Professional products or supermarket finds? Which wins the haircare battle? Cream's artistic director Dean Brindley wades into the debate...

There has been a debate raging for many years about whether professional hair products are actually that much better than the shampoos, conditioners and treatments you buy in the supermarket.

I know what I think – it’s professionally-developed products all the way – and I could go on and on about it. But instead I thought I’d ask our team at Cream and my clients.

1. They last – “Salon products use more high-end ingredients that last longer and are better for you hair.”
Sophie G – Cream, Gloucester.

2. They protect your colour – “I wouldn’t want to ruin my lovely colour with the wrong and cheap products.”
Ms Clarke – Long standing Cream Gloucester client.

3. They’re great value for money – “It’s about value. You can spend £70 on a dress that you will probably only wear once, or £20 on a treatment that makes your hair look fabulous for weeks.”
Selina S – Cream Operations Manager

4. They’re all about the science – “Most high street store hair products are purely cosmetic and, although they can make your hair look shinier and perhaps healthier, they have no real long term benefit to the condition of you hair. Professional products are prescriptive products, developed with far greater research and technical ability to rebuild and make a proven longer-term difference to your hair quality. They should only be prescribed by hairdressers as they are far more technically advanced and have a bespoke approach to each customer’s individual hair needs.”
Scott Smurthwaite – Cream Managing Director

And here’s what one of our regular clients says…

“I recently revisited my decision to buy salon products, wondering if I was just wasting my money thinking I was buying better products for my hair, so I did a bit of research online. I read lots of reasons that I already had in my mind so will continue doing so. The reasons I buy salon shampoo and conditioner are this. Salon products are more concentrated so definitely last longer than regular products, so per wash it probably works about the same. Salon shampoos have a higher concentration of vitamins, natural oils and minerals. Regular products have more chemicals and water. Their fillers, polyamides and sulphates do make my hair feel soft on the outside but aren’t actually doing much to the inside (if anything at all).

These chemicals build up over time and make my hair dull until I change to another brand. Now I always use the same salon products time after time and this never happens. I like to support my local hair salon, the owner and the employees. I want the business to be successful and develop, improve their facilities and my salon experience, get the best stylists available, send their staff for training on the latest techniques, etc.

I feel as if I am putting my money back into the salon industry and not just to the supermarket. My stylist, who I trust with my hair, is giving me good advice on what products I should use to get the results I want. I pay good money to have my hair cut, coloured and styled so why use inferior products in between visits to the salon?In short, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.”
Angie S – Cream Cheltenham client

So as you can see, among those in the know, there really isn’t much debate at all and the Schwarzkopf products we use on our clients are second to none. For professional-quality haircare, prescribed for your individual needs, come and see us in Bath Road, Cheltenham, or St Aldate Street, Gloucester, for an expert consultation.

Visit www.creamhair.co.uk to book online, or give us a call on 01242 579609 or 01452 305926.