Product Diversion~ Do you know what you are putting on your hair?

As a beauty professional I try to give clients the best hair care products I can offer. When a client tells me "Oh I can get that here or there" it hits a nerve. There are OUR products right there on the shelf of your drugstores! Now, you have to be a licensed cosmetologist to purchase professional hair care products to sell. So just how are these other companies getting them? Well we call it Diversion. This is the shady practice of black market hair care! There are a few thing that you should know about the products you buy from Wal Mart and other places.

• They are obtained through black market terms.
• They are opened and re-packaged.
• They can be contaminated.
• The stores do not have permission to sell them.
• They are ususally diluted and/or the wrong product in the bottle.
• The tracking code has been removed from the package.
• They are more expensive.
• Some of the products are discontinued by the manufacture

Just how are they pruchased through black market you ask? Well it starts with an individual who approachs a salon owner and strikes a deal with them. The individual offers to buy the products form them at inflated prices. The mark up on any retail item can be anywhere from 30% -50% (not just hair care, ALL retail items) This salon owner may see a chance to make some extra money and takes it. The owner will purchase the products for them and the money exchanges. This is the most common way to purchase for the black market.

Next, the products are shipped to another person and stored in a warehouse. When it is time they will open the bottles and dilute them, tamper with them and then re-package them. They remove the tracking code from the bottles, place different products in the bottles, and who knows what else they do to the products!  During this process you really have no idea what is happening to the products. This is were the contamination comes in. The products are stored in damp places where there is no temp control, bactiria grows and well...... you can imagine.

The altered product is then shipped to yet another person where they are stored in yet another place until time to sell them. The drugstores probably are not fully aware as to what they are doing....then again, maybe they are. When it is time, the products are shipped to the retailers that will sell them. And always at an inflated price. The products out there on the shelf are more expensive then what you would pay from a salon. There is such a misconception about how it is too expensive  to buy products from the salon. When you buy from your hair dresser you  know what you are getting. Your hair dresser knows your hair, and knows you. Did you know that if you are not satisfied with your professional hair product you can take it back to the salon for a full refund? All salons have a money back policy because the manufacturer gives them one. You know that your product is safe and has been tested for any contaminates. You know that your product has been handled correctly and you know that you are getting the true product.



WHAT IS REDKEN DOING TO STOP DIVERSION

In order to protect Redken salons and to ensure that consumers only receive the highest quality Redken products appropriate for their specific hair needs, Redken continues in its commitment to aggressively combat diversion:
•A former FBI agent developed the strategies and oversees the implementation of Redken's anti-diversion program.

•Exclusive product coding is used to track the movement of Redken products. This is the method for tracing products to industry diverters.

•Redken representatives undertake regular shelf sweeps at unauthorized retail outlets in the U.S. These products are subsequently decoded in an effort to identify diverters.

•Ongoing intelligence procedures uncover diversion schemes, including those involving stores and misuse of the Internet.

•Diversion information can be communicated to Redken's Security Department by calling the Redken Diversion Hotline at 1-800-503-3997 or by e-mailing us at NoDivert@aol.com.
 
A LETTER FROM L'OREAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear Valued Clients,


First of all, thank you for choosing a salon that uses one or more of the following L’Oréal Professional Products – Matrix, Redken, PureOlogy, L’Oréal Professionnel, Artec, Kérastase, Shu Uemura Art of Hair and Mizani. I want to take this opportunity to speak to you directly about a problem facing our industry called Diversion. You have probably seen our products before in mass retailers, drug and grocery stores or unauthorized websites. Do not buy salon products from them. Why?
1. QUALITY – L’Oréal doesn’t authorize sales of professional products to these outlets and can’t guarantee the content or quality of these products. L’Oréal Professional Products purchased at unauthorized outlets are often older than 250 days, discontinued or even counterfeit. Because of the confidence we have in our products, for the 1st time ever, we are offering a QUALITY GUARANTEE. If you purchase our products at your local salon or spa and you’re not satisfied with their performance, return the product with a receipt within 4 weeks for a full refund. See your salon stylist or product website for further info.
2. PRICE – You may be at a price disadvantage when purchasing our products from an unauthorized sales outlet.
In fact, through our price checks vs. syndicated data, we have found that salon products purchased at mass retailers are AT LEAST 10% higher than when bought at your local salon or spa.
3. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE - Most importantly, these products are sold without the service and recommendation of your stylist who knows the best product for your hair, and deprives them of the sale of this product and their service.
Support your stylist, care for your hair and your budget.
Please share your thoughts with me. I’m starting my own blog at davidcraggs.com. Or feel free to call our hotline
at (800) 503-3997.
Sincerely,
David Craggs
President
L’Oréal Professional Products

Letter.PPDSalonDiversion 50003494
 
 
Not just REDKEN is attempting to stop diversion. ALL professional hair product industries are trying to stop this. The diverted product is not safe and is not a true product. Talk to your stylist and get the right products for your hair. Do you know what you are putting on your hair??

