I stumbled upon this question over at the excellent beauty blog Doryn’s Dish. Essentially, the reader wanted to know if the salon products that you buy at the local Kroger (general store) are the same as the ones you can buy at a salon. The answer referenced this story by a news team out of Fort Meyers, Florida. The story was so biased and misinformed I thought a balanced, insider response was needed. We’ll reproduce it here for our readers.
Interesting story. We are cosmetic chemists that work in the industry and know that this story is a bit skewed. If the news reporters wanted to get the “real” story, they shouldn’t be asking the head of Paul Mitchell because he is completely biased.
The truth is these salon brands depend on ‘diverted’ product to boost their sales. They want to have it both ways. They want to tell you that Paul Mitchell is a salon-only brand which makes it seem more exclusive, but they also want the high volume sales that they can only get through mass market outlets like your local Kroger. Additionally, they don’t want to anger their salon distributors because people are able to get the same stuff but for cheaper.
They make up this story of products being inferior. In nearly all cases, they are not.
The way diversion works is this. Paul Mitchell hires a company to manufacture their products. Then Paul Mitchell sales people get and fill orders from distributors. Distributors are legitimate businesses that sell directly to independent salons. The distributors can order as much as they want, then sell it to the salons who can then sell it to you.
Some of these distributors work directly with stores like Kroger, Albertsons, etc. So when these stores put in an order (a really big order compared to a salon) the distributors just order more product from Paul Mitchell to fill the Kroger order.
Paul Mitchell doesn’t even question the big orders because they like the extra sales. They turn a blind eye to what`s going on just so they can express public “outrage” that their product is being sold at the local drugstore. This is bunch of bunk.
The stuff you get at the local Kroger is every bit as good as the stuff you get at the salon. Don’t be fooled. If the folks at Paul Mitchell really wanted to stop these sales, they would simply question their distributors and find out who is selling to Kroger, or Target or Albertson.
The problem of counterfeiting is a real one, but it’s not something that you’ll find at large stores like Kroger. That company is not going to sell something contaminated because they would be sued in a heartbeat. The places that are a little more sketchy are the small shops (some salons) with the dust on top of the bottles. Those are the places you have to worry about.
Check out I Want That Hair.com for hair beauty products.
The Beauty Brains Bottom line…
You can trust that if you’re buying a salon brand from a regular store, there is no difference between it and the stuff you can get at a salon.
And if anyone from one of those salon brands sees it differently, they are welcome to respond to the Beauty Brains.
Similar Posts:
- Should You Buy Salon Products at Salons?
- Is Paul Mitchell Making Your Hair Break?
- P&G is not run by Satanists
- Beauty Q & A: Do Bumble & Bumble Only Sell in Salons?
- Beauty Bits – The beauty of beauty.com
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Kevin O. Says:
I have some grey hair that I’d like to color but to look natural. Just curious, what’s the best store-bought hair color for men? I would prefer to use something that I could shampoo-in once a week or so. Or, a semi-permanent product that would fade after several shampoos so that I would not have the obvious grey roots. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks – Kevin O
Victoria Says:
Hi… I am an esthetician who sells MD Formulations. When I was on maternity leave a long time customer repurchased on of her favorite MD Formulations Cleansers at a local flee market for less than the wholesale cost. She then complained that it was breaking her out. I asked to see it and when she showed it to me it clearly was not the same product. Different odor, color, texture, but the exact same packaging. Buyer beware!
thebeautybrains Says:
Yes, beware of opinions expressed by people who are selling products. Although, we wouldn’t recommend buying your beauty products from Flee Markets either. This post just says if you find a salon product at a legitimate grocery store you can be sure it’s the same thing you can get at your salon.
Skye Says:
There is truth in your statement here but you don’t know all the facts! Paul Mitchell products in a Salon actually are better than the products that his chemicals go into in the store! Fact is that what you buy in the salon has the right amount of each chemical so that the product will do what the bottle says. Now what goes into the store is a portion of what you can buy in a salon but they add water and different types of sulfates to dilute the product. So in this case then your product from the store is not the same as the salon product. You have a good case here but you don’t have all the facts!
thebeautybrains Says:
Skye, we do know the facts. The facts are that Paul Mitchell products in the salon use the same ingredients that the ones you get in the store use. There is no difference. Look at the ingredients on the labels!
It is complete nonsense that they “add water and different types of sulfates to dilute the product.” They don’t.
Our facts are based on a comparative scientific analysis of the salon formula versus a store bought formula. Where do you get your facts?
Karen Tracey Says:
As a sales rep selling professional beauty products for over 10 years, one major differnce about the salon products found in supermarkets and drugstores is how old they are. I look all of the time and constantly find packaging that was discontined sometimes 5 to 7 years ago. Gross! Plus, the products often cost more than in the slon. Buying from a salon not only supports a local business it also ensures your products are fresh.
thebeautybrains Says:
Karen: I too have seen old product in supermarkets and drug stores. But that’s usually only in the small “mom and pop” type stores. The main mass market chains do NOT keep inventory that’s 5 to 7 years old. And for that matter, I’ve been in some salons that carried old product as well. So I agree that you shouldn’t be buying products that are more than 5 year old, I don’t think that’s a good reason to shop in a salon.
Jed Flyster Says:
This is for Kevin. I tried MiN’s Color (amazon.com) and had great results! It’s so much better than Just for Men. Just thought you might want to give it a shot.
Skye Says:
well beauty brains i didn’t go to school to learn about how to keep peoples hair healthy and show them what is good for their hair for you to just fill everyones head up with nonsense. i spent a lot of time in school learning about these things to help out my clients and my clients will be the first to let you know that i don’t push products on them but i do educate them in the things that i learned through school i paid good money to get my license…what have you done besides try to fill peoples heads with crap?
thebeautybrains Says:
Skye:
We certainly don’t mean to imply that you’re pushing products that you don’t believe in. Our point is that sometimes the professional salon companies convince stylists that their products are better than “mass market” brands when this is not scientifically true.
