Product Junkies & Their Staples

[BEAUTYU2U]

PJs, ever find the perfect staple but continue to use other products -- only to find later that it was a waste of time?

Tell me what your staple was, all the other products you tried to replace it with, and why is your staple the "only one" for you?

I've only been on this natural HHJ for 18 months but Organix shampoo & conditioner are it for me. Whenever I try to use something else I am quickly reminded that I need that little extra protein in my otherwise protein-hating hair I've tried Suave & Aussie Moist conditioners but I have to rotate them with the Organix conditioner or moisture overload. erplexed

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Girl......Personally for me, the thing that makes me a PJ is NOT that I am looking to find 'staples' --- the thing that makes me a PJ is the fact that I like to Buy Products.

So, it's not so much as looking for staples as it is the Love of Products.

 

[goodmorningruby]

Girl......Personally for me, the thing that makes me a PJ is NOT that I am looking to find 'staples' --- the thing that makes me a PJ is the fact that I like to Buy Products.

So, it's not so much as looking for staples as it is the Love of Products.

You hit the nail on the head...that's how it is for me as well. I have a lot erplexed (understatement) of products...but of the many products I have, only a few I use repeatedly and exclusively are staples.

Eta: And I still buy new products all the time, regardless that I have established staples.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

So, it's not so much as looking for staples as it is the Love of Products.

I wish I could say the same. I never thought finding staples would be so hard. I thought other people were over-reacting at first (lol) But now I see. I try to squash the urge to just buy for the love of product - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - and just find staples.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I wish I could say the same. I never thought finding staples would be so hard. I thought other people were over-reacting at first (lol) But now I see. I try to squash the urge to just buy for the love of product - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - and just find staples.

IMO: A PJ just likes to buy 'stuff.' I have an assortment of products that I love, use and consider staples...per se, but it is the Love of Product that keeps me on the hunt.

I like the rotation of things that work great. I like Variety and Assortment.

However, I try to be strategic in what I purchase and not just willy-nilly buying alot of "Junk".

Most of the stuff in my Stash are things that I've researched thoroughly, before purchasing them. Recommendations from Fellow PJ's, and feel will work for my hair type and my hair goals.

 

[chebaby]

it didnt take me long to find my staples. and i never try to replace my staples but like T said, i love buying products.

ive tried plenty of leave ins but i know kbb hair milk is my first love.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

Most of the stuff in my Stash are things that I've researched thoroughly, before purchasing them. Recommendations from Fellow PJ's, and feel will work for my hair type and my hair goals.

^ I don't know ... I think I'm starting to fit in more and more with your description of a PJ (lol) I research products all the time, building and re-building regimens in my head

 

[IDareT'sHair]

^ I don't know ... I think I'm starting to fit in more and more with your description of a PJ (lol) I research products all the time, building and re-building regimens in my head

Me too Girl. I write my Regi's out sometimes a week in advance. I've carefully thought out to the minute what product(s) I will useIn what order, etc....Then I may tweak it a bit.erplexed

But I am constantly thinking about various Regi's. When I relax over the 4th, I will start building regimens for the next 12-16 weeks until the next relaxer. i.e. what will give me stronger, better, healthier hair from one relax time to the next.

 

[simplyhair]

IMO: A PJ just likes to buy 'stuff.' I have an assortment of products that I love, use and consider staples...per se, but it is the Love of Product that keeps me on the hunt.

I like the rotation of things that work great. I like Variety and Assortment.

However, I try to be strategic in what I purchase and not just willy-nilly buying alot of "Junk".

Most of the stuff in my Stash are things that I've researched thoroughly, before purchasing them. Recommendations from Fellow PJ's, and feel will work for my hair type and my hair goals.

ITA w/the bold but would like to add that these stores (Walmart, Walgreens, Target & Sally's) help keep me motivated at being a PJ. I can rest comfortably in trying new products and bring it right back if I don't like it. So, I don't ride too tough with the Asian BSS no more unless it is a definite staple.

 

[simplyhair]

Me too Girl. I write my Regi's out sometimes a week in advance. I've carefully thought out to the minute what product(s) I will useIn what order, etc....Then I may tweak it a bit.erplexed

But I am constantly thinking about various Regi's.

with all of this! I thought I was the only one. It's like a calculated and strategic move every wash day.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

*automatically starts building a regimen in my head at the mere mention of them*

 

[IDareT'sHair]

with all of this! I thought I was the only one. It's like a calculated and strategic move every wash day.

*automatically starts building a regimen in my head at the mere mention of them*

Exactly! I'll find notes written down everywhere. Products, Rotation, order Results etc.....

I can go through my purse on any given day and find some-sort of Regi I've scribbled down to refine later.

