Shampoo Reviews

Organic Care rinses the competition in shampoo ratings

If your shampoo is leaving you with too many bad hair days, it might be time for a change. We know figuring out the world of hair-care products isn’t a breeze so that’s what our inaugural shampoo ratings are here for! There’s a lot to consider when buying shampoo, whether you’re looking for something for thick and frizzy hair, flat and fine, dry and damaged, coloured, or perhaps even struggling with dandruff.

No matter what type of hair you have, it deserves to look and feel good. So to find out which brands are leaving Aussies happy, Canstar Blue surveyed more than 2,000 adults and asked them to rate the brand of shampoo they use. Their feedback is reflected by the star ratings you see above. Brands were rated on effectiveness, hair softness, value for money, scent and packaging design. While 14 brands achieved the minimum sample size to be included in our ratings, only one received five stars for overall customer satisfaction – Organic Care.

Not only did Organic Care rate five stars overall, it got top marks in four other categories – effectiveness, hair softness, value for money and scent – plus a respectable four stars on packaging design.

The 14 brands in our 2018 shampoo review were rated in the following order for overall customer satisfaction:

• 1^st Organic Care
• 2^nd Sunsilk
• 3^rd Schwarzkopf
• 4^th ALDI Brands
• 5^th John Frieda
• 6^th L’Oréal
• 7^th Pantene
• 8^th Herbal Essences
• 9^th TRESemme
• 10^th Dove
• 11^th Palmolive
• 12^th Garnier
• 13^th Ogx
• 14^th Head & Shoulders

Sunsilk, Schwarzkopf, ALDI Brands, John Frieda, L’Oréal, Pantene, Herbal Essences, TRESemme and Dove all received four stars for overall satisfaction, while Palmolive, Garnier, Ogx and Head & Shoulders were left with three stars apiece.

Other results of note include John Frieda being the only other brand along with this year’s winner to achieve five stars for effectiveness. Sunsilk was another, with Organic Care, to score five stars for hair softness, while John Frieda and Herbal Essences joined Organic Care in securing five stars for scent. Sunsilk was the only brand to achieve five stars on packaging design.

What to consider when buying shampoo

Apart from finding out which shampoo brands Aussies love most, our review identified the key drivers of customer satisfaction, listed in the following order of importance:

• Effectiveness: 41%
• Softness of hair after use: 24%
• Value for money: 20%
• Scent: 9%
• Packaging design: 6%

Before we unpack each of the above factors, here’s what else our survey found:

Effectiveness

There’s no point using shampoo that doesn’t do anything for your hair – that would just be money going down the drain. With 85% of Aussies washing their hair at least every few days, you’d certainly hope the shampoo on the shower caddy is a good one. Not all hair is the same though, so one product might not be best for everyone, and that’s why brands typically have a number of options in their range. Over half (54%) of consumers in our survey said they use a specific type of shampoo for their hair type, while 24% indicated they use a specific type for coloured hair. It’s important you shop around as there’s plenty of choice.

• Only two brands achieved five stars for effectiveness – Organic Care and John Frieda. Sunsilk, Schwarzkopf, L’Oréal, Pantene, TRESemme and Dove all got four stars, with the rest on three.

Hair softness

Nothing beats the feeling of running your fingers through soft hair. While some may beg to differ, soft hair is something that many people aim to achieve when washing their hair. Some shampoo formulas can do a better job of this than others though, so it pays to shop around if it’s what you’re after.

• The two brands rated five stars for hair softness in our review were Organic Care and Sunsilk, with the rest securing either three of four stars.

Value for money

Shampoo is a product we typically can’t get by without if we want clean hair. With 44% of survey respondents stating they’re happy to pay premium price for quality hair care products and only 18% indicating they buy the cheapest brand, it might suggest that there are many people out there who take their hair seriously and are willing to pay more for their shampoo. On the other hand, there’s still a good chunk of consumers who prefer to not spend a fortune on getting their hair feeling fresh and shiny.

• Organic Care was the only brand to get five stars on value for money. It was tough for many brands to win over customers on value, with some – John Frieda, Ogx and Head & Shoulders – receiving just three stars.

Scent

A shampoo that fills the shower with an ocean breeze and tropical notes, making you feel like you’re in Hawaii can certainly help after a stressful day at work or school. Many brands boast fruity flavours and flowery scents, while others have a kick of fresh mint and arabica coffee to get your tastebuds tingling. Whatever takes you fancy, a pleasant scent can certainly make you want to come back for more.

• Organic Care, John Frieda and Herbal Essences scored five stars for scent.

Packaging design

While shampoo packaging shouldn’t make any difference to your hair, it might convince you try to one brand over another. Yes, you shouldn’t judge a book – or shampoo bottle – by its cover, but it certainly helps draw the eye, and well-designed packaging can even make shower time a little easier. Shampoo bottles that are easy to open and pour is always a plus.

• Sunsilk was the only brand to achieve five stars for its packaging design.

So, there you have it! If your hair is in need of shampoo change, why not try one of the brands that Aussies have been loving.

Conditioner Ratings