Are you just trying to get a stylist's advice for free 'cuz you know I can't charge you thru the computer?? LOL. I could go on for hours and pages about this topic.

My take is that the ones you get from the store, particularly Suave and Pantene Pro V, do leave a waxy build up, a film on your hair, making it hard for color or perm to penetrate the hair shaft. It also leaves your hair feeling more weighed-down and dirty. I used to use Pantene and other store bought products, we only learned about Pantene and Suave in school, just as examples of what store prods will do to the hair. And, boy, is it true!!! I remember I permed (or tried to perm) this lady's hair when I was in beauty school and she had such a build-up on her hair that I could have just taken a piece of it, and slid my nails along the shaft and gotten a bunch of gross on my fingers. It was soooo nasty!! I used clarifying shampoo on her 3 times before I did the perm and it was still waxy!! I went ahead with the perm, but I doubt it lasted very long. We would have probably had to do a chemical stripping of her hair, if I was in the salon. No, I definitely would have done a chemical strip.

Think of "salon products" compared to "store products" the same as you would your dog food. Would you feed your dog "Ol Roy" instead of "Science Diet"?? Why not?? Because the ingredients in the Science Diet are of a higher quality than those of the Ol Roy, correct?? And because you want your doggie to be happy and healthy, not feeling sick or yucky. Well, it's the same thing with salon products. Yes, they may have many of the same ingredients, but salon products have the higher-quality of those same ingredients, with no waxy fillers, as in store products.

Even when you go to Target, or the local drugstore and they have "salon products" there, like Redken, Paul Mitchell, Bed Head, and Biosilk, those products are actually illegal for them to have. Those products belong in SALONS ONLY. If you look closely at the packaging, they say "guaranteed only when sold by a professional in a salon setting". Even those products that the drugstore and Target have, those were the rejects from those companies, that were sold by someone that actually works for the company, that is crooked. Those products that were sold to the drugstores and Target have defects in them, maybe rats got in it and pooped in it, maybe the machines went awry and put ingredients in a product that was supposed to be for volume, in a product that was supposed to be hydrating. I don't think Target or drugstores really know they aren't supposed to have them, maybe they don't care. I don't know, but they need to be stopped and it's very hard for the companies, ie. Redken, Matrix, Bed Head, Paul Mitchell, etc. to do anything about it. We had it all explained to us when we went to Omaha for the hair show at the beginning of this month.

So, now I think you have my take on salon products versus store products. I hope this has been helpful, and understandable, lol. If you have any more questions for me, ask away!!

Was it Kenra?? We sell Kenra and we all love it!! We sell the heck outta that stuff, always having to order more every other week. And I live in a small town-about 11,000 or so. And we have like 15 salons.
I don't know anything about Tresemme, just that it's not a salon product anymore, so it's not the same as what you get in the salon. The way I think of it is: if you can get it in a store, it's nothing special. You could prolly get something in the salon that would work really well for your hair. I love the Sleek Look line by Matrix. I have naturally curly hair also, so I use that shampoo, conditioner, straightening balm, and iron smoother and they all work wonderfully!! Iron smoother is a product that you spray on your hair before you run the flat iron through it. It helps the hair to stay straight, helps lock out moisture, and protects the hair from the damaging heat of the flat iron. Trust me on this one, those Sleek Look products are a godsend for people with naturally curly hair.
Paul Mitchell also makes a good one, for if your hair is really dry and curly. It's called Super Skinny. My boss has really dry hair, when you wash it, it feels like straw. She said she uses that and she LOVES it. But I'd only use that if your hair is really dry and curly.

I forgot to add above, that another difference in salon products versus store products is that you don't need to use much of the salon products. Maybe you use a quarter size amount of shampoo with your store bought product. You'll only need 1/2 that with a salon product. Salon products are more concentrated than what you get at the store.

I had never heard this before..about Pantene, but I bought Pantene several months ago and my hair was so thick and heavy after using it. I also noticed my son's hair was darker than usual...never looked clean. We stopped using it and it improved.... so I am with you on the Pantene... I use Biolage. I buy it from a friend that is a hairdresser...

I go to the health food store. I have used Jojoba Farms for over 20 years...

uuummm.....it's called natural something.  Oh yeah!  Nature's Therapy by L'oreal.  It is only at Sally's and it is amazing but doesn't recomend to use it all the time cuz it is so strong.  I thought that was weird but i have extremely dry hair so i use it a lot.  Works wonders.  I do need to get a better shampoo though  I use the Pantene clarifying.....oops...lol

O, what does the label say?? I'm curious to know what exactly it is that you're using. Just 'cuz you said they told you not to use a whole lot due to the strength. Professional products are much more concentrated than store products, so you use a smaller amount than store prods. Yes, you should really switch shampoos, "clarifying" or "purifying" shampoos are usually only used once a week, to get product build up off the hair. That's what we use before we do any perming or chemical relaxing, just to help the penetration of the hair shaft. Plus, you're using Pantene!! NO NO!! lol. Is your hair thin/fine?? or is it thick, or dry or limp or stick straight w/no body?? Let me know, and I may be able to direct you to something that would work well.

Paige, I love the Biolage products. My mom has thick, straight hair, she colors it, and she uses the Biolage Hydrating Shampoo and the Biolage Ultra Conditioning Balm. I know that for a 12 oz bottle of the shampoo, it's around $10, and for a 16 oz tub of the conditioning balm, it's $20, just because it's real thick and you DO NOT need to use a lot of it. Mom buys that stuff and it lasts her prolly about 3 months, and she's got LONG hair. Is your hair dry?? Do you color or highlight?? If you color/highlight, I would use Kenra Color Maintenance line or the Matrix Color Smart line. Those are two good ones. Redken also has a good color line. If your hair is dry, I'd use the Biolage hydrating system, with the conditioining balm and hydrating shampoo. If it's normal, I'd use Redken Active Express-this one makes your hair dry faster. I gave liters of the conditioner and shampoo to my sis in law in Christmas of 03 and she just used it up right before last Christmas, so I gave her some more. She's got hair all the way down to her butt!! That just tells you how little you have to use the stuff. Let me know exactly what type of hair you have, length, dry or normal, colored or not, etc.

Mollie knows her stuff!

Matrix is one product line I have not tried, may have to go get some.

I am currently using Catwalk or Logics Color Reserve.  Honestly though, if I use these to long my hair is TOO clean.  I find I can style it better with a little "gunk" in it...if you know what I mean.  I wash my every other day since it gets so fly away. 

I agree with the shorter hair, but I have had it really short before and I still had issues with it. 

It's funny, because I have had perms forever until the last 7 years. Everyone says it looked better permed, but my hair won't take them at all anymore. One lady said it was my age and a hormonal thing.  It just looks like straw and doesn't give it body at all.  So I have pretty much given up on the perm thing, but the last time I got my hair cut, I told the girl I was considering a perm and she freaked out. "Nobody gets perms anymore, don't do that to your hair!!"  Well, yeah, she had black thick hair and it styled perfect.....easy for her to say!!

I haven't used mousse in awhile, maybe I should try it again. I do the whole blow drying upside down, side to side....It helps but only for about and hour.   If I do my hair, by the end of the day it is just a stringy mess. Russ loves my hair a little longer, at or past my shoulders now, but I  B*&$# about it everyday. 

Where are you at? I am driving for you to do it!!!   lol

I will get some Matrix for sure.   What kind of mousse should I try?

 

Iowa for a good haircut? Might be worth it!  LOL (JK)  Wouldn't you die if I just showed up one day??!!