Confession of a Product Junkie

As I type this, there are 2.5 million half used product bottles under my vanity. That is a clear indication I am a product junkie. As I was gathering links for a recent post, I was filling up my virtual shopping cart. While most of this can be blamed on my impulse control issues (I have the same problem with make-up even though I rarely wear it), some my neverending quest for the perfect product was rooted in not knowing what my natural hair needs. In this post, I will try to identify the types of product junkies there are and share tips that have helped me (somewhat) reduce my impulse buying.

The Trial and Error Junkie: You are going from relaxed to natural and have little to no clue what to use on your natural hair. Anything highly recommended by anyone has found its way into your routine.
Recovery: Usually, once this type of product junkie has found a product and/or line that suits them, they rarely feel 'the itch' to buy any and every product.

The Ooh-Shiny Junkie: "It's new AND improved?! Why it's GOT to work." I sometimes fall into this category of junkie. This junkie is easily sucked in by any new, buzzworthy, or as-seen-in product. Nevermind that some companies hire PR firms and marketing consultants to have their brands pushed (Hello..I watch Kell on Earth. I am hip to you). This junkie is also vulnerable to infomercials and QVC/HSN.

The Micro-Manager Junkie: This product junkie has at least one product for EVERYTHING. This person tends to suffer from product overkill, which can leave hair heavy, lifeless and just gross. Or crazy because you just don't know what combination of products your hair needs today and you've gone into sensory overload. I too have been this junkie.

The Impatient Junkie: If you've found yourself saying, "Why isn't this working?!" after a week of use or if your hair doesn't look like ______ from ______ on the first use and you are in the car off to pick up something else, then you are the Impatient Junkie.  (This junkie is also looking for the perfect purse, shoes and man*).

I am not here to judge, I fall into every one of these categories.

When it comes to product purchasing I try to keep to these rules:

• Buy in smaller sizes until you know you want to add the particular product to your routine.
• Finish what you start, unless the product is truly awful for your hair (i.e. leaves flakes, dries your hair out, sticky, etc.). It is the best way to see if the product really helps since it usually takes weeks to get through a product and see results if any.
• Scrutinize reviews when buying online. A lot of curlies are excellent at explaining what hair type they have when leaving product reviews.
• To get rid of extra product, find some other product junkies and have an exchange party. What doesn't work for one curly may work for another.

My name is Jasmine, and I am a Product Junkie.

*I know that was terribly sexist.