Shampoos

What's the difference between salon shampoo and supermarket shampoo?
Salon ranges are built around one specific concern, like colour fade, brassy blonde, an oily scalp or thinning-looking hair, so you can match the formula to your hair instead of buying a general one. They also tend to be concentrated, so a small amount goes further. We go through it properly in supermarket vs salon shampoo.

Do you sell colour-depositing or toning shampoo?
We stock toning shampoos rather than true colour-depositing ones. Purple shampoos like L'Oréal Vitamino Color Spectrum Purple, Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra Violet and Cezanne Blonde Shampoo cancel yellow in blonde. Vitamino Color Spectrum Blue cancels orange in brunettes. Use them once or twice a week, not every wash. Tips in keeping blonde from going brassy.

Which shampoo is right for my hair type?
Fine or flat: Kérastase Densifique Bain Densité or Pureology Pure Volume. Dry: Pureology Hydrate, or Hydrate Sheer if it's fine. Damaged: Absolut Repair Molecular or Kérastase Première Bain Décalcifiant. Greasy roots: Kérastase Spécifique Bain Divalent. Flaky scalp: Symbiose Bain Pureté. Breakage-related shedding: Genesis Bain Hydra-Fortifiant. Still stuck? Try which Kérastase range suits you.

Are these shampoos sulfate-free?
Not all of them. The whole Pureology range is sulfate-free, which is why we suggest it for colour that fades fast. Several Kérastase and L'Oréal shampoos use gentle cleansers but aren't marketed as sulfate-free. For most hair, sulfates aren't the villain they're made out to be. We explain why in are sulfates bad for your hair.

How much salon shampoo should I use?
Less than you think. Start with about a 20-cent piece for short to shoulder-length hair, worked into the scalp, not the ends. If you use a lot of styling product or dry shampoo, wash twice: the first wash breaks it down, the second actually lathers. The 500ml sizes and refills make sense once you've found your shampoo.

Can dry shampoo replace washing?
No, it buys you a day or two. Kérastase Fresh Affair and Redken Deep Clean Dry Shampoo absorb oil at the roots and add a bit of grip, but they don't clean the scalp. Spray at the roots from about 20 cm away, wait a minute, then brush or massage it through. Too many days in a row and your scalp will let you know.