Beware when stores sell 'salon-only' hair-care products [article]

[gymfreak336]

I have never found anything I wanted in Ulta... I dont even waste my time going in anymore.... However Walgreen's always has what Im lookign for at a reasonable price.... Why would I pay ULTA twice the price for the EXACT SAME bubble bath I get out of Walgreens.... Walgreens aint risking their rep & biz license on no fakes....

Some folks get fooled by PRICES and LOCATION...

yes, if ya see MATRIX in the Korean BSS for half the price as ULTA, be wary... if ya see MATRIX in Walgreens for half the price as ULTA.... Thank ya lucky stars, grab 2 bottles and jump in line

Who is talking about bubble bath?

Also, the prices at walgreens are really not cheaper than Ulta. The same Paul Mitchell shampoo at Ulta for 10 bucks is 10-12 at Walgreens. The drugstores are not cheaper. They are usually the same of higher.

 

[PassionFruit]

Who is talking about bubble bath?

Also, the prices at walgreens are really not cheaper than Ulta. The same Paul Mitchell shampoo at Ulta for 10 bucks is 10-12 at Walgreens. The drugstores are not cheaper. They are usually the same of higher.

bubble bath, shampoo... the former was used for example purposes only


and the point wasnt so much that its CHEAPER at the Walgreens but that the stuff is NO DIFFERENT and isnt some FAKE sub-quality product and since we're likely to be in Walgreens/Walmart more often that ULTA, so sense is passign the stuff up based on the name of the store

like I said, Ive only been in ULTA a few times and I did find them incredibly expensive considering they werent selling anything not readily available...

 

[MrsHouston]

There are also JC Pennys salons everywhere that sale products. They're currently having a BOGO 50% off sale on all products. This is when I stock up.

Actually pretty often. If you shop places like Ulta, you can readily find deals in the clearance and weekly specials. Trade Secrets also has sales where you can get 2 liters of product for the price of one. You usually find the full line and not just certain items and you don't have to worry about the age of your product. I am not saying that every item at CVS or a Walgreens is old but you have high chance of getting an older product at one of these stores compared to a place like Ulta.

Also, seeing these products at these stores makes people think that salon products are expensive because the price is generally marked up because its more convient. Truth is, some of the redken, biolage, Paul Mitchell etc........ is no more expensive than some Nexxus and other things at drug stores especially when you buy on sale.

The selection at Ulta can't beat a drugstore. Drugstores don't have the small sample sizes of products nor the full range of each line. You can go to Ulta and get little sample sizes of many lines and with all the buy 2 get one free specials, you don't have to spend much. They have all kinds of gift sets and special promotion deals that the companies put together and most places have reward programs that let you get free or discounted services or even more product.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

So - If you find a Salon - Are you sure they sell salon Products????????

 

[MrsHouston]

What is ULTA ladies?

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/index.jsp

A beauty store that sells makeup, perfume, hair products and accessories, has a hair salon, professional make up artist on site, sort of like sephora.

Everyone seems to really luv this store including myself...I've been shopping there for yearsssssssss. HTH

 

[PeggyFair]

However, I just refuse to buy salon only products from Asian stores, hell, I refuse to by from them period....but that's another story

Ditto!

 

[Jetblackhair]

The piece missing is, they want you to fall for the Oke Doke is all! Plenty people are falling too, only buying from the Salons, that's what they want. How often do Salons have sales or markdowns? We would be surprised if we knew how much these products cost wholesale and we pay $15-20 a bottle. Probably like $5 to $7 if that, per bottle and they mark it up so high, but Wal-Mart can afford to buy more bottles, thus they get them for cheaper hence the cheaper price, same with Walgreens and others

OT-
Whenever I hear this line it makes me laugh, because when I was a teenager, a mentor of mine would always say, "Don't fall for the Oke Doke." I said I wouldn't.

 

[Jetblackhair]

The reason why many of these companies are having a hard time fighting it is because they are buying the backstock from people that were orginally authorized to have it. I don't think all the product is fake but the "Freshness" of it can be questionable. You don't know how long the product was in their warehouse before the resell deal was made.

Actually Bare Minerals is trying to file suit against Target because Target is selling some Bare Minerals products.

