Editors Note: Over the years I have become very aware of my use of the word “should”.  That includes everything from the food I “should” eat down to the types of beauty products I “should” be using.  This interview was really enlightening and allowed me to own my intuition when it comes to everything that much more!  See what your inner guide is telling you about this topic.  Remember, every opportunity is a chance to get closer to your truth, no matter how big or small. ~Nitika~

Have you ever been tempted to purchase a bottle of 2-in-1 Pantene Pro-V shampoo  and conditioner from CVS? It promises to make your hair silky! But, a familiar voice (maybe your hairstylist’s) urges you to resist and instead, cough up $40 for a fancy shampoo from the salon.

What’s the difference between a $40 bottle of shampoo vs. a drugstore brand?

I decided to put this question to bed and get some real intelligence behind the ongoing battle between drugstore vs professional haircare product.  I enlisted my friend and Director of Marketing for Calgon and The Healing Garden, Carol Zhou, who started her beauty career at Unilever, developing hair, face and personal care products for Dove. She also spent several years at L’Oreal creating haircare products for over 50 countries. With her experience, I decided to ask her for the real deal on these products.

CK: I love my fancy hair products but feel guilty paying or asking my clients to pay $42 on shampoo. What is the difference anyway?

Carol: In general, many drugstore hair brands make claims that they are just as good as the salon brands. The simple truth is that salon products and drug store brands can have the same ingredients. However, the amount of these ingredients and the quality of these ingredients may be different. Most salon quality hair care products have higher concentrations of healthy ingredients for your hair like proteins and vitamins, whereas drug store brands may have lower concentrations of these ingredients. Just because they say those helpful moisturizers are in the product, does not mean there is enough in there to do anything to help improve the condition of your hair.

CK: That’s cute and fine, but do people really notice the difference??

Carol: It all depends on the health of your hair. If you hair is healthy, you may feel and see very slight difference, if any, between salon and drug store brands. However, if your hair is damaged, colored, permed or overly processed, you should see more of a difference between the two. If you are considering salon products, but you are not sure about paying the extra money, try samples and see for yourself if you notice any improvement.

CK: Talk to me about sulfate-free product. It claims to be better. but is this a marketing gimmick ?

Carol: All shampoos contain a lathering agent to help create those lovely bubbles. There are 3 types of cleansing agents: ammonium laurel sulfate, sodium laurel sulfate, and sodium laureth sulfate.

Ammonium laurel sulfate is the cheapest of all and the harshest on hair because it strips hair of oil and fade chemical colored hair more rapidly. The drug store brands will usually use one of the following, ammonium laurel sulfate or sodium laurel sulfate. Although they produce a richer lather, they are harder on your scalp and hair. Sulfates are very drying and can damage hair follicles which could lead to hair loss. It can also fade color.

Many salon brands use sodium laureth sulfate, which is the gentlest and expensive one of all three surfactants. It is also more expensive for manufacturers to use, so that’s why you will pay more for a bottle of shampoo.

However, with better technology and the blurring of the channels, many drug store brands have switched to using sodium laureth sulfate as well.

CK: Speaking of bubbles, I sometimes recommend product lines that don’t necessarily lather well. Meanwhile, Pantene Pro-V shampoo lathers great!! Does more lather equal cleaner hair?

Carol: We all love a good lather in our shampoos. Even though you can have a good cleansing experience without the lather, we tend to like high foaming products better. More lather does not equal cleaner hair. As I discussed previously, if using harsh surfactants, the lather can dry out your hair and scalp, resulting in irritation and dandruff.

CK: It seems like the media’s on a paraben scare these days, warning people about paraben relating to cancer and all other illnesses. If parabens are so harmful, why doesn’t the FDA step up?

Carol: Parabens are a preservative that can be found in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, personal lubricants, topical pharmaceuticals and toothpaste. A large percentage of the products you buy for everyday use contain some form of paraben, so it can be difficult to find products that do not use them.

It’s not surprising that parabens raise so many questions. Stories about these ingredients and the dangers of using products that contain them are found everywhere on the net. There are for and against paraben arguments. Who should you believe?

Currently, the FDA believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing parabens. The beauty industry is constantly on the lookout for new, effective ingredients but as of today parabens are still the standard. But the risk posed from these ingredients is so small that it’s not worth worrying about. There are much more critical things you can do to avoid cancer like not smoking, avoiding excessive sun exposure, exercising regularly and eating a well-balanced, low fat diet.

CK: But, why would you need parabens in your hair product? Does it actually expire?

Carol: While haircare lines aren’t required to put an expiration date, paraben is used to protect against microbial growth and to protect product integrity.

CK: Ok, since you’ve worked in skin and hair, I gotta ask, do you see a crossover between the skin and hair consumer industry?

Carol: Many of the trends in skin care have been passed to hair – such as anti-aging and natural/organics. Most recently, Dupont has conducted research that shows that when glycolic acid (used in facial peels) is added to hair care products, it delivers important benefits, resulting in healthier hair by enhancing protection and manageability of both healthy and bleached hair through cuticle conditioning and cortex strengthening. So, yes, we can expect to see more crossover.

CK: Final question. What’s in your bathroom, what do you use?

Carol: Hair – Kerastase Bain Oleo-Curl, Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious, Redken Fresh Curls, Redken Cleansing Cream (once every 2-3 weeks), Deva Curl

Skin – SK II, La Roche Posay Biomedic C Recovery Cream, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock 85+

CK to readers: My conclusion is that sometimes, I think you get what you pay for with hair. The rest goes to fattening the bottom line. Thanks Carol for your input!

** This article was written by guest contributor CK, for her bio and contact information please visit http://yourbellalife.com/guest-contributors/