Salon vs. Drugstore Hair Products

We're all looking to get that hair we see in commercials, but the journey to luxurious locks may look a little bit different than you thought. Certain beauty products are worth the splurge, and now it's time to find out why your hair care products need to go on that list! Who wouldn't want to use far less product that's great quality while achieving wildly better results?

Why it Matters

The purpose of shampoo is to cleanse our hair, while conditioner is meant to be used once those oils have been removed to nourish the hair. Some people take that dry feel after shampooing as a bad sign, but that dry feeling is a good thing! It means your hair is truly clean and ready to soak up all the conditioner's nutrients. You'll see this more often in professional products than the store-bought brands. For this reason, the 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner isn't recommended. It can't do two jobs at once. There's so much your hair is missing out on. Experts also recommend choosing a line of products that target your needs and stick to it. We love Redken's Frizz Dismiss and Extreme lines. You won't be disappointed! Even though it won't transform your hair overnight, within months you'll barely recognize your hair!

The Cons of Drugstore Products

Although drugstore hair products can make your hair look shiny, it's not because your hair is healthy like you'd imagine. They create a layer of waxy, silicone buildup that sacrifices hair health for little payoff. The picture shows just a part of this buildup being removed from the hair.

It's coated with a thin, waterproof, plastic layer. This locks out any nourishing ingredients trying to penetrate the hair. The layer gets thicker and difficult to remove. As a result, the hair becomes dull, brittle, and dry.

Heat damage is also worse with these drugstore products. The silicone layer of buildup greatly increases chance of breakage. These store-bought products eventually strip the hair of its natural, healthy oils. The waxy buildup may appear to be soft or shiny for a while, but the hair is extremely dehydrated within and prone to break.

The worst part for anybody that colors their hair is that drugstore products strip the hair of its vibrant color. Terrifying, right?! With the investment you make to get your hair done, why would you choose products that dull that amazing color you left the salon with?

The Pros of Professional Products

There are tons of pros to salon shampoos and conditioners. They are chemically calibrated formulas for everything your hair needs. That alone says paying a higher price tag has its benefits! These products use certain vitamins and minerals to target different needs for your hair. Another great benefit is the possibility to actually SAVE money! Seriously, you can actually save money using salon products. It only takes a dime-sized amount to get the job done. Drugstore shampoos and conditioners contain so much water and filler that much more is needed to get that rich lather. That quickly adds up! What used to be frequent trips to get more shampoo turns into a bottle of shampoo that lasts for several months and conditioner that lasts even longer! That's a win in our book! The best part of all, salon products always create softer, stronger, and faster growing hair. You literally can't go wrong there.

Ingredients Matter

We're all looking for hair care to cleanse, repair, volumize, and smooth. This is a bit harder to achieve when using drugstore haircare. Drugstore brands make this a real uphill battle. The salon products infuse only what heals hair and targets your haircare needs, with formulations to treat all hair types and anything from frizz to breakage to hair growth. Others don't.

Naturally safe ingredients are abundant in salon shampoos and conditioners, which tend to cost more. But the old saying is true, you get what you pay for. Professional products infuse healthy oils, minerals, and vitamins. Drugstore shampoos and conditioners at times include minimum amounts of some quality ingredients, but they surely include preservatives, parabens, silicone, and sodium chloride. Yikes! We'll explain why that matters a little later.

You'll notice the ingredient list in salon shampoos and conditioners is significantly smaller. This is because it only includes things to nourish, heal, strengthen, and target the specific need of your hair. With store-bought haircare products, you're adding harmful, diluted ingredients to your hair care regimen. That seems like a no-brainer.

Beat the Drugstore Haircare Temptation

It can be hard to resist grabbing hair products that are affordable, accessible, and available in just about any scent you can imagine. The problem is that this convenience comes at a steep price.

These products are less expensive due to the price and quality of the ingredients, focusing on water, fillers (such as wax or animal fat,) and preservatives to lengthen shelf-life. Did we mention you have to wash your hair more often than with a professional shampoo or conditioner?

