Hair Extensions How To

Intimidated about buying an expensive hair care product? Join the club. Taking the plunge and purchasing a salon grade hair care product is a scary choice for most individuals, especially when you peruse the ingredient label for your favorite drugstore shampoo and conditioner, which costs you only $10 and it includes the same ingredients as the salon shampoo and conditioner. But, don’t be fooled, there is a difference between your drugstore shampoo and salon shampoo, despite the ingredient listing. Just like a Toyota Camry can look a Mercedes, and have all the right components to be a Mercedes, you notice the difference when you get behind that steering wheel.

If you are uncertain about what salon grade products to purchase, try Frederic Fekkai’s Glossing Shampoo, if you don’t mind a shampoo that contains many chemicals. Or even better, try Beauty 4 Ashes ® GodHead Silky Smooth Shampoo if you want a salon-quality, all natural shampoo.

Frederic Fekkai

PROS: Frederic Fekkai’s products are renowed for leaving the hair soft, shiny and silky, while providing it with a few hair goodies that restore damaged locks.

CONS: The products are very expensive for a very small amount and contain many toxins, sulfates, and parabens. Here is a listing of the ingredients in the Glossing Shampoo ® : Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocobetaine, Cocamide MEA, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Decyl Glucosamide, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate, Polyquaternium-10, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Vitis Vinefera (Grape Seed) Extract, Glycol Stearate, Panthenol, Methoxy PEG/PPG-7/3 Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer, Prunus Amygdalus (Sweet Almond) Protein, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Glycene Soja (Soybean) Protein, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Polyquaterium-59, Cinnamidopropyltrimethyl Ammonium Chloride, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Fragrance (parfum), Benzopheneone-4, PEG-150, PEG-150 Distearate, Citric Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Blue 1 (CI 42090), Red 33 (CI 17200).

Beauty 4 Ashes GodHead ®

PROS: Their products are completely all natural, and contain natural soap agents, no parabens, no sulfates, and tons of hair repairing natural oils and extracts. The products have nice scents and are divided by hair type—ethnic and non-ethnic. GodHead ® products have achieved popular acclaim for leaving dry and damaged hair softer, healthier, and stronger. They also were voted top out of current natural shampoos for producing shine, vibrance, and fullness in dull and thin hair.

CONS: The products are less expensive than Fekkai and give you much more; however, they are all natural and made fresh to order. Thus, you can only find them at select salons and spas and at Beauty 4 Ashes’ website, wwwdiscoverb4acom.

As a stylist for over 15 years of both ethnic and non-ethnic hair, I would recommend you take the plunge and purchase a salon-grade product. I am not selling this to you as propaganda, I receive no credit or money for this advice. I only tell you this as a salon professional who has used both $1.00 VO5 and $5.00 Pantene on my clients’ hair and $29.99 GodHead ® and Frederic Fekkai on my customers’ hair. Especially for my clients with hair coloring, chemicals, or heat styling, Beauty 4 Ashes ® GodHead ® products maintainsthe health, shine, fullness, and length of their hair better than cheaper shampoos. To put it simply, I have to cut their hair less due to split ends and they get to avoid the big chop and who wants to cut their hair when they didn’t intend to?

Paul Mitchell ® and Beauty 4 Ashes ® are two salon professional companies that create high-quality hair care products with hair healthy ingredients. Paul Mitchell, which makes synthetic based hair care products, prides itself in creating products which leave the hair stronger and more vibrant. Although formerly only available at the salon, you can now purchase many of their products in your local high-end drugstore, such as CVS.

Beauty 4 Ashes ® is Paul Mitchell’s all natural hair care products equivalent, creating high-quality, hair healthy ingredient packed hair care products. Because Beauty 4 Ashes ® products are all-natural and made fresh to order, they are only available in certain salons and spas, which agree to stock their products according to their shelf life guidelines. However, you can purchase their products online at their website, wwwdiscoverb4acom. Unlike many “natural” hair care companies, Beauty 4 Ashes ® GodHead ™ products are truly all natural, containing no artificial preservatives, parabens, glycols, silicones, or sulfates. Their products also contain essential and natural oils that detangle hair and give it lubricity and shine, instead of tons of extracts. Headquarted out of Chicago, the company has instantly become a brand name in many hair salons, especially their GodHead Silky Smooth ™ products, which are acclaimed as hair care products that leave the hair sleek and more manageable without the use of chemicals. In the United Kingdom, the GodHead ™ Max Moisture and Gro ™ Shampoo is a staple. I have tried them both and love them both. The company also sets itself apart by including scriptures with every product they make. It gives you that feel good vibe like Philosophy ®

Remember, don’t be fooled! Cheaper shampoo manufacturers and even more expensive, less quality hair care products manufacturers will tell you that it is a myth that salon grade products are better for your hair. But, if that is the case, why do they seek to imitate their formulas? Also, keep in mind that to truly maintain healthy hair, you must look at long term, not immediate results. Sure, a cheap shampoo can make your hair “look” and “feel” good by using silicones and hair stripping inexpensive detergents, but what happens to your hair over time? If you must go to the drugstore to purchase your hair care products, spend the extra few bucks and opt for Paul Mitchell. If you want an even healthier choice, that has no chemicals, but provides the same results, try Beauty 4 Ashes GodHead ™ products. Yes, you might have to wait a couple of days to get them, but why not have hair care products that are natural and made fresh to order for you?