Salvatore Tanino Therapy Cuticle Prepper Clarifying Shampoo Step A (1000ml) is the deep-clean prep wash that opens a Salvatore tannin smoothing. It is built on a sodium laureth sulfate base softened with cocamidopropyl betaine. Its list carries no formaldehyde, no formaldehyde releaser and no glyoxylic acid, because it is the clarifier, not the smoothing step. It is Step A, the wash that strips oil, product and hard-water residue before the Step B tannin goes on. The 1 litre back-bar size, also sold in 100ml and 500ml.

Why this shampoo

A tannin smoothing only takes to hair that is truly clean. Oil, silicone carried over from home-care and hard-water minerals sit on the cuticle and block the actives, so the result comes out patchy. Step A clears that layer first. It cleans hard with a laureth sulfate, rinses without leaving a film, and leaves the fibre open and ready. We would never start a Capillary Styling Step B service without it, because the smoothing is only as even as the wash that came before it. Made in Brazil at Salvatore's plant in Presidente Prudente.

Key ingredients

The laureth sulfate does the deep clean at the roots and sodium chloride sets the viscosity. Cocamidopropyl betaine is the co-surfactant that keeps the wash from stripping the scalp too roughly. There are no silicones on the list, which is why nothing is redeposited to block the next step, and phenoxyethanol with the parabens keeps it preserved. Full INCI on the product image.

What to expect

A clean that squeaks a little, which is the point of a prep and not the soft feel of a care shampoo. Hair comes out matte, grippy and free of residue, ready for the tannin to bond. On its own it doubles as a strong periodic clarifier for hair weighed down by product and hard water. The one thing it does not do is smooth, and that is Step B's job.

Who it is for

• Salons prepping hair for a Salvatore tannin smoothing
• Oily or product-heavy hair that a normal shampoo cannot cut through
• Anyone restocking the Step A wash from the A + B kit

Who it is not for

• Daily washing, since a clarifier this strong is a prep and reset wash rather than an everyday one
• Clients who want a wash without sulfates, because this one cleans with a laureth sulfate
• Fresh smoothing at home, where a gentler shampoo protects the result for longer

Professional tip

The mistake we see is an everyday shampoo used as the prep, then a smoothing that grabs unevenly at the roots. Salvatore's own directions say to apply to the roots first without rubbing the scalp, then to draw the product down and, on coated hair, "apply 2 - 3 times according to the need." We would take that literally, with cool water and no conditioner after, because anything you add back is a film the tannin has to fight.

How to use

Use it as the first step of the smoothing, on wet hair, before any tannin goes on. The cleaner the canvas, the more even the Step B result, so this is where you take your time and your prep earns its keep.

Work it at the roots first and let it travel down, because the scalp carries the most oil and the lengths need the least friction. Rinse cool, since hot water is not needed to clarify and only roughens the fibre.

1. Wet and apply. Apply the shampoo to wet hair at the roots without rubbing the scalp, because the lather should start where the oil sits.
2. Draw down. Distribute the product from the roots to the ends without rubbing the fibre, so the cuticle stays flat while it cleans.
3. Rinse cold. Rinse well with cold or lukewarm water and remove the product completely, because any residue left behind blocks the next step.
4. Repeat and check. Repeat two to three times on heavily coated hair, then feel for a clean squeak before you move to Step B.

Where it fits in the range

Step A is the prep half of the two-step smoothing. Capillary Styling Step B 1000ml is the tannin that follows it, and the Step A + Step B kit 2x1000ml holds the pair in one box. We would stock the kit for the bench and this bottle alone, because the prep runs out ahead of the tannin. The rest of the line sits under Salvatore Tanino Therapy.

In short

• 1000ml back-bar bottle, the clarifier that readies hair for the tannin that follows
• A sulfate deep clean on a betaine base, with no formaldehyde and no glyoxylic acid
• Roots first, no rubbing, rinse cool, two to three passes on coated hair
• Step A of the A + B pair; Step B is the tannin that follows