Drugstore Shampoo vs. Salon Shampoo - What's the difference?

I've seen my clients' eyes glaze over in record speed when I begin to tell them why their $6 drugstore shampoo is awful for their hair. Like I had mentioned in my first post, if they are fairly new and are still getting to know me, why should they trust what I have to say? Unfortunately until you build a relationship with your stylist, you might not truly trust what they have to say when it comes to product. This is completely unbiased research done by myself. Besides water, which is used as a base, here are the important ingredients in shampoo:
Surfactants are the single most important ingredient in shampoos. Surfactants, such as anionic, clean the natural oils off of the hair. Some surfactants irritate the scalp, while others are gentle (like the kind in baby shampoo). They can add lather to the wash or not lather at all. The biggest difference between the good and the bad surfactants is the size of the molecule. Small molecule ingredients can penetrate the skin, causing irritation. Large molecule ingredients are considered to be mild, gentle, and non-irritating, as they cannot penetrate the skin.


Ingredients to avoid: Triethanolammonium Lauryl Sulfate · Sodium Lauryl Sulfate · Sodium Laureth Sulfate · Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate · Ammonium Laureth Sulfate · Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate · Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate · Potassium Coco Hydrolysed Collagen · TEA (Triethanolamine) Lauryl Sulfate · TEA (Triethanolamine) Laureth Sulfate · Lauryl or Cocoyl Sarcosine · Disodium Oleamide Sulfosuccinate · Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate  
How confusing. Some of the these ingredients have just a few letters separating the differences between them. These small molecule ingredients are capable of penetrating the skin, increasing the occurrence of skin irritation and dermatitis. AKA: harsh, drying, and irritating. They also add a ton of other ingredients to add moisture back into the hair. Totally unnecessary, not to mention CHEAP. Sorry, I know I said I'd be unbiased. They are inexpensive to make, therefore sell for less money. These surfactants are also used in car washers, floor cleaners, and engine degreasers....makes you think of what you are really putting on your hair.

Ingredients to look for: Sodium Lauroyl Sulfoacetate · Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate · Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate · Cocamidopropyl Betaine · Disodium Dioctyl Sulfosuccinate · Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate

Again, some of these ingredients look very similar to the harsh ingredients, but they are much different. These contain large molecule ingredients. Large molecule ingredients are considered to be mild, gentle, and non-irritating, as they cannot penetrate the skin.Write down the names of the "good" ingredients and the "bad" ones so you know what to look for without being confused. If you find your scalp is irritated easily by most shampoos, try looking for these ingredients on the bottle.

Here is a comparison of the first 8 ingredients in Pureology Pure Volume Shampoo ($19) to Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume ($7) The first 8 ingredients are a higher comparative volume than many of the other chemicals in this products.


Pureology Pure Volume
*Water · The base ingredient in most shampoos

*Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate · a large molecule surfactant, derived from coconut oil. 

*Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate · a large molecule surfactant derived from coconut and palm oils. Helps keep a rich luxurious lather

*Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate · a large molecule, mild surfactant found in gentle formula shampoos such as baby shampoo.

*Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine · derived from coconut, a mild cleanser used to thicken shampoo and reduce irritation

*Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate · A direct substitution for sodium lauryl sulfate (floor cleaner). Effectively cleanses the hair without stripping or drying the hair and skin

*Cocamidopropylamine Oxide · Another ingredient derived from coconut oil, a thickener and a foam booster

*Decyl glucoside · Derived from sugar, a mild cleanser and foaming agent

Pantene Sheer Volume
*Water · The base ingredient in most shampoos
*Ammonium Laureth Sulfate · an effective cleansing agent that remove oils and dirt from hair and skin. A slightly larger molecule structure than Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, but still quite harsh on the skin and eyes
*Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate · a small molecule surfacant, one of the harshest detergents out there next to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Both are irritants to the skin and eyes, and strips the hair of it's oils more than it needs to.
*Ammonium Xylenesulfonate · a surfactant usually added to thicken a mixture like shampoo, and to help keep some other ingredients in solution, including perfumes.
*Cocamide MEA · acts as a lathering agent increasing the viscosity or thickness of the lather, and of the hair. Can cause skin, eye and lung irritation...sorry guys, I am not making these up!!
*Fragrance · blends with unique combinations including essential oils and natural perfumes.