Product of the Month for Curls

I use to have only a few waves in my hair. But over the years my hair has turned curly. And during this transformation I have been on a search for products that truely work on curls. You would think that since I have the whole beauty industry at my disposel this would be easy. This is far from the truth.

Since I have worked with REDKEN products for the majority of my carrer this is where I started. I used the whole Fresh Curls line.  The shampoo, conditioner, and the styling products. To my disappointment they did not work.




My second choice was MATRIX curl life. Again I used the whole system for my hair. It was actually better than the REDKEN. But I still had frizz and usually stiff hair.

I also tried the drugstore brands such as Gariener soft curl cream. Though this was probably the best so far it left my hair feeling sticky.
I look at pictures of hair all day long and as a hair dresser I feel I sould be able to obtain the hair in the pictures. Then it hit me why I could not. I needed to practice what I preached to my clients, "Don't expect the same results when you do your hair yourself!" I tell my clients this all day as you can not do your hair as someone else who is standing over you with two hands. It occured to me that the girls with those beautiful curls have 1. not stepped foot outside in the elements, and 2. have not done their own hair.




Now I live in Texas where there is never a shortage of hunidity. Humidity and curls do NOT go together. Even when I straighten my hair it will look great until I step outside. Then wham! Intstant fluff in the means of frizz.

What I tried next was PAUL MITCHELL. I have always loved their products but until recently never really worked where they were sold. And as a firm belief of mine, I try to only use what we sell. So I ventured and spent more money. I went for the Super Skinny Serum and the Round Trip. And gratefully went back to my REDKEN All Soft shampoo and conditioner. This combo works perfect on my curls.
First I shampoo and condition with All Soft shampoo and conditioner.
Second I towel dry my hair
Third I apply the super skinny serum starting at the ends and working my way up.

Fourth I apply the round trip. I flip my head upside down and apply a bit that way, never running my fingers completly through the hair. Just sort of scrunching it. Then I flip my head back over and apply a bit more using the same scrunching motion.
And I am done! I never blowdry my curls. Even on a cold day. While my hair is air drying I will fluff it to add to the body. But NEVER blowdry your curls even with a diffuser. The heat and amount of air blowing on your curls will frizz them no matter how much product you apply. I once heard a hair stylist say the the "do not disturb" slogan was really meant for curls. This is so true. Do all your work to them while they are wet, then when they are all the way dry. And NEVER run your fingers, brush or comb through the hair. You want defined curls, not the crimped frizz that we managed to achieve in the 80's. That is what you get when you do that to your hair.  
Here is another tip.
When you towel dry your hair how do you do it? Do you take the towel and ruffle your hair between it? If so, stop. All you are doing is ruffing up the cuticle. When you rub the hair the wrong way it frays the cuticle of the hair. And this causes frizz. Instead, wrap your hair in you towel for just a few minutes. Then take the hair out and gently squeeze the hair between the towel. This will not disturb the cuticle.
With curls it is all about defining them.

How to insure a perfect cut

What you should expect


For me, This is a no brainer. But then again I am a beauty professional, not just a hairdresser. With 18 years experience and working in many differnet types of salons over the years, I have gained an insight into what one should expect when you go to a salon.


1.First things first, you should be greeted with a smile and asked how you are doing. Not only by your hairdresser but by the other hairdressers as well. (at least the smile part)


2.The salon should be clean. You should look around in general and see cleanness. There should not be hair in every corner or dirty towels stacked everywhere. Nor an inch of dust on everything! And the big NO, NO in our industry is to use any dirty implement. That means no picking combs up off the floor when we drop them and just keep on trucking. I mean really......you have no idea what someone has on the bottom of their shoes when they walk on that floor! Do you really want that in your hair?? I see this almost on a daily basis and it drives me nuts to see other hairdressers do this. So if yours go to do this stop her! Tell her you really would rather her use a different one. We have a whole drawer full of combs and brushes to use. There is no reason for this outside of laziness.


