We're brand-addicts as much as the next girl, but in these rather rough economic times, if we can get, say, the same great hair without dishing out big bucks for salon brands, then a penny saved is a penny earned, agreed? So it's truth time: Is all that money you're spending on fancy ingredients like rose water and honeysuckle extract really making your hair shinier and smoother (as the expensive brands would like you to believe) or is it just an enticing advertising ploy? To find out the truth, we asked Paula Begoun, author of the best-selling "Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me" and creator of Paula's Choice skin care line, to look through the ingredients of five products from the Suave Professionals' line and compare them to high-end counterparts to see whether the extra money you're shelling out is really just for the fancy packaging and brand name. Read on to find out what she discovered ...
"The Prive shampoo has the allure of plant extracts (which are better for marketing than for your hair) and has a tiny bit more conditioning, but otherwise consumers should notice identical performances," says Begoun. "The expensive products contain some exotic plant extracts, but these are not what are getting your hair clean, and in a shampoo and conditioner they would just be rinsed down the drain. Besides, the plants extracts are primarily adding fragrances to increase the product's appeal to consumers looking for natural ingredients (even though none of these shampoos are in any way natural)."
"Both of these spray gels contain a film-forming agent that helps give thin or fine hair lasting lift and support, assuming that the user styles their hair with heat and applies either product to the roots. Used alone, neither product can add volume to hair -- heat and the right styling technique are critical," warns Begoun. "Otherwise, both spray gels feature alcohol-free formulas with lightweight conditioning agents. Both have the potential to feel a bit sticky, and both should provide medium hold that can be brushed through, if desired. The one advantage the Sebastian product has is the ingredient chitosan. Chitosan can bind to the hair shaft and add a feeling of fullness; however, the wheat starch in the Suave product has a similar effect."
While both shampoos contain standard detergent cleansing agents (sodium laureth sulfate and sodium myreth sulfate) along with ingredients that produce lather and offer light conditioning, Begoun says, "the Suave shampoo won't cause buildup, which is key for helping fine or thin hair appear fuller and it makes it easier to add volume (which is best done during the styling process). The Paul Mitchell formula is similar, but adds tiny amounts of conditioning agents that present a risk of buildup with repeated use." So, when looking for a volumizing shampoo, watch out for conditioning agents like dimethiconol, glycerin and polyquaternium-10, which can weigh hair down.
"The Suave and Biolage products are standard aerosol hairsprays capable of offering medium to firm hold with some residual stickiness," says Begoun. "In this case, Suave has the edge, because it does not contain fragrance chemicals known to irritate the scalp (leading to itching). The Biolage product contains a high amount of these fragrance chemicals, making it a less desirable option."
We're brand-addicts as much as the next girl, but in these rather rough economic times, if we can get, say, the same great hair without dishing out big bucks for salon brands, then a penny saved is a penny earned, agreed? So it's truth time: Is all that money you're spending on fancy ingredients like rose water and honeysuckle extract really making your hair shinier and smoother (as the expensive brands would like you to believe) or is it just an enticing advertising ploy? To find out the truth, we asked Paula Begoun, author of the best-selling "Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me" and creator of Paula's Choice skin care line, to look through the ingredients of five products from the Suave Professionals' line and compare them to high-end counterparts to see whether the extra money you're shelling out is really just for the fancy packaging and brand name. Read on to find out what she discovered ...
