# What is an expensive bottle of shampoo.



## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

Yesterday I paid $3 for a bottle of shampoo and about died of guilt. Today I was standing in line at the grocery store and the lady in front of me had what looked like 4oz bottle of conditioner, and it rang up for 16.98. 

So I was curious, horse people in my short experience tend to be cheap as all get out. What's your definition of expensive shampoo/conditioner. 


Please just humor my curiosity.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

I never pay more than $5 but I hate even paying that much...wait; human shampoo or horse shampoo? 

Cause I'll pay whatever I have to for my horse :rofl:


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I pay about 17$ for a bottle of shampoo, and about the same for my conditioner. BUT, I only started to give myself that priviledge about 10 years ago. When I was young, and in university, I bought the cheap stuff. But back then, my hair was nice and healthy. See, as you get older, your hair greys out, and even though you dye it, older, grey hair is often a lot harder to style. I also don't have time to play around with my hair for an hour each morning. So I buy the shampoo that lets me wash and go.

Also worthy of mention is the fact that I no longer wash my hair every day. Again, as you get older, your hair gets drier so washing it daily isn't a good idea anymore. I would never have gone a day without washing my hair until a few years ago, when I realized washing it every day was making it too dry. So really, my 17$ bottle of shampoo lasts WAYYY longer than it would have many years ago. 

So there, now you know my take on the cheap vs expensive shampoo issue


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Since we're on the topic, I now buy goat's milk soap made locally. My old shrivelly skin (ok, exaggerating a little) can no longer take regular soap. I used to get so itchy in the winter from dry skin until I tried this goat's milk soap. I do buy it directly from the maker, so I feel like I'm supporting a local business and I get a deal from her because I buy a bunch at a time. It's my only indulgence, really. Most of my clothes are used, I almost never buy anything new for myself, and I drive an old beat-up car that smells like horses. But I like my goat's milk soaps. 

Someday, you'll buy yourself the 17$ shampoo. And you'll appreciate the fact that you can!


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

AnitaAnne said:


> I never pay more than $5 but I hate even paying that much...wait; human shampoo or horse shampoo?
> 
> Cause I'll pay whatever I have to for my horse :rofl:


EXaCTlY


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

@Acadianartist

That makes sense. I recent tried the Magic Mud toothpaste $7/tube because my lips and chin break out with fluoride toothpaste.


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

lostastirrup said:


> @Acadianartist
> 
> That makes sense. I recent tried the Magic Mud toothpaste $7/tube because my lips and chin break out with fluoride toothpaste.


they make toothpaste for little kids that has no fluoride in it. Cheaper than $7


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I buy Redken Color Magnetics Shampoo & Conditioner. It runs about $36.50 for a 33.8 oz bottle, and because I have very fine, straight hair, cut very short, it will last me over a year for it. So while the initial outlay is kind of high, over the long haul, I find it pretty cost effective and my hair loves it.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I would never buy cheap shampoo...Even a lot of expensive shampoos are preserved with parabens, fraught with all sorts of chemicals to enhance shine and add body.I do not want to bathe my entire body in toxic chemicals. Shampoo gives our body the most exposure to the toxins.


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## Cedar & Salty (Jul 6, 2018)

I buy expensive shampoo on the cheap. Ulta has a sale on salon brand liters twice a year. I bought a liter of Redken shampoo for $15. It will last for 6 months.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

I buy natural, crap free shampoo & it costs around $7 a bottle(AUD) I think - lasts ages too as you use less & I swear my hair doesn't get as greasy as quickly as it does with 'normal' shampoo. I only wash my hair with shampoo once a week on average.

As to paying heaps more, for 'name brands' with wonderous claims of beautification, seems people are generally suckers for a good marketing ploy & the advertising co's know this. Whether it's a $3 bottle or a $36 bottle, look at the ingredients - I bet they're the same, a shampoo's a shampoo.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

loosie said:


> Whether it's a $3 bottle or a $36 bottle, look at the ingredients - I bet they're the same, a shampoo's a shampoo.


Unfortunately not all shampoos are created equal. There are some (cheap and expensive) that make my hair feel and look like straw - no thank you.
And lots of cheap shampoos have a fragrance that trigger migraines - and some expensive ones do the same...