We’re sure you worked very hard to get through beauty school and you should be proud of that. But with all due respect, that does not make you a cosmetic chemist.
In addition to advanced chemistry degrees, we have been formulating and testing hair care products for over 30 years (between all the Brains combined) and so the “crap” that we’re filling people’s heads with is based on a solid understanding of the chemistry of formulations and how they interact with biology of hair.
The bottom line: You’re an expert in cutting, coloring and styling hair. We’re experts in the science of hair care formulas and what they do to hair.
Sabeena Says:
I worked in a salon for a couple of years when I was studying and learnt a lot about the question you’ve raised. My theory from first hand experience is this – if you have problem free hair and you don’t heat style, then commercial products are fine. If you do have problem hair, then some of the cheaper salon brands can help. If you have major problem hair and you heat style, colour, bleach and constantly test your hairs ability to break then unfortunately the better products do the job – with different ranges suiting different hair types. Paul mitchell for example didnt work at all for me. But Kerastase did.
If you straighten your hair with a professional tong at 200 o.C, then you need a professional protector, which i’m afriad (and i’ve tried them all) you don’t find in the shops. Any products with silicone in it like pantene are bad for heat styling – as they form a silicone barrier which appears shiny on the surface, but can break your hair with intensive heat. You need a product that actually makes your hair shiny from the core.
Remember l’Oreal own more haircare lines than anyone else – kerastase, l’Oreal professional, L’oreal Elvive (commercial) Matrix and Redken to name a few – and they’re all different prices, and i’m afriad the quality is reflected by that – but its a clever marketing technique.
My advice to anyone who has average hair, with not too many issues to use an organic shampoo, or anything oil based (not for greasy hair), even coconut oil on its own is a great hairdresser secret for condition – like food, the less chemicals, the less damage.
Michele Says:
I have nice hair. It is in great condition and I always get compliments from my stylist. I wash and dry it every day. I also color often. What do I use? Head and Shoulders shampoo. I only use conditioner once and while and use what ever is on hand. So I definately agree that you don’t have to use expensive products to have great hair!
Authorized Tigi products - Specktra.Net Says:
[...] brains articles, but I find that they’re so helpful! esp this one which answers your q i hope The Beauty Brains ? Blog Archive ? Are salon products in regular stores the same as those in salons __________________ Jessica Representing the San Francisco Bay Area *the place I call home*
[...]
Liz Says:
Beauty Brains, when you responded:
“We’re sure you worked very hard to get through beauty school and you should be proud of that. But with all due respect, that does not make you a cosmetic chemist.
In addition to advanced chemistry degrees, we have been formulating and testing hair care products for over 30 years (between all the Brains combined) and so the “crap” that we’re filling people’s heads with is based on a solid understanding of the chemistry of formulations and how they interact with biology of hair.
The bottom line: You’re an expert in cutting, coloring and styling hair. We’re experts in the science of hair care formulas and what they do to hair.”
I just sat there smiling and thinking in my head “Oooohhhhh!”. I’m currently in school majoring in Chemistry and will be changing that to Chemical Engineering soon. I’m striving to become a cosmetic chemist none the less. Thank you for answering this question I had. I just recently got into more high end hair care and wanted to know what all this rumor was about with salon products being sold at drugstores, supposedly being unauthentic or of less quality.
michelle Says:
everyones hair is different .some people need a good salon shampoo and others can handle a waxy shampoo. i prefer to use good products on my hair because i feel the difference. people go to a salon to get help with their questions. and if they would like to continue to see hairstylists around then they should buy products from a licensed salon because thats what ususally pays the rent!
Left Brain Says:
Michelle,
I’m scratching my head trying to think of what store brand shampoo uses wax in their formulas. I can’t think of a single one. And don’t say Pantene because there isn’t any wax in it. If you disagree, which ingredient do you consider wax?
The Most Expensive, Disturbing Valentines Day Present You’ll Ever See | Beauty Secrets Blog Says:
[...] Are Salon Products Better Than Store Brands? [...]
Alic Says:
This is certainly a tricky debate… when you pay more for a salon brand, you are paying more for the support behind the product such as the stylists advice – for example, most salons will allow you to trade in a partially used bottle for a new type if it didn’t work out for you. Drugstore brands usually don’t offer that support – but you get a cheaper price. Hey, I’m in the Salon Biz, and I totally agree with your site on the Diversion debate. It lets the big companies play both sides.
Cathie Says:
I sat in the salon and was a little put off by a person working there telling a customer that the Bed Head products at Wegman’s (a major grocery chain in my area and #3 on Fortune 100’s best company to work for, list) were all “bootleg.” People don’t realize that…hello? If they were bootleg, don’t they thing the real company would do something about it? I mean supposedly it’s illegal right? So…why would they continue to be allowed to carry it? My mom is best friends with a woman who owns her own salon and she refuses to tell people that they’re not the same. She says they are the same, and it’s just what people are taught. This is stressed so adamantly to the workers that they become passionate about it. They actually believe they’re telling the truth. Now, I actually do have 2 questions. 1) Isn’t this slander? I mean, can’t salons get in trouble over this? and 2) I had a perm in June 2007, and just colored it yesterday (April 2008). My hair’s pretty dry and before the perm I had colored it several times before. What would be the best products for processed hair like mine?
Alic Says:
I bought a bottle of Bedhead shampoo at Rexall this week (pharmacy chain) and it was totally different inside the bottle than the salon version I’ve been buying.. different shade, different smell. When I looked closer at the bottle, there were little changes in the label – 90% same, but some different wording. So, I think sometimes product is ‘bootleg’… like the big scandal with the fake Colgate being sold at a discount chain last year.
thebeautybrains Says:
Alic,
Shampoo companies re-launch their products all the time and change things like color, fragrance, formula, packaging, etc. If indeed your experience happened as you reported, a more likely explanation is that you were buying an older version of the product on one occasion and a newer version on the other.
