Fighting Product Junkyism: Don't Believe the Hype!

Every since become natural I have been overwhelmed by the plethora of hair products. It seems as though every month a new product line comes out. Products to make your curls pop, shine, shake, and bounce. Then, there are the products that promise to repair and rejuvenate. With so many products to choose from what's a wide eyed natural to do?

If you are just transitioning or a long term natural, the lure to purchase the latest (and supposed) greatest is tempting. Whether you buy online or in the store, glitzy, styled advertising is waiting to get your hard earned buck. The worst part is when you're on a natural hair forum, YouTube, or hair site and someone does a product review praising how awesome the product is.

The downside of all this overhyped product persuasion is that often times people are spending money that could best be suited to do something else with. Now, before all the product junkies start rolling their necks and waving their Denman brushes in solidarity, please here me out. There is absolutely nothing wrong with treating yourself to a nice product or replenishing your product stash. But, when your savings account is low and you're bathroom cabinets are full, there is definitely something wrong.

How do you keep your sanity, dollars, and level head in a commercial society? There are several ways to be a diva on a budget and have fabulous hair, skin, and nails without breaking the bank.

#1. Shop ONLY when there are SIGNIFICANT discounts or sales. A measely 10% is not enough to get out your credit card to spend. Look for sales that give you the most "bang" for your buck. Bogos such as buy one get one free are awesome because they allow you to stock up at a deep discount.

#2. Shop only when you NEED to replenish a STAPLE product. So, your favorite conditioner has run out and it's time to restock. Now that's a need versus a want. Conditioner and stylers are really important to curlies. You don't want to be caught without it.

#3. Use special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, and even Valentine's Day to let loved ones know what you REALLY want. You know you'd rather have that hair product set over some cheesy gift you don't want. So, tactfully tell your significant other, family member, and friends or drop big hints about your product preferences.

#4. Hold product swap meet ups or get togethers. This allows you to meet, greet, socialize and obtain those cool products that you've been meaning to try. This is a cost effective and won't have your piggy bank emptied.

Curlies, what are some ways you fight product junkyism and save money?

Natural Hair Wars: What IS Natural and What Is NOT?

So, I was reading a post the other day on a hair forum and someone posted about how someone stated that people who put styling products on their hair are not natural. Hold up! What? The poster went on to say that her friend was saying that people who naturally have curls shouldn't have to put products in them to define them. She went on to share that her friend felt that natural is a big, dry afro with no product. Hmmm... Interesting. After reading this story I went on to think about what exactly do we mean by "natural"?

Before I talk about what I define as natural, I must digress back to my relaxer days, so we can compare. Every 6-8 weeks I would be patting my hair waiting for the time when I could get to the hair salon and get my touch up. I could feel my roots, which were puffing up and coarse unlike the rest of my relaxed hair which was straight. The two textures would battle it out before I could get my touch up and straighten my kinks into submission. I could smell the pungent odor of the relaxer. When my stylist parted my hair I could feel the "slap, slap, slap" of the brush as she applied the relaxer to my new growth. After so many minutes I could feel the burn and sometimes fire on my scalp before it had to be rinsed off then followed up with a neutralizing shampoo. This was a cycle that I followed since middle school up until 4 yrs ago when I decided to let my hair grow naturally.

So, now that brings me back to the definition of natural. In the natural hair community we have two schools of thought. There is the school of thought that believes natural is to wear the hair void of any relaxers. This means simply that whether you straighten, henna, or color your hair it is still natural because you're not using a relaxer. Then, there is the other school of thought that believes to alter the hair in ANY way using heat, color, or henna, etc then you aren't natural. Well, I belong to the no relaxer then you're natural school of thought. All those rules just simply make no sense to me. I'd rather keep it simple. If you're not using relaxer and you've transitioned, then that's your natural texture.

How many times have I encountered a Negative Nelly? Probably more often when I first transitioned. The comments were more geared toward asking me why don't I cut my hair then anything else. It's interesting how YOUR hair can become a topic of someone else's conversation. I remember one time someone asked why I wear scarves on my head so much and am I religious. I simply said "Because I like them." I could've done a variety of things, which brings me to dealing with the natural "Nazis".

I've come up with a short list for battling the natural hair wars and triumphing over natural "Nazis".

When someone wants to put THEIR own opinion on what you do with YOUR hair you can choose ONE or MORE of the following responses:

#1. Smile and say "Thank you". Sometimes idiots just need love. As the saying goes, kill them with kindness.

#2. Look through them and don't say anything. The dummy will be wondering why the silence is so deafening.

#3. Look up at their hair and make a weird "what is that face". This will have them trying to think what is going on with their own head.

#4. Laugh and change the subject. The old blow off usually works and the clueless ninny won't realize that you just basically told her to have a seat without actually saying it.

#5. Say "And this matters because?" Look the person dead in the eye and act like you're waiting for a response. If they do respond interrupt and say "Dang, I gotta go do something. Buh bye!" Now they're standing there looking stupid or if they're on the phone all they hear is silence.

Readers, how do you deal with the Negative Nellies and their comments about YOUR hair?

An Alternative to Hair Grease:Sunny Isle Hair Pomades

A few months ago I was in my local health store searching for some Jamaican Pimento oil and I came across Sunny Isle Rosemary Oil Pomade. You can find Sunny Isle products on their website at http://www.sunnyislejamaicanblackcastoroil.com/. Looking at the ingredients I became convinced that this might be a good product to buy. The ingedients are 100% natural beeswax, Jamaican black castor oil, extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin Jamaican coconut oil, jojoba oil, and rosemary essential oil. Opening the jar my senses were hit with a STRONG herbal, rosemary scent. The color is an herbal color that looks like a brown/ green mixture. You can see small beads of herbs mixed inside the pomade.

Initially, I attempted to part my hair and use the pomade to twist my hair. My curly/ coily hair resisted and my twists began to unravel. So, I tried again cocktailing the pomade with a smidgen of the Shea Moisture Curling Souffle. Eureeka! This combo worked awesome and my twists stayed. Not only that, but after putting a little pomade on my scalp, it felt really refreshed.

I have been using the Sunny Isle Rosemary Pomade for a couple months and I LOVE it. I've been able to achieve moisturized twists and I use a little on my ends to keep them in good shape. This pomade is a great alternative for those who are sensitive to petroletum products. Contrary to popular belief old school petroletum products didn't work for everyone and they sure don't work for me. The best part is that it lasts a LONG time and it is healthy for the hair. Did you know that rosemary has been proven to contribute to hair growth?

Since using the Sunny Isle Rosemary Hair Pomade I've noticed moisturized, shiny, HAPPY hair. My hair doesn't feel greasy or weighed down. A little bit goes a LONG way! This wonderful pomade didn't irritate my sensitive scalp. The herbal scent does linger a little, so if you're sensitive to smells then this may not be the pomade for you.

The Sunny Isle pomades made with Jamaican Black Castor Oil also comes in Ylang Ylang and Lavendar. You can also order the Jamaican Black Castor oil with these oil mixtures. They are all natural and affordable.

What products do you recommend for preserving protective styles?