CottonandCurls
New Member
I wrote about this on my facebook page but thought I'd reproduce it hear also.
So you’re broke. Christmas has come and gone and left you with a huge credit card bill, mounting debt, guilt, a headache and a renewed resolution to “be financially prudent”. Well then let’s start with your hair care. Let’s face it many products that cater to the care of natural hair can be, well, pricey and this is natural (pardon the pun) those products are not filled with cheap fillers and many times are the hard work of up and coming young entrepreneurs just trying to make a living, dealing with high start up costs etc. But going natural doesn’t have to mean going broke. Here are seven (7) tips and tricks to help you save some money on your hair care.
1. Make your own products
There are many recipes online which are very easy to make. My favourite mist is my own blend of aloe vera juice, distilled water, sage, rosemary and lavender essential oils. I store this in the fridge (next to my eye cream). The result, a refreshing mist of loveliness in the morning and at nights, ahhh.
You can mix shea butter with coconut oil or any other oil of your choice for a wonderful sealant which lasts forever. It also doubles as the best body moisturizer in the land.
Another popular do it yourself product is flaxseed gel. It is amazing! All you need is a little bit of flaxseed, water, a stove, a pot, a spoon, hands that work and 20-30 mins. A little bit goes a long way. Make small batches, store in fridge for max 2 weeks.
With all natural products, remember the shelf life is much shorter than synthetic products so make small batches and don’t forget to add your natural preservative eg sage essential oil.
2. Stretch and Conserve
Use your expensive tried and true condition sparingly i.e. only for those moments when you know you need to treat your hair.
Stretch the products you do have by adding luscious wonderful natural ingredients like, olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil, avocado, aloe vera, bananas (DO NO LEAVE IN) (great as a deep conditioner), molasses and honey (fantastic humectants) yogurt (protein and moisture), eggs, coconut milk (protein, DO NOT LEAVE IN) and the list is endless.
3. Be Smart when shopping online
Never buy anything online full price! Nine times out of ten there is a coupon that can be applied even if not advertised. Just google the product and the key word ‘coupon’ you’ll find the site retailmenot.com use the coupon code there. This works for clothes too!
Wait for deals and stock up. Join natural hair forums like Long Hair Care Forum. They have the inside scoop on online deals for all things natural hair related.
4. Not everything has to be 100% natural and organic
Select a cheapie conditioner for your cowash. Some wonderful options are herbal essence (totally twisted) and suave (almond and shea butter).
5. Check Labels and be a shrewd shopper
Oyin Handmade and Darcy’s botanicals are brands that are packed with wonderful ingredients and are relatively inexpensive. These brands offer as much quality as the more expensive more popular brands.
6. Protective Styling also protects your pocket
When you’re in a protective style you use fewer products. So go on experiment with mini twists and braids once you get the hang of it they can be fly and very chic. Check out our protective style folder for inspiration.
7. Swapping Products
Do not discard products that don’t work for you! That’s money down the drain. Remember one persons “bad buy” is another person’s Holy Grail. Hit your friends up on a social networking site and suggests a swap. Hey through a swap party, you get to share ideas, products and a good laugh.
So do you ladies have any tips and tricks for maintaining your natural hair without breaking the bank? I would love to hear from you and expand this list.
So you’re broke. Christmas has come and gone and left you with a huge credit card bill, mounting debt, guilt, a headache and a renewed resolution to “be financially prudent”. Well then let’s start with your hair care. Let’s face it many products that cater to the care of natural hair can be, well, pricey and this is natural (pardon the pun) those products are not filled with cheap fillers and many times are the hard work of up and coming young entrepreneurs just trying to make a living, dealing with high start up costs etc. But going natural doesn’t have to mean going broke. Here are seven (7) tips and tricks to help you save some money on your hair care.
1. Make your own products
There are many recipes online which are very easy to make. My favourite mist is my own blend of aloe vera juice, distilled water, sage, rosemary and lavender essential oils. I store this in the fridge (next to my eye cream). The result, a refreshing mist of loveliness in the morning and at nights, ahhh.
You can mix shea butter with coconut oil or any other oil of your choice for a wonderful sealant which lasts forever. It also doubles as the best body moisturizer in the land.
Another popular do it yourself product is flaxseed gel. It is amazing! All you need is a little bit of flaxseed, water, a stove, a pot, a spoon, hands that work and 20-30 mins. A little bit goes a long way. Make small batches, store in fridge for max 2 weeks.
With all natural products, remember the shelf life is much shorter than synthetic products so make small batches and don’t forget to add your natural preservative eg sage essential oil.
2. Stretch and Conserve
Use your expensive tried and true condition sparingly i.e. only for those moments when you know you need to treat your hair.
Stretch the products you do have by adding luscious wonderful natural ingredients like, olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil, avocado, aloe vera, bananas (DO NO LEAVE IN) (great as a deep conditioner), molasses and honey (fantastic humectants) yogurt (protein and moisture), eggs, coconut milk (protein, DO NOT LEAVE IN) and the list is endless.
3. Be Smart when shopping online
Never buy anything online full price! Nine times out of ten there is a coupon that can be applied even if not advertised. Just google the product and the key word ‘coupon’ you’ll find the site retailmenot.com use the coupon code there. This works for clothes too!
Wait for deals and stock up. Join natural hair forums like Long Hair Care Forum. They have the inside scoop on online deals for all things natural hair related.
4. Not everything has to be 100% natural and organic
Select a cheapie conditioner for your cowash. Some wonderful options are herbal essence (totally twisted) and suave (almond and shea butter).
5. Check Labels and be a shrewd shopper
Oyin Handmade and Darcy’s botanicals are brands that are packed with wonderful ingredients and are relatively inexpensive. These brands offer as much quality as the more expensive more popular brands.
6. Protective Styling also protects your pocket
When you’re in a protective style you use fewer products. So go on experiment with mini twists and braids once you get the hang of it they can be fly and very chic. Check out our protective style folder for inspiration.
7. Swapping Products
Do not discard products that don’t work for you! That’s money down the drain. Remember one persons “bad buy” is another person’s Holy Grail. Hit your friends up on a social networking site and suggests a swap. Hey through a swap party, you get to share ideas, products and a good laugh.
So do you ladies have any tips and tricks for maintaining your natural hair without breaking the bank? I would love to hear from you and expand this list.
