Cost of Hair Products

by ladybug 1st February 2011, 2:43 am

Today, I was thinking about the money that I have invested in hair care products over the last 1.5 years since I have been natural. I wanted to know what products were really working, and where should I invest my hair dollars for 2011. I started generating a list that kept growing longer and longer. I was astonished by how much I spent on how products, hair accessories, etc. Let’s just say, I spent almost a couple thousand dollars.

I know I had to go through this learning process, so I am not upset about the money. But it seems like there should be an easier way, but you really need to try the products yourself to see if they work on your hair because just because they worked on someone else’s hair doesn’t mean it will work for you.

What was also interesting was going through the process of evaluating each product and determining if it was worth the price. Let’s just say that Blended Beauty and Jane Carter are really expensive when you compare it to other products that do the same thing. Also, I realized that even with the price hike, Afroveda’s prices are still reasonable when you compare it to other products.

Lessons Learned:
1) I now have a list of my staple products.
2) I can definitely reduce my hair costs by 60% for this year by establishing a hair budget and focusing on products that work for me.
3) I can also get away with purchasing products maybe twice a year and leverage Black Friday sales.
4) It really helps to buy the economy size.

What are you spending on hair products and are you getting your money's worth?

by Jazzyrin 1st February 2011, 4:03 am

oy vey this product junkie thing is sooo real when I first started transitioning I used to giggle when reading about this issue but now im experiencing it first hand. I know I spend a lot of money on hair products but it will never surpass the 4,500$ a yr I was spending on getting my hair done every 2weeks and relaxers so that kind of keeps me grounded having that figure in my head. So either way im saving $.

by meepmeep1101 1st February 2011, 4:59 am

hmmm..let me calculate. I project in this year i will spend about 250 dollars on hair products. including products i want to try.

by ladybug 1st February 2011, 10:49 am

meepmeep1101 wrote:hmmm..let me calculate. I project in this year i will spend about 250 dollars on hair products. including products i want to try.

$250 is a good amount! Wow. I wish I could stick to that budget.

by ladybug 1st February 2011, 11:01 am

Jazzyrin wrote:oy vey this product junkie thing is sooo real when I first started transitioning I used to giggle when reading about this issue but now im experiencing it first hand. I know I spend a lot of money on hair products but it will never surpass the 4,500$ a yr I was spending on getting my hair done every 2weeks and relaxers so that kind of keeps me grounded having that figure in my head. So either way im saving $.

Jazzyrin - That's a good point about the money we spent getting our hair done. I love the flexibility of doing my hair when I want it done, as opposed to having someone do it for me.

by Sebastain13 1st February 2011, 12:42 pm

ladybug I have been natural for 9 months & I still havent figured out what really works for me yet At the beginning of the yr I decided to finally stick to a regular routine (cowashing wkly & using shampoo 1x monthly) since I have been natural I have spent about $150-175 in products I am using darcy botanicals for my hair & it seems to be working for me so I will continue to use these products for now & they are resonably priced for me
I also agree w/Jazzyrin it has been alot cheaper than having a relaxer & i dont miss spending that type of money so if I spent $500 this year on products its still cheaper than the hair salon

I have spent about $80 since the beginning of the year I dont think thats too bad

by LadyMika 1st February 2011, 12:57 pm

I have a monthly hair budget of $40, but when I stock up (every three or four months), I spend no more than $80 all together (because of the oils: castor, sweet almond and coconut). I only buy/replace my staples. Once in a blue I'll spring for a new essential oil, but that's it.

by meepmeep1101 1st February 2011, 1:30 pm

ladybug wrote:
meepmeep1101 wrote:hmmm..let me calculate. I project in this year i will spend about 250 dollars on hair products. including products i want to try.

$250 is a good amount! Wow. I wish I could stick to that budget.

