We’ve all heard it. Hell I’ve said it. “Please consider buying products from our salon.” You go through this luxurious, but maybe a little expensive service, and then this? You have shampoo at home, Walmart has it cheaper, or you “don’t need that product.” I get it. I was once uneducated and broke walking out of my hair appointments without products recommended to me. With a little research, it’s easy to make the product choices that are right for you.
Let me start by saying, I am in no way a product person. I would rather not use anything and have my hair magically grow down my back, past my knees and look like a Victoria’s Secret model, but that’s not going to happen. A healthy diet and healthy hair habits will get you far especially, if you like your natural hair texture, but hair products are still important. However, even if you don’t touch your hair at all, meaning no dyes, no ties, no heat, no chlorine, not even friction from cotton pillowcases, your hair will still receive some amount of environmental damage. For those of you who can truly say they go natural like I’ve mentioned above, you may only need three or four products: salon quality shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, and leave-in conditioner. If you want your hair styled every day, you will need additional products.
There’s that phrase again- “salon quality.” She’s trying to sell you something. Honestly, yes and no. If you don’t feel comfortable, don’t do it, but here is why you should- hair products are loosely regulated, and the quality can vary depending on where you get it. Yes, Walmart has TRESemmé but Walmart gets old products, and, more than likely, not salon quality at all, and the older the product, the less likely its going to perform well. Wait, TRESemmé is on Amazon, right? It is, but from a third party. This product can be expired, watered down, replaced, or contaminated before it reaches you. People have even been known to dumpster dive outside stores such as Ulta and Sephora and then sell expired, defective, or returned products, and large online retailers like Amazon do little or nothing to stop it. A good salon quality product is a product purchased from a salon directly.
So everyone knows they will need shampoo and conditioner, but what about all these sprays, serums and oil? There are mouses and gels, creams and lotions, and a whole lot of hairspray. How do you know what you need without feeling pushed into purchasing something you may not need? First, it will really help if you listen to your stylist. I know a lot of stylists work for companies that are out to make a buck on expensive products, but this is part of the reason paying more for your haircut is worth it. When you go to independently owned salons and independent stylists, you’re likely to get less of a commercial, and more of a professional recommendation. This is not to say chains sell subpar products, or that your stylist working at a franchise does not care, its more that stylists are less restricted, and at a franchise, the pressure they are put under to sell products for a quick buck on their paycheck (which they rightly deserve) is a large burden on their day to day life. However, if you enjoy chain hair shops, and do listen to what they say ,you may be surprised what you here between the commercial bits.
Product knowledge comes from honest communication with your stylist about your lifestyle, your budget, the look you are trying to achieve, and a promise to use these products as recommended three or four times before deciding if its not right for you. Now that’s right, I did say you are allowed to decide a product is not right for you. If you feel for whatever reason a product isn’t right for you after purchasing it, you should ask yourself if you
- used the product the way the stylist recommended you use it
- tried using a little more or less than the first time
- tried it in wet and dry hair separately
If you still would like to drop the product, educate your stylist on why it didn’t work for you. When hairstylists recommend products, we make an educated guess based on what our salon offers- if it’s not the brand for you, that’s ok, but there are more brands you can try.
Another way you can get product knowledge is trying things for yourself. Places like Ulta will let you buy salon quality without getting a haircut. If your stylist doesn’t offer a product that works for you, places like Ulta that have a salon in the back are great places to find it. The difference between getting your products from Walmart and Ulta is the licensed hair salon, and professional stylists there to carry salon quality products you need.
I just told you a secret that other hairstylists would faint if they saw. Why did I do this? Because I want you to trust that all I want is whats best for your hair, and so should your stylist. If I ever decide to sell retail, it will only be products I trust, and if my clients can’t get what they need from my salon, I trust they will talk to me about it so that I can carry that brand for them (if it is a salon quality product I can trust). Not all stylists are like me. I make all of my money off of the services I preform, but most rely on a retail percentage and a service percentage. Sure, you might get that product at Ulta for cheaper, but know that every time you purchase from your stylist, you are putting food on their table, and gas in their car, They are local business in need of your support, and you can trust them with your hair.
Color Addicts 