As an Ann Arbor hair salon owner, where style is in constant demand, it’s important to stay on top of your education game. This is how I get refresher information on the industry as a whole, find new tips and fun tricks to better myself as a hairdresser.
Earlier this month, I attended an educational afternoon with some wonderful folks from the Matrix company care of Sola Salon Studios. It was great. Not only was I given some quick styling ideas, for a fun date, wedding, club night; I was also reassured that some of the obstacles that I face as a hairdresser, are also the same for other beauty professionals.
One such obstacle is the topic of diversion. Diversion occurs when the professional products that we know and love are sold in “unauthorized” places. Educators refer to these places as URL’s: unauthorized retail locations. Diverted products are bad because they could potentially be old, counterfeit, diluted, or even expired formulas that may not be safe for you to use.
As many of you may know, I’m a huge fan of the Pureology, Deva Curl, and Evo products. I purchase all of these wonderful products from licensed distributors that in turn, get their products directly from the company. That’s how I know it’s the real deal. However, if you get these products from the grocery store, drugstore, or any place other than an authorized salon, spa, or salon related website, what you’re getting may not be what you think. Meaning also, that it may not perform the way you expect it to.
For example, in the class I mentioned above, these ladies were talking about the fact that their products have a special scan-able code on them to help determine whether it’s real or fake. They also said that their company, like many others, will often buy products from the drugstore, grocery store, etc., to test the quality of what’s inside. What they said next was literally unbelievable. They told us that what was inside some of the bottles was actually DISH SOAP! That there are people out there who create their own “copycat bottles” that look similar to the professional ones, put whatever they want into them, and sell them to a salon/drugstore/etc. cheaper than a licensed distributor will. Yikes!
What this means is that you, as the consumer, are getting the raw end of the deal, literally. This is why buying your products from a salon, spa, or another authorized source is the best way to go. Plus, the price you pay at the drugstore is probably more expensive than at your local salon. Also, it’s a great way to support your local businesses, thank you for reading!
