We’ve all heard the saying “Beauty is pain.” All those hours spent in your hair stylist’s
chair trying to get the sleekest blow-out. Or, those four-five hours spent
getting braided up so your hair is snatched (literally and figuratively).
Not only is beauty pain, but it is also a lot of money! The
hair care and beauty industry is expensive, and brands are popping up
left and right with the latest products for us naturalistas. Giving your hair
all of the proper moisture, cleansing, and conditioning comes with a huge cost
sometimes, but it doesn’t always have to.
Here’s a few ways you can save money on natural hair products:
- Mixtress in the Kitchen: One of the major ways you can save money on hair products is by becoming a mixtress in the kitchen. If you’re one of those D.I.Y chicks and love making your own products, then this one is for you boo! Making your own products definitely saves you money because you aren’t spending anything extra— you’re using what you already have in your kitchen. Need a shampoo? Make a water and ACV mixture as a clarifying shampoo. Need a deep conditioner? Grab some eggs and mayo for a protein treatment, or an avocado and honey for a moisturizing deep treatment. Need something for those twist outs, bantu knots, or perm rod sets? Grab your flaxseeds and make some flaxseed gel. There are ways around the kitchen!
- Shop during sales…and stock up: One of my favorite times to buy hair products is when a store is having a BOGO. It’s either buy one get one half off, or buy one get one free. Duane Reade, CVS, Walgreens, and even Target are notorious for it, and I will love them forever because of it! BOGO’s definitely come in handy when you need to restock on conditioners, the main product naturals tend to run out of the most because we use so much of it. There are moisturizing conditioners, strengthening conditioners, leave-in conditioners, co-wash conditioners, deep treatments, and the list goes on and on. Stalk their sites and get you a free product or two! If I can get two for the price of one, I’m there!
- Use Cheapie Conditioners: Now I know this may be a bit unconventional, especially since cheapie conditioners tend to be extremely watered down and don’t provide much slip. Adding some of your favorite oils quickly changes the game! Not only do you have yourself a conditioner with more slip, but you’ve got yourself a deep treatment too! Throw in some oils and touch of honey, and your hair is left feeling just as moisturized. This is especially good for those college curlies who are working with a tight budget and can’t afford to splurge on some of the latest brands.
- Multipurpose Your Products: More often than not, you can find a product that does more than one thing for your hair. This is another tip I used while I was in college. Shea Moisture is one of my go-to brand when it comes to hair products. Their Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner was on heavy rotation for me as my rinse-out conditioner, deep conditioner, and leave in conditioner. Sometimes I even used it as my styling product, and it worked just fine for me.
- Buy Sample Products: Whenever a new product hits the market, we all want to jump on the new wave to see how it works. The problem with that is, you’d be stuck with a $15-$20 product that may not work for you, and you’ll be mad because you spent that kind of money and it doesn't work. Some products can be returned, but save your self the time, hassle, and the money and seek out brands that offer product samples. Some brands offer free samples if you cover the shipping costs, while others have a sample products at low prices.
- Sign Up for Subscription Services: Subscription boxes are a great way to save money on hair products. You pay between $20-$40 a month for a variety of full-sized and sample products, and often times, the products in the box are worth more than your subscription costs. That sounds like a deal to me! You get to try out a variety of products, giving you the chance to test the waters to see what works for you and what doesn’t work for you.
- Keep a Hair Diary: Keeping a natural hair diary is a great idea, especially as a newbie natural. Our eyes tend to get bigger than our actual coin can handle, and we tend to go a bit over board. It’s easy to forget which products you have and haven’t tried. Keeping a natural hair diary where you log what product you used, how it made your hair feel, and whether or not it worked is great because it keeps you from re-purchasing a product that you bought a month ago that didn't work, but you wouldn't have known since you have mounds of products piling up in your closet.
- Swap it Out: If you find yourself with mountains full of hair products, it may be time to gather some of your friends and do a product swap. Of course, make sure your products are gently used. Don’t do your girls dirty and try to give them a bottle that’s only a quarter of the way full. Swapping is great since your friends may have something that you've been dying to try.
SO, TELL ME: What do you do to save money on hair products?
No comments