by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, UV Filters and Vitamins, just to name a few, were ingredients once only reserved for skin care but today are all the rage in the haircare marketplace and being written about in blog after beauty blog.  But this is not foreign territory to us at Philip Pelusi.  Philip has been integrating skin care ingredients in his haircare formulas since day one.  And with good reason.

Philip has always believed that a healthy scalp is the precursor to every great head of hair.  And especially since the scalp is merely an extension of our foreheads, it seems natural to treat it in a similar way to our face or body.  And with hair and skin also both being composed of keratin protein, enhancing it with the same ingredients also makes sense. 

So, “skin-ovating” one’s hair care routine makes for a great foundation for any great hair color, texture service or Volumetric Haircut.  Here are several Philip Pelusi revolutionary skincare lookalike marvels:

Ceramides – Once only reserved for face and neck treatment products, Philip created his Patent Pending Hydro-Charged Pelusi Ceramide Complex to help rebuild, strengthen, moisturize and seal in color.  It’s present in all P2 Shampoos, Conditioners and Smart Styling Treatments.

Hyaluronic Acid – Now being pronounced phonetically by a famous actress in Loreal skincare commercials, saying “hya-lur-on-ic acid”, as if it is a brand new ingredient.  Almost 50 years ago Philip put this still-revolutionary moisture binding powerhouse in his P2 Deep Hydrating Treatment and P2 Lite Leave In Conditioner.  We can recommend this treatment mask and a hydrating mist, vernacular once only reserved for skin care products, to help improve the hair and scalp.

Salicylic Acid – Used frequently in skin care to help rapidly exfoliate surface dulling dead skin cells.  Philip created the first ever anti-dandruff shampoo, P2 Roots Exfoliating Shampoo Treatment, with this skincare marvel along with other skin hydrators such as Marsh Plant.  It works gently to lift off dry or oily dandruff to produce a healthier scalp environment and allow better penetration of beneficial scalp ingredients.

Probiotics – Relatively new to the skincare ingredient scene to help balance the skin’s microflora (good bacteria), Philip created the first ever probiotic hair care line Tela Beauty Organics Life Force Shampoo, Conditioner, Scalp Serum and Mask.

UV Filters – Hair can get a sunburn just like the skin, causing dryness, color loss and breakage.  So why reserve daily sun protection for face or body only?  There are Ultra Violet Light Filters in every Philip Pelusi product.  P2 Potion and Tela Guardian Angel are the biggest protectors while Philip’s proprietary Matrix Blend of 6 UV Filters run throughout many of the P2 product line.

Deep Cleanse – Just like in skincare, sometimes we need a remedy to manage an over oily scalp.  Philip invented his P2 Detox Shampoo Treatment containing Philip’s proprietary oil-reducing micro-emulsion, the Philip Pelusi Rocket Ivy Blend.  You get a deep but gentle cleanse and with these Ph balancing ingredients, a cleaner scalp throughout the day.

Hydrating Oils – Face oils are all the rage today and with Tela Guardian Angel Solar Hair Serum we have a haircare hydrating equivalent.  Containing 4 different oils, Quinoa, Sunflower, Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Sachi Inchi to hydrate and help heat protect the hair and scalp.

Anti-oxidants and Vitamins – Essential to any skincare routine, these ingredients were often only reserved for facial serums and treatments.  While Vitamins C, E and A, Organic Milk Thistle, Organic Chinese Foxglove and Organic Reishi Mushroom are just a few of the hundreds of anti-oxidants and vitamins threaded throughout both the Tela and P2 product lines working to protect and fortify the hair and scalp.

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)

by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

Sachi Inchi and Plukenetia Volubilis?!?!  Sounds like tongue twister, right?!?!  These two names are a one in the same incredible ingredient sourced by Philip Pelusi himself for his Tela Beauty Organics product, Guardian Angel Solar Hair Serum.

Philip choose USDA Certified Organic Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil (pronounced pluck-an-ay-sha vol-u-bill-is and well known as Sachi Inchi, pronounced saw-cha in-chee) for its strength, moisture, smoothness and shine.  USDA, standing for United States Department of Agriculture.  Organic, meaning this ingredient meets the strict standards of organic growing, harvesting and manufacturing of the USDA.

Philip choose the very best quality, meaning cold-pressed, Sachi Inchi Oil expressed from Plukenetia Volubilis Seeds which are native to tropical South America.  Cold pressed is a manufacturing process that allows the ingredient to retain all its nutrition value during manufacturing.  This is true of any cold pressed oil even oils we cook with such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Just check the label to see if it’s a cold pressed version.

