SALON SHAMPOOS – ARE THEY REALLY BETTER?
It’s a question hair stylists are often asked, and when they recommend their salon brand, or other professional brand, they often face skeptical eyes in the mirror. It’s shampoo, it cleans hair, right? How can a professional brand be any different than what you can buy at your neighborhood drugstore?
One way to look at it is this; wine is made from grapes. Some bottles of wine are only a few dollars, while others go for hundreds of dollars. Anyone who has trained their palate can usually tell the difference. So can a professional hairdresser.
Basically, shampoo is intended to clean your hair and scalp. They contain some of the same essential ingredients. But if you really pay attention to how your hair feels after using certain shampoos, there is still a significant difference. Recently I stayed with my mother and forgot to pack my usual salon shampoo. I used the bottle she had in her shower. My mother is very frugal, but I didn’t realize just how frugal until I dried and styled my hair.
I looked in the mirror and felt shocked. Despite being freshly washed, gone was the sheen and healthy look I had come to expect. Instead, my hair looked and felt dry and brittle.
Looking further into this issue, it soon became clear a shampoo that costs far less than the salon products often use fillers like water and sulfates and little to no vitamins, minerals, or oils designed to keep your hair shiny and healthy. Even brand name shampoos sold at discount stores might not be exactly the same as what you purchase at the salon.
In addition, shampoos are formulated for a variety of hair and scalp conditions. When you discuss your specific needs with your stylist, they can recommend and actually use a selected shampoo at each visit to see which one best suits your needs.
This eliminates the need to purchase full bottles of a product you may only use once.
Sure, your friend or neighbor might swear by a certain shampoo, but that doesn’t guarantee that it will do the same for your hair. Your professional hairdresser spends hours a week dealing with hair and scalp issues. I recommend using their expertise to your advantage.