Also, just because there are occasional stories in which bootleg products do get sold, that doesn’t mean it happens frequently. In fact, you are more likely to get bootleg products at an independent salon then you will at a large chain store.
bri Says:
im also a hairstylist and we put alot of effort into selling products and giving advice to our clients. your article is completely untrue, what you get in the regular stores are NOT okay to buy. we have many representatives of product lines that give us places to report places doing this. you are NOT going to get bootleg products in an independent salon and i think it is ridiculous that you even said that. why would we want to give our clients something that was bootleg? we have actual product representatives from the comany, large chain stores do not. they buy it from the black market and then try to sell it to people because they know people will buy it because its easier to get your hair products while you’re grocery shopping instead of making another trip to the salon when you don’t need to go there. and we do NOT ‘depend’ on these chain stores selling the products. we depend on our clients buying it from us, which is obviously the smart thing to do. a chain store cannot tell you what products are good for your hair or how to use them correctly. and distributors do NOT sell them to chain stores, it would not be in their best interest to do that because they would not make money off the products they sell to salons. it is extremely offensive for you to tell people this is okay because it is false information and it is wrong.
Left Brain Says:
I respectfully disagree. Since I work in the manufacturing end of the beauty business, I get to see a different side than you. I can understand how you come to your conclusions. I just have had a different experience. Distributors do sell to chain stores precisely because they make more money than they do when they sell to independent salons. It’s just how the business works.
Tiffany Says:
OK, as a hairdresser, I dont care how much you say that they sell to these stores, THEY DONT. That would defeat the purpose of the parts of their web pages, where we as hairdressers, can report diversion. It doesnt help them it hurts. AND just so you know, JPM and other companies are joining forces to create a way to track these bottles and know where they are going so that they can STOP diversion. It hurts us, and its been proven with many testing that they have found many of these products to have been switched and or really old. And I completely agree with BRI, it is very offensive when you are saying that it is ok, and that its going to be the same. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!!!!!!!
thebeautybrains Says:
We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Sumi Says:
Hmmm….I think I’m going to take a chemist’s word over a hairdresser’s any day. The best thing though about buying product in a salon is that you can get a stylist’s opinion. That’s why I usually prefer to buy higher-end makeup as well; I want someone to help me with it and make recommendations.
Nicole Says:
Wow, what a great debate! I can understand a stylist frustration with so called “professional” products selling out to chain stores. For a stylist her product sales feeds her family. When their sold at Target it feeds the congloberant s/p
. In addition, as a professional she has chosen a hair care line to represent and truely believes in her line.
In my opinion, it’s all about the ingredients, and the level of active ingredients. Some ingredients are just better than others. I’m not a shampoo expert, but do experience better results from shampoos that are formulated for my hair type.
I agree with Sumi that it is great to have an a beauty professional help make personal recomendations and help narrow down the choices from amoung the many product lines.
P.S. I understand your point; salon products sold in stores are they the same? I think some reader may have misunderstood your post. Good read thanks!
Kelly Says:
I thought this was all very interesting. I decided to email a product line I use and ask them whether what I bought at a major local chain is the same as their products I buy at the salon. This was there response.
Thank you for visiting PureOlogy on the Web.
“PureOlogy is committed to selling our products only through authorized salons accompanied by expert professional advice to best meet the consumer’s needs. We are unable to guarantee the authenticity of products that are not purchased through an authorized salon.
To find a salon in your area that uses PureOlogy products, please visit our website at http://www.pureology.com and use the Salon Locator feature, or call 1-800-331-1502 Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm, ET.We look forward to your continued interest in PureOlogy.”
To which I responded..”If Pureology can’t guarantee the authenticity of products that are not purchased through an authorized salon than who is selling those products. They are the same bottles and have all of your contact information on it. I would think this would be a liability to Pureology or at least Pureology would want to know who is using their information to sell products that they can not authorize. The products I purchased were at a major grocery chain that I doubt would take any chances selling products that can not be guaranteed by the distributor. There are a lot of rumors and conspiracies going on about how these products are sold. I like pureology products, but as a consumer I would rather buy another product than be told many different things about buying salon quality products like Pureology. If you could make this a little more clear for me I would appreciate it. Thanks,”
There was response was as follows
Kelly Says:
“Thank you for responding to our e-mail.
It is our business decision to sell our products only through distributors and salons by professionals who can offer advice on selecting the best products to meet your needs. These professionals also help to ensure that the customer receives fresh product that meets our quality standards.
Unfortunately, some products are diverted outside our normal distribution channels. We take this diversion issue very seriously. We have in the past terminated, and will continue to terminate, relationships with those businesses that are selling the products into the gray market to unauthorized retailers.
We employ systems to assist us in tracking and dealing with these unethical practices. We continue to invest in technologies that will improve this ability to find these diverters.
To report PureOlogy products for sale outside a salon, please e-mail nodivert@aol.com with the city, state and name of the location where you saw the products. You may also call 1-800-503-3997 to report diversion.
Our diversion department may not send you a reply but please be assured this information is valuable to our company and will be handled by the appropriate individual.
We appreciate the time you have taken to contact us regarding this issue.”
Let me know what you think!
Allie Says:
I am a cashier at target and Paul mitchell representives did a buyout at our store cause they said they didnt want their products on our shelves. What the salon brands are saying that their product is too good for our shelves. They lost me as customer by doing that.
Liesl Says:
As a former cosmetology student and as a consumer… I purchase my salon products from the salon. It makes more sense to me, as the products are guaranteed, there’s always someone available to make suggestions and I usually get a better deal from the salon anyway.
I’m sure some products found on grocery store shelves are exactly the same as in the salon. But, if I’m paying $20 for a product, I want to get the product that I’m paying for. The only way I can really be sure is to buy from a salon.
