Shampoo, conditioner and styling dupes
Salon shampoos, conditioners and styling sprays use the same families of cleansers, conditioning agents and propellants as drugstore ones, and several pairs here share their first ingredients almost in order. The difference is usually the one patented ingredient a brand is built on, Olaplex's bond builder or Living Proof's OFPMA, and each comparison names it, so you can decide whether that is what you want to pay for.
What are the best dupes for Olaplex shampoo and other salon hair products?
OGX Renewing + Argan Oil of Morocco Conditioner, about $6.74 ($0.52 / fl oz), against the $31 Redken All Soft Conditioner — 83% less. Same conditioner build: behentrimonium chloride with cetyl and cetearyl alcohol to detangle, and argan oil in both, in small amounts. Redken adds palm oil, soy protein and sodium PCA for moisture, while OGX adds dimethicone, glycerin and cocoa butter, coconut and avocado oils, and is preserved with methylisothiazolinone, which some scalps react to. Over a quarter more in the bottle for about a fifth of the price.
- 8
- 83%
- $200.15
1. OGX Renewing + Argan Oil of Morocco Conditioner for Redken All Soft Conditioner
$6.74 against $31, 83% less ($0.52 / fl oz versus $3.06 / fl oz). Both list Argan oil.
−83%per ozCost per fl oz
Redken$3.06 / fl ozOGX$0.52 / fl oz- Size
- 300 ml
- 385 ml
- Key ingredients
- Argan oil, Hydrolyzed soy protein
- Argan oil, Panthenol
What matches
Same conditioner build: behentrimonium chloride with cetyl and cetearyl alcohol to detangle, and argan oil in both, in small amounts.
What the dupe does worse
Redken adds palm oil, soy protein and sodium PCA for moisture, while OGX adds dimethicone, glycerin and cocoa butter, coconut and avocado oils, and is preserved with methylisothiazolinone, which some scalps react to.
2. Dove Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo for Living Proof Perfect hair Day Dry Shampoo
$9.94 against $33, 77% less ($1.36 / oz versus $6 / oz).
−77%per ozCost per oz
Living Proof$6 / ozDove$1.36 / oz- Size
- 156 g
- 207 g
What matches
Built the same way: isobutane and propane propellants, denatured alcohol and a starch to soak up oil (rice starch in Living Proof, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate in Dove), with silica in both.
What the dupe does worse
Living Proof adds its patented OFPMA molecule and cellulose, while Dove adds isopropyl myristate and cyclopentasiloxane for a softer feel.
3. Kristin Ess Working Texture Dry Finishing Spray for Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
$11.25 against $52, 73% less ($1.63 / oz versus $6.12 / oz).
−73%per ozCost per oz
Oribe$6.12 / ozKristin Ess$1.63 / oz- Size
- 241 g
- 196 g
What matches
The same aerosol almost word for word: the first four ingredients match (HFC-152a and dimethyl ether as propellants, denatured alcohol, VP/VA copolymer for hold), and both also carry acetyl triethyl citrate and PEG/PPG-17/18 dimethicone.
What the dupe does worse
Oribe adds zeolite, a mineral that soaks up oil at the root, and a long list of fruit extracts, while Kristin Ess swaps those for seaweed extracts and hydrolyzed keratin.
4. Sun Bum Texturizing Sea Spray for Bumble and bumble Surf Spray
$11.89 against $29.75, 72% less ($1.99 / fl oz versus $7.04 / fl oz).
Cost per fl oz
Bumble and bumble$7.04 / fl ozSun Bum$1.99 / fl oz- Size
- 125 ml
- 177 ml
What matches
Same salt water in almost the same order: water, magnesium sulfate for grit, kelp extract and isoceteth-20 lead both lists.
What the dupe does worse
Sun Bum adds sea salt and cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride, a conditioning UV filter, and carries the brand's coconut-banana scent.
5. Hairitage Magic Spell Texturizing Spray for Color Wow Style on Steroids Texture Spray
$8.93 against $32, 67% less ($1.52 / oz versus $4.58 / oz).
−67%per ozCost per oz
Color Wow$4.58 / ozHairitage$1.52 / oz- Size
- 198 g
- 167 g
What matches
The same aerosol build: HFC-152a and butane propellants, denatured alcohol, VP/VA copolymer for hold and zeolite to soak up oil at the root, with glycerin in both.
What the dupe does worse
Color Wow adds trisiloxane and PEG/PPG-17/18 dimethicone for slip, while Hairitage adds rice protein, hydrated silica and volcanic ash for more grit.
6. L'Oréal Paris Sulfate Free Bond Repair+ Conditioner for OLAPLEX No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
$9.89 against $33.99, 64% less ($1.46 / fl oz versus $4.02 / fl oz).
−64%per ozCost per fl oz
OLAPLEX$4.02 / fl ozL'Oréal Paris$1.46 / fl oz- Size
- 250 ml
- 200 ml
- Key ingredients
- Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, Panthenol
- Citric acid, Amodimethicone
What matches
Built the same way: cetearyl alcohol with behentrimonium chloride and cetyl esters, the classic detangling base, plus silicone for slip.
What the dupe does worse
Olaplex adds its patented bond builder, panthenol and ferment-derived oils, while L'Oréal uses citric acid and amodimethicone, which smooth the surface without claiming to relink bonds.
7. L'Oréal Paris EverPure Brass Toning Purple Shampoo for OLAPLEX No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo
$9.97 against $34, 63% less ($1.47 / fl oz versus $4.02 / fl oz).
−63%per ozCost per fl oz
OLAPLEX$4.02 / fl ozL'Oréal Paris$1.47 / fl oz- Size
- 250 ml
- 200 ml
- Key ingredients
- Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, Acid Violet 43
- Amodimethicone, Polyquaternium-10
What matches
Same job: a sulfate-free purple shampoo whose violet dye cancels the yellow and orange in blonde, grey and lightened hair.
What the dupe does worse
Olaplex adds its patented bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate and cleans with an olefin sulfonate, while L'Oréal uses isethionate and sulfosuccinate cleansers plus amodimethicone for slip, with no bond builder.
8. L'Oréal Paris Sulfate Free Bond Repair+ Shampoo for OLAPLEX No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
$9.97 against $32.99, 62% less ($1.47 / fl oz versus $3.90 / fl oz).
−62%per ozCost per fl oz
OLAPLEX$3.90 / fl ozL'Oréal Paris$1.47 / fl oz- Size
- 250 ml
- 200 ml
- Key ingredients
- Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate
- Citric acid, Amino acids
What matches
Same job in the routine: a sulfate-free shampoo that follows a bond pre-treatment and keeps bleached or heat-damaged hair from sliding back between treatments.
What the dupe does worse
Where Olaplex builds in its patented bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, L'Oréal relies on citric acid and amino acids, so it maintains hair rather than claiming to relink broken bonds.
