As your hair gets longer...

As your hair gets longer, do you find that the products you purchase get cheaper and cheaper? In the beginning of my journey for several years, I didn't think nothing of dropping $15 - 20 on conditioner for my hair. Now I'm all about buying cheaper natural conditioners in bulk at the co-op, good old fashion Suave and adding my butters, oils, honey, etc to beef it up since I go through so much in any given month - especially winter. I make my own oil mixes. The only thing I invest in is shampoos, leave-in, palmades and certain butter blend I know I cant make on my own.

In terms of leave-ins, Giovanni is a good line for me that's cost effective when I used to spend much more for it. The bottles still only lasts for a few weeks, but at least I'm not spending $$ on it.

Several months ago, I treated myself to KCCC, but only use a tad 2-3x a month on dry hair (gives me a more natural - less jheri curl look) and purchased a couple of Oyin and Darcy's on Black Friday, but don't plan on making a habit out of it. I'm already running low on a couple of items that I really like.

Did you change the products you use based on your hair length/thickness to save money?

What products did you give up when your hair really started to grow? What did you sub with? Sometimes its difficult to find the right products because my hair hates 'cones, mineral oils and glycerin. My hair is high maintenance!

As my hair has grown I've noticed that I only really spend a lot of money on my stylers. I find myself using conditioners I can get in the store and adding oils to them. When I had a twa I definitely spent more money probably because the products lasted longer. But now I have to use more conditioner so I definitely look for those I can find in the store like Garnier or Tresemme.

My favorite stylers are Qhemet's so I prefer to save and spend my money on this. I stopped using shampoo and conditioners that I had to buy online because I have to use more since my hair is longer and thicker. So really the only thing I'm buying online now are my styling products.

I agree with you regarding the stylers - those are more difficult to make or buy decent quality on the cheap. Since I don't use stylers often, they are (thankfully) not a regular purchase.

When I do buy shampoos and conditioners online, I order from vitacost.com because of the low prices and shipping (Aubrey Organics, Kiss My Face, Giovanni, etc).

I always found it funny that those with TWAs and who are newly natural spend a crazy amount of money on products, but don't have much hair! lol. I've always been natural and have never spent a lot of money on hair products. I will splurge once in a while to try something new, but it has never been a regular thing for me. The most I would spend on a product is like $10 and it would have to be something I really, really, really want. Its not that I don't have the money, I just choose to spend/invest in more worthwhile things.

I agree with BajanPrincess82.....its alot of newly naturals who go out buying crazy expensive products and entire product lines, bless their hearts, I think its because it may seem to be the "best quality" products for their hair, or theyve been told itll be able to give them the look they want. I used to buy alot of Carols Daughter Products and other expensive ones, but as my hair has grown and Ive learned alot more about my hairs likes and dislikes I dont really get the expensive products anymore. I buy herbal essence shampoos, aussie moist conditioners, and some of those suave cheapees as well, I may spend about $10 on my leave in and another conditioner but thats about it...

I think a lot of it its because their hair is NEW to them. If they've been relaxed since kindergarten, its easy to splurge because it does take a while to know what works for your hair during transition, TWA stage and longer. It also depends on the season - at least it does for me.

If you've always been natural, its probably not a huge deal for you.

Yeah, I know they are new and excited, but going broke buying hair products is not the way to do it! lol A lot of new naturals will ask me what I use in my hair and they are surprised that I don't use expensive brands...mostly simple stuff that you can find at Wal-Mart or Target. But even besides with my hair, I'm a bargain shopper and hate spending a lot of money if I don't have to!

Yeah, I hear ya, but its still a learning process for them and unfortunately what works for one doesn't work for another. I WISH I can only use cheap products, LOL - but the 'cones, mineral oils and glycerin are too harsh on my hair.

My Target doesn't carry the Shea Moisture line - NONE of them in my area.

@CarlaAR, re Giovanni.... make sure you check out www.massagewarehouse.com OR www.vitacost.com for bulk/low cost Giovanni products.

mizcreativelyme wrote:@CarlaAR, re Giovanni.... make sure you check out www.massagewarehouse.com OR www.vitacost.com for bulk/low cost Giovanni products.

Cool! Thanks for the links. I've ordered from vitacost.com several times, but never heard of massagewarehouse.com. Have your ordered from that company before?

CarlaAR wrote:Yeah, I hear ya, but its still a learning process for them and unfortunately what works for one doesn't work for another. I WISH I can only use cheap products, LOL - but the 'cones, mineral oils and glycerin are too harsh on my hair.

My Target doesn't carry the Shea Moisture line - NONE of them in my area.

+1000 post. Being in a household of 3 naturals, I can fully attest to each one of us having different hair needs. We can't use the same products at all. My 13 year old is a lifelong natural and I don't prepoo, cowash, deep condition, or add oils to her hair and it's still the business! I cant follow that regimen. It's a new experience trying to figure out what our hair likes and dislikes. And would you believe that you can you can buy products with the ingredients that your hair likes, and they still doesn't work. Having a new twa is VERY different than having long hair or the experience of being a lifetime natural. I'm protein sensitive and I can't use several natural ingredients, as well. I was a reluctant product junkie until I figured out what my hair needed. Even now as my twa is growing out, the products don't work the same as before. I can see KCCC being something I probably won't use in a few months. When my hair was really short, it shaped unruly curls. Now I don't need as much help to do that.

As a natural who transitioned and started in the twa stage it is a learning process learning what works for your hair and we don't always find what works for our hair the first time we use something. I bought a lot of products because it was my first time doing my own hair and I didn't really know anyone else who was natural to offer recommendations. Most of the information I received was from research on different blogs and through trial and error.

