The Hidden Truth About Drugstore Shampoo: What Your Stylist Isn't Telling You

We have all been there, right?

you get your hair done and then all of a sudden, your stylist starts trying to sell you some $50 bottle of shampoo- cringe city for most of us.

You politely decline and say something along the lines of "I'll think about it."

a lot of people think that when a stylist starts that pitch it's because we want to make an extra buck and sell you something.

and you're right, it's our job.

however, when your doctor sees you for an appointment and they give you advice or a new prescription- you take it, even though the interaction is the same.

the doctor sees a problem, makes a suggestion on how to fix it and you take their advice and trust them.

you don't say:

"I'm good today but I will think about it."

you are there for their advice and you trust their education and experience in the matter.

why do we not give our hair stylists the same respect?

hairstylists see hundreds or thousands of heads of hair per year; we see firsthand the real-life effects of products and difference between our clients that use drugstore/discount shampoo and professional brands.

if you want the real truth from a hair professional then I will give it to you:

some Drugstore shampoos are generally "okay" if you have all natural-virgin hair.

(hair that has never had a chemical treatment done) that means perms, straightening treatments, color, bleach, etc.

BUT if you have chemically treated hair- I don't care what the bottle of shampoo says, drugstore shampoo is never safe for color treated hair.

why? here's my top three reasons:

1. Too harsh.

   Drugstore products are cheaper for a reason, the quality of ingredients USED IS significantly REDUCED OR ELSE THEY couldn't MAKE A PROFIT AFTER SELLING IT FOR JUST $10

   SINCE THE QUALITY IS LOW THESE cleansers AND detergents ARE HARSH.

   THINK USING TOILET BOWL CLEANER TO WASH YOUR FACE.

   
   

   important side note: most discounted professional brand shampoos that you find at big box stores are only that cheap because they are defective or out of date.

   (yes, shampoo does expire)

2. Chemically treated hair needs Ph balancing

especially if you have blonde or bleached hair, most drugstore shampoos are far too alkaline which lifts the cuticle of your hair causing it to be frizzier, fade or dull color faster and causes dryness.

also, I am Texas based, and we have discovered that most of Texas' water is very high on the ph. scale so that means that it matters even more here to make sure you stay ph. balanced with your products.

3. cheap fillers that cause build up on your scalp/hair

again, in an effort to keep their product cheaper they have to sacrifice quality.

so, to bulk up the volume of product that they have to sell they must "cut" the product with these cheap fillers.

It's like if a restaurant watered down a bottle of wine to make it last longer. You would still be drinking wine, but you wouldn't get the same flavor, quality or experience you were paying for.

also, these fillers cause major problems for our scalp health, causing oily but dry scalp-skin that's all out of Wack.

These fillers tend to bond to the surface of the hair as well which can make it "appear" healthier or shinier.

the fillers are usually silicone based so think of melted micro plastics wrapping the surface of your hair.

since we know that plastic melts under heat- what do you think that is doing to your hair when you blow dry, flat iron or curl it? yikes.

important side note: prolonged use of drugstore products actually makes your hair more difficult to lighten in the salon because of the barrier of build up, so if you have a hard time achieving the blonde you want this may be the culprit.

okay so I've told you what not to use,

now I'll share with you my list of preferred products

first off IF you have totally virgin hair then the only drugstore products I would recommend would be either be:

• Native (for straight hair)

• shea moisture (for curly hair)

my favorites for all chemically treated hair:

• amika

• biolage

• kenra professional

• kevin murhpy

I hope this helps you feel more empowered in your healthy hair journey.

peace, love & great hair- Alicia