In a viral TikTok with over 1 million views as of Saturday, hairstylist and content creator Meleah (@meleahandalyssadohair) shares a very important message about the quality of “professional-grade” shampoos and hair products found at CVS and other drugstores.
“Here’s some things you don’t know about drugstore shampoo. You’ll see brands like Paul Mitchell, It’s a 10, Living Proof, Biolage, and more up against the unprofessional brands,” Meleah says in a voiceover as the camera pans the hair products aisle of what looks to be a CVS store.
@meleahandalyssadohair The more you know!! Always purchase your professional hair products from a Licensed Salon or Beauty Store that is Licensed. @Ulta Beauty @sephora and most luxury department stores will always sell guaranteed products if your stylist/salon is out of stock! #hairhack #licensedcosmetologist #professionalhairstylist #professionalhaircare #cvs #ultabeauty #sephora #themoreyouknow #hairhelp #shopsmallbusiness #hairsalon #shampooandconditioner #healthyhair ♬ original sound – Meleah&Alyssa
She grabs a bottle of Paul Mitchell Extra-Body Sculpting Foam and turns it around so the back label is visible to the viewer.
“I’m gonna grab a professional Paul Mitchell product where you see on the back it describes that it is only ‘guaranteed when purchased from a licensed professional beauty salon, not drugstore, supermarket, or unauthorized source,’” she says.
As she pans the Paul Mitchell products, silver cans of Hold Me Tight Finishing Hairspray stand out among the other black and white labels and bottles.
“They also sell older cans that are at least six years old like this silver can which is up against the new branding as black and white,” she explains as the video ends.
In the video’s caption, Maleah advises buyers to purchase from licensed suppliers, writing, “Always purchase professional hair products from a Licensed Salon or Beauty Store that is Licensed. @Ulta Beauty @sephora and most luxury department stores will always sell guaranteed products if your stylist/salon is out of stock!”
In the comments section, many viewers affirmed Maleah’s claim of drugstores selling outdated products.
“This is very true! I worked at a CVS for 10 years and I only witnessed like 3 resets for the specialty salon items. They sit there for YEARS, and were only returned and swapped out during two of those resets. Vendors would come in to order more items just to rot for years,” one user shared.
“CVS worker here: we get them from a vendor. They aren’t fake but they could be a different formula or out of date,” affirmed another viewer.
In addition to Ulta and Sephora, Maleah mentions “luxury department stores” like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s as licensed sellers of guaranteed products.
Other commenters accused CVS and other drugstores of “Product Diversion,” the practice of unauthorized sellers selling a product outside of licensed channels, salons, and stores. The practice is particularly common with high-end beauty products and can present safety concerns for consumers who may be using lower-quality (and often higher-priced) hair products.
“This is hair product diversion, the product may not just be old, but the original formula can be altered or completely switched out,” one commenter offered.
In addition to ensuring you’re using the most up-to-date and guaranteed products, in light of seasonal sales, buying professional hair products from a licensed vendor or even directly from a brand’s website can actually save consumers money.
“It’s A 10 has semi annual sales on their website and their giant bottles are half off!” one viewer commented.
Meleah enthusiastically responded, “Hell yeah!!! That’s how you shop!!”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Meleah via Instagram and CVS via email for more information.
