We have all seen the store brands boast about using the same ingredients that are often found in professional quality shampoos. That maybe true but what these brands fail to mention is that they are not using the equivalent amounts of those ingredients.
The truth is the majority of these store-bought brands are owned by higher-end companies looking at product lines as a business would, profit vs. loss. By stretching the ingredients and adding fillers like water, plastic, or wax to their products, they can make an item for a lower cost and sell it at a more economical price. Do not be mislead this is purely for the sake of their bottom line. Just like the counterfeit louis vutton bag there will always be a consumer to buy a lower quality item when saving money is the priority. But just like the counterfeit there are always differences to be seen and felt when it comes to hair care, Think Quality vs. Quantity
Let’s compare…
Think of it as a slide of hand. For example, Professional shampoos use the ingredient sodium laureth sulfate, which creates the “safe” sudsing effect in the shampoo. Many companies have come up with versions of this ingredient that sound similar but are not beneficial to your hair such as ammonium laureth sulfate or sodium laurel sulfate, See the difference? These harsh chemicals can strip your color and the natural oils in your hair that help to maintain softness, moisture and shine. Sneaky right?!
Natural hair pH is typically between 4.5-5.5. Salon Shampoos are tested and have a ph range from 5-7, which is considered neutral. Store bought shampoos range greatly from a pH of between 4-9, Baking soda has a pH of 8.4…. The lower the number the more acidic meaning helping to seal the cuticle and help with smoothing and shine. The higher the pH anything above a pH of 7 the more alkaline opening the cuticle allowing for color molecules to be rinsed away with each wash or problems with tangling.
So why does your hair feel so soft and shiny you might ask? Fillers! Fillers take up space in the formula so that again it costs the company less money to create the product. Ingredients like wax, plastic, and even animal fat among many other gag worthy products are added. Not only are these fillers requiring you to use more product (queue the palm full of shampoo) but they can also leave build up on the hair shaft giving the illusion that your hair is softer or smoother when it is really just creating a waxy buildup that is preventing your hair from accepting any positive ingredients from any other salon grade product you may use.
