Lower the Maintenance

Have you ever felt like the natural hair world is like a Dr. Seuss book? As soon as you think you know what to use and what works, a poster or blogger (cat in the hat) comes out with Thing 1 and Thing 2 and does a review on them. You run to the store and buy these two things. You turn your computer back on and said poster has now pulled out products A, B and C, to help improve their hair… and you know how the story goes

Don’t feel overwhelmed because it seems as though everyone is using a trunk load of products, myself included . I am not exempt at all from this! The reason I use so many products is to help others and because I LOVE IT. It’s my little indulgence. When I don’t play with my hair, I eat chocolate lol, and I think playing with my hair is the better deal here. On a serious note, you really don’t have to use 20 constantly-changing products for your hair to be healthy and look good.


I know many naturals, my sister included, who use about 5 products. They find
their staples and STOP searching. She listens to my new product finds and nods lol. She tries them to put me at ease only if I get her a bottle. Otherwise, she does not budge. Good for her

There are two main maintenance components: time and money. Some naturals manage one better than the other.

If your challenge is time management, as in you find yourself conditioning or styling your hair constantly and it has become a hindrance, then you may need to revamp your time schedule. Set a routine and stick to it! Figure out just how much time your hair really needs from you and adjust your styles accordingly. Wearing protective styles for example will probably require a lower time investment daily than would washing and going. Set a time suitable for you, condition your hair, style and protect it. By simplifying your routine and adjusting to fit your lifestyle, you take charge of your hair and prevent the issue from becoming overwhelming.

If you find yourself spending too much money on hair products, my sister says just stop spending . Her advice is to “stick to what works and ignore the rest”. Obviously her advice is not for the non-committed or the faint of heart. But to be honest, there are a lot of products that promise great results, and many of them do work, so you have to determine what is feasible for you.

So a few tips for those who cannot make an abrupt stop :
- Stick to what you know works for you. Make a list of your staples, and even if you try new products occasionally, you can always go back to what works.
- To bring some change into what you already use, swap products, preferably locally so you can avoid shipping charges.
- Opt to buy products that last longer, they are often a better buy than cheaper, short life products.
- Buy sample sizes before investing in full size bottles.
- Concoct better formulations by adding an oil you probably have around the house, such as olive oil, castor oil or coconut oil, etc. to cheapie conditioners.
- Finish your stash. Go on a no-buy challenge until the items
under your sink are completely gone. You will feel good about yourself in the end, clear your clutter, eliminate products you no longer use, and rediscover old loves (that you will only buy when necessary).
- Another huge money saver that is often overlooked is proper hair maintenance. Once you get your hair in top notch shape, you will find that it requires much less product to maintain it.

See, just like a Dr. Seuss book, your story can end on a good note, and you can have a lot of good fun that is funny.



Courtesy of Texture Playground