The Sachi Inchi seeds and oil high are rich in protein and fatty acids Omega 3, 6 and 9 to strengthen, hydrate and help with heat protection.  This incredible ingredient also is rich in hair protective antioxidants Vitamins A and E to help protect from environmental pollutants while helping slow the oxidative process that fades hair color.

Through the high-tech process Philip uses called Micro Emulsion Technology, to prefect the molecular size of his ingredients, Sachi Inchi is a quick penetrating emollient that hydrates hair and helps smooths during styling and creates lots of lustrous shine and manageability. 

And all of this with zero build-up!  Every ingredient, including oils, Philip chooses are cleansed away with the next shampoo while never stripping or drying the hair or scalp.

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)

by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

Have you noticed Philip created an entire category of products known as Rx?  They are easy to spot because they all have a purple square label on the front of each bottle with the name of the product…

Daily HaiRx Xtreme Repair Spray

Deep Hydrating Hair and Scalp Treatment

RepairHair Leave-In Heat Styling Treatment

Clarify Shampoo Treatment

Detox Shampoo Treatment

But why Rx?  Philip specifically formulated these revolutionary, tech smart products to help stylists and guests tackle niche’ hair and scalp problems such as breakage, loss of moisture, excess oil, DHT removal, chlorine or mineral removal and damaged hair.  Each formula is made with the very best ingredients and technology while being color safe, strengthening, hydrating, shine creating and so much more. 

They are also non-texture-specific, meaning they can be used universally on any guest suffering from any of these problems no matter their hair texture.  This makes them easy to prescribe for the stylist too!  We can treat the Rx problem, while separately addressing texture with the rest of their recommended Philip Pelusi products.

But who is the “hair doctor” writing the Rx prescription?  You are!  The stylist should analyze the hair and scalp and make product recommendations to help solve these problems.  We are not talking about diagnosing medical conditions, please leave those to their physician.  But cosmetic or cosmeceutical problems, such as those listed above, can be helped or managed by one or several products in Philip’s Rx collection.

After the stylist analyzes the hair and scalp and has a thorough verbal consultation with the guest, they can select the Philip Pelusi Rx product or products and recommend them to the guest.  Show and tell the guest everything they need to know for successful use of the product at home.  Which product to use, how to apply it, how much to apply, how frequently to use it, how long it should stay on the hair and scalp before being rinsed thoroughly, are all things that need to be part of the stylist’s prescription.  Just think of the Image Profile as your prescription for each guest.

And be sure to follow up on the Rx product they purchased when you see the guest at their next visit too.  How has the product been working for them?  What positive changes have they noticed with their hair and or scalp?  And make sure they are still using the product correctly.  Proper use of each product makes a big difference in the results they will experience!  Just tweak their application plan as needed!

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)

by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

It makes a colorist cringe when they hear their guest say they shampoo their hair more than once a day, such as in the morning and then again later in the day.  Ouch!  But then after hearing the reasoning behind their actions, we realize a lot of these guests are doing this over-washing to combat one of the most frustrating and sometimes emotionally difficult things for a guest to deal with, an overly oily scalp.

Nothing can be more frustrating for someone then cleansing, conditioning and styling their hair perfectly in the morning only to have it start to go limp, and look dirty and oily throughout the day.  No wonder they want to cleanse again!  But what is really happening here?

Some people are just “hard wired” to have an overly oily scalp, meaning their scalp is not in Ph balance.  Their scalp is naturally too “positively” charged.  So, their body’s natural reaction is to get their scalp in Ph balance.  How?  By creating excess oil and sending it to the surface of the scalp to put it in Ph balance.  This is why over-cleansing or harsh detergents can actually make the body want to create more oil, faster.  And although natural scalp oil can be an excellent hair lubricant especially for those with drier hair textures, it can wreak havoc with someone’s style.  Especially someone with a finer hair type even if it is a medium density.

Enter the Philip Pelusi Rocket Ivy Blend to save the day!  This totally unique, Pelusi-proprietary Microemulsion contains natural ingredients Rocket Leaf, Ivy, Whortleberry and Watercress that naturally puts the scalp in Ph balance.  The scalp is in balance, so the body doesn’t feel the need to secrete excess oil. 

This revolutionary blend plays this scientific trick on the scalp and body resulting in the scalp staying cleaner longer and the hairstyle lasting longer throughout the day, and sometimes days, meaning the guest can find they might even be able to skip a day of shampooing!  And since water is the #1 hair color fader, this helps preserve the color and the condition of the hair better in that more of the natural lubricants are left on the hair.  Hair and hair color are not stripped away by over-cleansing.

