Salvatore Tanino Therapy vs Blue Gold: which smoothing system?

ComparisonTanino TherapyBlue Gold

Salvatore Tanino Therapy (Step A + Step B) and Salvatore Blue Gold (Step 1 + Step 2) smooth with the same tannin chemistry, so you are not choosing between two formulas but between an open and a closed system. Tanino Therapy is the open system: A+B as the base, with the letter steps D, E, F, G and J and the curl steps M, N and O around it. Blue Gold is the closed two-step system: anionic shampoo, realignment conditioner, flat iron, done, with a flat-iron tip for blonde hair on the grey Step 2. Neither is 'stronger'; the difference is what you can build with it.

On this page we put the two systems side by side on what the directions of each bottle say, not on what we think of them. What taninoplastia itself is lives in our taninoplastia explained guide; here it is only about which Salvatore system fits your chair. What each lettered Tanino Therapy step does is in the Tanino Therapy steps A to O guide.

Tanino Therapy

Open system, A + B

Blue Gold

Closed, Step 1 + 2

Original or Premium

Step 2: one formula

Chemistry

The same tannin

Which system is for whom?

TANINO THERAPY A+B

Pick Tanino Therapy if you build a protocol per client: smoothing plus extra letter steps (D, E, F, G, J), or if you also serve curly clients (M, N, O). Start with the A+B kit 2x100 ml, scale to 2x500 and 2x1000 ml.

BLUE GOLD STEP 1+2

Pick Blue Gold if you run one fixed smoothing service without extra steps, or do a lot of blonde hair: Blue Gold Premium Step 1 carries 'Color protection' on the front, and the grey Step 2 gives a tip for blonde hair (180 °C to 200 °C maximum). Start with the Blue Gold Premium kit 2x100 ml, scale to 2x1000 ml.

Our rule: a salon that sells the smoothing as a stand-alone service is done with Blue Gold; a salon that stacks treatments and varies per client buys Tanino Therapy and adds the rest of the letters.

How do the two systems compare side by side?

Every point below comes from the label of the bottle in question; where it is our advice, we say so.

Tanino Therapy A+B kit 2x1000 ml Blue Gold Premium kit 2x1000 ml Blue Gold kit 2x1000 ml

What is in the box

TANINO THERAPY

Step A Cuticle Prepper (cleansing shampoo) + Step B Capillary Styling (tannin conditioner). Singles in 500 and 1000 ml; A+B kits in 2x100, 2x500 and 2x1000 ml.

BLUE GOLD

Step 1 anionic shampoo + Step 2 realignment conditioner. Kits in 2x100 and 2x1000 ml; Step 2 also as a 1000 ml single.

Preparation

TANINO THERAPY

Step A on wet hair, 2 to 3 times as needed, rinsing the product out completely each time.

BLUE GOLD

Step 1 on wet hair, two washes, no leave-on. Allergy test with Step 2 on forearm and nape beforehand.

State of the hair at the conditioner

TANINO THERAPY

Blow-dry until half the moisture is out, then Step B section by section, spread evenly with a comb.

BLUE GOLD

Navy bottle (Original): on fully dry hair, shake well, apply with a tint brush. Grey bottle (Premium): on damp hair, after removing the excess water (50%).

Leave-on

TANINO THERAPY

At least 30 minutes.

BLUE GOLD

Grey bottle: 30 minutes.

Flat iron

TANINO THERAPY

Slowly in thin sections, at least 10 to 20 times as needed.

BLUE GOLD

Grey bottle: 1 cm sections, an average of 10 passes according to the strength of the hair fibre, more at the root than at the ends. Tip for blonde hair: 180 °C to 200 °C maximum, 'to avoid dryness and tonality loss'.

Actives

TANINO THERAPY

Tannic acid + Stryphnodendron, Piptadenia, Tabebuia, Cinchona; hydrolysed gelatin, collagen, keratin, sericin; blue colourant CI 44045. No formaldehyde and no glyoxylic acid on the printed ingredient list of Step B 500 and 1000 ml.

BLUE GOLD

Step 2: the same actives and the same colourant CI 44045. No glyoxylic acid on the printed list.

Extra steps in the line

TANINO THERAPY

The letter steps D, E, F, G and J, the curl steps M, N and O, plus protocol kits (ABG, ABDE, ABFD, MBFNO, AGJ and more).

BLUE GOLD

None. Two steps, then home care.

Home care afterwards

TANINO THERAPY

Our advice: the Chemical Repair duo (+ Tanino Touch leave-in).

BLUE GOLD

Our advice: the same Chemical Repair duo. The grey Step 2 prints: 'For the treatment maintenance, recommended an Everyday Use on Salvatore Line'.

What stands out in this table: the difference is not the smoothing agent. Step B and Blue Gold Step 2 carry the same tannin actives on their ingredient lists; neither is 'stronger'.

