Clients Are Asking About Haircare Ingredients—Do You Know What to Say?
Clients aren’t just asking what products “work best” anymore; they’re asking what’s inside them. From ingredient-scanning apps to social media debates about formulations, today’s clients are showing up more informed and more skeptical—but that doesn’t mean they always know what they’re looking for.
“‘Clean’ and ‘natural beauty’ have been overused and oversaturated in our industry, with standards that don’t actually produce natural and clean products,” says Jill Buck (@jillbuckhair), Davines North America Colour Ambassador and celebrity stylist,
For stylists, those questions can become a make-or-break moment in the consultation. Answer them well, and you build trust, strengthen retail recommendations and position yourself as a credible resource. Miss the opportunity, and clients may look elsewhere for answers.
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“Many clients are overwhelmed by the barrage of marketing claims,” says Sandra Super (@lushhair1), owner of Lush Hair Studio and Davines Regional Trainer. “Our clients want and deserve to know what they are purchasing… they just want [the] truth.”
But how do you answer questions about ingredients without sounding scripted, salesy or like you’re repeating marketing claims? We asked industry pros how they’re navigating these conversations. Ahead, they share:
- The clean beauty questions clients are asking most
- How they’re talking about ingredients without sounding like a sales pitch
- Why transparency is building trust and client loyalty
- How those conversations are driving retail sales
4 Ways To Turn Ingredient Conversations Into Retail Sales
- Let Clients Experience The Product First
“I prep their hair with the products right before styling,” Dana Tizzio-Marcovici (@dana_hairstylistnyc), Senior Stylist at Butterfly Studio Salon in New York City, shares. “This lets me use their service time to chat organically about the line and its benefits. They get to smell, feel and experience the results in real-time long before I ever mention the retail side of things.”
- Start The Conversation Early
“Our conversations around products really begin during the consultation process,” Charles and Nicole Gillick (@essereblu), salon owners of Essere Blu, explain. “As soon as a guest starts sharing concerns or goals for their hair, we naturally begin discussing recommendations that could support them both in the salon and at home.”
- Focus On Care, Not Sales
“When you have experienced products that consistently transform hair, simplify routines and make clients feel good about themselves, recommending them becomes part of caring for the client,” Sandra says. “It feels like an extension of the service, not a separate transaction.”
- Give Clients Something Bigger To Believe In
When clients want to know what makes the Davines products different, Jill often points to the brand’s origins and standards. “Touching on the fact that this product line is made in Italy with completely different standards than the U.S. is what really sets this brand apart and allows me to show my clientele proof.”
Why Ingredient Transparency Matters To Clients
According to Jill, clients are no longer willing to compromise. They expect high performance and greater transparency, and they want both from the same beauty brand.
For many clients, that lack of clarity is creating more questions—not fewer. “Some clients even use ingredient-scanning apps to check whether products meet their standards,” Dana says. “Most frequently, they are specifically looking for sulfate-free options.”
The Questions Clients Have—And How To Actually Answer Them
Clients are asking:
- What makes this different?
- Is it safe?
- Is it sustainable?
- Does it really work?
- Why isn’t every beauty brand taking this approach?
According to Jill, they’re no longer willing to compromise. They expect high performance and greater transparency, and they want both from the same beauty brand.
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Ingredient-conscious clients? Here’s why pros are reaching for Davines Essential Haircare.
How To Talk About Ingredients Without Sounding Salesy
- Start with their hair goals:
“I usually begin by connecting the product to their specific hair needs and then share the bigger story,” Dana explains. It’s one reason Essential Haircare has remained a staple in her salon: Each family is designed to address a specific hair need while giving stylists a deeper ingredient and sustainability story to share with clients. “It keeps the choice simple for the client and feels like a luxury, curated experience designed entirely for their specific hair needs.”
- Speak from personal experience:
One of Sandra’s favorite things to tell her clients is, ‘I only recommend products that I use on myself and my family, and Davines has earned that trust for over two decades.’ “This statement alone reflects how strongly I believe in the products and the company behind them,” she says.
Why Essential Haircare Has Stayed Relevant For 20+ Years
The same questions clients are asking today—about ingredients, sustainability and transparency—are part of what has shaped the evolution of Davines Essential Haircare over the last two decades.
“What has remained unchanged is the promise we’ve made to our customers and the vision behind the line itself,” says Mark Giannandrea (@markgee), Global General Manager of Davines Haircare. “Since its launch in 2004, Essential Haircare has represented our commitment to relentless scientific research focused on delivering high performance with an ever-greater emphasis on sustainability.”
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What’s New In Essential Haircare:
- Regenerative Organic Certified™ active ingredients sourced from farms around the world
- Streamlined formulas designed to keep only what’s needed while maintaining professional performance
- Redesigned packaging with a lower environmental footprint
- New product innovations across the collection, including targeted serums, curl-enhancing and smoothing products, and shampoo refill options
For Charles and Nicole, the evolution of Essential Haircare reflects the same intentional approach that drew them to Davines in the first place. “We share the things we genuinely love about the products, the philosophy and the company itself. Our role is less about following trends and more about helping guests make informed choices through education, transparency and brands whose values genuinely align with our own.”
“We believe there is an urgent need to move beyond the idea of simply protecting ecosystems and instead embrace the broader concept of regeneration,” Mark explains.
See why stylists have trusted Essential Haircare for more than 20 years.
This content is sponsored.
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