I'm kinda glad its not more. I just remember reading about curlies and their hair getting longer. You are gunna need more product, so what is the cheapest greatest value for your hair? lol. My conditioner is 16oz and cost 4 dollars. I think It may take me month or 2 to clear the bottle, but as my hair grows, this will be a great investment.

by ladybug 1st February 2011, 8:07 pm

Sebastain13 wrote:ladybug I have been natural for 9 months & I still havent figured out what really works for me yet At the beginning of the yr I decided to finally stick to a regular routine (cowashing wkly & using shampoo 1x monthly) since I have been natural I have spent about $150-175 in products I am using darcy botanicals for my hair & it seems to be working for me so I will continue to use these products for now & they are resonably priced for me
I also agree w/Jazzyrin it has been alot cheaper than having a relaxer & i dont miss spending that type of money so if I spent $500 this year on products its still cheaper than the hair salon

Hi Sebastain13,
$150 isn't bad at all. I love Darcy's Botanicals. I agree about the salons but those natural hair salons are pretty pricey.

by ladybug 1st February 2011, 8:09 pm

LadyMika wrote:I have a monthly hair budget of $40, but when I stock up (every three or four months), I spend no more than $80 all together (because of the oils: castor, sweet almond and coconut). I only buy/replace my staples. Once in a blue I'll spring for a new essential oil, but that's it.

Hi LadyMika,
It's good that you established a budget. I think it's important because it helps to keep you focused on what products are working insteading of just trying every product.

by letha 1st February 2011, 8:51 pm

Some times I go months without buying stuff.. Like now I am trying to use up my conditioners now. Today I went to Rite Aid and got my products for like $2 or $3 which was on clearance. I got it tamed when I was relax but then I started to transition and I was starting all back over again buying things that work. Last year I will say $200-$450 and most of those products were on sale and I waited until the end of the year for Holiday Sales to get my big bulk. This year I hope to get that much smaller.

Now I only want to buy staple products and I love Darcy and I really need her transitioning cream and there is nothing else that compare to it..

by LadyMika 1st February 2011, 9:09 pm

ladybug wrote:
LadyMika wrote:I have a monthly hair budget of $40, but when I stock up (every three or four months), I spend no more than $80 all together (because of the oils: castor, sweet almond and coconut). I only buy/replace my staples. Once in a blue I'll spring for a new essential oil, but that's it.

Hi LadyMika,
It's good that you established a budget. I think it's important because it helps to keep you focused on what products are working insteading of just trying every product.

This is very true. Once you find your staple products, you really don't have a need to buy/try anything else. Also helpful in saving money is making your own hair butters and conditioners. A lot of "high end" products are easy to hack and make your own version of it (especially butters, gels are a close second). And with all the natural recipes FOR taking care of your hair that are available, money doesn't always have to be an issue.

by bpjedi 1st February 2011, 9:19 pm

Great conversation!

I too try to stock up and/or purchase products in bulk. My hair is still at a sort of awkward length--around 3.5 to 4"--and I have very tiny, tight coils that I'm keeping in two strand twists for the time being. (Taking them out when I wash my hair, and then doing fresh ones.)

I save a good amount of money in that don't buy products for styling; I only use products for moisturizing. (My hair would stay in twists w/o styling products, and in the past locked up quickly.) Eventually, I figure I might have to invest in some styling agents once my hair is long enough for stretched styles, but it's a non issue at the moment. I also make my own hair butter, which means shelling out on supplies a few times a year, but spending less in the long run. I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's conditioner, which is pretty cheap, and Chagrin Valley Soap shampoo bars, which last a while.

I'll save you from the boring math, but it looks like I spend around $200 a year; occasional splurges might push it to $250. I've just started doing henna treatments, and if I keep up with them, that will definitely add to my budget.

