What are salon-exclusive products?
Where to buy them, and how they differ from drugstore products
Shampoo and treatment labelled "salon exclusive"
Where to buy it and how it differs from retail can be unclear
You can buy it at salons, authorized retailers and their members-only online shops. The difference is whether choosing is part of the design
Reviewed and last updated 30 September 2026. SEAM (authorised stockist of 197 salon-exclusive hair care brands)
What are salon-exclusive products?
Salon-exclusive products are the collective name for hair care made on the assumption that it reaches you through a salon or an authorized retailer
Because it is meant to be chosen by a professional and handed over, its character is finely divided ranges, so it can be chosen for your hair and your concerns
Even for a shampoo alone, there are usually several options: moisture-first, a light finish, made for colour or perm history, and so on
How it differs from drugstore products
The biggest difference is that choosing is part of the design
Retail products are made for many people and to work as a single bottle
Salon-exclusive products are mostly designed to be combined by hair type and history, with lines meant to be used as shampoo, treatment and leave-in together
Which suits you depends on whether you want to choose for your own hair
Retail vs salon-exclusive hair care at a glance
| Retail | Salon-exclusive | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is made | Made so one product suits many people | Split into detailed lines, made to be chosen for your hair type and history |
| How you choose | You pick it off the shelf yourself | You can ask a stylist or shop staff |
| Where to buy | Drugstores, supermarkets, online | Salons, authorised stockists, authorised members-only online shops |
| Good for | You want something quick and easy | You want to choose for your hair concerns and history |
Where can you buy salon-exclusive products?
There are three main places to get it
- · At the salon Choose on the spot, talking it through with your stylist
- · An authorized select shop Compare several brands side by side and choose. SEAM's stores need no booking, and shopping-only visits are welcome
- · The members-only online shop Handy for reordering the care you decided on in store
Meanwhile, on resale apps and unauthorized online shops, neither authenticity nor storage can be known
To protect freshness and quality, choosing at an authorized retailer is the safe route
Comparing where to buy: which routes are safe
| Route | Advice | Quality assurance | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair salon | You can ask your stylist | Authorized | Choosing together with a treatment |
| Authorized select shop (SEAM) | Compare several brands side by side | Authorized | Comparing and choosing without a booking; shopping-only visits are welcome |
| Official online store of the maker or authorized distributor | Hard to get advice | Authorized | You already know what you use |
| Members-only online shop of an authorized retailer | Re-order what you chose in store | Authorized | Keeping up a routine (SEAM registers you after a visit) |
| Flea-market apps and unauthorized sellers | None | No assurance; storage conditions and authenticity are unknown | Not recommended |
Buying salon-exclusive products online: how to stay on the authorized route
When buying online, the one thing to check is whether the seller is an authorized retailer. A store the maker recognises takes responsibility for storage and freshness. Listings that are unusually cheap come with no assurance about the contents or how they were stored
SEAM's members-only online shop is for customers we have seen in store once. What we chose after looking at your hair can be delivered to your door from then on. First-time customers are registered at any of our 7 stores
How to choose a salon (professional) shampoo in three steps
- Know the base that does not change: thickness, volume and curl (three minutes with the free hair diagnosis)
- Add the current state: colour, straightening and bleach history
- Finally choose by the finish you like (light, moist, controlled)
Choosing in this order means fewer misses made "because it is famous". If in doubt, show us your hair in store and we will pick the right product from 197 brands
Main salon-exclusive brands
SEAM is a select shop carrying 197 salon-exclusive brands through authorized channels
Among the brands most often searched for are these
Stock differs by store and season See every brand we carry →
How to choose the one that suits you
The right care depends on thickness, volume and curl, and on your colour, straightening and bleach history
What you are looking for is what suits your hair now, more than a famous brand
If you already know your concern, these pages may help
Hair Finder
If you are not sure which to choose
From thickness, density, wave, and your colour and straightening history
we suggest the shampoo, treatment and leave-in that suit you now
Prefer to see it in person? Visit a SEAM store (shopping-only visits welcome)
Frequently asked questions
- What are salon-exclusive products?
- It is the collective name for hair care made on the assumption that it reaches you through a salon or an authorized retailer. Its character is finely divided ranges, so it can be chosen for your hair and your concerns
- How do salon-exclusive and drugstore products differ?
- The biggest difference is that choosing is part of the design. Retail products are made for many people to work as a single bottle; salon-exclusive products are mostly designed to be combined by hair type and history, and tend to have more lines
- Where can I buy salon-exclusive products?
- You can buy it at salons, and at authorized select shops like SEAM. SEAM's stores need no booking, and shopping-only visits are welcome
- Can I buy salon-exclusive products online?
- It can sometimes be bought through an authorized retailer's members-only online shop. Resale and unauthorized listings leave authenticity and storage unknown, so we recommend an authorized retailer
- I do not know which brand to choose
- The care that suits you changes with thickness, density, wave, and your colour and straightening history. SEAM's free Hair Finder suggests the shampoo, treatment and leave-in that suit your hair now
- Can I buy salon-exclusive products cheaper?
- Authorized retailers often have member prices and seasonal offers, and SEAM tells you about them in store. Unusually cheap unauthorized listings come with no assurance about contents or storage, so we do not recommend them
- Can I buy salon-exclusive products at drugstores or supermarkets?
- Generally not. They are made to be delivered through salons and authorized retailers
- Are salon shampoos better for hair than retail ones?
- It comes down to fit. They are designed to be chosen by hair type and history, so when they fit the change is big, and when they do not, a retail product may serve you better
- Are "salon-exclusive" and "beauty-salon-exclusive" products the same thing?
- Yes, the terms are used interchangeably. Both refer to hair care distributed through hair salons