Pantene's TikTok Comeback Has Everyone Questioning Luxury Hair Care

Move over, luxury, sulfate-free shampoos – Pantene is back. The brand we all remember from those glossy 2000s commercials has become the hype once again, thanks to TikTok. It-girl influencer Alix Earle uploaded a now-viral clip to the platform and claimed that her hair felt “softer than it’s ever felt” from using her expired shampoo, pointing to Pantene’s Pro-V collection. Earle shared a throwback photo of her teenage self, rocking incredibly long hair. “I’m starting to think maybe I should switch back,” she admitted. TikTok users wasted no time chiming in with their own stories. “I’m a hairdresser and don’t believe in expensive hair products,” one commenter declared. Sulfates and silicones are the two ingredients that often put drugstore shampoos on the “do not touch” list for health-conscious women. For years, sulfates were labeled as the bad guys of the hair care world. Certified trichologist Abbey Yung dropped some serious knowledge in a TikTok response to Earle’s video. According to Yung: "Your hair instantly feels drastically better after using a drugstore shampoo and conditioner…either because of the sulfates, the silicones, or both. Way too many haircare brands have jumped on this bandwagon of removing sulfates and silicones…Not because it’s better for your hair and scalp, but because it’s part of a marketing strategy…When brands remove effective cleansing agents like sulfates from shampoos, they have removed the ability of that shampoo to give you the proper cleanse that your scalp and hair desperately need…And that is exactly why you notice such an immediate drastic difference when you switch to a drugstore shampoo and conditioner.” It’s not that high-end shampoos don’t work – they do, for some people. However, the intense cleanse from these two ingredients can strip the scalp and hair of natural oils, leaving them dry, irritated, or prone to damage. Dr. Anna Chacon, a board-certified dermatologist, told NBC News , “Sulfates are known to strip natural oils from the hair and scalp, which can lead to dryness, irritation, and damage.” If your hair is already fragile, chemically treated, or on the finer side, sulfates might do more harm than good. And now, with economic pressures making luxury splurges feel a bit…excessive, people are rediscovering the old favorites they trusted before $30 shampoos became the norm. At the end of the day, it all depends on your hair type and how much you want to stay away from harsh chemicals.