My all time favorite (mid-range) changed the formula, and now it's just meh... My next up is in the expensive category, but the conditioner has menthol - cools down your scalp, which is heavenly after a hot day 


To help offset the cost: I only buy it with Groupon :wink:


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I buy the cheap stuff for the most part. Back when our water had a lot of iron in it my hair would get brassy looking so I'd buy a bottle of...well crap now I can't remember the name of it but they had a type for swimmers hair and a type for well water hair, and it was pretty expensive for a small bottle. I'm thinking it was around 18 bucks and it's been several years since I've needed to buy any. MALIBU!, that's the name of it. 

I have found that most of the more expensive shampoos are geared to people who also color treat their hair which does have a drying effect so they add moisturizers to it. I already have oily hair and any shampoo that adds that stuff makes my hair a gummy mess. Mine does better with one buck Suave or VO5 which is .97 cents but comes in less ounces than the Suave. Sometimes I even use dish soap when it's going through a very oily phase.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

SwissMiss said:


> Unfortunately not all shampoos are created equal. There are some (cheap and expensive) that make my hair feel and look like straw - no thank you.
> And lots of cheap shampoos have a fragrance that trigger migraines


I meant to say 'normal' shampoos are *essentially* the same - at least in my perusing the ingredients. But mind you, I wouldn't pay anywhere near $36 in a pink fit, so haven't even looked at those bottles!


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I voted the $25 or over as I have bought and used the range from cheap to more than I care to admit to but they each served their purpose and when used with enough to get the job done and not so much as to shampoo the world ( one of the nephews leaves enough suds in the tub after a shower you could wash an entire third world country) the expensive ones are manageable price wise. That said until my hair hit the phase described in prior posts I used baking soda and one drop of dawn (blue).


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

RegalCharm said:


> they make toothpaste for little kids that has no fluoride in it. Cheaper than $7


Yes, but it doesn't do a particularly good job. I suppose I look at toothpaste as a better investment than having to have repair done on my weak enamel once a year lol


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

This has been extremely interesting. I'm learning so many things.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I buy Pureology and try to get it on sale.(Groupon has good deals) I think for the 8.5 oz bottles they average $25/bottle but on sale $12. It lasts a long time. I have very long hair, down to my hips, a quarter size amount of shampoo washes all of that hair. I use more to condition.
If I use a cheaper shampoo and conditioner I use it up faster because I need more to get the job done. 
I still love Redken So Long or All Soft and will buy it when I find liters on sale.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I still love Redken So Long or All Soft and will buy it when I find liters on sale.


Groupon :wink:


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

I'm a cheap-scate! I usually spend $3 on. a bottle and dont really keep track of how long it lasts, I just buy as I need. Now if its horse shampoo Ill buy the expensive stuff LOL...my husband is the same way, he buys shampoo and little necessities cheap and then we spend more on things we like, like for me horses obviously, and for my husband, his vape stuff...of course our kids get the good stuff as well so we end up spending more on them as well.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

A friend at work told me another girl there mentioned she spent $100 on her shampoo--I didn't even know there was any that expensive!! :O I spend almost $30 on mine because it's organic--no bad chemicals that way.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Well, thanks a lot! 

I though I would have a look and see what the difference in products are, ended up watching an hour of Horizon research into hair products. Mind you, it was fascinating.

More money is spent on research into hair than into research on malaria. That's sad I think. 

Basically all shampoos will clean your hair of dirt and debris as they all use sevactants (S?) but cheaper shampoos do not contain any conditioners so you get more static which does attract more dirt and debris. 

As for the adverts that was interesting as to how they film shiney hair. For a starters the lights, secondly longer hair which has been straightened allow the light to reflect better. 

As for chemicals many shampoos say 'no X Y Z' but they instead contain 'A B C' which do exactly the same thing. 

It certainly is a very big industry. 

As for me I am going salt and pepper grey, I am pleased as I always liked it.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

@Foxhunter I've never done any research so you're ahead of me. I try and find the low sulfate stuff at the dollar tree and it seems to be "good enough" occasionally wash my hair with an egg which helps with breakage. I think hair is mostly cosmetic, so I have a hard time wanting to put money into it. When I get those FB friends who message or of the blue trying to sell a snake oil equivalent of organic makeup or organic hair stuff, I kindly explain that my monthly budget for both costs less than one of their products, so thank you have a nice day.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Here I thought I was buying the expensive stuff when I changed from the $1 brands to the $5 brands. 


Shocked to learn that there are shampoos costing over $30!!! Never seen anything that expensive...but then I've been cutting my own hair for the last 20 years or so :smile:


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

@AnitaAnne I don't cut my own hair. I get DH to cut it. Lol.