[quote="CarlaAR"]

mizcreativelyme wrote:@CarlaAR, re Giovanni.... make sure you check out www.massagewarehouse.com OR www.vitacost.com for bulk/low cost Giovanni products.

Cool! Thanks for the links. I've ordered from vitacost.com several times, but never heard of massagewarehouse.com. Have your ordered from that company before?[/quo

yes, i've ordered bulk size Giovanni SAS from massage warehouse. very reliable and timely shipping. the poo and conditioner have lasted almost one year. i just began diluting the SAS poo (70water/15poo/15cond.) b/c it doesn't take much to lather and diluting it keeps from drying out my hair. but even without diluting, the liter size or larger, should last you quite a while.

fleur wrote:

CarlaAR wrote:Yeah, I hear ya, but its still a learning process for them and unfortunately what works for one doesn't work for another. I WISH I can only use cheap products, LOL - but the 'cones, mineral oils and glycerin are too harsh on my hair.

My Target doesn't carry the Shea Moisture line - NONE of them in my area.

+1000 post. Being in a household of 3 naturals, I can fully attest to each one of us having different hair needs. We can't use the same products at all. My 13 year old is a lifelong natural and I don't prepoo, cowash, deep condition, or add oils to her hair and it's still the business! I cant follow that regimen. It's a new experience trying to figure out what our hair likes and dislikes. And would you believe that you can you can buy products with the ingredients that your hair likes, and they still doesn't work. Having a new twa is VERY different than having long hair or the experience of being a lifetime natural. I'm protein sensitive and I can't use several natural ingredients, as well. I was a reluctant product junkie until I figured out what my hair needed. Even now as my twa is growing out, the products don't work the same as before. I can see KCCC being something I probably won't use in a few months. When my hair was really short, it shaped unruly curls. Now I don't need as much help to do that.

I have been natural all my life, but I definitely haven't always used good products or taken very good care of my hair. I just started to pay attention to products/ingredients about 2 years ago, but still wasn't trying to break the bank to find products my hair liked. I did a lot of research and tried to find people with a similar hair type to me. Also, I found that many expensive products have an inexpensive substitute, and usually tried the substitute to see how it worked. I don't know, thats just me.

I understand what your saying, but I didn't know my hair type. Yes, I saw people with curl pattern like mine, but we had an entirely different hair type. There was no way for me to look at pictures and know that someone has the same ph balance/porosity, hair texture, and elasticity as my hair. It was trial and error until I got it right. I didn't mind spending a little bit more money because to me it's no different than going to the salon, buying a nice pair of shoes, jeans, eating at a posh restaurant, etc. I'm pretty sure a lot of us have spent money on things that other people would view as wasteful.

Very true. To each her own!

Agreed and I hope that I can call on all of your experience when I have need help as you are my natural elder!

Right after my BC I was on the search for the ultimate moisturizer. I bought so many products my husband was shaking his head. My last and most expensive product was Ojon Restorative Treatment Conditioner. That stuff worked wonders as a DC. It had my hair so moist. I didn't repurchase because it was $30 for 8 ozs (I think). Just too dang expensive. Now that my hair is longer I love to DC with coconut milk. I wish I had know about coconut milk back then. I think newly naturals are just on the search for the best products that work for them and it makes them a temporary product junky.

fleur wrote:I understand what your saying, but I didn't know my hair type. Yes, I saw people with curl pattern like mine, but we had an entirely different hair type. There was no way for me to look at pictures and know that someone has the same ph balance/porosity, hair texture, and elasticity as my hair. It was trial and error until I got it right. I didn't mind spending a little bit more money because to me it's no different than going to the salon, buying a nice pair of shoes, jeans, eating at a posh restaurant, etc. I'm pretty sure a lot of us have spent money on things that other people would view as wasteful.

Its still a learning process for me. A month ago, I thought I could get away with not having a leave-in thinking oil and water would be just fine and my hair suffered with frizz and dryness. Never again. LOL

Well I am newly natural I have had relaxers since I was maybe 8 years old I have only been natural since the end of Oct. 2010. and honestly I was an expensive product junky when I was relaxed and I am an expensive product junky as a natural, although I have found my staple products( Shea Moisture) I still buy and try more products except carols daughter (just not into it) and I am still mixing my own products using different oils and conditioners. so you can only imagine what my bathroom looks like.

So me spending oobers amounts of money on products has nothing to do with being newly natural (short hair or not). I love hair products like alot of other women love shoes, yes I will buy hair products before buying shoes.

Carla AR, I totally understand what you mean. I go through my products waaaay faster than I used to. I have had to get very creative with my regimine now! I have become a chemist lol I splurge on my shampoo and conditioner but my oils are all mixed, and I make my own leave in condtioners and deep conditioners!

Kthaler10, I haven't mastered the art of leave-ins yet; anything water based is off limits in my kitchen actually. Do you have any tips on that? I would love to be able to make my own given that a typical 8oz bottle is gone in no time!

Well my leave ins are water based! But you can do something to change that. Generally I take an old large bottle (I am currently using an old one from a braid spray I used to use).. I use purified water, aloe vera juice, a creme based leave in and oil. Thats basically! You can try just the aloe vera juice, the creme based leave in and oil. I am not sure how that works but I am sure just fine!!

May I ask why anything water based is off limits??

Kthaler10 wrote:Well my leave ins are water based! But you can do something to change that. Generally I take an old large bottle (I am currently using an old one from a braid spray I used to use).. I use purified water, aloe vera juice, a creme based leave in and oil. Thats basically! You can try just the aloe vera juice, the creme based leave in and oil. I am not sure how that works but I am sure just fine!!

May I ask why anything water based is off limits??

Because of the whole emulsifying and bacteria issue. Its just easier to mix oils and butters - when it comes to water, it gets complicated.

So you do use a cream based leave-in as a base and add on to it? Do you buy in bulk?