Why It’s Finally Time To Ditch Drugstore Brands
I bet this isn’t the first time you’ve heard a stylist talk about how drugstore shampoo is a big no-no. However, I do feel we don’t do the best job explaining the ‘why’ - and it comes down to the ingredients. Drugstore shampoos usually contain more water and fillers than hair-nourishing ingredients like oils and vitamins. In turn, the water content makes you need to use a lot of the product, so although the price is lower than salon quality, you end up using a lot more. So how much money are you saving?
A tricky ingredient is silicone. The relationship between hair and silicone is complicated. For starters, it gives your hair that soft, silky feeling that prevents it from puffing up at the first sign of moisture. However, silkening products weigh hair down and prevent other moisturizing ingredients from penetrating your hair shaft. Since a lot of silicones are not water soluble, they can lead to build-up on your hair over time. So if you feel like your hair is weighed down or looks greasy shortly after washing, silicones could be the issue. Like a lot of ingredients in beauty products, not all silicones are created equal; here is a list of some to avoid:
Dimethicone
Cetyl Dimethicone
Cetearyl Methicone
Dimethicone
Stearyl Dimethicone
Cyclomethicone
Amodimethicone
Trimethylsilylamodimethicone
Cyclopentasiloxane
Drugstore brands could have some of the same ingredients as more luxury hair care, but they have much smaller amounts of it. Salon shampoos contain a bigger proportion of high-grade ingredients that protect and nourish the hair and less of those that strip the hair of its natural oils.
Salon-quality hair care doesn’t have to break the bank either. There are numerous brands out there that are at reasonable price points and do a fabulous job. A couple of my favorite lines would be Joico and Wella.
I want you to think of shampoo and conditioner as insurance for your hair, especially if you are coloring it. The only way your stylist can guarantee your color will last as long as it should is if you use something salon-quality. With so many hair care lines on the market, finding the right one for you can seem daunting, don’t hesitate to ask your stylist or me which brand they recommend for you! I promise you will not regret finally ditching the drugstore brands.
