About Beauty Supply Stores
Beauty supply stores offer a wide range of salon-quality hair, nail and skin care products at prices much lower than those found in professional salons and spas. These stores carry products not available from your local supermarket or department store. In addition to cosmetic items, beauty supply stores sell professional quality hair dryers, curling irons, body jewelry and brand name fragrances.
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Professionals
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Not all beauty supply stores sell to the consumer. Some act as an intermediary between the cosmetic manufacturer and the professional cosmetologist. These stores only sell to licensed professionals. Look for a sign on the front door that states whether they cater only to professionals or to everyone. Beauty products sold in professionals-only stores often feature different packaging with little or no instructions for the use of the product.
Consumers
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The demand for consumer-based beauty supply stores is at an all-time high. With a little knowledge, you can purchase hair-coloring products, perming solutions, straightening serums and many other items found in salons and use them at home. Not all professional lines are found in beauty supply stores, however. Some high-end manufacturers sell only to professionals, but you can ask the beauty supply salesperson if they carry a comparable product under a different name.
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Assistance
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Unfortunately, due to liability issues, your questions on which products are the best for you may go unanswered. Since most beauty supply salespersons are not licensed cosmetologists, they are unable to give you recommendations for professional quality products. Do your research in advance by asking your hairdresser which products she recommends.
Value/Selection
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If you normally purchase a hair coloring kit from the supermarket, you can find the same product at a beauty supply store. The two biggest differences are the price and the packaging. You will pay less for the items at the beauty supply store but you will need to buy them separately. For instance, in a coloring kit from the supermarket, you will find a bottle of color, another bottle of developer, an applicator bottle, application instructions and plastic gloves. At the beauty supply store, all of these items are sold separately, often in large quantities, so know what you need before you shop.
Warning
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Use the chemical treatments you find at beauty supply stores at your own risk. A professional hairdresser knows your hair type and how long to process highlights, hair color, a perm or a thermal conditioning solution. If you've had the procedure done before at a salon, you may know what to do. Otherwise, seek professional advice before applying chemical treatments to your hair.
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Resources
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