Sue Says:
Yes, the beauty brain is RIGHT, Manufactures sell it directly to the chain themselves or it comes from the distributors. In the beauty industry everyone has a quota – what better way to help your quota than to sell to box stores. Or another thing that happens is a distributor loses a line – and it goes right out the back door to the local grocery store that is more than happy to have it. And YES, hairdressers hate to hear this kind of thing. No, the product is Not watered down at the grocery store shelves. What else is too bad is that with all the great product lines out there the one in the white bottle got mentioned several times and that product line sucks.
jjhar Says:
this may suprise you but my sister works in a salon (a popular chain) and they do get OLD OLD OLD products from the warehouse for the clearance sales. just as beautybrains mentioned about dust being on top of the bottles? id rather buy from walmart. and COME ON why on earth would a multi million dollar corporation sell COUNTERFEIT products?? obviously these salon prodcut companies would realize it and they would be quickly pulled, duh.
Should You Buy Salon Products at Salons? | The Beauty Brains Says:
[...] This myth is propagated by salons and salon brand companies to help boost sales in salons and maintain the exclusive nature of the products. You stylist makes money when you buy products from her. Left Brain wrote about it more in this salon products post. [...]
jack Says:
There is one major difference between salon products sold in a salon and salon products sold in a department store – guarantee. Nearly every salon product states on the package that any guarantee offered by the product is ONLY valid if purchased from a salon. Otherwise no guarantee will honored.
And one other thing: Salon products sold in department stores tend to be older products. You can usually tell this by the packaging.
jack Says:
oh and here’s a little food for thought:
would you buy a $2,000 plasma TV from a knitting shop? when that knitting shop clerk couldn’t really give you any information or warranty on that product sold? i didn’t think so. so why would you purchase salon-brand products from a store where no one could give you advice about your hair?
or would you get your blood pressure or your cholesterol meds from a department store where a clerk couldn’t really tell you how to take them?
think about it – many woman pay a lot of money to have their hair looking as good as they can. those women are not going to purchase their products from wal mart. why because they want to make sure they are getting the right product as suggested by her stylist (the person helping to create such wonderful looks.)
Esther Says:
In response to Jack:
If that $2000 plasma was $1000 instead, hell yes.
Secondly, that’s an extremely inaccurate comparison, perhaps if the issue had been buying shampoo from a salon vs. a plant nursery (an equally random selection which also does not normally sell shampoo … or plasma TVs). A closer analogy would be buying a plasma from a dealer specializing in TVs were you would be offered personal attention and assistance versus something like a Costco or Walmart.
Also, quite frankly, when is the last time a warranty on a shampoo has been of any use at all to you? And on a side note, warranties offered with TVs are absolute crap unless you buy up.
Comparing medicine which can have deadly effects if taken incorrectly to shampoo? Give me a break.
Nia Says:
Especially at the point our country is at financially it should be painfully obvious that big companies will go through any means necessary to make a profit. Even if it means “misplacing” a few boxes. On the other hand, as stylists we would obviously rather have these products purchased from us. That’s how we make our money. I personaly prefer to purchase things directly from the company or a reputible(sp?) distributor but I also prefer product knoweledge and proper hair care over convience.
In my opinion both sides of this argument are in some ways correct…it really makes no sense to purchase expensive salon products you don’t know what to do with but on the other hand when products start showing up at Wal*Mart and CVS you can’t really believe in the bootleg stereotype…That $13 CHI silk Infusion from CVS is the same one your stylist gets from her distributor…maybe the salon bottle just looks prettier?
I doubt the companies would ever express knoweledge of their products being ripoffed but everyone is really out to make money and if that means a few boxes of you favorite shampoo got lost in transit and is now being sold by Koreans(no offence meant what so ever…I just call em like I see em) so be it…they made their profit.
Rina Says:
Hi. Thanks for the information… I understand that salon grade products might be sold at retail stores as well as in salons and that the individual product is no better from a salon than from Kroger. My question is whether or not salon-grade products (regardless of where they are sold) are better than retail store products (i.e. Redken vs. Pantene.) Could you give any information on this? Thanks!
nyspender Says:
I loved this debate!
I loved all the hairdressers going nuts defending the authenticity of their products! They say that those hair companies only sell to salons… who is their source again? ah! the hair companies!
Have you ever thought about the fact that maybe you are being played? It is possible, you know. I mean are those big companies in it to take care of you and make sure you can feed your kids, or are they in it for their own profit???
I’ve bought both from salon and from beauty store and found no difference whatsoever.
I am glad this cat is out of the bag.
Bzzymom Says:
I am writing an informative paper about product diversion. I am trying to get both sides of the story for perspective. The paper has to be non-judgmental and strictly informative. These are the things that I have found to be fact and have seen with my very eyes. Target, K-mart, Wal-mart, CVS Pharmacy, Wal-greens, and the major grocery store in the towns I visited all had salon brand packaging that was over three years old. They also had current packaging. However, they were always more expensive. I visited chain salons such as Great Clips, and independent salons that charge $50 for a haircut. Every single product on their shelves was $1-$5 cheaper than the products on Target and other stores shelves. I have seen news broadcasts which support this, but I was in each of these stores and did all of the research. Whether or not they are the same products, I will leave to the chemists, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the average consumer actually saves money if purchasing these products in a salon. What you are doing could be consisdered just as bad as what you claim Paul Mitchell does. You are not being objective. You say that diversion never, ever happens, hairstylists lie, and Target is always a better deal. Because all of the statements in your website cannot be backed up 100% I guess you are also a liar. I would like to see concrete evidence of your evidence and background that makes you an expert. Do not believe one hype over the other. Research the material and make educated decisions for yourself. They can have differing opinions but it is scientifically impossible for both sides to be lying.
Left Brain Says:
We never said you would absolutely save money if you buy from Target and that diversion never happens.
