PJ's: Do you finish most of your products?

[AlkalineSteam]

Since joining LHCF I've become a true PJ. If someone mentions it, I'm buying it. The BSS lady looks at me every 3 days and sucks her teeth. I'm thinking "shut up ***** and take my money!"

Anyway, with PJism comes storage issues. I'm running out of space! I've started hiding things in the basement but its only a matter of time before DH confronts me about this stuff.

I'm starting this thread to ask if other PJ's have some kind of self committment to finish products that you buy. Am I the only one with 6 different full bottles of shampoo? I feel that if I forced myself to finish the products, then maybe I can cure myself of the PJism.

Second, have you found any unusual uses for products that help you finish them off for the sake of just...finishing them off?

Third, if you don't finish them, what do you do with the stuff? Give it away? Trash it? Return it? Use it as finger paint? Swap it? Sell it? Drink it?

Please help me feel normal! I was already collecting books, mascaras, and shoes (DH buys all my shoes, so I'm not *really* complaining ) and now I find myself collecting rollers and conditioners!

 

[TheNewFine]

I combine them. I also make my own leave in that I will put oil, conditioner, glycerin and water in. So if the conditioner is not all that, I put it in the leave in "soup". That's where I put all of my "just ok" stuff. I keep it in a spray bottle and just keep adding to it as I use it so it ends up with a little of everything in it.

Also I stop allowing myself to "stock up". That why the store stocks it, so I don't have too!

 

[Dposh167]

a lot of my stuff has been around since i started my journey. When i see a new product i want...i waist no time to buy it. The ones i don't want i sell or give away. I just sold a whole bunch of stuff to some ladies on here actually. Someone suggested that organix conditioners are great for shaving. So i've been doing that with Organix coconut milk conditioner...and it really worked too!

 

[flyygirlll2]

I combine them. I also make my own leave in that I will put oil, conditioner, glycerin and water in. So if the conditioner is not all that, I put it in the leave in "soup". That's where I put all of my "just ok" stuff. I keep it in a spray bottle and just keep adding to it as I use it so it ends up with a little of everything in it.

Also I stop allowing myself to "stock up". That why the store stocks it, so I don't have too!

ITA. I tend to do this alot also, I like to mix different products in spray bottles or jars together to see if they might suit my hair better instead of throwing them out. my problem is i don't like throwing products away easily because i spend too much money on them to begin with so that's my alternative.

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

I have too much stuff. Conditioner of all kinds and scents, 3 different shampoos, and a big tub of rollers. I have to rememberI live in a tiny dorm room NOT my house, so I ry to use everything up. I try to limit myself to onle 2-3 hair products/ accessories a month and I give some of my products that didn't work away to friends.

 

[TexturedTresses]

I use bad conditioners to shave, I actually like it better then shaving cream. I use shampoos to clean my products. The other stuff I left my lil cousin use in her dolls hair.

 

[Str8~Curly]

I get frustrated when I have more than one of a specific type of product. I mean, it’s sort of overwhelming when you have the desire to have a set regimen with staple products. I don’t know how some people here can be bothered to manage this huge inventory of stuff. I mainly use everything up before I repurchase. The exception if it is just absolute crap that I feel will adversely affect my hair then I toss it/return it and find something else.

 

[AlkalineSteam]

DH was recently away traveling on business. I took the opportunity to line all of my stuff up and make some tough decisions. That was my goal anyway....

Out of 10 conditioners I think I threw away 2 (Aussie 3 minute miracle and Infusium 23). That's all. I wasn't able to part with anything else. I justified it by saying that the next time someone swore by a product, I would already own it and wouldn't have to say "hm, maybe I should run out, re-buy, and give that product a second try". *sigh*

 

[glam-]

Ordinarily I wouldn;t say I'm a PJ, but I found a few products I didn;t even remember I had in my guest bath, so I guess I might be one. Some things I try to use up, some I will put away and try again later or mix, and others I will give away if they just aren't working out for me but are not "bad" products. I have a small bag of leave-ins by the door that I'll be giving away to a relaxed head who may have better luck with them.

I can usually always use up my conditioners and DCs, it's typically the leave-ins and moisturizers that accumulate in my stash.

 

[alanaj]

I use conditioners as shaivng creams and the rest either sits there or I give to my mom. She probably bought some of it anyway

 

[tdwillis]

I am a PJ that never finishes a product. I don't even come close. My friends and family have caught on that I am a free BSS. So every month I am called with a new hair problem followed by a quick stop by my house for a product to solve the problem. I exchange the products for free babysitting of my three year old.

 

[Solitude]

When I moved to a new city I had a TON of stuff that was half-used that I gave away to my mom & sis- don't want to go there again! So...I use up a product before I buy a new one of the same thing OR I give it a new use- for example, conditioners that aren't that great become pre-poos or quickly get used up in one or two co-washes. I've been adding my elasta-q p mango butter to my deep conditioning treatment so that I can hurry up and buy some unrefined Shea Butter.

I also joined a buy nothing challenge and that forced me to use my stuff up!

 

[SEMO]

I don't consider myself a PJ. I finish off all the products I buy, though I do finish off my staple products faster. When I run out of something I thought just worked so-so I may try a new product in it's place.

But sometimes you have to get creative to finish stuff off. I have some conditioner I purchased for cowashes that I don't really like so I started using it as shaving cream to shave my legs with. LOL.

