You know, I was thinking about 90’s shampoos the other day. They just hit different, didn’t they? Not like the stuff we got on the shelves now.
So, I got this idea, this weird urge, to try and find that old-school shampoo magic again. See if I could get that 90’s hair feeling, just one more time. My hair’s been feeling kinda flat, and I just remembered how… big everything was back then.
The Great Shampoo Hunt Begins
First off, I just sat and tried to remember the names. Herbal Essences, yeah, the clear ones with the flowers all over the bottle. And Pert Plus! God, that green goo. And Prell, in that see-through tube. My grandma used Prell.
Then, like everyone does, I hit the internet. Started typing stuff like “discontinued 90s shampoo” or “where to buy old Finesse.”
- Found a ton of blog posts, mostly people just reminiscing. “Remember when your hair smelled like a fruit basket?” Yeah, I do.
- Spotted some bottles on eBay. You wouldn’t believe the prices. Some folks were asking fifty bucks, a hundred bucks for an old, probably separated bottle of shampoo. Nuts. Not doing that.
It wasn’t just about buying an ancient bottle, though. I was chasing a feeling. That super, super clean feel, almost squeaky. And the smell! Man, those things were potent. You could tell who used what from across the room.
What Was Their Secret, Anyway?
I started thinking, what made them like that? My guess? Sulfates. Lots and lots of good old Sodium Laureth Sulfate. The stuff everyone tells you to avoid now ’cause it’s “too harsh.” Well, maybe “too harsh” was the point back then!
And the perfumes. They didn’t mess around with subtle. It was like a full-on fragrance assault, in a good way, mostly. My sister, she used that Aussie stuff, the Sprunch Spray and all. Our bathroom constantly smelled like a grape candy factory exploded.
So, I tried to find modern shampoos that claimed to be “clarifying” or “deep cleaning.” Bought a couple. They were… okay. But not the same. They’re all too polite now. Too gentle. Too worried about stripping your oils. Back then, stripping your oils was the whole point, I think.
I even briefly, and I mean briefly, considered trying to mix up some kind of homemade thing. Like, what if I just got some basic soap and added a ton of fragrance? Yeah, that thought lasted about two seconds. Bad idea jeans. I’m no chemist, and I like having skin on my scalp.
The End of the Road (Sort Of)
Look, here’s what I figured out after all this. You can’t really go back. Those exact formulas are gone. And probably for good reasons, right? We know more about what’s good or bad for hair and skin now.
And honestly, a big part of it is probably just nostalgia. Like that one specific brand of candy you loved as a kid – if you found it today, it might not be as amazing as you remember.
So, my big 90’s shampoo adventure? It kinda just… ended. I didn’t find the magic potion. But you know what? It was actually pretty fun digging through all those old memories, remembering the smells, the crazy hair. Made me pull out some old yearbooks. Wow. The hair was definitely a choice.
Didn’t get the 90’s poof, but I did have a good laugh. And I guess my current shampoo isn’t so bad after all. Just different.