Earlier we mentioned drugstore products adding fillers, parabens, and sodium chloride. You may be wondering why that matters. As if it isn't bad enough that it contains things like wax and animal fat, the parabens are bad for your scalp, which affects hair growth. The worst of them all, sodium chloride, is actually the formal way of saying "table salt." You can imagine how bad this is for your hair when used with each shampoo. It has near disastrous long-term effects. For example, breakage, dehydration, a dry, itchy, flaky scalp, and possible hair loss top the list. These are all red flags that let you know that eventually, those lower prices will catch up to you.

Our Choice

Professional products include the healthy things your hair needs to meet your hair goals. The natural ingredients are a little more costly, but only upfront. They last much longer and balance out with drugstore products. These store-bought products will damage your hair over time, with ingredients that should make you think twice. It's time to add hair products to the list of beauty items to splurge on. Your hair will thank you!

Why You Need a Money Piece

This is one of the hottest trends in hair right now! Nearly every celebrity you see is rocking a money piece. A money piece highlight is a face-framing color technique that dyes the front strands of hair lighter than the rest. This look works well for any hair color, type, or texture.

Step up your color game with this show-stopping trend! This look from the '90s has come back around, and we're all going crazy over this. Since it's totally customizable, the possibilities are endless!

Instant Facial Makeover

This amazing addition to your hairstyle gives your face an instant little upgrade. It brightens your complexion, softens and accentuates your facial features, all while enhancing your skin tone and eye color. It's like an instant makeover, and we're totally here for it!

It's like a contour for your hair that will put the finishing touches on your already amazing style. It brings focus to the eyes and becomes the focal point of your look. Whether you're looking for one that's chunky or thin, there's nothing better than to add a money piece to give yourself a naturally sun-kissed glow that may even knock out a couple of steps in your makeup routine!

About Money Pieces

A money piece is a sister to the balayage technique, painting the highlights to frame your face to create either a lived-in look or a bold statement piece. They often boost your natural shade to create a natural looking glow. It's recommended that the color chosen is 3-4 shades brighter to achieve the full impact.

Money pieces are most noticeable when hair is worn straight, but look slightly less bold with wavy or curly hairstyles. The way you part your hair also affects the dramatics of the money piece. Side parts will make it feel bolder. This way, you can have whatever look you'd like!

Benefits & Tips for Money Pieces

This low-maintenance style is not only easy to keep up with between visits, it's also easy on your wallet, so you don't have to dip into that savings account to get that enviable style!

Opting for a bold pastel or neon color is sure to turn heads and invite plenty of compliments. It even adds a great pop of color to a rooted ombré, too! The money piece adds dimension and really brightens up the whole look.

It's also great for people trying to decide if they want to go blonde. You can do a little tester without the full commitment. It'll give you a little peek inside to see how you feel about it.

Choosing the Right Money Piece for You

Since the sky is the limit when picking a money piece, it's definitely a good idea to do some research and come in with an idea of what you're looking to achieve. Don't forget to think of how thick or thin you'd like it to be, and it isn't a bad idea to bring an inspiration photo for your stylist. It makes success a sure thing!

If you're looking for a bit of a natural-looking money piece, choose a color that is close to your all-over color. Brunettes typically choose something a little more realistic and effortless, very much like the color the hair would be if it were lightened by the sun, while others go with a bolder statement piece. Most blondes, especially those that rock a balayage, opt for a bolder, icy color to add a dramatic pop to the look.

A Little Advice

Make sure to use color-safe shampoo and conditioner to keep that money piece looking as good as it did when you left the salon. Don't forget to use heat protectant if you need to use hot tools. The more heat you use, the faster your money piece will fade, so try to use as little heat as possible. We love Redken Extreme Play Safe. It's the perfect heat protectant for when heat is necessary to get the look you're wanting.

Finally, leave lightening to the professionals. When bleaching your hair, you can never be too careful. One slip up can leave you with damaged hair and could easily end up being the wrong color. Since it's fast and affordable, it's an easy decision.

Now that you've got the scoop on money pieces, you're sure to have an awesome experience with yours! Join the likes of Bella Hadid, Khloe Kardashian, and J Lo with a statement piece that turns heads. Don't miss out on this amazing trend. After all, it isn't often that a trend comes around that gives your face an instant upgrade. You can't go wrong rocking a money piece. Create your own look and enjoy all the compliments!