 

[Eisani]

Yes and no. I try to make of point of using up everything becuase it feels good when can throw out an empty bottle/jar/container . Most things that I don't like or don't work I will find other uses for. I've always used conditioner as a shave cream, shampoos to clean my scarves and bonnets, combs and brushes, and oddly enough, for surface cleaning my bath tub right after doing my hair. It keeps the tub from being slippery and I don't have to pull out the harsh cleaning supplies when I'm in a hurry. Other things that are just okay, I usually try to mix w/other things or use as a base for mixtures in an effort to get rid of them. Other stuff I give away or toss, but I still have quite a few half used bottles.

 

[Akemi]

I try to use up all of my products, but some things I refuse to reuse! The things that aren't too bad, and just bad for me, I give to one of my sisters. But most of the time, if I try to buy products from places where I can return them if I try them once and don't like them. So I don't have tooooo many unused products piled up (but how much is too much depends on the person right?? )

There are so many products that I want to try (and know that I don't need) that I've chosen only 2 companies that I can buy products from now. That takes soooo many products off of my "to buy" list. And it forces me to keep using things long enough to build a solid regimen. Hopefully it works.

 

[jazzyto]

I have been revisiting products that I hardly used and if they dont make it the second time around I've been giving them away to my niece or throwing them away if they were just awful. Products that are okay I try to mix with other products.

 

[Butterfly08]

Yes and no. I try to make of point of using up everything becuase it feels good when can throw out an empty bottle/jar/container . Most things that I don't like or don't work I will find other uses for. I've always used conditioner as a shave cream, shampoos to clean my scarves and bonnets, combs and brushes, and oddly enough, for surface cleaning my bath tub right after doing my hair. It keeps the tub from being slippery and I don't have to pull out the harsh cleaning supplies when I'm in a hurry. Other things that are just okay, I usually try to mix w/other things or use as a base for mixtures in an effort to get rid of them. Other stuff I give away or toss, but I still have quite a few half used bottles.

Your bun looks great!

 

[Dayjoy]

I have sold products on the exchange forum, given them away at meetings, and repurposed them for use on my natural DD. There has been the rare occasion that I have thrown away products--they were too bad to give to anyone. Now I am quite reformed and have been able to throw some empties into the recycle bin.

 

[Mandy4610]

For the most part I end up throwing stuff away
I really do not like to waste anything, but sometimes I get really excited by another product and I become anxious to try it. Because I don't like keeping too many products in my closet, I end up throwing away the older products. I should really be ashamed of myself. Sometimes I mix things up, but then I end up creating something that does not work
I really need to just use things up before I buy anything.

 

[baby42]

HATE TO SAY IT BUT NO.ONLY THE ONES I REALLY LOVE BUT I WONT BUY THEM AGAIN I AM GOING TO REHAB YOU WANT COME TOO LOL

 

[trj1922]

I only use up the stuff that really works. Some other things get trashed because they go bad or returned if they did damage to my hair. Most are passed on to less "adventurous" friends and relatives who often can use them and like them but would never have sought those products out or researched them.

 

[letitgrow0702]

I have made a vow to not buy any more products until I finish what I have. Products that I no longer use I use them on my daughters hair.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

I started out being a semi-heavy pj. But time, setbacks, and shortage of money has taught me well. What I didn't like I usually gave away to family and/or friends. I still have a few other things that I keep on hand (in case of recession/depression) but for the most part I'm sticking to what works.

 

[so so chic]

I have a lot of products that I haven't used up. Usually, I'll give things I don't want to my mom. Otherwise, I hold on to it and be sure to use it here and there. At this point, I'm getting so sick of all of these products, so I'm trying my hardest to use them up... EVERYTHING! I'm on a mission. I want to clean myself out!!!

 

[MizAvalon]

I have a lot of products(more conditioners than anything) but I eventually use everything. Some things I forget about for a while, then rediscover them and finish the bottle up.

Sometimes I wish I did my hair more so I could have the opportunity to use things up.

 

[oooop2]

I tend to combine a lot of stuff. Like my oils that I really don't like, I mix w/ condish and do oil rinses. Poos, I use to shave. And other products I use to pre-poo my hair.

 

[gdivant]

I'm a PJ. But I did stop buying cosmetics, lotions, bath & body works stuff etc. - I've replaced those with hair products. So the other collections have come to a screeching halt.

I'll use the some of the poos & cond. put the other stuff (oils, leave-ins, rollers) I give to my sis (texlaxed) & mom (pressed) or one of my less fortunate co-workers. She's got 3-4 diff textures (naturals & relaxed) in her household. If it doesn't work for my relaxed head I hope it will works for one of them.

 

[Toy]

I am able to finish all my products now before buying more,cuzz i finally figured out what my hair likes and dont like,so it is much more easier for me now,but before it was a whole nother story straight pj.

 

[Eisani]

^^See, my problem is that even though I know what works, I still buy stuff. It's a serious disease. I've slowed WAY down since I ordered my 2 41 oz jars of conditioner from Hairveda so I haven't really wanted to buy too many more things. Except for my other products when her store re-opens, and some other goodies. After that, I'm done til around June of next year (hopefully). Yea, it's that deep over here .

 

[jahzyira]

I can honestly say being a product junkie saved the life of my hair! It jus so happened all the products i buy my hair loves. I got liters of conditioners, a gallon of amla oil, etc. and since im a pj newbie i def plan to add to the list! guess i wont learn till i have no more room to store stuff