, but again they have different properties and would not "substitute" the lines I mentioned above)

 

[mzteaze]

^^^ MZteaze could you list me some names because this sounds very interesting.

This board is searchable by Google. :-(

All brands I am referring to are nationally known brands that you can purchase in stores like Victoria's Secret, Walgreens, Sephora, Ulta, Walmart, etc.

 

[Gleek]

This board is searchable by Google. :-(

All brands I am referring to are nationally known brands that you can purchase in stores like Victoria's Secret, Walgreens, Sephora, Ulta, Walmart, etc.

Does that mean you don't want to provide examples? Did you want her to search for every brand on the board? Why write that ong post wth a carrot if you aren't going ot name names?

Now it sounds like a conspiracy.

 

[toinette]

Does that mean you don't want to provide examples? Did you want her to search for every brand on the board? Why write that ong post wth a carrot if you aren't going ot name names?

Now it sounds like a conspiracy.

just sounds like someone who has a vested interest in keeping her career to me. I'm curious too but it aint worth her being blackballed or even sued for breaking confidentiality

 

[naturalmanenyc]

This s true of many types of products i.e., cars, clothing, handbags.

Some high end products are made in the same factory as the lower priced version, albeit with less bells & whistles.

I don't think that ALL high priced products are worth the money.

Then again I worked for a beauty products manufacturer and I will say this, many "cheap" products are made BY the same people who make higher end stuff. I know for a fact that certain lines simply contain better quality products and more of it than certain lower priced formulas. Those are the facts.

There are certain lines that I absolutely would not buy into and those that I KNOW aren't worth the high price (they are generally manufactured at a fraction of a percent of the cost). There is a certain infomercial-style commercial that used to run on tv that talked about its high price was justified because of its potency/effectiveness. That one was a HUGE snow job.

That said, I currently, if forced to, would buy into Aveda. The products work for me consistent and the brand clearly projects a more natural branding, something I like.

 

[mzteaze]

Does that mean you don't want to provide examples? Did you want her to search for every brand on the board? Why write that ong post wth a carrot if you aren't going ot name names?

Now it sounds like a conspiracy.

There is no conspiracy. I won't name names for the reason listed. I ain't about to get sued for divulging company and/or contractual secrets on an internet board. However, if you follow what I am saying, you can figure out one or more of the brands without me spelling it out.

All of the stores that sell more than one brand are more difficult admittedly. But the bottom line is, in general, there IS a reason some BEAUTY products cost more. Its because the company has spent more in R & D, marketing AND/or use more product ingredients in general. Yes, there are many products that have the same LIST of ingredients (a great broad industry example is Listerine - its a proprietary formula that canNOT be copied yet has been imitated many times) in them but are different at the same time due to any one of the following reasons: formula, amount of the ingredient in the product, and methods of manufacturing.

Do your research into contract manufacturing. Many national brands use contract manufacturers to make small to mid-sized beauty product lines because its cheaper to do it that way than to build their own facility. They make your favorite balms, lotions, poos and condishes from store-specific lines line Vicky's Secret (and stores LIKE that) to brands you buy from your local beauty supply stores, Walmart, etc.