Product Junkism, are you over it yet?

 A Natural hair Confession

Would you say that you are a product junkie or that you have product curiosity?  I’d like to think of myself as being product curious.  So this is a really candid post.   Every now and then I go through what I like to call My Natural Hair Confessions.  I believe in being open and honest with myself and others, especially if I believe it will help someone with their journey.   I’m a pretty practical person with almost everything in my life. I typically don’t purchase too many things that I deem unnecessary. For example, I am not the girl, who will go out and shop just because there’s a sale.  Nor, am I the kind of woman that will go purchase off styled/trendy shoes, purses, etc…just because I “have to have them in my life?”  I like to look cute & stylish, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not something that pulls at me.   I typically build a wardrobe that I’m happy with and leave it be, until I need something else.  But for some reason when it comes to these hair products it’s a different Story?

Where My Product Curiosity began(Also Carol's Daughter not pictured)

 At 27 plus months of being all natural I’ve tried my best not to label myself as a product junkie.  I noticed a lot of women were self proclaimed PJ’s and I said I wasn’t doing that to myself. (Because I’m a practical shopper remember?)   I gave myself 6 to 12 months to try every product under the sun while I was figuring out what my hair loved, well I found that within the my first year.   I stuck with what worked for a while, but my curiosity was still peeked when too many people (with a similar hair texture) would start ranting and raving that some new conditioner or moisturizer is the BEST they’ve ever tried.  And whenever I’d hear the words softer, shiner, easy detangling, cheaper, or local, it would be over; I knew I was going to try it. (Like a junkie, I would find myself up late at night pulling out my Debit Card and placing  that order!)   And then when my new products arrive in the mail,  I am All smiles rubbing my hands together  and within the hour I am already rubbing  it on my hair!

I’ve also notice that I rarely finish a product, and I don’t let my bottles get too low before I’m trying something else, or placing another order. (Afraid that I"m missing something, or that I will  be without one drop of my beloved product.)    I actually thought at this stage I’d be over trying new products, and I guess I’m not??   Truth is,  I actually love the idea of just using one product for everything, or even one line for that matter???  But, I just love products, and not just natural hair products. Skin products too!)   Now, I won’t try any and everything, there are just way too many Natural Hair Care product lines out there.  But there are those key words that I told you about Softer, Shiner, Easy detangling, Cheaper, or Local.. These will set my antennas off every time!   But my heart’s desire is to find one line that will become my signature, and that be the end of it.

My Newest Experiment

And more Product Noisyness!

Love this! Curiosity paid off

   What's sad is that a lot of what I've tried and am trying is not even pictured.  This post would need a Part 2 inorder for me to display everything I've been curious about! So, on this year, I am going to try my best to find one line that I can be committed to.    Not to say that I won’t ever try anything else EVER again, (for fun) but I just want to see if I can at least do it!  I know many think it's cute to be a product Junkie, but I really don't think it's all that cute and really want to get over this hump.   What’s your Natural Hair Confession?  Don’t be afraid to share you might find out that you’re not alone.

Until Next time!!! 

Product let Down: How to make the best of it!

(Greetings, Healthy Happy Hair care advocates! It’s been a little while since I’ve posted. (I didn’t post at all in August). We had a sudden and unexpected death in our family last month and we are just trying to stay focused.  My family is living proof that God’s strength is PRESENT in weakness. Although we suffered a significant lost we are still victorious because that family member did go on to live with Jesus! So advantage, us!  Alright, on to today's Natural Hair Care Tip! : )

Making your Products work for you

Have you ever purchased a product like say a Moisturizer,  or Deep conditioner and wish it really lived up to its promises…you’re probably thinking how many times?  We read all the hyped up reviews, watch endless you tube product reviews on how great it is, only to learn after purchasing that we are not a part of that satisfied customer club!   Whether you’ve purchased a product based on your own curiosity or on the suggestion of others the let down feeling you get is still the same, this cycle can lead to a lot of frustration and loads of wasted money.  

(My friends) All of us have different hair textures and & our product selection varies

Natural hair has infinite personalities and differs from person to person. This is why experiences with products can differ from person to person; it doesn’t always mean that it is a bad product.  Instead of trashing the product or giving it away, try tweaking it first to fit your individual needs. In most cases, if it’s an all natural product, anything that you add (that is all natural) should not cause any harmful effects. Of course, use your best judgment based on known allergies, etc. (Just because something is organic, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have an allergic reaction.  I know people who are allergic to Peppermint oil and Jojoba oil!?) But I have found these cases to be rare.    

 So here we go!

Moisturizers that aren’t moisturizing enough: Try adding glycerin and coconut oil to your mix. Vegetable glycerin is always a winner in the moisturizing department and Coconut oil will help carry moisture deeper into the hair shaft.

Deep Conditioners without slip or moisture:  Some conditioners can be so thick that it’s hard to distribute throughout the hair. Try adding Extra Virgin Olive Oil, it gives amazing slip and it adds extra shine! For added moisture mix in Glycerin and or Honey!  

Hair butters and Moisturizers that are too thick:  Maybe you have fine strands, and the product you purchased is just way to heavy, try diluting the product with a little Aloe Vera Gel! Aloe Vera is moisturizing and it helps maintain a proper Ph-balance in the hair.  The gel will also help give your Hair butter more of a souffle or whipped feel.

Shampoos that are too harsh: Maybe you purchased what you thought was an all natural shampoo and learned that it had sulfates or is still really drying. You can soften your shampoos by adding: Water, Aloe Vera, Vegetable or Seed Oil.

These are just a few tips that you can use to make the best of your investment!  You may feel you should not have to add anything to a product that you’ve spent good money on, but it’s better than letting it grow fungus underneath your bathroom sink, or throwing it away?  Worse case it still doesn’t work and you know not to purchase it again!  But, at least you’ve tried to make it work for you.  

I always add ingredients like Aloe Vera, Glycerin, and EVOO to my favorite products to give them an extra Kick!!  So this can work both ways.   I’ve found that individual hair textures, porosity levels, and technique has a lot to do with how our products behave in our hair.  Our job is to learn our hair, and then find a perfect balance when it comes to our products.  

Until Next time keep it Healthy and Happy!!