So the people who are authorized to have it are the professional salons & distributors. It's still a bit confusing. I don't think the professional salons would want to divert the products. Distributors, maybe that's where the problem is. Are there expiration dates on all of these products? If not, maybe the companies need to put dates on the product to ensure freshness. Savvy consumers will not buy expired products.

That's exactly what Bare Minerals should do if their product is not authorized to be in Target. I will definitley give them credit for that.

 

[indefinite]

Ok, I just finished reading the entire article. It appears to me they are voicing discontent over the diverters more so than bootleg products.

 

[Poli]

Something just doesn't add up about all of this diverted product. I agree, it is too readily available. Look at all of the shelves across the US that are stocked with this so call diverted product. If the companies know that let's say 50% of their products are being diverted, then why do they keep producing that much? If they are only selling into salons they certainly wouldn't need that much product.

I think maybe the salons are complaining to the companies about the fact the product can be bought in drugstores. The companies in turn come out with a statement about not buying these products from drugstores and they know all the while they sold the products into the drugstores. Wouldn't be illegal for the stores to have this diverted/stolen product? Just a thought.

Now those local BSS, I don't know about them. Who knows what they are doing.

I agree with everthing stated here. I don't shop at any of the listed stores or a salon. But it just don't sound right, not buying it at all.

 

[onejamifan]

Is it just me or are the prices in WalMart/CVS not that different from stores like Trade Secret or Mastercuts?

I had been wondering that myself and since I'm on the don't buy anything for May challenge I decided to go to different stores and price out the first product I plan to buy come June 1st (Redken All Soft Heavy Cream). I first saw it at CVS for 17.99. Then I saw it at a BSS for $15 and at Trade Secret for $14.95 and there is a 20% discount on everything you buy if you get a $2 basket. But any way, that particular product was cheaper at TS and when June rolls around am going there to buy the product because I am guaranteed to be getting an authentic, new product for the better price. My two cents.

 

[gymfreak336]

So the people who are authorized to have it are the professional salons & distributors. It's still a bit confusing. I don't think the professional salons would want to divert the products. Distributors, maybe that's where the problem is. Are there expiration dates on all of these products? If not, maybe the companies need to put dates on the product to ensure freshness. Savvy consumers will not buy expired products.

That's exactly what Bare Minerals should do if their product is not authorized to be in Target. I will definitley give them credit for that.

I think its more the distributors. It could also happen if a professional salon retailer goes out of business and has backstock. This is how places like TJmaxx get stuff. I used to work there and one time we got tons of boxes of goldwell stuff and it came from a salon wholesaler that went out of business.

I think they should but expiration dates on products too. Seems like the easiest way to "fix" this.

A little side note but this is also how some companies get counterfiet things and don't know it.

 

[BeautifulFlower]

This is why I rather go to high stores or salons. To get what I pay for.

My Computer Science Professor told me to stop shopping at teenie booper (LOL this is what she calls it - LVL X, Forever 21, Charolette Russe, etc.) stores. You can get better quality clothes at the same price or cheaper from High End or Department Stores. I am just beginning to listen and I see what she's talking about. When BEBE, MACY, NORDSTORM, NEIMAN, etc. have sales you get great, quality stuff at for the same as cheaper quality. I'd rather pay for integrity.

Same applies for hair products. I stop being afraid of the high end stores and salons. Go instead. You'll be surprised.

 

[morehairplease]

This is why I rather go to high stores or salons. To get what I pay for.

My Computer Science Professor told me to stop shopping at teenie booper (LOL this is what she calls it - LVL X, Forever 21, Charolette Russe, etc.) stores. You can get better quality clothes at the same price or cheaper from High End or Department Stores. I am just beginning to listen and I see what she's talking about. When BEBE, MACY, NORDSTORM, NEIMAN, etc. have sales you get great, quality stuff at for the same as cheaper quality. I'd rather pay for integrity.

Same applies for hair products. I stop being afraid of the high end stores and salons. Go instead. You'll be surprised.

co-signing.

 

[Golden]

This is interesting, but what about online sites?? because I was thinking of buying redken products from beautyofnewyork.com but now I'm not so sure