Good luck on writing a “non-judgmental” paper. Be sure to call anyone who doesn’t agree with you a liar. Professors love that.
maxi Says:
I didn’t realise this was such a big deal. Your hair is dead, it doesn’t really matter what you put on it. I buy high street brands and always get compliments on my hair.
Oh, and I would worry about someone who needed advice on their shampoo choice. The bottle has a label, it’s not hard.
Jamie Says:
One thing you have to be really wary of is people selling salon products on eBay. I think it would be very easy to repackage cheaper stuff into higher-end packages. I bought a huge bottle of an Aveda shampoo a while back on eBay, and it was very poor quality. The smell was horrible– it did not smell like what I had purchased in the store– and it did not clean my hair at all. It almost smelled like a flea shampoo I used on my dog once. Anyway, I know that it was not legitimate and I learned my lesson after shelling out nearly $50. I would not put it past people to do this.
Naomi Says:
Salon products are now appearing in drug store chains like CVS, Duane Reade, etc… Products like Paul Mitchell, Biolage and Nexus. And I do believe they are authentic. I just think that the people who own or work in salons don’t normally go to that isle in the drug store to check out the new hair care products.
Joelle Says:
I did a search on this subject because logic seemed to tell me if a company as large as Target is selling salon brand products, why would they risk several law suits because of deceptive business practice? I’ve had several stylists swear the products “fell off the back of a truck”, and “you never know what you’re going to get”. Reading the following article only confirmed my suspicions about the subject.
Thank you for clearing up this matter. Sorry stylists. The public knows you make commission on these products, which is why your salon is willing to pay employees to take special classes to “de-bunk” products sold at Targets, etc. I have bought these products from Target since they started doing so, and I’ve also purchased the same products from my salon. I have noticed no difference in my hair, or in the contents listed on the bottle.
Alexis Says:
I bought Biolage shampoo and conditioner from Target at Christmas. The shampoo lasted for 7 months using it every day. The conditioner lated 3-4 months using it every day. It suds just as well as the product I had purchased before that at a salon. The shampoo and conditioner looked the same, felt the same, and smelled the same as the one purchased at the salon. It was only a couple dollars cheaper than the one purchased at the salon. To have the convience of getting it at Target rather than making a special trip into the mall to go to the salon is a time saver. I just wish Target would stock more product. I often have to look several times throughout the month to find it in stock.
Susan Says:
I just got what I consider a pretty good deal at Target, for $26.99, I got Biosilk, silk (12oz) and a Biosilk Shampoo and Conditioner 12 oz each for that price. Not a bad deal. It was all packaged together. I have not tried the shampoo and conditioner yet but the silk is amazing, it has to be real. As for outdated, the product expires in October 2010, so it’s not that old. Target seems to have limited supplies of “Salon proudcts” so I would guess maybe they are diverted, however I trust Target. I doubt a store like Target would sell counterfeit stuff. A dollar store, maybe, Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, I would think not.
I don’t need advice on what shampoo to buy because I can do my own research. Experience tells me whats good and not good for my particular hair. If the big companies want to stop their stuff being sold in stores like Target, Walmart, etc, I’m sure they could. Then if I didn’t want to buy from a “salon” I’d buy other stuff. I also want the chemists here to discuss the differences between non salon brands and salon brands, something like TreSemme, or Suave or Sunsilk, etc.
Oh and by the way I do purchase from salons also, it depends on where I am and what catches my eye at the moment, and of course, price. I don’t pay more for things, I check places and look for sales.
Ashley Says:
I bought Biolage at a well known store and it was definitely not like what I buy at the salon. It looked, felt, smelled and worked totally different and this happened to two bottles I bought.
I will NEVER buy from anywhere other than a salon again!
d y Says:
I bought a Paul Mitchell shampoo from a salon and the assistant there went down to their basement to get a bottle and guess what, it had dust on the top. Guaranteed fresh? I don’t think so.
Also I went to another salon to get a Biolage hair mask and the bottled appeared to be old too.
Come on, price doesn’t reflect quality.
Health Products Guru Says:
I can tell you that without a doubt there is a huge difference in the quality of most and I say most shampoos that salon versus the drug store level. My own hair and scalp issues are the proof of this. The ph is grocery store shampoos is too high 99% of the time.
gypsy princess Says:
My husband is a brilliant patent attorney and he agrees that many companies sell their products to both markets in order to make a profit. Just take a look at the patent number on the bottle. Their stance on these so called “counterfeits” is merely to protect them from any liability issues. These are not evil entities, they are merely doing the smart business thing. Yes, news stories crop up every so often about some bootlegging scam. However, this media coverage serves two purposes for the company. The first is that you as the consumer get to have warm fuzzies that the company is protecting you and is not just interested in a profit. ( Both are true, how else can the business survive! ) The second is that it also keeps their product in the consumer limelight both of these result in increased sales.
Bottom line– Buy where it makes you happy.
Cherie Says:
I am a professional in the buisness for 20 years. I would like to believe that all these companies are faithful to us as professionals. However, the truth is that diversion does take place at either the manufacturing or distribution level. These products are the same that we sell in each of our salons. The difference is as was stated earlier, we can educate our clients to select what products best suits there needs. Fact over 60% of clients leave a salon with no recommendations from there stylist. Therefore they gravitate to the mass store in search of a product. If you want your clients to purchase from you or your salon you must step up to the plate. Fact is Fact diversion does happen.
counterfeit products - Specktra.Net Says:
[...] Re: counterfeit products This might be of interest: Are salon products in regular stores the same as those in salons | The Beauty Brains [...]
Candice Says:
Hi Brains
Here in the UK, it is almost impossible to find salon brands like Paul Mitchell outside of salons. Supermarkets sell commercial brands only. What I would like to know is, what is the quality difference between a $5 bottle of shampoo or conditioner for coloured hair from the supermarket and a $30 shampoo and conditioner such as, say, Kerastase Chromariche?
thebeautybrains Says:
There is no quality difference between a $5 and a $30 shampoo or conditioner. In fact, they typically use the same ingredients.