Blue Gold Original or Blue Gold Premium: what is the difference?

For Step 2: one formula, two packs. The printed Step 2 ingredient list is identical on Original and Premium. 'Premium' is the name on the grey pack marked 'EXPORT ONLY'; the navy bottle is a different pack generation.

Front. Navy: 'Reestruturação Tanínica / Taninoplastia'. Grey, on Step 1: 'Color protection' and 'Hair cuticle treatment'.
Applying Step 2. Navy: on fully dry hair. Grey: on damp hair, after removing the excess water (50%).
Responsible person in the EU. Only the grey Step 2 carries a European address on the label.

So our rule is short: follow the directions on the bottle in your hand and buy the pack that is in stock. Anyone expecting a 'stronger' Premium is buying a name, not a formula. The Blue Gold kit 2x1000 ml and the Blue Gold Premium kit 2x1000 ml do the same job; as singles there are Step 2 Original and Step 2 Premium in 1000 ml.

Which system for which hair and which salon?

Thick, resistant hair. Both. With Tanino Therapy, Step B stays on for at least 30 minutes and you go up to 20 passes as needed; with Blue Gold Premium you work in 1 cm sections, an average of 10 passes, according to the strength of the hair fibre.
Blonde or bleached hair. Blue Gold Premium: the grey Step 2 gives 180 °C to 200 °C maximum as its tip for blonde hair. Always an allergy test and a test strand.
Curly clients. Tanino Therapy, because only that line has the curl steps M, N and O and the Curl Transition Kit MBFNO. Blue Gold has no curl route.
Damaged or chemically treated hair. Tanino Therapy, because you extend the protocol per client with letter steps, for example with the kit ABFD.
Salon with many smoothings a week. Both in 2x1000 ml; Tanino Therapy also in single litres of A and B, so you rebuy Step A more often than Step B.
First time with Salvatore, or one client a month. The 2x100 ml kits: A+B or Blue Gold Premium.

What do both systems need afterwards?

The same home care. For both smoothings we recommend the Chemical Repair duo as shampoo and mask, with the Tanino Touch leave-in if wanted. The grey Blue Gold Step 2 itself prints: 'For the treatment maintenance, recommended an Everyday Use on Salvatore Line.' The first 30 days are in our Tanino Therapy aftercare guide.

What do you watch for when working with either system?

Run the allergy test with Step 2 on the forearm and nape before Blue Gold, as the bottle prescribes; we recommend it before Step B as well, because the tannin actives are the same. Step B also prints: avoid contact with the eyes and rinse with running water if it happens. Stop at any abnormal reaction and seek medical advice. External use only; keep out of reach of children. Both systems are professional products for the salon, not a home treatment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Tanino Therapy and Blue Gold?

Not the chemistry: both smooth with the same tannin actives (Stryphnodendron, Piptadenia, Tabebuia, Cinchona and tannic acid) in Step B and in Step 2, with no glyoxylic acid on the printed list. The difference is the system around them. Tanino Therapy is open: Step A and Step B plus the letter steps D, E, F, G, J and the curl steps M, N, O. Blue Gold is closed: Step 1 and Step 2, done, with a flat-iron tip for blonde hair on the grey Step 2.

Is Blue Gold Premium stronger than Blue Gold Original?

No. The printed Step 2 ingredient list is identical on Original and Premium. Premium is the name on the grey pack. What differs is the label: the wording on the front, and whether Step 2 goes on fully dry hair (navy) or on damp hair after removing the excess water (grey). Follow the bottle in your hand.

Can I combine Blue Gold with the Tanino Therapy steps?

Salvatore prints 'exclusive use of Tanino Therapy line' on Step A and Step B. We therefore keep Blue Gold as its own two-step system and recommend the same home care after it as after A+B: the Chemical Repair duo. If you want to build extra steps in the salon, choose Tanino Therapy; those steps were made for it.

Which system for bleached or blonde hair?

Both conditioners carry the same blue colourant (CI 44045). The difference is what is printed: Blue Gold Premium Step 1 carries 'Color protection' on the front, and the grey Step 2 gives the tip 'On blonde hair, flat iron it using temperatures between 180ºC and 200ºC maximum according to the strength of the hair fiber to avoid dryness and tonality loss'. For blonde hair we therefore pick Blue Gold Premium, and in every case an allergy test and a test strand first.

Which system for curly hair?

If the client wants smooth, both systems do that. If she wants to keep her curls, only Tanino Therapy is the route: the curl steps M (cleansing shampoo), N (hydrolipidic mask) and O exist only in that line, as does the Curl Transition Kit MBFNO. Blue Gold has no curl steps.

Which home care goes with which system?

The same. For both smoothings we recommend the Chemical Repair duo (shampoo + mask), with the Tanino Touch leave-in if wanted. The Blue Gold Premium Step 2 bottle prints: 'For the treatment maintenance, recommended an Everyday Use on Salvatore Line.'