This masterful blend is in Philip’s P2 by Philip Pelusi DeTox Treatment Shampoo.  This makes it a perfect shampoo to recommend to any guest with overly oily scalps, even teenagers.  It is also the perfect recommendation for any guest with fine, limp, spare hair whose hair reacts negatively to too much oil at the base of the follicle by immediately going limp.  Hair stays cleaner longer so styles last longer too!

Also, the P2 DeTox gives a gentle cleanse with no harsh detergents, thus helping preserve a healthy scalp environment and hair color too.  It makes the perfect companion shampoo to the P2 Roots Exfoliating Shampoo for anyone dealing with an oily dandruff problem.  P2 DeTox helps control the oil while the P2 Roots Exfoliate help slough off the dead skin cells.  The scalp is left feeling healthy and fresh.  And these shampoos can be used every day or alternated as need.

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)

by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

When it comes to creating the best haircare products in the world, Philip Pelusi is like a master chef.  Not only selecting the very best ingredients but also his use of Micro Emulsion Technology to perfect the size of these ingredients for the best penetration but also to create incredibly unique proprietary blends that make his products one of a kind.

One of these blends is The Pelusi P2 Matrix Blend consisting of 6 natural plants; Matricaria, Asafetida, Sage, Horseradish, Grapeseed and Blackberry.  These natural wonders arm the hair and scalp with a quadruple threat against harmful conditions serving as Antioxidants, Ultra-Violet Ray Filters, Strengthening Proteins and Weightless Moisturizers.  The Pelusi P2 Matrix Blend is found in P2 Potion, the first product created to contain this totally unique ingredient blend, but it is also peppered throughout the P2 product line.  Here’s why this revolutionary blend benefits the hair and scalp.

The Pelusi P2 Matrix Blend serves as Antioxidants to help protect hair color from fading and to help protect the hair from hair-degrading free-radical pollutants.  How does this work?  Once hair has been touched by ammonia (present in hair color) it leaves a small oxidative footprint, even after being properly cleanses away, that will cause oxidation (fading).  The antioxidants in The Pelusi P2 Matrix Blend will dramatically help slow this process.  Free radical pollutants (pollutants present in the air) also land on the hair and skin degrading or weakening the hair fabric.  Again, The Pelusi Matrix Blend helps guard against this.

The Pelusi P2 Matrix Blend serves as UV Filters to help protect hair and scalp from the degrading rays of the sun.  Did you know the sun can give hair a sunburn similar to skin?  It’s true!  The Ultra-Violet Rays of the sun degrade the collagen and elastin in the skin, but it also erodes the protein in the hair.  Day to day and most definitely prolonged exposure to the sun means weak, porous, tangled, dry, dull and faded color.

This is because UV Rays erode the cuticle and eventually the cortex of the hair leaving hair porous and vulnerable to even more damage from color, chemicals and heat styling.  We know that once enough protein is chipped away, hair strands thin and eventually break off.  Nothing can permanently block sunlight, but with consistent application of The Pelusi P2 Matrix blend through various products such as P2 Potion, we can help prevent and reduce sun damage, helping to protect beautiful hair and color investments alike.

The Pelusi P2 Matrix Blend serves as Strengthening Proteins that not only help make hair more resilient to damage (color, chemical, heat, styling) but also help create slip to the surface of the hair helping with detangling.  They also help fill in broken cuticle sights making hair feel smooth and look shinier.

The Pelusi P2 Matrix Blend serves as Weightless Moisturizers that help hydrate hair and scalp.  This means better protection while heat styling, better detangling and a smoother hair surface.  Great for before and after sun exposure too but with a light natural feel.  Nothing heavy or sticky.

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)

by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

Another incredible ingredient Philip has put in his Tela Beauty Organics products is a curious one, Milk Thistle Oil.  Its recent starring role is as an important ingredient in the Tela Beauty Organics Life Force Scalp Scrub as the lush oil the organic sugar granules swim in and in the Tela Modern Hair Wear Collection to help hydrate, protect and groom the hair.

On its face Milk Thistle looks like a pretty purple flower.  But it is much more than its external beauty!  It’s what’s on the inside that counts.  Milk Thistle is a robust plant with purple flowerheads that grows wild in the South of France, Central and Southern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa.  The oil derived from the Milk Thistle plant contains hydrating triglycerides (moisturizing fatty acids) that provide a soft and silky feel to the hair.  Light, never weighing the hair down, this smooth lubrication helps to detangle the hair while also helping provide heat protection.

Milk Thistle also has antioxidant properties, and this is good news for the hair and scalp.  An antioxidant helps ward off free radical pollutants that can degrade the hair and scalp making them weaker.  Plant derived antioxidants such as Milk Thistle help protect hair’s strength and therefore it’s ability to hold onto color, moisture and protein.