Once you get passed $5, you are merely paying for marketing hype and brand prestige. The product certainly won’t work any better.
A Distributors Says:
I used to own a distributorship in the Rocky Mountain area. I sold it a few years ago. Now we manufacture 2 lines one for salons and the other for mass chain, they are both the same products no different in them at all. It is cheaper to buy more of the same raw materials then change it for mass chain!!!! The only thing different is the label name!!!!
We sold to both mass chain stores and salons. We were told when a change in product line was going to happen and we told to call the salons and mass chain buyers and offer deals to get them to buy the old line up.
When the new line up would come it the deals were done.
Some of the line change was bottle only or some times it was a new formula. If we had a product that sat around for a long time we would call other vendors and make a deal with them, We did not care were it went as long as it went away and we got our money back from it.
We carried over 500 product lines so I know that all of them do this.
There have been times when a company would tell us to sell the new line change to the mass chain and keep selling the old style to the salons so they would not get phone calls about why did you change it,it’s not as good as before. Most of the time it was just a bottle change.
Hope this clears a few things up
A Distributors Says:
I remember one time when I was called by one of the companies that yelled the loudest about salon only sales. I was told I would be getting a order from one of the mall marts and to take it here was my P.O. number.
I did not ask any questions and took the order I made 3% of the sale and never touched the product at all. The sale came strait from the company the made the product and used me to funnel it to the mass chain store.
It was great for me the order was 5 million and we made 3%for just putting it threw our company!!!
Anastacia Says:
i love this debate as well. i also have to agree that i’d rather believe a scientist then a hairdresser/salon owner. furthermore i too have seen those dusty bottles at salons. nonetheless, i would much rather buy my hair care products with advice from a professional but also agree that well… it’s shampoo… what in the world can ya do wrong!?! plus, it is labeled -you know.
i love the fact that Kelly actually wrote an email and confronted them. their phoney so-called “diversion department” (that won’t answer back) to me is proof enough that it is the same product: in the salon as well as @ grocery stores. rofl! i’m so sorry but i just have to giggle about all the posts disagreeing. do you honestly believe what you are being told and are dublicating here? too funny. ignorance is proof of a simple mind. i don’t really mean to offend anybody but i just can’t help my statements. last but def not least: congrats to the distributer that made 3%! hahahaha. hey, it is what it is!
Anastacia Says:
oh AND!!! i have also noticed that high end products in walmarts/targets, etc. are usually pricier then at the salon. if your salon isn’t completely out of the way… it does make more sense! i will refuse product that’s being pushed upon me by styists though and change the salon. but that’s just me. i don’t like being forced into buying and don’t think it’s a smart strategy, almost all have changed salon because of that very reason!
NB Says:
I believe that buying salon products from a salon is the safest way to go. If you trust your salon with your hair, you trust their sanitizing techniques and you trust their opinion, you should trust their product. If there is a question of any of these things, then you need to find a different salon. Salons are held accountable by the distributors and manufacturing companies by having a “Salon Only Guarantee”. If there is a problem, the salon receives the product back and sends it back to the distributor. It would be detrimental to the salon to sell “bad” products. Clients would soon stop buying from them if the products didn’t measure up to what they were supposed to be. So the more reputable salons wouldn’t risk their client base by doing this. I don’t know whether the major companies are knowingly diverting or not, but I don’t believe it is smart or ethical for you to say that ALL products in major chain stores are safe. I seem to remember a major pain reliever being sold all across America that ended up killing people because of the arsenic in it. I realize that aresenic is a little more serious than shampoo, but what about the study that FOX News did. They pulled Professional “In Salon Only” hair care products from the shelf of a major chain store and did testing on them. They found high levels of bacteria in one sample, enough to make a person very ill. Even if that is a very rare incident, it just shows that you can’t make an across the board statement saying that there are no worries in buying any product, in a chain store or in a salon. The salon is buying directly from an established distributor. The chain stores are not. You can not say that they are only buying from the actual manufacturers or distributors unless you are an actual buyer for that chain store, you just don’t know for sure. They may be buying from a high producing diverter who promotes themselves as a distributor and doesn’t have quite as high standards in handling product. So, don’t make across the board statements that may lull people into believing that the world is a wonderful place and they have nothing to worry about. In short, small businesses are vital to our country. Do you want your money to go back into your community, supporting the independant salon and the people in your area or would you rather put that money into the big supermarket chains pocket to go out of state? If for no other reason than this, you should buy from your local salon. Taking the small amount of professional products off the shelves of a major store will not cause a loss of any local jobs, but retail sales in a salon often pay the rent, so leaving the products on the small salons shelves could cause the ending of another one of our small businesses.
ladyblue Says:
if diversion is the problem all the professional hair care lines could just call longs, target and whom ever is carrying their product and just say we do not sell to chain stores and we will not authorize you to sell our products so on and so forth ? or like one said they are out to make money thats it .these stores are major chain stores that’s allot of product right? not just a couple of boxes .diverted or not that product is out there in allot of stores. I’ve done hair for 42 years it is not a surprise.
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[...] diverted product. While this is possible, it’s more likely nonsense as this post on salon product diversion [...]
5 Reasons Your Salon Products Do Not Work As Well At Home | Beauty Secrets Blog Says:
[...] diverted product. While this is possible, it’s more likely nonsense as this post on salon product diversion [...]
5 Reasons Your Salon Products Do Not Work As Well At Home | 1800blogger Says:
[...] diverted product. While this is possible, it’s more likely nonsense as this post on salon product diversion [...]
Hair Girl Says:
As someone who sold a very successfull beauty product website recently, I can attest that what you say is true! I am also a cosmetologist and salon owner and wouldn’t have believed it had I not began an internet business selling products. Here is my experience:
The 5 local beauty supplies in my city all sold to me with no problem (I told them up front that I was selling online.) Then a few stylists began boycotting these beauty supplies since they were selling to me. At that point, most of these salons told me they couldn’t sell to me anymore simply because they were getting “bad press” because of it. After that, i simply bought from beauty supplies in different states – and every one knew I sold product on Ebay and on my website.
