Guide to Hair Care Products

Although consumers can purchase hair care products at almost any retail store, salon owners have the advantage of offering professional hair care products plus advice. Clients want their hair to look every day the way it looks when you're done styling it. Stocking the appropriate shampoos, conditioners and styling products allows you to make the add-on sale before the client leaves the salon.

Talk to clients about the hair care products you're using and explain the benefits while you're cutting and styling their hair. Recommend the appropriate products for colored, damaged or ethnic hair. Show the client how to use the styling products.

Hair care product wholesalers carry professional hair care products from well-known and budget conscious brands. Look for hair product distributors who can offer a wide range of products:

1. Specially formulated shampoos and conditioners for colored, permed or chemically straightened hair.
2. Products for ethnic hair.
3. Trendy styling products.
4. Organic and natural hair care products.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Boost your reputation with popular salon hair care products

Many salon owners choose to partner with popular hair product companies. You benefit from the company's name recognition and from being your client's main source for these professional hair care products. The drawback is that your agreement may prohibit you from carrying brands from other hair product distributors.

I recommend: Redken offers hair care and styling products to suit all types of clients. Consider joining forces with Aveda to offer natural hair care products.

Expand your market with an ethnic hair care product line

Salon owners often use products designed for the specific needs of ethnic hair. Once under-represented in the market, ethnic hair care is one of the fastest growing in the country, so you can easily locate hair product distributors carrying lines for ethnic hair.

I recommend: Curls sells certified organic products for multi-ethnic hair. Register your salon with Mizani.

Cater to clients with special hair care needs

Both men and women buy products formulated to combat common hair problems, including thinning, damaged and hard-to-manage hair. As technology advances, new specialty hair product companies emerge.

I recommend: Contact Nioxin by phone or email to become an authorized reseller of their scalp and hair treatments. Join Club CHI to sell Farouk Systems, including Biosilk.

Strike up a good business relationship with hair care distributors

The easiest way to stock your salon with a variety of products is to work with hair product distributors. The Internet makes placing orders easy, just be sure you're working with a wholesale beauty supply distributor and not a "wholesale to the public" retail outlet; you could end up paying too much.

I recommend: Register with Sally Beauty Supply to purchase a wide range of hair care products for your salon. FolicaPro is a distributor of major brands, including Bed Head, Kerastase and Wella.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Stock products that reflect your clientele. Younger clients buy trendy products; older ones may be more interested in products designed for graying or thinning hair.
• Display products and hair product information in the reception area. Clients can easily come in and make a purchase between appointments.
• It may seem obvious, but ask the client for the sale. Offer the product when the client is paying for the styling services.

The official source of Hair Care Products is the Hair Care Products page at Business.com