I use Suave Coconut Shampoo as well as Suave Coconut Conditioner. A big bottle is about $1.79 for each of the products.

If I use fancy shampoo, my hair will frizz in this high humidity.
If I use cheap shampoo, my hair will frizz in this high humidity.

I don't care that much about fashion anyway unless it is horse related.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I dont pay over $4.00 for a huge jar.. I try to buy shampoo that does not test on animals. Easy to google it,


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

lostastirrup said:


> @*Foxhunter* I've never done any research so you're ahead of me. I try and find the low sulfate stuff at the dollar tree and it seems to be "good enough" occasionally wash my hair with an egg which helps with breakage. I think hair is mostly cosmetic, so I have a hard time wanting to put money into it. When I get those FB friends who message or of the blue trying to sell a snake oil equivalent of organic makeup or organic hair stuff, I kindly explain that my monthly budget for both costs less than one of their products, so thank you have a nice day.


Some of us have to go natural and/or organic because we're allergic to chemicals in the cheaper stuff--just sayin'


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

My hair becomes awful when I use anything with sulfates and silicons, it changes my hair's texture and it doesn't feel right (plus my scalp get's itchy). I try to buy the most inexpensive shampoo I can find at the drugstore that appears to truly not have any/too much crap. 
I have tried 20-30$ shampoos, which were nice, but I found the L'Oreal sulfate free brand works almost just as great (and is on sale for 8.99 cad, reg 11.99). 
I recently found a new shampoo (Maui) though in the same price range, that I love even more. Also has no sulfates or parabens and has aloa vera juice in it. On the whole my color treated hair feels like it gets the hydration it needs, especially now that it's winter. 
If I couldn't find anything at the drugstore, I would probably buy that 30$ shampoo. Or if I ever get another crazy episode of flesh eating dandruff, I will buy the phyto shampoo I found for that (saved my scalp from a scratching murder), the relief was huge. 

I wish I could pull off buying 3$ shampoo. Heck maybe it's because I am in a big Canadian city, but I don't think it's even possible to find shampoo on sale for a dollar! That's unheard of for me. Even the dollar store will charge like 2-3$.😂


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

RegalCharm said:


> they make toothpaste for little kids that has no fluoride in it. Cheaper than $7


I tried some once, and it tasted like bubblegum! :rofl:


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

...I didn't vote in the poll because it didn't specify the size of the bottle...

I buy most things hypoallergenic because I'm chemically sensitive. I'm one of those people who has to hold their breath walking through the cleaning alley at the supermarket or past the perfume counter at a department store, or I get pretty instant nausea and headache. I avoid all artificial fragrances and anything marked "parfum" or "fragrance" (= phthalates, etc) like the plague, plus a whole lot of other unnatural ingredients. You don't want to try having a fragrance rash on your delicate bits because of perfumed toilet paper, believe me! :shock: I sniff everything before I buy it, my nose is a good analysis unit, and I don't mind being a canary in the coalmine, is has advantages.

Interesting thing, for those who want to save money and be easier on themselves and the planet at the same time, is that most people actually use way more shampoo, toothpaste, dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent than is needed. Shampoo, generally you don't need more than what will cover a 20 cent coin (Australian) for the average head - any more tends to overdry your hair. Toothpaste, I read on the ABC this week that the Australian dental association recommends a pea-sized amount for adults and says the use of a brush's length is based on product advertisements, because companies try to encourage overuse to sell more. I've been using that little for a long time... laundry detergent, often only half of what manufacturers specify still gets me good results, and I don't wash our bedsheets in detergent at all, they just get rinsed in warm water with a few drops of lavender oil in it, unless there's chocolate on the sheets or something else fatty. The sheets come out lovely and crisp and smell heavenly.

Cleaning products, we only use lavender oil in hot water for mopping, and sodium bicarbonate as a scrub, and vanilla fridge wipe for kitchen surfaces occasionally, it's just alcohol, water and vanillin (which is not a problem fragrance). I tried a hippie recipe for DIY citrus cleaner - just peel all the citrus you're not zesting before you juice it, and keep adding the peel to a jar of vinegar. After a couple of weeks, strain and dilute 50 percent with water, and stick it in a spray bottle. Smells great, works well and no nasty chemicals.