Seriously…they have brainwashed stylists to the point of stupidity!
The TRUTH Insider Says:
Dear Beauty Brains,
Although I respect your STATED credentials, (If TRUE ) I must say I disagree with you ALMOST entirely. Some things you have stated are true about diversion. But I have worked for a very large salon brand company for 15 plus years, and in FACT, we do NOT condone the sale of our products to retailers that are not PROFESSIONAL Salons. It takes away from the integrity of our products. If it in FACT were about money we would openly state that we condone these actions. But in TRUTH, WE DONT! If money were the only factor we would market our self as does NEXUS, Suave, Dove, Clairol and …ect. We sell our products worldwide and they are designed for Professional SALE ONLY. Their is a very specific reason for this. Consumers that buy hair care products in mass retail outlets DO NOT continue to buy the same product all the time. They are apt to buy based on price (SALES), trend, or “HEY this looks cool, I’ll try this…..THIS TIME” shoppers. Our products are designed for OUR clientele. People who buy our product REGARDLESS of price. It’s their Brand. They ARE COMMITTED Customers. THATS where OUR MONEY IS….SIR!!!!!!!
thebeautybrains Says:
Dear TRUTH Insider,
Thank you for your interesting perspective (if indeed your STATED credentials are TRUE). Your experience and attitude is not universal in the salon brand business.
Andi Says:
The way I am reading this is that the salon professionals are saying is that they have been indoctrinated to believe what the product company reps tell them regarding product exclusivity.
I’m an economics major, and aside from the fact that I trust what the Brains say about the chemical makeup of the products, analyzing this issue from a economic perspective also supports the Brain’s findings. What the product companies have managed to do is tap into 2 separate price demand levels for the same product; what an upscale salon goer would pay, and then what a bargain hunter would pay. By throwing in the marketing ploy of a “product guarantee” keeps salon buyers faithful, guaranteeing their continued purchases at the higher price level.
It’s really quite simple.
Been Around This Block Says:
I’m shaking my head at how gullible some people are – especially the ones that swear they know it all just because a product rep told them so!
Diverted product: Sure this happens!
Different packaging: Doh. Sometimes lines (as has been explained) dump some packaging in one direction in the market and have different bottles being filled in the other.
Dates: Where is everyone coming up with how old the product is? Just because they’ve seen different bottles produced in the past year or two doesn’t mean the company is still not filling the “old” style.
Freshness: Shampoo keeps. There’s nothing about it that needs to be “Fresh”.
Oh.. and my fav… most of the “professionals” in this forum would have a brain hemorrhage if they ever gained access to the production area of a major company (I have a relative that works in one) … They fill brands sold at Walmart and “professional” products out of the same vat – just different bottles rolling down the line.
Cosmetologists don’t learn squat about what’s really in those bottles… and the quality of education doesn’t get any better from most product reps.
In the end… price doesn’t make a product good or bad. And there is absolutely no logic behind the thinking that all “professional” products are better.
My credentials:
Licensed Professional (term loosely applied)
Salon rep
Business Owner
and 30 years of observing ignorance in this field.
Conya Says:
As a salon professional, I am shocked at the extent that some of my fellow professional have “drank the koolaid”. Of course the products are the same at chain retailers.Large corporations don’t fool around with bootleg products. There are tons of people just looking for a reason to sue them, I doubt they would take such risks for shampoo. I personally cannot figure out why there is so much wailing and wining about it anyway. The chain retailers want these products because hairdressers made them popular by recommending them to their clients.A very simple way to stop the problem is to simply stop promoting anything that you see in a big box store. In my salon it is our policy to pack up our stock of anything we see sold outside of salons and send it right back to our distributor. Then we simply replace it with the new hot product, and we decide what what is hot. There are tons of fantastic products out there, you don,t have to be held retail hostage by product companies that only pretend to support you. Your clients buy what you recommend, so you are really the one with all of the power, but your freindly neighborhood
Kathryn Says:
I have tried various salon shampoos, and NONE of them can get my scalp clean. My scalp gets smelly, greasy, and itchy even when I shampoo every day. The obnoxious scents make me sneeze and itch and even bother people sitting near me in class. You couldn’t get me to use those for free any more!
My favorite shampoo is the cheap house brand from Costco. It cleans my scalp and has a light scent nobody notices unless they hug me. If my stylist sold it in smaller bottles, I’d pay a bit more for the convenience as well as to help her pay the bills.
lol Says:
I have to laugh at how some “professionals” chose to respond immaturely to this post.
They are the same product. Treat it as gossip or fact, though the latter is recommended. The fact of the matter is, salons make commission and pay the rent with their sales. If customers knew that the exact same products were available at a local grocery store (god forbid. some of you act so above grocery stores and drugstores. ridiculous.), salons would lose business. The companies will try to play it up that their products are exclusive and “elite” to salons only. Its all a matter of business and tactic.
Independent salons can just as easily sell bad product too. World wide chain stores wouldn’t risk being sued, think about what you’re claiming.
And because I can, I’ll just add this last bit in. I always research and know what I want BEFORE buying my products, whether it be from a salon or drugstore. I know my hair and body better than a stranger, regardless of their credentials. I’ve been given lousy advice at certain salons I’ve been to.
I laughed at the comment about adding water to the product. You get a gold star for creativity.
Sarah Says:
If you cannot read a label and pick haircare for yourself so you must rely only on the opinion of someone who’s trying to sell you something, that’s pretty pathetic.
I’ve gotten crazy advice (and usually bad cuts) at salons for my entire life. Each time I’ve gone to the same salon (over the last 3 years), I’ve heard at least two radically different opinions about my hair per visit – one will say my hair’s in wonderful shape and ask what I use; the other will complain that my hair’s in terrible shape and surely it’d be better if I bought something from the salon. The “wow, your hair’s so damaged, buy our stuff to fix it!” person has always been the one cutting my hair. It makes me laugh every time.
