In this mid size salon, the lion's share of the shelf space was dedicated to an extensive line of L'oreal Professional Hair Products.

Products that ranged from hair type specific enhancing shampoos and conditioners like "Lumino Contrast Nutricerede Radiance Shampoo" to Tecni Art Line of hair styling products.  

So what is so great about L'oreal, I wondered?... 

With so many salon prestige brands to choose from, why them?  Cosmetic industry giant L'oreal is a far cry from the classic salon hair products favorites scenario; "grass roots" start, stylists gone entrepreneurial with brilliant hair formulation, grown by word of mouth and become widespread salon cult favorite...uh, heard of Sebastian anyone?

For your reference:

 *L'oreal's Professional Salon Hair Products include;  Color products Majirel, Diacolor, Luo Color, Platinium and others, Styling range Tecni.art, Série Expert , X-Tenso, for long-lasting hair straightening, and Dulcia perm lotion.

L'oreal also owns Keratase (Nutritive, Reflection, Dermo-Calm, Resistance, Specifique and Soleil), Matrix (Biolage, Amplify, Curl Life, Color Smart, Sleek.look 4-step Professional Smoothing System, Opti.smooth, SoColor.beauty, Color Sync and Trix)  and Redken (All Soft, Color Extend, Extreme, the Chemistry System in Redken Hair care, Rewind 06, Quick Dry 18, Guts 10 and Rough Paste 12 in Redken styling, Shades EQ Equalizing Conditioning Color Gloss, and Color Fusion Advanced Performance Colorcreme in hair color, and now Redken For Men.

*Resource loreal.com

Quite an impressive lineup I would say.

Later surfacing in my interview, I discover that L'oreal extends a lot of support, through their innovative promotion, to the hair styling profession.  Salons and stylists are invited to hair shows like the "Color Collections", featuring educational events that highlight fashion and cutting edge trends, style forecasting AND of coarse, their products. 

And if L'oreal's dominating presence on the salon shelves and in the back at the sinks is an indication, this product line is performing.  By the way, effective promo can only go so far, a product has to perform.  Hair care professionals livelihood depends on choosing the best, most effective products they can, to deliver results and achieve happy RETURNING customers and a thriving client base.

Where can you find L'oreal Professional?...You guessed it, select salons.  It seems to be hard to come by on line via North America, although you can purchase a lot of other salon hair products brands.  For some reason you can purchase the professional line via UK based websites. 

Ironically, Sebastian is next in shelf space domination ("mom and pop" grass roots start 30 years ago), with a handpicked line up of favorite Sebastian products...they continue to lead each new phase of hair trends  with cutting edge styling products.  I know that my hair stylist listed (at my request) her must have styling products "staples" as Sebastian Collection Shaper Hairspray and Sebastian Crude Clay. 

TIGI Bed Head also has a notable presence in terms of brand with a lot of shelf presence.  They certainly have a fun "tongue in cheek" marketing style and definitely hit the ground running  in the hair products industry with there first product hair wax.  The product I am familiar with and love it's performance is "Headrush" Shine Spray Shine Adrenaline with a superfine mist (lots of shine but lightweight...good for fine volume starved hair, like mine).

There was a few other brands for specific issues like Phtososylic anti dandruff products and Malibu Shampoo for swimmers (excessive chlorine exposure).

Although this random hair salon product sampling reveals a small focus in range of brands carried, what is carried is on the bulls eye of the latest and greatest hair tech out there.

For a huge range and selection of your favorite salon hair products, try visiting the CosmeticMall.com   If you want to track down and shop L'oreal Professional products, and they aren't at a salon in your area, you will probably have to hit a UK based beauty website.

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