How Often Should You Wash Your Hair

Finding the perfect hair washing schedule could seem impossible, but it's a project that's well worth it once you find that groove! We've all heard different things about how often you should wash your hair, but there's no simple answer. Honestly, who wouldn't want to spend a little time finding the best routine to get healthy hair that may even cut down on your shampoo days? There are just a couple of things about your hair that you need to determine first, just to give you a better idea of what's right for you. You'll need to find your hair type, texture, damage, and situational factors like pollution or workouts.

Strength Test

Make sure to grab just one hair to take the strength test to determine thickness. If you can't feel the strand in between your fingers, you have fine hair. If it feels thick or coarse, you have thick hair.

This should give you a really good starting point on your journey to the perfect hair washing schedule!

Stretch Test

Stretch out one strand of hair. If it breaks when you stretch it, it has low elasticity. If the hair extends to more than its normal length, it has higher elasticity, which also means healthier hair. You can go longer between washes with higher elasticity since it can take more than unhealthy hair. Keep in mind that brushing while wet can also cause a bit of damage and lower elasticity. If you have low elasticity, look into a strengthening treatment like Kerastase Resistance Masque. This masque does wonders for brittle or dry hair. It's a total miracle worker!

Fine Hair

You can expect to wash your fine hair every 1-2 days. Many fine-haired people have more oil glands on the scalp, which makes it become greasy a little more quickly. If it doesn't produce a lot of oil, you can get away with every other day. You could also consider applying a dry shampoo for a pop of volume if you don't need a wash quite yet, but find your hair falling a little flat.

Use high quality shampoos geared towards your hair goals to avoid damage from washing it often. A good choice would be something sulfate free so it won't strip the good oils that make your hair a little healthier. When you find the right shampoo, you may even be able to extend the time between hair washing days. Another good idea may be to alternate between using hot tools and air drying your hair. Use them every other time you wash your hair to avoid heat damage.

Thick, Curly, or Coarse Hair

As little as twice a week could be the key for you. According to dermatologists, twice a week is recommended to avoid product buildup on your scalp. Buildup without cleaning can result in a flaky scalp, which isn't so glamorous.

You can get away with washing less since it doesn't show as quickly, and the hair can become dry if washed too often. It can also depend on the amount of hair product you use. Consider adding a third time each week if you use a lot of product on your hair. Just like your face, oil and product buildup occur on your scalp, and you want to keep that clean and healthy for happy hair!

Washing Tips

• Make sure the hair is completely wet when applying shampoo

• Use a little shampoo to lather into the roots, rinse, then do an all-over shampoo

• One of the largest risks to your hair is damage while wet, as the hair is weakest when it isn't dry. Be kind to your hair and try to avoid brushing while wet

• If you over-wash your hair, be aware it could result in dry scalp, straw-like hair, and irritation, according to professionals

• Massage shampoo with pads of fingers into scalp for around 30 seconds at least - NO NAILS!

• Use fingers to comb through and don't rub ends in circular motion unless you want those locks to tangle

• If you notice itching, flaking, product buildup, greasy strands (not just the roots), or unpleasant smells, it's time for a good shampoo

• If you feel like you want to go longer without washing but you see a bit of greasy roots, give some dry shampoo a shot! It can really make a difference and save the day! We love Invisible Dry Shampoo by Redken. It's a lifesaver!

• If you color your hair, the more often you wash it, the more quickly it fades

• Consider applying dry shampoo before blow drying for an added layer of protection. It'll protect against those irritating spots that get a little oily while you sleep

• If you feel like you need a wash, consider a shampoo substitute like a co-wash or cleansing conditioner that could give you the same result

This guide can help you develop that schedule that your hair will love! You may have to change it up with physical activity or environmental factors, but you can at least have a good idea of what your hair needs to look and feel its best. No schedule is the same for two people, given all the factors that affect our hair like working out, pollution, sweating, using heat on our hair, thickness, elasticity, and so many more. Trial and error is the only way to get your schedule down. Once you finally find that sweet spot, you'll be glad you did!