On a budget? Enter: the Marie Claire UK Hair Awards 2025 Super Savers—purse-friendly haircare solutions

With the amount of innovative, techy hair tools making their debut these days, it can be hard to find an effective styler for a reasonable price. The Remington PROluxe 4-in-1 Adjustable Waver is all you really need for perfect waves, without breaking the bank. Designed to give you one of four wave styles, you can easily adjust depending on your needs and the look you’re wanting that day—be it mermaid waves or loose, tousled beachy strands. “[I] really love that this is adjustable and can provide a variety of looks,” said judge and Marie Claire Beauty Editor Nessa Humayun. “[It’s] a real summer staple,” she added, “the only waver one person needs.”

There are plenty of incredible blow-dry brushes available to us these days, but sometimes you just need a simple, effective hairdryer, which, yes, absolutely do still exist. Remington’s, which is well under £100, is a great option that combines modern tech with good old-fashioned traditional hair drying. It comes with four attachments, including the Curl Defining Diffuser and the Flyaway Tamer attachment, and boasts a ‘Dual Iconic System,’ which distributes ions to the hair to smooth and banish frizz, meaning a glossy finish every time. It’s also able to dry hair in impressive speeds, making it perfect for those of us who are notoriously time-short. The judges noted its smart attachments, lightweight design, and efficacy and speed.

Like many, Judge Nessa Humayun has been a fan of Revlon’s 5-in-1 styler for a while. “I’ve been using the Revlon hot brush for years; it’s affordable and does exactly what it says on the tin, at a much cheaper price point than other similar products,” she said. “The price and results can’t be beaten,” she added. Whether you want to dry, curl, smooth, shape or volumise, this tool is a brilliant option for versatile styling, with five interchangeable attachments. There are plenty of more expensive tools like this one on the market, which makes the results this offers so impressive. Judge and Hair Stylist Paul Edmonds described it as “amazingly great value for money,” and at just £60, you really can’t go wrong!

If you’re on the lookout for a smart styler that’ll give you the most bang for your buck, you can’t beat Revamp’s. For under £200, you’ll have access to an impressive six interchangeable styling attachments, meaning you can dry, straighten, curl, wave and volumise. The tool utilises high pressure, ion-enriched and controlled airflow, so your hair is at less risk of damage. You also have the choice of four temperatures, three speeds and even a pause function. Clever, huh? “[This is] another great alternative to the industry's leading multi-styler,” said judge Nessa Humayun, who added that this “isn’t as bulky as similar models.” She concluded: “I really like the smoothing attachment and the fact that the curling barrels come in two different sizes.”

For judge and Beauty Journalist Dr Ateh Jewel, this shampoo has become a family affair. “My daughters are huge fans, and I love the accessible price point and how readily available Cantu is on the high street. Growing up, I was so estranged from my coils, and it heals my heart to see my daughters nourish and care for their curls with products like this.” The beloved, sulphate-free formula takes a gentle approach to cleansing, while also providing hair a hit of moisture to reduce breakage. With shea butter and a range of other gentle ingredients, Cantu’s Cleansing Cream Shampoo works to clean and restore the hair and scalp, bringing curls to life.

Want to banish yellow tones and embrace your cooler side? You can’t beat this. “If you’re looking to knock out brass and go full-on icy blonde, this one definitely does the job,” begins judge and Colourist Samantha Cusick. “The triple toning technology works fast, and after just one wash, my blonde looked brighter, cooler, and more platinum-toned. It’s also keratin-enriched, so my hair didn’t feel too dry or stripped, which can sometimes happen with strong purple shampoos.” Offering her expert tips, Cusick concludes: “For the lower price point, it’s a great purple shampoo that actually delivers. Just use sparingly, follow up with a good conditioner, and you’ll be on your way to that perfect cool blonde!”

Judge Nessa Humayun immediately noticed her hair feeling more voluminous after using this conditioner, and praised it for not stripping the hair or feeling heavy. It uses Hydrolyzed Collagen, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil to lightly hydrate (without weighing strands down) while also boosting body and volume. The product also increases shine, meaning your chances of achieving that at-home glossy, bouncy blowdry just shot up tenfold.

Monday Haircare provides targeted solutions for hair that won’t break the bank. Its Repair Conditioner uses a whole host of efficacious, trending ingredients to work hard at restoring damaged hair. Hydrolyzed Keratin, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Argan Oil and Cocoa Butter are all harnessed to strengthen, increase moisture levels and improve shine. Judge Nessa Humayun described this as a “solid conditioner” which “leaves hair soft, shiny and feeling hydrated.” And for £5, you can’t beat it price-wise (or for its Instagrammable packaging, either!).

If your beauty shelves are already packed full with hair sprays, oils and serums, it may be time to streamline. Enter: the Beauty Works 10-in-1 Miracle Spray, which does it all. Featuring argan and macadamia, the hydrating formula delivers on its promise to provide 10 benefits: the spray nourishes, eliminates frizz, restores shine, replenishes oils, protects from heat, detangles, conditions, prevents split ends, enhances natural body and repairs dry, damaged hair. It can be used on damp and dry hair, and for under £15 for 250ml, it’s a bit of a bargain that the judges were beyond pleased with.

We often forget our scalp is a continuation of the skin on our face—that is, until a product like the Head & Shoulders DermaXPro Moisture Leave On Treatment comes along. Designed to be a moisturiser for the skin on your scalp, this is a must for dry, tight scalps that are desperate for relief. With a ceramide complex, niacinamide and the clinically proven piroctone olamine, dry, flaky skin will be a thing of the past. Use this in-between hair washes to maintain your scalp, particularly if you experience itching, flakes or a feeling of dryness or tightness. At just under £10, it’s a brilliant addition to your at-home wash and care collection.

For smoother, stronger hair, judges rated the Atomy Protein Intensive Treatment a stand-out favourite. Hailing from South Korea, this formula uses innovative technology and smart ingredients, featuring a concoction of betaine, peptides, 18 essential amino acids and plant-based proteins to lock in nutrients and shield hair from further outside damage. It’s also pretty interesting to use; starting as a lightweight water, it transforms into a cream on contact with hair and offers a slight warming effect when applied. The product is also only £16.50, making it a great addition to your routine that won’t break the bank.

Whether it’s millennial rose gold or cowboy copper, for decades now, Crazy Colour has been making dramatic, fun hair switch-ups possible—all from the comfort of your own home and for less than a tenner. The range of bold and beautiful colours is impressive, and the dye itself is prepared with zero ammonia or bleach, meaning it’s safe and offers results, damage-free; in fact, the ingredients list boasts the likes of Raspberry Seed, Sunflower Seed and Avocado Oil to maintain hair hydration and health. You honestly can’t beat these for spontaneous colour change-ups, whether it’s short-term or for the long haul.

The two most important features of a detangling spray for kids? First (of course), it effectively detangles, making your life a whole lot easier. And second, the kids enjoy the process. The Childs Farm spray has been proven to do both, according to judge and Marie Claire's Senior Beauty Editor, Katie Thomas, who noted that her kids “LOVED it,” thanks to the smell being like “heaven.” As for its detangling nature? Your brush will glide through your child’s hair like a dream, promise. It also offers thermal protection if you tend to give the hair a gentle blast from your hairdryer before bed, too.