How Kerastase Kills Your Cash

December

Lauren’s on the lookout: I’ve been wanting to try Kerastase hair products for quite some time now, but they are so overpriced. What about these products make it so such more expensive than most others? Are there any cheaper shampoos, conditioner and masks that perform similarly but for a cheaper price?

The Right Brain responds:
In case you haven’t read our post on “Who’s Who in the Cosmetic Industry,” Kerastase is owned by cosmetic giant L’Oreal who markets a variety of brands at different prices. Like many large companies, L’Oreal spends a lot resources developing the best possible formulas and then use those formulas across different brands. Why is Kerastase so expensive? Can you say “brand image?” You’re paying for a different fragrance, packaging and advertising but not necessarily a different formula.

High Cost

For example, look at Kerastase Nutritive Oleo-Relax Smoothing Hair Masque. A 5 ounce jar sells for $50.00 and it contains the following ingredients:

Water, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Potato Starch Modified, Cetyl Esters, Isopropyl Alcohol, Elaeis Guinneensis Oil, Shorea Robusta / Shorea Robusta Seed Butter, prevervatives, fragrance, blah blah blah.

Low Cost

Now consider L’Oreal Vive Pro Smooth Intense Conditioning Treatment. A 6.8 ounce tube will set you back $4.99. The ingredients are remarkable similar:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Potato Starch Modified, Cetyl Esters, Isopropyl Alcohol, and more blah blah blah.

Chemically speaking, these are nearly identical. They’re based on the same fatty alcohol blend and rely on behentrimonium chloride and amodimethicone for conditioning. And the potato starch is an interesting choice of thickener/emulsifier. Functionally speaking, we’d be amazed if a consumer could tell any difference between these two products.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Does this mean ALL Kerastase formulas are the same as the cheaper L’Oreal versions? Not necessarily, but we’d take a close look at each product before spending that much cash.

36 Responses to “How Kerastase Kills Your Cash”

Judy Says:

I recently asked my stylist about the more expensive product lines…he said “most of them are the same old crap”…he did say that he thought Pureology was a BIT better so I bought a teeny travel size and it does smell nice but I don’t expect it to be vastly better than other cheaper brands. Keeping my expectations realistic, I guess.

My stylist also told me when you see “New and Improved” on a label it usually means that they have changed the COLOR or the FRAGRANCE not the essential ingredients.
thebeautybrains Says:

Your stylist is uncommonly knowledgeable or honest.

“New & Improved” doesn’t ALWAYS mean changes to the color and fragrance but it often means that. Every so often a company will completely change the formula (like when P&G bought Herbalessences and changed all those formulas to the Pantene formula). But mostly, you’re stylist is right.

Incidentally, Pureology isn’t much different either. They were recently bought by L’Oreal and now probably have the same base formula as something like their Vives.

It’s a good product but overpriced for what you’re getting.
lori Says:

i bought a bottle of keratsase, brought it into the drug store, and matched it against pro-vive. same exact formula. when i went to return the keratsase, the girl told me it had better ingredients – more silicones and better grade. i looked at her as if she had 3 heads. the only difference is the packaging (and of course the price!). i’ll stick with my deva-curl (where no animals were harmed to make my hair clean).
Courtney Says:

Why isn’t this illegal? It seems like these high-end brands are like the snake oil salesmen of a hundred years ago.
Lauren Says:

I know, it really should be but seeing as the whole cosmetic industry is not regulated by the FDA they do as they please. I’ve noticed Pantene has many different NAMED product lines (Hydrating Curls, Smooth and Sleek, Ice Shine) yet the same exact formula. I find it very annoying because it seems false advertising. Especially when one costs 10 times more in L’Oreal’s case..
thebeautybrains Says:

It’s not illegal because they are not lying to you. They make minor changes to the formula that don’t really effect the performance, but also change it enough so it isn’t exactly the same.

While the cosmetic industry is largely self-regulate, it’s not true that the FDA doesn’t regulate the cosmetic industry at all. There are many instances in which they do (dandruff shampoos, sunscreens, ap/do, etc.) Additionally, the cosmetic manufacturers are not allowed to lie about their products. If called on it they have to prove that what they say is not false advertising.

On some level this problem is caused by consumers. How many of you would want to buy a brand that only costs 99 cents? Most people just wouldn’t believe it’s as good as something that costs $10. The cosmetic industry is just giving people what they want. So, who’s fault is that?
Lisa Says:

I recently bought a L’oreal hair dye. It causes such a bad reaction I will never use any L’oreal product again. (And the potato starch is an interesting choice of thickener/emulsifier) this is not an interesting choice. This is a genetically modified materials choice that L’oreal/Nestle’s corp thinks is a good idea. GM foods cause severe allergic reactions in people they know that but they do not want to stop using it. They are disgusting. I will never buy another L’oreal product again.
The Beauty Brains » Blog Archive » How Pricey Products Baffle Your Brain Says:

[...] beauty products are worth the money. We’ve blogged about high priced hair lines like Alterna and Kerastase as well as prestige skin care products like IS Clinical and Cor, the worlds most expensive [...]
Diane Kirts Says:

Before you doubt a product; why don’t you try it. Just because the ingredient list matches another brands, doesn’t mean they are the same.

