We always hear that drugstore products are “bad” for our hair, but rarely will anyone tell you why. Here is the scoop: Drugstore Products vs. Professional Products — is there really a difference? The answer is YES! Just like the rest of our body, our hair has a pH level. One of the most important things you can do to keep your hair healthy is maintain the moisture balance or pH of 4.5 -5. This pH is very mildly acidic and it is SO important to use a shampoo  and conditioner that will compliment/balance that level to leave the cuticle lying flat against the hair shaft.  Using Shampoo’s and Conditioners that are too alkaline will cause the hair to swell, this can lead to the cuticle lifting and leaves your hair open to damage, and breakage.

That being said, the overall average pH found in over the counter shampoo’s like Pantene, Pert, and Suave, have a pH as high as 7-8. This is WAY to alkaline and can cause some major hair malfunctions! Professional lines, such as Redken, specifically formulate their shampoos and conditioners to compliment the normal pH of human hair. In most cases, you will also notice that although the professional lines may cost  a few extra bucks up front, the professionals keep your pockets in mind too. They formulate products to get the most bang for your buck by making their products super concentrated leading you to use less than half of what you would need to use with drugstore products!

Overall: professional products win this battle!