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

I have heard to get shiny hair. rinse with vinegar.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

SueC said:


> Shampoo, generally you don't need more than what will cover a 20 cent coin (Australian) for the average head - any more tends to overdry your hair.


Generally being the operative word :wink: If Raya would have my amount of hair, I would not be complaining about her mane (and having severe mane-envy over @greentree's German girls :shock
I need a more generous amount of shampoo to get it all clean...


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

My shampoo is about $30 for about 8oz. 
Life is short, buy the nice stuff.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Vinegar will clean most anything. My aunt never washed her hair in anything other than vinegar. 

My cousins, highly allergic to items full of chemicals, use vinegar to clean floors, bathrooms, countertops, etc.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

@Celeste are you implying that hair isn't supposed to be frizzy? WOW. Learn something new everyday :smile:


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Just don't accidentally put expandafoam in your hair! :rofl:










It really shouldn't be kept in the same cupboard as the hair spray...


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

@SueC when I put the poll together, I thought to myself "this is not explicit enough" but went for simplicity over accuracy. It does make sense that you'd be the one to catch me on it. 

Fun fact about expanafoam in the hair- it reduces the need for a winter hat. So that may be a win.


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

Wow @SueCThat certainly is one way to add "body"and "fullness" to the hair! :rofl:


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

NEW QUERY:

What is the best shampoo? Why? 
How do you know? 
What do all the chemicals do?


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## Spanish Rider (May 1, 2014)

I'm a bit of a hippy chic (though not to the extreme of @SueC) and very frugal (married to a total cheap-skate). So, I spend as little as posible on shampoo and my hair in general. In fact, in the past 30 years, I've been to the hairdresser 3 times: my wedding day, my sister's wedding day and during recovery after an accident (could not raise arms for months). To tell the truth, I spend more money having my dog groomed (she does not shed and gets hysterical if I try to clip her myself - money well spent!).

I had NO IDEA that there were $30 shampoos out there! I usually pay €3.50.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

lostastirrup said:


> NEW QUERY:
> 
> What is the best shampoo? Why?
> How do you know?
> What do all the chemicals do?


I like a natural shampoo....when you start using a natural one, it is scary how long it takes to get the residual from the other out of your hair!

Here is the label from mine..


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I am glad to know that we all do wash our hair............


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Occasionally.


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## aubie (Aug 24, 2013)

lostastirrup said:


> NEW QUERY:
> 
> What is the best shampoo? Why?
> How do you know?
> What do all the chemicals do?


I am certainly no expert, obviously 

The best to me is Aveda shampure. 1st- doesn't stink. 2nd don't use as much. 3rd works really good.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Well, we've used Prell for 30 years.....


Of course, being male, and having very short hair, I don't think I have anything to gain by spending more on shampoo.....


Got to love the USA.....thank god for the choices we have. Glad there's people out there that can afford a $100 bottle of shampoo.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

I used to suck wind if I paid more than 2 bucks for shampoo. Used Suave for YEARS, but daughter convinced me to try Aussie products, soooo I now pay 5.00 a bottle for shampoo and conditioner.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> I used to suck wind if I paid more than 2 bucks for shampoo. Used Suave for YEARS, but daughter convinced me to try Aussie products, soooo I now pay 5.00 a bottle for shampoo and conditioner.


To be fair, those are pretty massive bottles. And I like that they come with a pump.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

lostastirrup said:


> To be fair, those are pretty massive bottles. And I like that they come with a pump.



Exactly. Really when you add up how much you get by comparison, it's NOT much more and I like the shampoo much better.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

gunslinger said:


> Well, we've used Prell for 30 years.....
> 
> 
> Of course, being male, and having very short hair, I don't think I have anything to gain by spending more on shampoo......


Does the equation change if a guy has a beard? Do beards need shampooing and conditioning? Only asking because I don't know any bearded people to ask...

@greentree, fabulous! I used to be able to get something like that here, and they stopped making it. Now I've got to find another. That's an excellent ingredients list...


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## humanartrebel1020 (Nov 12, 2018)

greentree said:


> I like a natural shampoo....when you start using a natural one, it is scary how long it takes to get the residual from the other out of your hair!
> 
> Here is the label from mine..


What is this one called?