The Keratase products I’ve used are concentrated and superior. My salon recommends and of course, sells them. They are excellent!
gianni Says:

t true there is not too much difference between L’oreal owned products ranges. Kerastase and serie expert both sell a hairloss treatment called aminexil – different packaging – same name – the kerastase on is £20 more expensive though. It true you are buying into a brand image and the name. Although i would say the salon product L’oreal makes are far superior to the supermarket range they also put there name to El’vive, studio lines etc. But everything with a name comes a a price. Just like a item of clothing a pair of armani jeans with a £140 price tag are not going to be 7 time better than a pair from new look, but the determines that you are paying 7 times more.
Erika Says:

I am a hairstylist and have used many different Kerastase products. I have also used other L’oreal products in the past. And I can tell you the ingredients may read the same but they are not comparable. I used to work for a Kerastase Salon and got a great discount and now I pay full price like everyone else and I still use it. It is totally worth it. I am not saying its for everyone. If you are happy with what you are using don’t waste your money but I think its the best stuff on the market and I have tried many brands from many price ranges. And as for Lisa and her bad L’oreal color mishap… no offense but I don’t think, and maybe I am wrong that you have much back round in chemistry and maybe with that in mind should not be mixing chemicals and putting them on yourself. L’oreal makes a great color line for professionals and it is used in MOST high end salons around the world from all the Toni and Guys Salons to Fredrick Fekki in NYC along with many others.
ED ANGELES Says:

My name is Ed Angles from the Phils… i own the first anad only Kerastase Institute by Salon ESA in the Phils…. i am somewhat a kerastase freako… you might call me.

I know the effect of each and every line of kerastase shampoos, conditioners, intense conditioning, leave-on protectant and salon in-use treatment… i’ve tried each and every product and i swear to the effectivity each line specifically designed for each type of hair.

I must admit it is very expensive.. in the phils… a shampoo retails for about P1,075.00… which is approximately $26.20.But you can see results… the product is really very effective… and each line is made to correct the problem or give the desired results each customer or client desires.

In my case… i alternate bain gommage(the anti-dandruff shampoo) with bain prevention (shampoo to reduce the risk of hair-loss), and bain volumactive (for fine and limp hair), together with bain de force (the repair shampoo for chemically treated hair.. as i color my hair every month as i have greying hair).. and even if i dont have dandruff it is always good to use an anti-dandruff shampoo twice a week in order to exfoliate and cleanse your scalp properly… we have to understand that the scalp is an extension of our skin… and overtime.. we need to remove the dead skin cells that need to be replaced by the underlying new cells that want to show up.
Jules Says:

I have to say, I know that the Kerastase brand has similar ingredients to the other cheaper L’oreal products, but I find Kerastase FAR more effective in doing what it says on the bottle (or packet).

I used to straighten my hair every day for 3 years (and I have very thick and curly hair) and I seriously damaged my hair to what I thought was beyond repair, unless I shaved my head and grew my hair all over again.
I tried tons of products on my hair and ditched my straightening irons but nothing really stopped my hair from snapping off. I ended up spending TONS of money on lots of cheaper to middle priced products (and i’m a student living in London, so i can’t afford to waste my money)…
then my boyfriend, out of the blue, went down to the hair salon nearest to where i live and explained my situation.
He got me shampoo and conditioner from the Bain de Force Kerastase range and some treatment as well.
At first i got mad at him for wasting his money, but then when i tried it I was surprised to find that it works.

To be honest though, i would only recommend going out and buying expensive products if your hair situation is very bad.
thebeautybrains Says:

Thanks to everyone for their great comments. What you fail to realize is the power of your mind to convince you there are differences where there may be none.

We won’t be able to convince you because you’ve already decided that there is something different about Kerastase. But if you were to take a Kerastase product and a store brand L’Oreal product like the one outlined above, make them smell the same and put them in the same container, you most likely wouldn’t be able to tell a difference.

