The next time you buy a professional hair product in a drugstore or grocery store, you might want to think twice. It’s possible that it’s either diverted or counterfeit, and using these products could put your health at risk.

The professional hair care industry identifies product as ‘diverted’ when a professional-use-only product or a product that requires a professional recommendation shows up on grocery, drug or Internet store shelves.

In most cases, manufacturers will guarantee professional hair care products only when purchased from a hair salon. John Paul Mitchell Systems, manufacturer of Paul Mitchell, is one such company.

“The professional salon industry is our only business,” said John Paul DeJoria, Chair-man and CEO of John Paul Mitchell Systems. “If you buy Paul Mitchell at a grocery store, drug store or from the Internet, it’s not authentic and it’s not guaranteed.”

It’s a health hazard.

How diverted products reach mass retail shelves is a dark story. Generally acquired through the gray or black market, diverted products are tampered with, so what’s on the label is not necessarily what’s in the bottle.

Counterfeit products are even more dangerous. Independent tests run by FOX News found toxic levels of bacteria in the counterfeit products it analyzed. More importantly, these types of diverted products can make their users sick enough to require medical care. (Source: FOX News, June 2003 and independent laboratory analysis.)

It’s a steal—not a deal

Buying diverted products can actually cost more than if you purchase authentic products at a hair salon. The product passes through so many hands before reaching a mass retailer’s shelves that a single bottle can cost as much as $3 more than if it was purchased in a hair salon.

“We did our own price comparison by randomly shopping local grocery stores,” said Linda Lipka, owner of Vibe Hair Studio in Shelby Township.“What we found was that a bottle of Super Skinny Serum cost $10.00 more at the grocery store than if a client had purchased it from us.”

It’s professional for a reason.

Manufacturers invest millions of dollars to train hairdressers on the proper use of professional salon products. In turn, hairdressers share their expertise when recommending products clients can use for their hair type and condition. “Our hairdressers take their work seriously and participate in ongoing education to keep their skills sharp and their professional recommendation legitimate,” says Heather Kargol.

For more information, please contact the John Paul Mitchell Systems Product Control Hotline at 1-888-398-8884.