*Sodium Citrate and Citric Acid I'm adding these two together because they go hand in hand. Both act as a buffering agent to keep the shampoo at the proper pH level. They allow dirt and oil to wash off and helps cuticles lie flat so hair looks smooth and shiny.

So the harsh surfactants clean very well, but you don't need to clean your hair with the same ingredient used to clean a car. All you need to do is strip your natural oils without damaging the cuticle. A helpful website I found along the way is The Alba Botanicals Glossary. I myself learned quite a lot writing this article, and I hope your eyes were opened to what actually is used on your body. In this war, the more milder, more expensive shampoo wins by a long shot. The next time you drop $150 on your beautiful color service, spring for the better shampoo. It will make it last much longer.

How To Incorporate A Color That Doesn't match Your Skin Tone

So you've read all about not being able to have the color you want in the last post, but if you're anything like me, it's going to take a lot more than that to stop me from trying! Yes darlings, you can be blonde without it looking faker than Barbie hair! You can be the dark bombshell without looking like a goth queen! So how? Easy. Take the color that compliments you best and frame your face and perimeter with a few chunky high/lowlights. Example:

All along the her face and underneath are a layer of chunky lowlight, about a level 4 that keeps the blonde from looking too harsh against her skin. When this gorgeous girl pulls her hair back, she gets a completely different look that looks rich and healthy. 

Now not all of us have jobs that allow a funky look like this, so now what? Here is my second example:

Beyonce has the same color blonde in both photos, but in the second photo she has dark pieces around her face, about a level 5 complimenting the level 9 blonde around the rest of the head. Not to mention a few sporadic lowlights mixed through. The majority of it is blonde, but even with 1-2 inch roots, the color still looks great and allows for less upkeep. Her skin tone is washed out in the first picture but she's absolutely glowing in the second picture. See her roots in the first photo? Her natural color is lightened with a single process application to fake a more natural look, but it's too light and ends up adding an unnecessary shade. To upkeep the look in the first pic she would have to get her roots done every 4 weeks, and even that is stretching it. See ladies? Another reason highlights and lowlights look better than a single process all over lightener. 

How To Choose A Color That Compliments Your Skin Tone

Almost all of my clients at one point or another have said, "I would love to be (insert drastic color change here), but I could never pull it off." At this point I pull out the color swatches and show them why a color will or will not work for them. Usually your ethnicity is a big factor on which colors look great on you. If you have dark skin with olive tones like Jessica Alba, you most likely look very natural in golds and yellows. These tones are warmer and bring out the golden tone in your skin. Here is an example of why going all blonde does not usually look good on these skin tones.

Jessica Alba is so beautiful, but this platinum blonde hairdo does absolutely nothing for her. It makes her look washed out and sallow. No one would ever look at this color on her and think it was natural. Here is another example of Jessica with honey blonde highlights.

Gorgeous! Now why does this color work better? Well first off, highlights are always a better way to go lighter. I know us girls are very impatient and want what we want when we want it! However when it comes to hair (unless you want to look RIDICULOUS, like the first picture of Jessica), going light little by little is much more natural looking. Real hair has multi tones in it. In this picture, Jessica's natural color is lightened about 2-3 shades with a single process, but not completely eliminated. Highlighting is done on top of the single process to make for a blonder but much more natural look. See how the dark tones are mixed in with the blonde? Way nicer than the solid chunk of blonde. The highlights are done very thin to make for a sunkissed look. Instead of using that lighter wheat toned color for the highlights, her stylist brought the shade down slightly darker so he/she could add a honey golden tone. "Honey" means a tone lighter than a caramel, but darker then golden blonde. So in turn, you can not be as light as her first pic and still have honey tone.