3.Your hairdresser should be ready for you. Though we do run behind sometimes, this should not be an every visit occurance.


4.A postive atmosphere.


5.Your hairdressers full attention.


6.Professionalism! I know that this one is a hard one to get, but believe me they are out there.


Let me elaborate on theses.

Number 1 may seem minor, but it really is a big deal. When you enter any establishment of customer service it is always nice to be acknowledged. And face it. If it weren't for you they would not have a job, so the least they could do is bid you a hello and well wishes right?


Number 2 should be a given. But many really don't pay much attention. Well you should. Each state regulates all salons, especially in the area of cleanness. But many shops kind of slack off on this once the inspector leaves. They will allow towels to stack up, not sweep up their hair right away, and in general not really clean up after themselves. There are rules which we all must follow in this industry. You should not be put at risk because a hairdresser did not clean up. There are many contaminates out there that are transmitted through a beauty shop and all are prevented by simply cleaning up.


Number 3 is self explanatory.


Number 4 is also self explantory to a point. There should be postive enegry in the air at any shop. Do you really want to hear what horrific act their boyfriend did yesterday or how miserable they are? Going to a salon to get your hair done is suppposed to be a relaxing experience and how can one relax when you are thrown in the middle of your hairdressers nightmare every time you visit?


Number 5. You are paying for your hairdressers time. Not the other way around. Fromthe moment you sit in her chair you should have her full attention. She/he should not have her mind on other things. If this is happening then you are not going to get the best service.


Number 6. All the above lead to this. If you get 1-5 then you are getting a good bit of professionalism.


Once you achieve the first 6 steps you are on your way to the perfect cut.


What you can do to help

We are not mind readers nor do we have magic. There are so many types of hair which go on so many types of faces, which go with so many type of people... well you get the message.


Mis-communication is the number 1 reason people leave unhappy. There are many different terms that go with the same thing and there are confusing terms out there that really confuse us. Example: I had a girl come in last week. She had beautiful long hair and wanted it cut off. Well, I asked her how she wanted it and she told me she wanted a pixie bob. I just looked at her. A pixe is about an 1-2 inchs long all over, real short choppy layers. And a bob in mainly hugs the head at longer lengths. Some with angles, some without. Really varies. This client insisted that the one she was talking about was called a pixie bob! I had to explain that the difference is just too drastic. Now I am sure that there is a hairdresser out there that did a cut and gave it that name. As this happens all the time. My point is that you must make clear what you are trying to convey to your hairdresser. Remember that she has your life for the next few months in her hands. And just that simple mis- term can mean the difference between a good cut and a whack job.


Expecting a miracle. I know that everyone wants that perfect hair do. But let's get real. For us everyday people this is really just a dream for the most. You know what type of hair you have. You know if you have thin fine hair. If you bring in a picture that has thick heavy locks in it and expect to get it then you will not be happy. If your hair is naturally curly and you bring in a straight haired photo, know that it will not happen. Find a picture that has similar hair to yours. You may not like it, but that is where we come in. A good hairdresser should be able to modify the cut to suit what you want your hair to do. I have been know to take 3 photos and turn it in to 1 cut before. But keep in mind that they all had basically the same type of hair. This is where the communication comes back into play. Tell her/him what it is you like about the picture, then tell them what you don't. Listen to her suggestions. Don't take it the wrong way when they tell you that your hair will not do that. Would you rather they do it then send you out the door?


Sit up straight with your legs uncrossed! This may seem unimportant, but really it is one of the most important things in getting an even cut. Just think about how crooked your body is when you cross your legs. Well if your body is uneven then it stands to reason that when you stand up straight then your hair will be uneven. Just think about it.


Buy professional products. When we style your hair we use certain products on it to make it do the things it does. When your stylist styles your hair ask her what she is using and how she uses it. If you like the way it does your hair then buy it! The cost is worth it. And many products out there really aren't that much more than drugstore brands. And don't even think that you can get the same product she uses at the drugstore. You may think you are getting the same thing but most likely your are getting a watered down black market brand. Or one that has been purchased illegally. Professional products are soldby professionals. Only the salon can give you your money back when it fails or does not live up to your expectations. And all salons have a money back guarantee Which is why you should really discuss this with your hairdresser. If you want to get close to the results that she gets then you need to use what she uses on you. The cost is offset by the amount that you use as well. When it says a dime size it means a dime size!

