I’m always a little wary of drugstore hair care. It probably comes with my hearing about wax in Pantene (a post to come), or maybe my very American association of spending more money with better quality, but whatever the reason, I cringe when I buy shampoo or conditioner that isn’t $15+.

Still, I received some samples of Sunsilk in the mail (here’s a tip, beauty companies: GIRLS LOVE SAMPLES) and was intrigued by the various formulas, if still a bit annoyed by the commercials with voiceovers of Charlotte’s gay friend Anthony from Sex & the City telling me to “get Hairapy!”. Plus, when I saw the price tag I figured I couldn’t go wrong. I tried Hydra TLC, because in my experience, shine-enhancing, volumizing and other such hair problems can be fixed by simply improving your hair’s health and moisture.

The shampoo feels and looks a lot like other drugstore buys, but the smell is nice, and the conditioner seems to moisturize well, although it’s no Matrix or even Aussie. My hair feels soft but still kind of tangly, and Anthony’s Gilbert Godfried-like voice is still ringing in my ears, so I don’t know if I’ll stick with this stuff.

The verdict: 6/10 – fine for the drugstore, but great hair lovers won’t stick with it.

Sunsilk Hydra TLC Conditioner is available at Drugstore.com for $3.37.