It’s a difficult thing to accept but it’s true. All people are easily fooled by product marketing. We just want to believe we are not wasting our money.
kérastase Says:

Kérastase products are really efficient and as a professional hair dresser i must say that i wouldn’t recommend any other products.
Kérastase is really awesome and you may pay a significant price but in the long term Kérastase customers are really satisfied.
Kérastase products can be also purchased online at a fair price for example at http://www.josscoiffure.com
Michelle Says:

I noticed a huge difference when I first used Kerastase products at home. My hair was soft, shinny and weightless. It is alot more, but I buy it online. I may try the pro-vive to save money, but I love the Kerastase products.
Yellowtulip Says:

I have Kerastase and Loreal Vive Pro at my house. I compared the ingredients after reading this article and past the first ingredient…they aren’t the same. Also, you can tell that it isn’t the same product not only by how different my hair feels after using each product, but also by the way they lather when you’re shampooing. I bought the Loreal Vive Pro a couple months ago and gave up on it after a couple days. The Kerastase I’m continuing to use. It gives my hair moisture and volume. My hair has never been in better condition.
Jennifer Says:

Kerastase works amazing! I had celebrity hair after using the conditioner, Ashlee Simpson swears buy it and so does Ken Paves!!! Jessica and Ashlee have gorgeous hair if you ask me and so did I after using it so i dunno…it sure works for them and me!
Left Brain Says:

Of course the product works. It’s just that you can find other products that work just as well and don’t cost as much.
kripata Says:

Well, just to counterbalance all the favourable opinions, some Kerastase products worked ok, but some were downright bad. At any rate, there is only one I would consider repurchasing (although I probably won’t – there are too many products out there I haven’t tried!).

I bought the products believing it would be the best for my hair, but didn’t even use some of them up, because they were not up to par. I really don’t know what most of you see in Kerastase.
Patty Says:

I have tried everything from Redken to Pureology. I startd using Karastase after my last color. My hair looks awesome and I will never switch. I don’t really care about the price as long as it works. It smoothes my hair shaft and leaves my hair so manageable. I say do what you want to do. It is your hair. If it works, do it!
Elisabeth Says:

L’Oreal…once again deceiving people. I am not surprised. I love their products but when they screw the ‘little’ people that want good products by making them pay outrageous prices for Kertatase when the ingredients are the same…shame on them. They should remember…a faithful customer will stay with them forever but greed seems to matter over loyalty…
amanda Says:

Without a doubt, Kerastase products are worth every penny. Even if they do have ingredient lists similar to less expensive L’Oreal products they are NOT the same. There can be a large difference in the quality of a single ingredient. It may help if you think of it like this…take an example of chocolate chip cookies. The basic ingredient list is this: flour, sweetener, fat, flavor and chocolate. That ingredient list is sufficient enough to refer to both of the following two specific recipes: the first is made with processed flour, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips (also containing hydrogenated something or another). This is the typical ingredient list for most cookies found in the grocery store. Or you can buy your second option made with whole wheat flours, organic cane sugar, organic hormone-free butter, vanilla (not vanilla extract), pure organic dark chocolate chips. The ingredients in the second example will have a different effect (immediately and cumulatively) than the ingredients on the first. And that’s how cosmetic ingredient lists work, they list the basic name of each component and don’t have to delve deeper to indicate the quality level of each one. So you’d have no way of knowing if it was ingredient list 1 or 2 because they would look the same.

I love Kerastase products and know from experience that they are amazing quality and do what they say they will. Regardless of price, Kerastase is one of the best lines available. But because of the price, they are definitely not for everybody and there are other fine products available at reasonable prices. Just like anything else, it is all about finding the best quality for the money you are willing to spend while still getting the end result you are looking for.
ann Says:

I checked the ingredient list of pro vive with kerastase bain miroir for color-treated hair, and they were not the same at all. only about 5 ingredients were the same, but many more were different. i’ve tried both shampoos, and all i can say is….kerastase makes my hair salon smooth every time, while pro-vive and others leave it more dried out and frizzy.
Jade Says:

I use Kerastase and love it!
“The chanel of hair products”
I believe they may list the same ingredients but there are some secrets in the kerastase brand they don’t want everyone to know.
Anyone that is ripping on the product has not tried it!
Because once you use it you will see that even a frizzed up color died skank mop of hair looks fabulous after using the product!
wavyhair Says:

If you like Kerastase Masquintense, take a look at L’Oreal Nature’s Therapy Mega Moisture mask at Sally Beauty Supply. $10 for the same product.
Ben Says:

I have long hair, and have noticed a big difference when I started using kerastase. Reading this article, I saw the chance to save a bundle, and went out to get Vive Pro Smooth Intense Shampoo and Conditioner. I tried them, and didn’t think my hair was quite the same. So the next time I washed, I did a test. I washed and conditioned one side of my head with Oleo-Relax, and the other side with The Vive Pro. Other people noticed there was a difference – the Oleo-Relax performs better, no contest. They weren’t swayed by marketing or price of either product – they just noticed the obvious fact that one side of my head looked like I gave up before it was quite dry.