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## AndyTheCornbread (Feb 3, 2019)

Anything that smells like pine tar or tea tree oil. My head has been shaved since I was a little kid because I was a competition swimmer, then on into my Marine Corps years I just kept shaving it and never saw a reason to stop. I shave it about once every two weeks so the shampoo is not really any more effective than just soap as I rarely have any hair showing. I use the pine tar or tea tree oil shampoos because I like the smell and it doesn't smell like a woman's shampoo to me. Cost is usually around $10 US for a 16oz bottle and a bottle will last me six months showering every day after working out.

Stuff like this when I get it works as a soap and a shampoo for me: https://grandpasoap.com/products/pine-tar-bar-soap-3-25-oz/


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## AndyTheCornbread (Feb 3, 2019)

Oh I just remembered a really funny soap story. Hopefully this doesn't hijack your thread but it is in context so hopefully it is OK. This is the story of the most expensive bottle of soap I have ever had. 

Back around 2006 I was dating a lady who liked really expensive soap in a foo-foo smell called "cucumber melon". I'll never forget that stuff, and this is why. 

My oldest was probably six years old at the time and never met the lady while we dated but when we broke up she had left a bottle of that body wash / soap in my shower. I sure as heck wasn't going to use it but after reading the ingredients I figured my kids could use it as bubble bath. 

So, for about a month I let them run that into their bath so they would get lots of foamy bubbles. They liked it so I figured it was a win win, they didn't smell like the barn and it was free. 

About a week after I started letting them use that I noticed my bird hunting dog started passing gas that was so bad it would make you dry heave and would make your eyes water. His kennel was at the head of my bed and some nights I would literally wake up gagging and trying not to throw up it was so bad. 

I took him to the vet, the vet said apart from the terrible smelling gas he was fine. I tried changing his food, giving him more exercise, more outside time, nothing worked. I was about ready to get him a cork for his little back side at night when one evening I was working in the living room and my kids were in the bath. I could hear them laughing and laughing which was pretty normal for them but I went to go see what they were up to. I get into the bathroom and there are my two oldest boys ages 5 and 6 at the time in the bath covered in cucumber melon scented bubbles and in between the two of them happily sitting there covered in bubbles is my dog. 

Not only is he covered in bubbles he is eating them like they are going out of style. 

I asked my oldest if he did this a lot, and he said yep, every night they were sneaking the dog into the bath after I put them in it and were letting him outside before I came back in when they were done playing in the bath. I asked him if he always ate the bubbles, and my son said "yep, he loves them, he'll eat them all if we let him". Hmmmmm I wondered if that might be the source of his gas???? 

So, I told my kids he was banned from the bath and they shouldn't be taking a bath with the dog anyway and shortly afterward his gas cleared up. I did take a picture of the three of them in the tub but I can't post it online. 

Anyway between the vet check and new foods and everything else I tried I spent several hundred dollars on trying to figure out what was wrong with the dog, so it ended up being a really expensive bottle of soap. 

I did learn one other thing from the whole experience and that is that "cucumber melon" may smell just fine going on kids, but it smells terrible coming out of a dog.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

@AndyTheCornbread

That story was very fitting and I think in the true spirit of this thread. I would say that would be a very expensive bottle of soap. Poor dog.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I use L'Oreal Advanced Haircare shampoo. It runs about 7-8 dollars. Perfect.

I have used more expensive ones in the past, but I'm on a budget.


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## Mariemark78 (Mar 16, 2019)

25$+ is expensive


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## CopperLove (Feb 14, 2019)

I'm a little late to the thread but wanted to insert another option:

When I was in college I did the "no-poo" thing, where you make your own hair cleanser from baking soda mixed with water, and your conditioner is an Apple Cider Vinegar hair rinse (ACV also mixed with water and, if you prefer, your choice of essential oil.) It worked and was suuuuuuper cheap, but I read that in the long run that the baking soda mix wasn't great for your hair.

I used soap nuts for a while as shampoo. Bought a bag of them and mixed new ones every so often with warm water. Also super cheap considering how much use you can get out of a bag of soap nuts. But I'm lazy. And this mixture if not kept properly goes bad.

So I switched to solid shampoo bars from Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve... they run around 8-9 dollars, I buy a few at a time so that the shipping cost is worth it. But since my hair and scalp had been adjusted to the no-poo thing for so long, I only have to wash my hair once a week (your body/scalp adjusts after not using foamy shampoos with lots of preservatives and other things in them so it doesn't produce as much oil but your hair still looks healthy.) So the shampoo bars despite being more costly up front last me... I don't even know how long, I loose track. I would venture to guess a single bar may last me as long as 6 months.


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