Are Salon Products Really Worth The Cost?
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Why does your hairstylist recommend an 8-ounce bottle that costs twice as much as the liter-sized duo you can find elsewhere? Is there really a difference? Are salon products really worth the price? Or is your stylist just trying to make an extra commission?
If you’ve ever stood in the hair-care aisle comparing a $12 bottle of shampoo with a $40 professional formula, you’ve probably wondered what you’re actually paying for.
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Is the price tag the only difference?
It starts with the formula. Shampoo and conditioner aren't just about one buss word ingredient like keratin, collagen, or biotin. What matters is how all of the ingredients work together and how the formula performs on your particular hair and scalp.
One area where formulas can differ is pH.
One area where formulas can differ is pH.
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Hair and scalp naturally have a mildly acidic environment, with a pH balance between 4 and 5. Research comparing 123 shampoos found that 75% of the professional products tested had a pH of 5.5 or below, compared with about 34% of mass-market shampoos. The researchers found that more alkaline shampoos can increase friction on the hair fiber, potentially contributing to frizz, tangling, and damage.
That doesn't mean every salon shampoo is better. It does show why looking beyond the front of the bottle can matter. |
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Concentration matters. Two shampoos can have similar ingredients listed on the bottle and still perform very differently.
Professional products are often designed with specific hair concerns in mind, and some are more concentrated than their mass-market counterparts. That can mean you need less product per wash, which makes comparing the price of an 8-ounce bottle with a much larger drugstore bottle a little misleading.
More expensive also doesn't automatically mean more concentrated or more effective. The formula is what matters.
Professional products are often designed with specific hair concerns in mind, and some are more concentrated than their mass-market counterparts. That can mean you need less product per wash, which makes comparing the price of an 8-ounce bottle with a much larger drugstore bottle a little misleading.
More expensive also doesn't automatically mean more concentrated or more effective. The formula is what matters.
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Another study compared product formulas. Often, consumers are led to believe a single ingredient can transform their hair - biotin, keratin, collagen, the list goes on. The “magic ingredient” strategy is used by companies to present their products as being miraculously and exceptionally effective. But the study determined it’s actually the interaction between product ingredients that is more important than one ingredient alone.
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Why does your stylist make specific recommends?
Because your stylist has seen your hair up close. They know whether your hair is color-treated, porous, fine, dry, curly, oily, prone to buildup, or struggling with breakage. They also know what products and techniques they're using during your appointment.
Because your stylist has seen your hair up close. They know whether your hair is color-treated, porous, fine, dry, curly, oily, prone to buildup, or struggling with breakage. They also know what products and techniques they're using during your appointment.
The goal of a good recommendation is to help you maintain those results at home.
The American Academy of Dermatology also recommends choosing hair-care products based on your hair type and washing habits rather than simply following a one-size-fits-all routine.
What about drugstore products?
There are good ones.
You can find effective, affordable hair products outside a salon. But professional guidance can actually save you more money.
There are good ones.
You can find effective, affordable hair products outside a salon. But professional guidance can actually save you more money.
Buying three products that don't work because they were on sale isn't necessarily cheaper than buying one product that was chosen specifically for your hair.
You're also paying for expertise. When you purchase a professional product from your stylist, you're getting more than a bottle. You're getting someone who can explain:
How much to use
Where to apply it
How often to use it
What to pair it with
When to stop using it
What to try if your hair changes
And if your hair changes because you color it, grow it out, change your style, or your scalp needs something different, your product routine can change with it.
How much to use
Where to apply it
How often to use it
What to pair it with
When to stop using it
What to try if your hair changes
And if your hair changes because you color it, grow it out, change your style, or your scalp needs something different, your product routine can change with it.
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So, are salon products worth it?
They can be. If a professional product gives you better results, protects your color, makes your hair easier to manage, or helps you maintain the work you're paying for in the salon, the higher price may be worthwhile. If a less expensive product works beautifully for your hair, that's worth knowing too. |
At Vantage, we'd rather help you understand why we're recommending something than simply tell you that you need it.
Your hair-care budget is part of the equation. The best products are the ones that solve the problems you're actually having and fit into your real life.