This is a good exercise--it has made me see how to save a dollar here and there, too. Smile

by CarlaAR 1st February 2011, 10:35 pm

Natural for over 8 years and have been though a lot of changes in what I use on my hair and how I care for my hair. There were years where I spent a lot of money, there have been years that I spent far less. Some years I took care of my hair, some I didn't. As of now, I realized I had to STOP using certain products with glycerin and silicons because they dry out my hair. I try to stick to a budjet for certain things:

Prices of products on average (or less if possible)
Conditioners: $6 per 16/oz. I can doctor the really cheap ones up with oils, honey, etc if need be.
Shampoo: $12 8/oz. Good quality shampoo is important to me. Thankfully I don't use much.
Leave-in: $12 8/oz. Unfortunately I go through those quickly due to the length and volume of my hair.
Stylers: $17 8/oz. Thankfully I don't use much.
Gel (also can be under stylers): $8 8/oz. Only because I prefer Kiss My Face & Aubrey Organics.
Butters: $12 4/oz. I do go though a fair amount, but I may start making my own.
Oils: It varies due to the fact that I mostly use what's in my kitchen for food including, coconut, olive, hemp seed oil, etc. Other oils I may buy for skin and hair include jojoba, castor, etc. I may treat myself to a ready-made formula, but I wouldn't spend more than $10/8oz
Treatments: $10 per item. Henna, Ayurvedic, etc. Treatments also include items from my kitchen from eggs, to honey, to black strap molasses, coconut oil and butter, teas, etc.

How much do I spend per year? I'd have to get back to you on that.

by ladybug 1st February 2011, 11:30 pm

letha wrote:Some times I go months without buying stuff.. Like now I am trying to use up my conditioners now. Today I went to Rite Aid and got my products for like $2 or $3 which was on clearance. I got it tamed when I was relax but then I started to transition and I was starting all back over again buying things that work. Last year I will say $200-$450 and most of those products were on sale and I waited until the end of the year for Holiday Sales to get my big bulk. This year I hope to get that much smaller.

Now I only want to buy staple products and I love Darcy and I really need her transitioning cream and there is nothing else that compare to it..

Hi Letha,
Thanks for responding. I love the Darcy Botanticals. I wish she sold larger sizes such as 16oz or 32 ounces. The pumpkin seed conditioner is the bomb! I like Oyin's Honey Hemp condition, and it comes in larger sizes which is more economical.

by CarlaAR 1st February 2011, 11:33 pm

ladybug wrote:
letha wrote:Some times I go months without buying stuff.. Like now I am trying to use up my conditioners now. Today I went to Rite Aid and got my products for like $2 or $3 which was on clearance. I got it tamed when I was relax but then I started to transition and I was starting all back over again buying things that work. Last year I will say $200-$450 and most of those products were on sale and I waited until the end of the year for Holiday Sales to get my big bulk. This year I hope to get that much smaller.

Now I only want to buy staple products and I love Darcy and I really need her transitioning cream and there is nothing else that compare to it..

Hi Letha,
Thanks for responding. I love the Darcy Botanticals. I wish she sold larger sizes such as 16oz or 32 ounces. The pumpkin seed conditioner is the bomb! I like Oyin's Honey Hemp condition, and it comes in larger sizes which is more economical.

I feel the same way. Darcy's is the brand I spend the most money on average due to the fact that I go though a lot of leave-in. It would be nice if she sold 16oz + which MAY save me in shipping costs as well.

by ladybug 1st February 2011, 11:47 pm

Hi CarlaAR,
Thanks for sharing your FOTKI. What do you think about Oyin's Dew Leave in? I haven't tried it, but I would love too, but I have too many products in my stash to justify buying it.

