Is it bad to buy salon brand hair products at any place other than a salon?

Example. J. Crew poructs at Fred Meyer'sIs it bad to buy salon brand hair products at any place other than a salon?
There are a few problems to consider before buying professional hair-care outside of a Salon:





-Possibility the product is counterfeit, especially for higher-end brands such as Kerastase or Bumble %26amp; Bumble


-Product may be expired which may-or-may-not be an issue depending on the formula (color treating products tend to be more affected by this)


-Formula may have been rejected by QC and during transit to being destroyed it was diverted





The other issues are less tangible, but if you support the brand you love, you can ';give back'; to the company by only purchasing from licensed Salons. Why?





-First off, if you spending 20+ dollars on hair-care you probably deserve to have a professional stylist advise you on the right product to use. By purchasing prouduct outside of the Salon you actually hurt your stylists income potential as a great deal of their success is from moving product





-You help erode the brand image. This a challenge for all manufacturers of luxary product lines, when their product is sold outside of the distribution networks they have defined it weakens their image. If you want to support your favorite brand, don't buy outside of Salon





To summarize the legal issues involved though, neither you nor the store you buy it from can be held liable. This is a contract issue between the brand and their customers. Brands may cancel their contracts with customers if they find out they are diverting.Is it bad to buy salon brand hair products at any place other than a salon?
You'll be fine. It saves you money. Besides, it's not like they're going to change the recipe so they can sell it at a place besides a salon. It'll be ok.
No. And honestly, I buy the generic versions of the brand name products at Sally Beauty and they work wonderfully and I save quite a bit.
It depends on the brand. Some sell their salon brand at places like Walmart, or they make another line especially for other stores, but some state very specifically that their products are only available at salons.





If you got it at the salon in the first place, keep getting it from there.
Yes, sometimes they can be old and not work as well as normal (personal experience). Also, if you buy from a salon and you don't like it, you can take it back and trade it for something else. They are only guaranteed if sold from a professional salon.
There are some products that are ONLY to be sold in salons. They can be available in drug stores but they are not authentic.





Get Real


FAQs





What is diversion?


Diversion is product being sold outside of its authorized chain of distribution.





Is diversion illegal?


Not technically. When diversion happens, there are breaches in contracts that occur but it is not illegal鈥攚e cannot go into retail stores and forcibly remove our product from the shelf.





How do drugstores, grocery stores and discount stores get Paul Mitchell product?


The product in mass retailers does not come from the manufacturer. There are wholesalers that supply those stores who are not affiliated with John Paul Mitchell Systems. Those same wholesalers go to great lengths to obtain product to sell to mass retailers. But, since it didn't come from us you can't be sure it is the real thing.





Is the salon product I buy at a grocery store, drugstore or on the internet the real thing?


Maybe, maybe not. The products found in grocery stores, drug stores or on the internet are either diverted, stolen, old, tampered with or counterfeit. The only way to guarantee professional salon product is genuine is to buy it at a professional hair salon or beauty supply where professional salon services are offered.





Is it safe to use these products?


It鈥檚 difficult to say. Independent lab tests conducted by FOX News on bottles purchased from a variety of mass retailers and grocery stores found enough bacteria that would make the user sick enough to require medical attention.
I've actually heard, from my hairdresser friend, that some shampoos sold outside of the salon... aren't exactly the same.
It's fine- go to the beauty supplier to save $.
No, its still the same product, just from a different place!
they are not the same!!! read the label, even on the bottle it says not to be sold outside of salons. they are usually expired or tampered with! never buy salon products at a grocery or drug store.