Kristen West: washes Courtney Bryan’s hair at Studio One hair salon. Sarah Harriage / PHOTO STAFF
Everyone washes their hair, hopefully, which means everyone buys shampoo. Whether it’s straight from the salon or off the shelves of Wal-Mart, we all buy it.
People can choose shampoo based on price, scent, name or result. Shampoos are as different as the people that use them.
The question is, which shampoo should you buy?
There has always been a debate among buyers and stylists about whether name brand, salon shampoo makes a difference.
Dawn Spurlock, a stylist at Magnolia Hair Salon, said there is a huge difference between salon and generic shampoo.
“Generic shampoo is cheaper because there aren’t as many ingredients,” she said.
Spurlock and the other stylists at Magnolia agreed the ingredients are what matters in shampoo. She said generic shampoos are more diluted and may contain ingredients that can harm your hair.
Spurlock said even ‘salon’ shampoo brands have been diluted to go on the shelves of drugstores.
“Some generic shampoos contain an ingredient similar to dishwashing detergent,” Spurlock said. “The way to tell is if it is really sudsy when you lather your hair.”
Spurlock also said the pH in generic shampoos is not right for your hair. According to Spurlock, your hair is naturally acidic and it needs shampoos that match. Generic shampoos tend to be more alkaline, which is harmful to your hair.
Spurlock and the other stylists agreed Pantene and Head and Shoulders were the worst for your hair. Spurlock said Pantene has a wax that coats your hair, instead of nourishing it.
“That’s why your hair looks so silky with Pantene,” she said. “But it just sits on top.”
According to James Pouncey, the owner of Magnolia Hair Salon, Head and Shoulders is so alkaline, that if you put it in your hair with curlers for an hour it would give your hair a body wave.
Spurlock said she would recommend using salon shampoo.
She said it is often affordable.
“Salon shampoo is not as expensive if you buy it at the salon,” Spurlock said.
Emily McMenamin, a junior in chemical engineering, uses Aveda, a salon shampoo, and said she loves what it does for her hair.
“It makes my hair softer and helps repair all the damage I do to it,” McMenamin said.
She also said she doesn’t think the prices are too high.
“I buy the large bottle, so it lasts me an entire year,” McMenamin said. “When you compare that to buying a small bottle of anything else every month, I don’t think it really is that much more expensive.”
McMenamin said buying salon shampoo is worth spending a little more. “I don’t think that your hair is the place to go cheap,” she said. “It will begin to show if you don’t take care of your hair.”
Allie Self, a sophomore in biomedical sciences, also uses Aveda. She said it has done wonders to tame her curly hair.
“It makes my curls more emphasized, and my hair isn’t as frizzy,” she said. “My hair dresser even commented on the health of my hair, and she wasn’t aware that I had began to use salon products.”
Not all students are willing to splurge on salon shampoo.
Jana McClung, a junior in apparel design, buys Suave shampoo.
“I buy it because it’s a good price, it smells good and it works, “ she said.
McClung said she thinks there isn’t much of a difference between salon shampoo and generic.
“I think if you buy more expensive shampoo, it makes you feel more luxurious,” she said. “It all cleans your hair.”