Last time I was even told “___ will protect your color!” about 5min after I’d just told her my hair’s completely naturally curly and I’ve never dyed it. And she had cheerfully told me at the start of the cut, “___ will fix your split ends and prevent more!” – but she could not find a single split end when I asked her to show me some of these horrible split ends ’cause I hadn’t noticed more than one or two after 8 months since my last haircut…
chloe Says:
The big assumption everyone is making here is that all salons sell products for the same price. A can of professional hairspray is sold for, say $7, which means it will then be sold both at Target and at the hair salon for around $14. Now there are some salons (or individual chair renting hair stylists) who buy products and DON’T automatically mark the product up 100% because they want to pass the savings on to their customers. (Not very often, but it does happen-I am one of them) Some of us even buy products when they are on sale, like buy 2 cans at $14 and get a third free. There are hairdressers who are able to set their own prices and are not greedy and simply want their clients to have the right products for their hair to insure that color, perms, cuts that the stylist gives them are enhanced by the use of the proper product. I rent a chair in a salon and am able to set my own prices on products i display and sell and i make sure to sell lower than the department stores and offer great deals to my REGULAR customers. I care about them and want them to have the best products possible since they are a walking advertisement for my work and they provide me with a living and an outlet for my Passion. Yes the products are the same. Find a really good, not- greedy hairstylist and they will hook you up.
chloe Says:
Also a hairstylist who is pushing products is usually making only minimum wage or slightly more and the only chance for them to move to a higher level of pay is to sell more products. Don’t frequent these salons- they are nearly all owned by one large corporation, Regis who is known for underpaying their stylists and setting up salons as a front for mass product sales. They could’nt care less about you, the stylist, or your hair. Find a small salon independent salon near your home and get an experienced stylist to take you on as a client.
How Can You Conduct a Beauty Product Experiment? | Beauty Secrets Blog Says:
[...] up with a hypothesis and prediction. For example, a few stylists have said in the comments of our salon products post that the products you buy in the grocery store are different than those you can get in a [...]
Bridget Says:
I’m a hairstylist also the only thing that i have to say about the professional products is that on most of the professional product bottles it clearly states that the products are not garunteed unless sold in a profeesional salon. at my salon if you don’t like the product you can return it within 30 days. I don’t know if you have that long in a grocery store or not. also generally they cost about $1 more in grocer stores. I’ve personally priced them at several stores.
Jillian Says:
I was just reading through this thread and the thought crossed my mind that although salon products are “guaranteed,” a major chain store will accept your product as a return or in-store credit if you are not happy with it.
That sounds like a guarantee, to me.
Jess Says:
Uh…this question was concerning Salon Brands (such as Paul Mitchell) being sold in Kroger vs being sold in a salon, NOT Salon Brands (eg Paul Mitchell) vs Mass Brads (eg Herbal Essences), right? Because it seems like there are 2 differnt arguments going on, one being the same product (salon brands) being sold 2 different type of places and another between salon brands and cheaper mass market products. These are 2 very different argument, but interesting, but different.
thebeautybrains Says:
You are correct. The original post was comparing a salon brands in the store versus the same ones in a salon. They are not different.
The comments section raised the question of whether salon brands were better than regular store brands. They aren’t.
How Can You Conduct a Beauty Product Experiment? | The Beauty Brains Says:
[...] up with a hypothesis and prediction. For example, a few stylists have said in the comments of our salon products post that the products you buy in the grocery store are different than those you can get in a [...]
janiekendle Says:
You are obviously not any such credible source in the way you that you desperatly reply to peoples posts. I got sick from a bottle of “salon brand” conditioner and turned out I was not even getting a deal. THAT I got sick from the product, is a FACT. If the product is not gauranteed it should AT LEAST be cheaper, period. It was contaminated and I am having it inspected. It was filled with an unknown substance, had been used, had a huge stain and dent that cracked and busted the bottle. HOW can you say this and be so inconsiderate toward the health of others and tell them they are dreaming things? Bottom line is when it is sold by unathorized dealers there is any chance in the world the product could be compromised, sure some probably most will not be, but that IS a chance you take. You also cannot say, that you scientifically checked everything in the world that is sold on e-bay to say it was legit, that is not possible nor true! And besides even if the product were not compromised, would you really want to buy a product in a sorry state like this? thing is I was willing but I was dumb. That is what we should teach people.
janiekendle Says:
JIllian, that is NOT a gaurantee..not being sure that it is the real thing but being able to return it is no consolation. everyone has a return policy, but you would not expect for it to be counterfeit, contaminated or more expensive..people like me who were just stupid, are vast. I would have never returned a salon product, if I wanted it and THOUGHT i was getting a good “deal”. The issue is would you want to buy vitamins that COULD be not really vitamins and leave it up to you to return if you think it is not working. In many cases you are ignorant of this problem or it is past the date of return. These issues must be REGULATING, not your suggestion, so we are gauranteed to get the real thing
janiekendle Says:
allie, you would not want to say where you work to add more weight to your comment. this is a conflict of interest and you could risk your job for that, you know..Paul mitchell did this because manufacturers at a reputible level like Paul mitchell were in the bisiness initially to HELP people’s hair. I wish I could say the same for all drugstore brands. They are literally fighting diversion and do not want to risk compromised quality to the consumer. Their good name is on the line THIS should tell you something about diversion and not to succomb to it, not lose you as a cx, and if it does, that is a risk they are willing to take with you, if they could save MANY.
Left Brain Says:
We do not recommend buying cosmetics from unknown sources like eBay. Stick to reputable stores.
Incidentally, capitalizing a word doesn’t make it true. But if you did get sick from using a contaminated product, you should sue the company that sold it to you.