Also, how often do you use a leave-in? I use it after I wash and condition my hair. I also use a leave-in every two days. I also use a moisturizer. I wasn't sure if all that was necessary.

by creolebeauty1 2nd February 2011, 12:04 am

I have been transitioning for 11 months and so far i haven't tried anything outrageous i wanna say i probably spend 100 dollars in hair products but i need to find 1 thing for my regiment complete and that's a good styler i plan to experiment with stylers and pomades once i chopped
I now use African black soap ( diluted or not ) as my cleanser instead of shampoo
I use jane Carter conditioner as my deep conditioner i add ( honey , and EVOO to it ) , if not i Deep conditioner with avocados , honey and EVOO
I use Giovanni direct leave in ( kimmaytube recipe )
And i make my own shea butter mixes to seal , i just learned and made my own flax seed hair gel
Before this i had a few jars of eco styler gel under my sink
I plan on experimenting with some curl enhancing cremes and pomades after i my big chop in April but that's about it lol

All those will be staples

by ladybug 2nd February 2011, 12:11 am

creolebeauty1 wrote:I have been transitioning for 11 months and so far i haven't tried anything outrageous i wanna say i probably spend 100 dollars in hair products but i need to find 1 thing for my regiment complete and that's a good styler i plan to experiment with stylers and pomades once i chopped
I now use African black soap ( diluted or not ) as my cleanser instead of shampoo
I use jane Carter conditioner as my deep conditioner i add ( honey , and EVOO to it ) , if not i Deep conditioner with avocados , honey and EVOO
I use Giovanni direct leave in ( kimmaytube recipe )
And i make my own shea butter mixes to seal , i just learned and made my own flax seed hair gel
Before this i had a few jars of eco styler gel under my sink
I plan on experimenting with some curl enhancing cremes and pomades after i my big chop in April but that's about it lol

All those will be staples

Hi Creolebeauty, When I made a list of all the products I had tried over the last 1.5 years, Jane Carters and Blended Beauty were the most expensive. I wasn't crazy about the Giovanni direct Leave-in. I liked the Knot Today better. I haven't tried the eco styler. Maybe I will give that a try.

by creolebeauty1 2nd February 2011, 12:19 am

I heard of knot today and might try it after i big chop but i really like Giovanni leave in and i get it for 4 $ on vitacost.com lol the eco styler gel is great but it was starting to leave my hair super crunchy so i decided to give flax seed gel a try i made some today ... i know after i BC i will experiment with a few products but i try to buy sample sizes before i dish out the big bucks on stuff lol

by CarlaAR 2nd February 2011, 2:00 am

ladybug wrote:Hi CarlaAR,
Thanks for sharing your FOTKI. What do you think about Oyin's Dew Leave in? I haven't tried it, but I would love too, but I have too many products in my stash to justify buying it.

Also, how often do you use a leave-in? I use it after I wash and condition my hair. I also use a leave-in every two days. I also use a moisturizer. I wasn't sure if all that was necessary.

I like the Oyin Dew a lot. Its light, but very moisturizing and doesn't leave a build-up. I need to use a leave-in every other day at least along with a light oil to seal. My hair is porous, gets dry and soaks up anything I put on it. Other times I re-moisturize my hair with water (mist) and seal with oils or more leave-in.

by pretty,Pleaseee 2nd February 2011, 2:25 am

creolebeauty1 wrote:I heard of knot today and might try it after i big chop but i really like Giovanni leave in and i get it for 4 $ on vitacost.com lol the eco styler gel is great but it was starting to leave my hair super crunchy so i decided to give flax seed gel a try i made some today ... i know after i BC i will experiment with a few products but i try to buy sample sizes before i dish out the big bucks on stuff lol

wow thank you for mentioning vitacost.com, I've never heard of them before and after checking them out I am impressed with their prices !

by Fleur 2nd February 2011, 2:46 am

Just throwing in some more sites for low-cost oils and vitamins:
www.mothernature.com
www.saveonscents.com
www.nutsonline.com
www.vitaglo.com (courtesy of naturallynola)

by pretty,Pleaseee 2nd February 2011, 3:13 am

fleur wrote:Just throwing in some more sites for low-cost oils and vitamins:
www.mothernature.com
www.saveonscents.com
www.nutsonline.com
www.vitaglo.com (courtesy of naturallynola)

thank you so much ! I've saved them all Smile

by Peachtree 2nd February 2011, 8:36 am

I average about $40 mth total for both myself and my daughter.

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