Saying the products are the same because of similar ingredients is no different than saying my mom’s home made chicken soup is just like campbell’s condensed – after all, its mostly just chicken, water, carrots, celery, and spices – how different could it be? There’s a huge difference in the quality and selection of those ingredients, and the cooking process is not at all the same.

You can’t compare products based just on the label – you really do have to try them and see how they work. I agree that not everything that costs more works better, but you can’t assume that everything that costs more is a waste of money, either. Try them both, the difference is clear. Instead of saving tons of money not buying kerastase, I wasted money on a lousy product that I’m not ever gonna use.
Left Brain Says:

@Ben

Your analogy with food and cosmetics isn’t exactly right. While there is a big difference between quality of food, there is relatively little difference between surfactants, emulsifiers, and polymers. Companies often use the exact same suppliers for their ingredients. There is no huge difference in cosmetic ingredient quality.

We don’t assume that everything that costs more is a waste of money. We’ve tested most of the products we write about. However, what is true for lab tests and our personal experiences might not be true for everyone. Just like what is true for you might not be applicable to other people.
Xzigalia Says:

Now I’m confused. Though I read your blog on people being “bamboozled” into thinking something is better due to a higher price tag, I’m still sure (judging by the amount of hair left in my brush every morning) that I’ve had the best result from Kerastase. (bain mirroir/ chroma reflect). When I switched to a different brand (KMS) my split ends soared.
So why have I had better results?
IS there a higher concentration in some top-end products?
Can you get better quality ingredients in products which are basically chemical compounds?
Are there “filler” ingredients which can cheapen a product by not adding any usefulness, just bulk?
If you have two brands with the same ingredients in the same order, is there any way of telling which has a higher concentration?
You’ve already mentioned that the chemicals are often from the same source but would they be similarly treated? And do some chemicals work in conjunction with others for a better result?
Also, do you have a substitute for Chroma Reflect that has been lab-tested? It’s $30 a bottle over here so if there was a generic I’d love you forever.
Kelly Says:

Kerastase is wonderful and I agree with others who have stated that you have to try them before you come to some conclusion based off ingrediants that they are the same as like ingrediant brands or products. Kerastase performs like a champion and is the Chanel of hair products. I have used every single line with the excepetion of the hair loss line and each one has done what it has promised in managing my hair
Manuela Says:

Well, I’m sorry for the honesty, but saying that “Kerastase kill your cash” sounds nasty.

You point that the ingredients are the same…. Someone said the quality and quantity of substances may vary, wich seems pretty obvious to me. Why does a mp3 player may cost 25€ and another one, from the same brand can cost three times more? Is ot because the “ingredients” are diferent? Aren’t mp3 players made by plastic, phones, etc etc…. Why does the price range varies so much? Because of WHAT each MP3 player is able TO DO and HOW GOOD it is…. I can’t figure out why some of ou don’t undersant this.

HELLO?

Plus, if all the shampoos are the same I don’t why you bother so much and talk so much about it. Just grab the first you find!!!!!

Plus, don’t dish somenthing you don’t even Know….The shampoos available in the supermarket are crap and if you use a professional one for some time, you understand how ridiculous it is to state that Lorel products from 3€ are the same than Kerastase that costs so much more….

And, if Kerastase products were the way you say then NO ONE would pay for them and the brand wouldnt last for so many decades…. Pantene, my darlings, is CHEAP, Therefore sells and remains.

Kerastase is luxury hair care, with real results, thefore sells and remains!!!
Manuela Says:

Keraste kills nothing. You kill good sense
Manuela Says:

If kerastase products weren’t great NO ONE would buy them and the

brand would be gone a long time ago….
Manuela Says:

Plus, why does a certain MP3 player cost 30€ and some other one, from the same brand costs 75€? Is it because of the ingredients? Does the plastic have two different names??? HELOOOOOOO????
The more expensive is more expensive because of WHAT IT CAN DO and WHAT STANDARD OF QUALITY IT HAS…..

WAKE UO TO LIFE GIRLS and stop telling yourself that Pantene equals Kerastase…. Please
Manuela Says:

First you buy the right shampoo for you hair type(from Kerastase) and matching conditioner and use till it’s over. Then, come here and have your say! : )
Ronnie Says:

I’ve used Kerastase’s Oleo-Relax and Oleo-Curl line, and to be honest, I hated them. Marketed for thick, coarse hair my hiney! The hairspray has SD-alcohol listed as the first ingredient–umm, hello, my hair is DRY!! I don’t need alcohol on it! The serum did beyond nothing, and I can make my own deep conditioners which do a much better job than the $58 I’m going to spend on either of their conditioners. And to be PERFECTLY honest, the $4 I spend on my Creme of Nature ultra-hydrating shampoo left my hair feeling much more clean and moisturized than any product I’ve tried by Kerastase. I will gladly stick with Creme of Nature and Aubrey Organics any day of the week.