Can you recreate a salon-quality haircare routine at home? I tested five Sally Beauty products to find out

Can you recreate a salon-quality haircare routine at home using products from Sally Beauty?

If you're serious about your hair and value quality products, Sally Beauty is a retailer well worth having on your radar.

Founded in New Orleans in 1964, the company has spent more than six decades building a reputation as one of the world's leading suppliers of professional hair and beauty products.

It arrived in the UK in 1987 and today stocks everything from salon-quality haircare and styling tools to skincare, waxing, tanning and barbering products.

While Sally Beauty is best known for its extensive professional haircare range, it's also a go-to destination for nail enthusiasts, offering everything from gel polishes and acrylic systems to salon-quality tools and accessories.

It's also a retailer worth checking regularly if you're looking for a bargain. Alongside household names such as Olaplex, Color Wow and Wella, Sally Beauty frequently runs promotions across its range, making premium haircare more affordable than you might expect.

Whether you're looking to overhaul your routine or simply replace a favourite product, there are often savings to be had.

You also get 15% off your first order and, if it’s easier than arranging delivery, Sally Beauty has more than 200 stores across the UK and Ireland, with Click & Collect available throughout its UK store network.

So can you really recreate a salon-quality haircare routine at home using products from Sally Beauty? To find out, I tested five products covering every stage of a styling routine:

• Olaplex No.4 Fine Bond Maintenance Shampoo, on sale at £25.50;
• Olaplex No.5 Fine Bond Maintenance Conditioner, also on sale at £25.50;
• Color Wow Dreaming Advanced Repair & Resurfacing Treatment, £39.50;
• Wunderbar Vegan Gloss-It Top Coat Oil, £16.14, usually £18.99;
• Wella Professionals EIMI Thermal Image Heat Protection Spray, £14.02, down from £16.49.

I've been using Olaplex for several months and already rate it as one of the best brands for keeping my fine hair healthy, so I was particularly interested to try the newer Fine shampoo and conditioner. The other three products were completely new to me, making this the perfect opportunity to see whether they could earn a permanent place in my routine.

The wash stage got things off to an excellent start. Olaplex No.4 Fine Bond Maintenance Shampoo creates a rich, luxurious lather despite only needing a tiny amount, leaving my hair feeling thoroughly cleansed without that stripped feeling some volumising shampoos can cause.

Followed by the No.5 Fine Bond Maintenance Conditioner, my hair felt noticeably softer, smoother and easier to brush, while still retaining plenty of body. That's often the biggest challenge with fine hair. Rich formulas can leave it limp, while lightweight products don't always provide enough nourishment. This duo strikes exactly the right balance, leaving my hair looking fuller while feeling healthier after every wash. Spending £50 on shampoo and conditioner is an investment but one that is absolutely worth it Olaplex because it does an excellent job and you only need a small amount so a bottle lasts much longer than other products.

Next came the product that surprised me most. I'd never tried Color Wow Dreaming Advanced Repair & Resurfacing Treatment before, but it has quickly become something of a favourite. Use it after shampooing and leave in place for a couple of minutes to achieve a noticeable look and feel to your hair. Ends looked smoother and my hair felt silkier. It’s a 215ml tub so lasts a good while.

Heat protection is a step I never skip, so Wella Professionals EIMI Thermal Image Heat Protection Spray slotted naturally into my routine before blow drying. The fine mist distributes evenly through the hair and, unlike some heat protectants I've used in the past, it doesn't leave behind a sticky residue or make hair feel coated. Instead, it remained soft and natural while giving me the reassurance that my hair was protected from the daily heat of styling tools.

I was hoping to love the Wunderbar Vegan Gloss-It Top Coat Oil but it left my fine hair looking a little oily. I imagine if you’re blessed with thicker locks it would work wonders to give that salon-style finishing touch but it’s not one I’d try again.

Overall, four elements of this five-step routine felt like recreating a salon blow dry at home. The Olaplex shampoo and conditioner remain the stars of the line-up for me and continue to justify their cult following, but I was equally impressed by two of the other three products I'd never tried before. If I had to choose one standout discovery, it would be the Color Wow treatment, which delivered the biggest visible transformation after just a single use.

If you're looking to invest in your hair, Sally Beauty makes it easy to build a complete salon-quality routine from brands trusted by professionals. With regular promotions and discounts across the site, it's also a retailer that's well worth checking before paying full price elsewhere.

If you're unsure which products to choose, Sally Beauty also runs its own Professional Hair & Beauty Awards, recognising the products that salon professionals and expert judges rate most highly across hair, beauty and nails. It's another reassuring sign that the retailer's focus remains firmly on products trusted by the industry, not just the latest trends.