What makes luxury haircare brands worth the investment?

When a hair mask costs more than your moisturiser, wondering why is a given

Beauty isn’t cheap—building a routine for your skin or hair can feel like a significant investment. If an exfoliator promises me an instant glow, or an eye mask ensures that my dark circles will disappear for the rest of the day, I’ll spend good money on it. The day I found my holy grail moisturiser and sunscreen, I knew I wouldn’t let them go. But, on shampoo? I’m willing to go cheap. After all, the point of it is to simply cleanse your scalp effectively, and not aggravate any concerns you may have—serums and masks do all the real work, which, again, I’d happily splurge on. And it’s likely that when popular drugstore brands offer up massive shampoo bottles at the ₹600-₹800 mark, a lot of people think the way I do.

While haircare doesn’t have an extensive list of subcategories, there’s a vast price difference within each. Shampoos, conditioners, hair masks and serums can all range from ₹100 going to ₹5,000 and above. Then, are cheaper alternatives as good as the pricier ones? Does a higher price point guarantee a more effective product?

Economies of scale

The most obvious difference between luxury vs drugstore haircare brands is the price tag attached to them, which is an important purchase factor. Anabel Kingsley, brand president and trichologist at luxury haircare brand Philip Kingsley, sheds light on the importance of scale. “A mass-market brand will be able to order many more units making use of economies of scale, for example, cheaper raw ingredients and packaging because they order in such high volumes. Research and development also play a big part; often mass-market brands have big R&D teams so the turnaround of products to market is much faster. For smaller brands, this phase can often take years and can be a costly process.”

Smita Baisakhia, product expert, St. Botanica, a new haircare brand on the block, with Kareena Kapoor Khan as their ambassador, says that drugstore brands are designed for everyday use, which means they are targeted towards the audience that may use the products daily. “This gives the brand a trajectory toward the volume of the product—the higher the volume of the products, the more the number of users, the lesser the price,” she adds.

Spend Vs Save

According to Kingsley, the prime difference between mass and luxury brands is the quality of ingredients, which also drive the price. “All haircare should essentially be fit for its intended purpose, for example, a shampoo will cleanse, remove dirt and debris, and a conditioner will add moisture, however, what differs with premium haircare is the quality of the ingredients that are formulated to provide benefits that will improve the long term health of the hair.”

Often, luxury haircare is driven by patented ingredients and formulas that have been researched and trialled over time, making a case for the investment. If you’re open to spending on hair care but don’t want an entirely luxe routine, Dr Kiran Sethi, Delhi-based integrative aesthetic specialist, dermatologist, author and founder, Isyaderm, recommends doing so for intensive treatment masks.

“To justify the investments in a luxury haircare product, I would look for active ingredients, data on efficacy and legitimate product reviews. I would never buy the cheapest product on the market. Good ingredients cost money, and a cheap product will likely operate on marketing more than efficacy because the brand won't spend on the product itself. Masks with enough fats, essential fatty acids, vitamins and a good amount of hair smoothening ingredients from a luxury brand add value to your hair care routine,” she says.

While research and quality of ingredients are credited to be the main differentiator between luxury and budget-friendly haircare, that doesn’t mean that the latter don’t do their due diligence. St. Botanica prides itself in its natural ingredient approach, incorporating science and botanicals. “Our products are enriched with bioactives like biotin, retinol, collagen and more that are the most potent molecules found in natural ingredients which make our formulas ultra-effective, giving you visible results,” says Baisakhia. “All our formulations are carefully formed following extensive research by a team of cosmetic scientists to create exceptional products that meet the expectations of all.”

The case for drugstore haircare

Globally loved budget-friendly beauty brand The Ordinary launched a hair care line in February this year consisting of three products: the Sulphate 4 per cent Cleanser for Body and Hair, Behentrimonium Chloride 2 per cent Conditioner and Natural Moisturising Factors + HA for Scalp. The two things they’re hoping for consumers to take away from this launch — sulphates aren’t bad for you; in fact, they’re necessary, in small amounts at least, to thoroughly cleanse your scalp; and second, it’s important to start treating your scalp like your skin, protecting its barrier, using products made to keep it nourished and hydrated. And each of these products is priced at a sweet range of under $15.

A question of efficacy

When choosing a shampoo, experts advise using one that’s tailored to your hair texture as opposed to a generalised hair concern. “The standard hair categories of dry, oily and normal can be misleading,” explains Kingsley. “A shampoo that says it’s for dry hair will probably be very moisturising and emollient, making it perfect for coarse hair but far too heavy for fine hair, causing it to be weighed down and get oily far too quickly.”

Drugstore shampoos often come labelled by hair or scalp type as opposed to texture, not factoring the latter in. One of the most important factors that contribute to the efficacy of a product is, of course, the quality of ingredients. "Just like in the skincare market, you can purchase a Vitamin C serum in a drug store or pay luxury prices for more concentrated, potent, hardworking formulations with active ingredient," she says.

Any shampoo will ultimately cleanse your hair and scalp and ‘do its job’. The difference is in how it makes your hair look, feel and whether it improves the quality of your hair with continual use—some shampoos, if not correct for your hair texture may even do the opposite. For example, a very harsh deep cleansing shampoo may be too stripping for someone with curls as they require lots of nourishment. This is why it is important to choose products based on your hair texture vs. more generalised characteristics.

From the in-salon brand's point of view

Olaplex is undoubtedly one of the most widely known and loved in-salon haircare brands, which is a mean feat for one that’s on the pricier end of the scale. “The difference between our products and consumer brands is that they are made for professionals therefore they have higher quality ingredients and need to perform so the hairdresser is confident to use them,” explains Mark Antony Coates, international education manager, Olaplex Inc.

“The products are extremely concentrated with a highly moisturising, sulphate-free reparative formula, infused with the patented Olaplex® Bond Building Technology.While Olaplex may be known for their in-salon treatment and at-home masks, they recommend shampooing your hair just as seriously. “You want to make sure that you are preparing your hair for the steps of treating it or styling it. [Using a shampoo from] a luxury brand will ensure the hair is not being stripped of oils.,” he says.

Another haircare brand, K18 Hair, that’s launched in India this year, has a repertoire of hair regenerating products meant for in-salon and at-home use. At over ₹5,000 for a 50ml bottle, their Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask is not an affordable price point, but if reviews from international consumers and the brand’s focus on technology are anything to go by, they will likely manage to find their footing and loyal consumers soon enough.

As haircare emerges to be a category consumers are taking more seriously today, nothing but trials and results will prove to be the most important purchasing factor.

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