So this is all well and good, but what if you're someone who is so pale that even 10 minutes in the sun will either burn you or bring out every freckle in your face? Blonde will look good on that skin tone, right? Not always. Here is a picture of my next example. The one girl in Hollywood who needs to either listen to her stylist, or fire her. Seriously, how much is she paying this person to look like THIS:

Gaaahh....

Well, clearly as you can see, this color does not compliment her skin tone in the least. She is trying to make up for it with a spray tan and extensions that went out of style in 2008. Have you ever thought, "Well if I get a tan it will look better." No it won't. Sorry, but if you don't look good in one color, a tan is not going to make it any better. You are what you are. Lindsay is very light skinned, but still has an olive complexion which is why she can not pull of this color. Other fair skinned celebs like Nicole Kidman and Anna Paquin are able to wear blonde because of their cool skin tones. Lindsay looks much better as a redhead or a warm brown. I've watched her experiment with every color blonde imaginable, with every tone and it does not work. So you might be thinking, "I see yellow hair and pink skin on her, why are you telling me she has an olive skin tone?" Simple. The more yellow added to a blonde, the closer her stylist can get to her golden (very pale, but golden) skin tone. It backfired in this case, because even that yellow gold blonde is still not rich enough in golden tones to compliment her color. So in the picture it is contrasting off her skin, making her look sallow. Sorry babe, give it up.

Hey! Those orange tones make you absolutely glow! Even though she is much younger in this picture (I would have used an updated one, but Lindsay hasn't been red in years) the red hair makes her look much younger by highlighting her natural color. I guarantee that if Lindsay came back to the scene with this beautiful hair color cut much shorter, she would be taken more seriously. Not because she wouldn't be blonde, but because she wouldn't look SICK. Blonde hair makes her look like she has the flu.

So an easy way to find you skin tone is to take a white and beige towel to a mirror and hold one up at a time to your face. Which looks like it blends with your skin more? And be honest with yourself. I know if you've been hoping for a certain color and it doesn't end up looking great it can be disappointing, but there are ways to wear a color beautifully, even if it clashes with your skin. I will make that the topic of my next post.

Remember, people won't tell you your hair looks like crap. They WILL compliment you though when it looks great.

The Dirt On Hair

What's the dirt on hair? It seems that there are always a dozen different answers to one small question about your do. Not to mention a dozen products recommended to fix your hair troubles. How many times have you bought an expensive product from your hairdresser only to bring it home, not knowing how to use it, and just end up storing it under the sink to collect dust? How about getting a great cut and style only to know that as soon as you go home and wash it, it will never look the same? In this blog I'm going to give you the low down, the REAL deal, on how to know what you need and how to actually achieve your desired style without wasting your money on products you don't need.

I'm a licensed and experienced cosmetologist. I run my own business and my clients like me not only because I make them feel great, but also because I'm informative and NOT pushy when it comes to upkeep. I started this blog because the public is terribly misinformed on what is best for their hair. Magazines, commercials, and unfortunately some uneducated stylists fill your brain with so much info on what's best that all the hairspray in the world couldn't cloud your understanding any more on how to maintain your mop. I tell all my clients the same thing. There are only three products that are a necessity for your hair. Shampoo, conditioner, and a light gloss for the ends. Anything more than that is strictly preference. You want volume? Add a volumizing spray or mousse. Need to keep the flyaways in place? A light pomade or hairspray will help.

I know how you feel as the consumer. I don't know the first thing about skin care, so when I want a cleanser that will moisturize my skin and keep the wrinkles from coming, walking into Sephora is dizzying! Which product do I choose? This esthetician recommends this cleanser, then the next one recommends a completely different one. And why should I trust them? How do I know that they're not just trying to make their commission quota? It's so easy to walk out of Sephora, walk into CVS, spend $8 on Clean and Clear and worry about it later.

Your business keeps my business going. So I'm going to give you the dirt on real style from a real stylist.