When it comes to maintaining your hair, one of the most overlooked factors is what builds up on and in our hair over time. Minerals and metals from everyday water exposure slowly accumulate inside and on the hair fibre, impacting shine, strength and how our hair reacts to colouring and lightening services.
Let’s break down the differences between L’Oréal Metal Detox and Kérastase Première, and when having both in your hair care routine might be beneficial.
Understanding Hair Build-Up: Metals vs. Calcium
Before we compare the two products, it’s important to understand what’s actually building up in your hair, because not all build-up is the same.
Here’s a quick visual comparison table:
How Metal Builds Up In Hair:
- Tap water (especially in areas with hard water)
- Old plumbing systems or well water
- Swimming pools
How do metals get inside the hair?
Your hair fibres are porous, especially when coloured or lightened. Because of this, the metals in the water penetrate deep into your hair and bind to the internal structure of the hair.
Why metals are a problem:
If you love going to the salon and getting a lightening or colouring service, then metals can be a problem for you because they react unpredictably with the hair colour and bleach. This can cause uneven lifting and increase the risk of breakage during your service. Once you’re home and a few weeks out from your appointment, you may start to notice that your blonde is becoming more brassy and dull, less shiny, and your appointments are becoming closer together. All because of those pesky metals in your hair.
This is exactly what Metal Detox targets!
How Calcium Builds Up On The Hair:
Calcium build-up is also linked to hard water, but it acts differently from metals.
Where does calcium come from?
- Mineral-rich (hard) water
- Daily washing and rinsing
- Repeated Exposure
How calcium affects the hair:
Unlike how metals penetrate the hair fibre, calcium coats the outside of the hair fibre and breaks up the keratin bonds in your hair.
Why Calcium is a problem:
- Reacts with the proteins in your hair fibres, causing them to stiffen, making your hair harder to manage and leading to more breakage.
- Forms a coating on the hair that makes it look dull and lacking lustre.
- Weakens the protein structure of your hair
Key Benefits: L’Oréal Professionnel Metal Detox
What it does:
- Neutralizes copper, minerals and heavy metals in the hair that cause damage and breakage.
- Improves colour results
- Boosts shine and softness
- Prepares the hair for salon services
Metal Detox is great for anyone who frequently colours their hair, lives in an area with hard water and wants their salon colour to last longer.
Key Benefits: Kérastase Première
What it does:
- Frees the hair from a calcium overdose
- Reconnects broken Keratin links
- Recreates 99% of your hair’s original strength *
- Stronger, healthier, shinier hair, like renewed.
*Instrumental test after 6 uses of the concentrate + bain + fondant/masque Première
Do I Need Both?
If you have hard water, old plumbing or well water, we highly recommend using both so that your hair is healthier, stronger and shinier! While Metal Detox handles the hidden heavy metals and copper stress, Premiere will build the real strength within the hair fibre to handle the salon service you are receiving.
Première Only
If you have water filtration systems in your house, and are looking to strengthen your hair, repair and protect, then just Premiere is best for you!
Metal Detox Only
Metal Detox will provide you with better colour results because it removes internal build-up, so your hair will react more predictably to colouring or toning.
Still Have Questions?
If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment, dm @nicolepommehair or reach out to our team. We’re always here to help! [email protected]. Please allow up to 7 days for replies to DMs on Instagram.
Nicole Pidherny
Master Stylist & Founder
Nicole Pidherny, the owner of Pomme Salon, wanted to create not only a hair salon, but also a beauty hub for clients and residents in the city.