Through the high-tech process Philip uses called Micro Emulsion Technology, to prefect the molecular size of his ingredients for the fastest and deepest penetration, Milk Thistle Oil quickly penetrates the hair fiber and scalp surface.  Helping to hydrate, smooth during styling and create lots of lustrous shine and manageability.  And all of this with zero build-up!

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)

by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

You’ve probably seen the skincare commercial with a famous actress pronouncing phonetically “hi-ah-lur-on-ic acid“ as if it is a brand new ingredient that no one have ever heard of.  Well, Hyaluronic Acid is not a stranger to us here at Philip Pelusi!

Almost 50 years ago Philip put this still-revolutionary moisture binding powerhouse in his P2 Deep Hydrating Treatment and P2 Lite Leave In Conditioner, making him the first to use skincare ingredients in haircare products!  Let’s explore why this ingredient is so incredibly effective, how it works and its many benefits to the hair and scalp.

How It Works:  Have you ever wondered why when a leaf falls off a tree in the fall it doesn’t turn brown and crispy instantly?  Or have you ever walked past rose bushes a day or two after it rained to notice there is still water resting on those rose petals?  This is Hyaluronic Acid in action!  This moisture binding powerhouse is found in all of nature, in plant life, in our own bodies and even in a chicken’s comb! 

Hyaluronic Acid is an incredible lubricant to our knees, elbows, eyes and skin.  When we are born, our bodies are at their highest production level of Hyaluronic Acid that’s why a baby’s skin is so plump and smooth.  As we age, our body’s ability to produce Hyaluronic Acid naturally declines and that’s why aging skin is generally much drier than younger skin.  Hyaluronic Acid, which can hold up to 1,000 times its molecular weight in water, naturally draws and bind moisture to whatever surface it is on, thus the moist rose petals and soft and flexibly leaves.

At Philip Pelusi, we only use plant derived sources to obtain the Hyaluronic Acid we use, and absolutely do not use any animals as a course for any of our ingredients.

Hyaluronic Acid is one big moisture binding molecule so if you are worried about the weight on the hair, don’t be!  The amount of Hyaluronic Acid put into any product makes a big difference and also the composition of the rest of the product as well.  Plus, if you want the lighter moisture binding equivalent, you can turn to Cassia Angustifolia Seed, found in our P2 Moisturesheen Shampoo and P2 Moisturesheen Conditioner.

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)

by Nikki ~ Product Education Director

The question “Is this Gluten Free?” is common these days.  Some folks wanting to avoiding gluten because they don’t want to feel bloated after eating certain foods.  While others who have a full-on gluten allergy.  But no matter the reason, consumers are asking about this when it comes to food they order in a restaurant, buy at the grocery store and on products they use on their hair and bodies.  This consumer demand is something Philip Pelusi has been aware of, and being ahead of the curve by starting the gluten free process in his products years ago.

So, the question remains, are we gluten free?  The answer, we are in the process of becoming gluten free.  Any new P2 or Tela Philip Pelusi formulation is created as a gluten free formula right from the start.  And while existing formulas are also being re-formulated as gluten free as we sell through the rest of the current bottles.  Philip Pelusi have such a huge inventory it takes time to turn over that inventory for the new gluten free versions to be created.

But how do we know which products are gluten free and which are not?  Easy!  Simply check the back label of any Philip Pelusi product to see if that formula, in that actual bottle, is gluten free like the label here for the P2 Clenz Crème.  The label will clearly read gluten free.  But please note, during this transition it is entirely possible for one bottle of P2 Age de Phy Shampoo, for example, to be labeled gluten free and another not labeled as such.  So please check the back label if need.

But do the gluten free proteins in our products work the same as the non-gluten free versions?  Yes!  For example, the gluten free Corn, Soy and Wheat in the Philip Pelusi Rx Xtreme Liquid Hair Repair Spray are just as strengthening as the non-gluten free versions.  They are Corn, Soy and Wheat Protein but with the gluten removed which has no benefit to the hair anyways.  So yes, our gluten free proteins meet today’s consumer demands yet retain all the strengthening benefits to the hair and scalp!

These gluten free proteins are also subjected to the same Micro Emulsion Technology that helps perfect all of Philip’s ingredients making them the correct molecular size to penetrate the hair even into the most damaged cortex sites.  This helps improve the strength, health, shine and style ability of any head of hair!

The Philip Pelusi Chic Geek is a treasure trove of in-depth Philip Pelusi ingredient knowledge.  To see all Chic Geeks, go to…  Chic Geek (busystylist.com)