In my last blog I explained how having a shower at the gym opened up a whole train of thought about how products can make you feel good, but when I say that I mean only certain types of products. 

Well, this morning at the gym I brought in a small travel size of Bumble and bumble tonic shampoo that I’d promised to Jamie, one of the guys that goes to the gym, following a conversation we had about my  blog about shower gels.

Anyway I gave him the shampoo and he used it there and then when having his shower. It was quite amazing the reaction that he gave me because he immediately said his hair felt so much better plus he loved the smell. I then started to give him some advice on how to get the very best out of your shampoo. MAXIMUM WATER , MINIMUM SHAMPOO.

That’s what most people do wrong they don’t wet their hair enough and then have to use too much shampoo to achieve a lather, so my advice is spend plenty time soaking the hair, drench it in water so that every inch of it is soaking wet then add a little shampoo and WORK FOR THE LATHER  that way you use less shampoo, get more lather but very importantly you’ll give yourself the best shampoo you’ve ever had every single time!

I then reminded Jamie about what happens if you use inferior shampoo.You see cheap shampoos are cheap because they have a soap base or, to get technical, a sodium lauryl sulphate base. This STRIPS the hair of it’s natural oils as well as dirt and grime, this results in rough feeling hair, flyaway and full of static and oftentimes a dry flaky scalp.

In order to minimise the negative effects, silicone is added but the most inferior available because manufacturing costs have to be kept to a minimum. In a low quality silicone the molecule is so large it adheres to the hair shaft but is reluctant to leave so the result is that when you first use it you will witness a great shine for the first two to three shampoos then slowly but surely you will experience a build up of silicone which will have certain tell tale signs such as dullness, rough to touch, difficult to style, taking longer to dry,whilst a great shampoo with a larger manufacturing budget will have a sodium laureth sulphate base which cleanses more thoroughly but more gently much the same way that a cleanser versus a soap does.     

Funny how simple things get you thinking.

Yesterday morning, as normal, I was having a shower at the gym after a great workout.

Now normally if I was having a shower at home I’d use a soap but it has to be a quality brand, something that smacks of luxury, something that feels good, smells good, works and is easy to use, Clinique, Joe Malone, Liz Earle. Okay I admit it, I’m a product junkie. But I’m absolutely bald so it’s some time since I’ve had the buzz of buying and using hair products, on myself at least.( bumble and bumble seaweed when I have a 12 o’clock scalp shadow)

Anyway I’d been to Boots buying some razor blades; unfortunately razor blades are a bit like toothpastes you don’t get the same buzz that you get from buying perfume, after shave or great products for your hair or skin.

Whilst making my buying decision I thought soap’s a hassle at the gym, a bit messy.  I reckon I need a shower gel. I tried to look for the best gel, the most concentrated, maybe even the most expensive. But guess what? They didn’t have anything that fitted the bill so I bought the best of a bad lot.

I didn’t get any positive feelings, I didn’t look forward to the first time I’d use it, as you do with a styling product or a perfume.

Buying that shower gel wouldn’t satisfy the urges of a shopaholic but it might serve the purpose. It would be interesting to see how it would perform.

What was I looking for in a shower gel?  I wanted something that has a sensation, that would make me feel clean and refreshed and it had to smell good. I suppose something that produced lots of lather yet was concentrated. That must be my criteria for a great shower gel.

I was disappointed when I discovered that I needed lots of product to get a little lather. The fragrance was nonexistent and therefore no great feelings, I wish I’d never bought it!

I caught myself having these thoughts and feelings because it made me wonder how our clients, YOU would feel when buying shampoos and styling products.

In the course of a day I want to experience as many positive feelings and thoughts as is humanely possible and if having great products is one of them then why not?

My clients give me feedback on products every single day and tell me that they love using products or it’s got a great fragrance or “it gives my hair lots of body” or “my hair’s so much easier when I use that.”

That’s what great products do they make life easier, there less expensive in the long run, they give pleasure, make us feel good and are state of the art.

The very best available, surely that’s what we should have and nothing less!

At the end of the day there are two reasons that people buy hair products from a chemist or supermarket:
1 That’s where they’ve always bought it.
 2 That’s where you can buy cheaper products.

Not a good enough reason for me particularly when I miss out on the more important benefits.

Ask your stylist for a hair and scalp analysis and prescription on your next visit, you’ll be really glad you did.