L'Oreal and Paul Mitchell are huge, huge diverters. I think L'Oreal in particular likes to see their consumer and professional products sitting side by side on mass retail shelves. And 99% of the time the products are authentic in the latest, most current promotional packaging. I think product companies could stop diversion if they wanted to, I really do. I just don't buy all of the "help us fight diversion" campaigns. They just don't care.
Remaining salon exclusive for them is really just not as lucrative as mass retail/distribution. If you look at their annual financial reports-- the ones they share with investors/shareholders, you'll see that their salon/professional segment makes up a very, very small portion of their total sales. Very small. They build brand recognition in salons, and that is pretty much all the loyalty they have to them. No need for commercials. Then once stylists have grown the brand into a household name, you'll start seeing more and more outside of salons. Pantene and Tressemme ring a bell?
I say a majority of the diverted product is real.