Quit fighting your hair! Have you ever noticed that when we have a bad hair day everything seems to go wrong? Most of us have a style that isn't suited for our hair type. We seem to want to go with the flow of things out there. We want what the stars have, or what someone else has. Well, quit. Talk to your stylist. Ask for her input. Do what looks good on you and suits your needs. When you quit trying to make your hair do things it wasn't meant to do then you and your hair will be much happier.

Another day in paradise

Who hasn't ever had this happen to them??

You have a shop full of workers, one of your co-workers clients is not happy with her hair.

She informs other workers of this when the said co-worker is not there.

You just happen to walk in at the exact moment that all of this is going down. Now, this said co-worker is a touchy one. And rather possesive of "her" clients. Claims them all the first go around. Anyway, the problem we are talking about is that the clients hair is too dark and said co-worker really won't listen to her about it. She wants her hair to be a 9g which is a light golden blonde. the color she has is a light brown and when the sun hits it it has a nice pinkish red tint to it, and has about 1 inch new growth which is white. Just lovely....

So here I am, not wanting her to go to another shop and wanting her to like her hair. What's a hairdresser to do?

Well, I will tell you. I do it! Knowing that the next time this client comes in the shop and said co-worker sees the hair all hell will break lose! But that is the soap oprea of a beauty shop.

I bleach the color off her hair using Blonde Icing Power Lift with 30 vol. Pull her to a nice pale blonde. Shampoo, condition and dry the hair.  Mix her color formula- Socolor, 1 1/2 oz. 9g and 1 oz. 9 apply to the bleached area, then go back on her roots with 9. As I don't want the roots to be hot in any way. And after nearly 2 1/2 hours we have a beautiful blonde. I might say that her hair looked great.

 Now the trouble with doing other co-workers clients without their knowledge is a tricky one. You can use all tack when confronted with it in the end. Which I will, but will this be enough?? Well it really depends on the worker. And in this case it probably won't be enough. And I anticipate some issues coming up in the near future. But I did my part. Now as a professional we must use our wits about us and not be drawn into a huge argument in the shop, as this really isn't good for business. The best I can do when this all comes to a head is just look the other way and go on with my day. Which is just what I will do!

One For All

As  a stylist we deal everyday with people. This is no secret. But what some may think of as just a job, we don't. This is our life. Day in and day out we live hair. We spend more time at work than we do at home. Now this means that not only do we spend that time at work, but we spend it with our co-workers. Our customers are only there a short time and at the most on a weekly basis. But co-workers are there all day everyday! You ever tried being in the same room with the same people everyday for hours at a time? You ought to try it sometime, that is if you are up to a challenge.

I consider myself easy going for the most part. And I play well with others...for the most part. But usually there is at least always one person at work who makes the day a challenge. There is always someone who will inflict their negativity on to others. To have to listen to this  daily  can not only be trying, but frustrating as well. I call people like this energy vampires. These are people who suck the positve life right out of you if you let them. Well naturally we have one at our shop. Come to think of it, there is one at every shop! Some days are better than others, but for the better part of the time it is an everyday event.

The most that I hear is a gripe about product being changed and the boss not doing right-by her standards. The product changing is an everyday routine. The minute the product is put on someone she continues to gripe about how the company has changed it and now it don't work right. It is too wet or too soupy! This is said to at least every other person that sits in her chair. I took her "new" can of hairspray and my old can and read off the ingredents one by one and compared them. Imagine my suprise when they all were the exact same! I informed her that nothing has changed in the spray. This was returned with a " well they have done somthing to it, it isn't the same, they have changed it!" (this is said in a smart ass know it all way) . And on continues the gripe sessions. With the truth put out there she still must argue with you on it. Amazing. Just like a vampire to feed off others and try to make them just like they are.

Well I have learned in my years of experience to ignore the call of a vampire. To block it out and go on with life. This is one way of doing that. To write things down is a great release! Now that it is down and posted This will no longer be an issue (for me at least-I am sure she will continue to voice her dislike over it) . 

Course I am sure that there will be another just right around the corner!! 

Anyone out there like to get something off their chest?

Feel free.