And Ya'll when I was mixing stuff..............erplexed I had recipes galore. I had to stop that. i.e. bananas, baby food, avacados, honey, molasses, eggs, mayo too much!

 

[halee_J]

Me too Girl. I write my Regi's out sometimes a week in advance. I've carefully thought out to the minute what product(s) I will useIn what order, etc....Then I may tweak it a bit.erplexed

But I am constantly thinking about various Regi's. When I relax over the 4th, I will start building regimens for the next 12-16 weeks until the next relaxer. i.e. what will give me stronger, better, healthier hair from one relax time to the next.

Good to know I'm not alone I keep a very detailed hair journal.

T said it. I do have products that work well, and that I call staples because I use them most often, but I do like to have variety of things as well. Plus, I just like to buy hair stuff it makes me happy

 

[Minty]

My "situation" began because I was looking for "staples" - but that is just not me! I don't stick with any one thing, don't know what its like to have used one of anything for years on end, or know the heartache when a product has been discontinued - I'd discontinued using it long before the company did.

When I realized I wasn't looking for "staples" but I was sampling, I got over it.

It's all relative.

I have staple categories:

**Oils (they are in combinations, they stand alone, they are infused, they are in serums)

**Deep Conditioning Treatments (Moisture based; Protein based - mild, medium & heavy; rinse clean; coating)

**Serums/Creams/Leave-ins - Redken Anti-Snap is the only "product staple" that I have hung onto over the years. Other serums/creams are for styling i.e. rollersetting or blowdrying or for moisturizing.

 

[Minty]

shampoo is important too.....if you have the wrong shampoo it will mess the whole system up.

 

[CocoGlow]

I'm still on the search for staple products and staple regimens...but what makes me look for more products in addition to the ones that work is: FEAR (yes fear) that the brand/product that I finally fall in love with will out of no where decide to change the formula on me!!!

Y'all know what I'm talking about....I've seen it happen a LOT over the years on hair forums - there will be a fav shampoo/conditioner, etc that gets rave reviews only to cause a major uproar years later when they change ingredients (it usually goes downhill not for the better)

So I always feel the need to have BACKUP .. I want at least 3 fav shampoos/conditioners, etc that I love and can use interchangeably so that I won't ever be caught out there on a desperate search to find a replacement when the companies get the bright idea to change the perfect formula for cheap fillers!

Another thing that keeps me on the search is: CURIOSITY ... I always wonder "Is this the softest/strongest/most moisturized,etc,etc my hair can feel?Will this XYZ product make my hair feel any better/different?"

So hopefully once I find my 2-3 staples for each category in my regimen, the FEAR will be gone but it's the CURIOSITY I'll have to keep in check

 

[CocoGlow]

BTW I too have a very detailed hair journal .. I don't have the time to write everything out so I type it in MSWord lol.... I have lists of products that I want to try/have already tried ... and it's even color coded based on whether I love it, like it, hate it, etc !!

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

I'm still on the search for staple products and staple regimens...but what makes me look for more products in addition to the ones that work is: FEAR (yes fear) that the brand/product that I finally fall in love with will out of no where decide to change the formula on me!!!

Y'all know what I'm talking about....I've seen it happen a LOT over the years on hair forums - there will be a fav shampoo/conditioner, etc that gets rave reviews only to cause a major uproar years later when they change ingredients (it usually goes downhill not for the better)

So I always feel the need to have BACKUP .. I want at least 3 fav shampoos/conditioners, etc that I love and can use interchangeably so that I won't ever be caught out there on a desperate search to find a replacement when the companies get the bright idea to change the perfect formula for cheap fillers!

Another thing that keeps me on the search is: CURIOSITY ... I always wonder "Is this the softest/strongest/most moisturized,etc,etc my hair can feel?Will this XYZ product make my hair feel any better/different?"

So hopefully once I find my 2-3 staples for each category in my regimen, the FEAR will be gone but it's the CURIOSITY I'll have to keep in check

I think it's a good idea to have a backup, especially because I think hair, as with many other things, tends to get used to a certain product and it may not work as well as it did the first time around.

 

[bimtheduck]

For me I'm afraid there there's something better. Like recently I switched from NTM silk touch leave in to Qhemet Biologics BRBC. I love the QB and I want to try the other products in the line.

 

[halee_J]

It's all relative.

I have staple categories:

**Oils (they are in combinations, they stand alone, they are infused, they are in serums)

**Deep Conditioning Treatments (Moisture based; Protein based - mild, medium & heavy; rinse clean; coating)

**Serums/Creams/Leave-ins - .

I put my stuff into general categories like this as well.

but what makes me look for more products in addition to the ones that work is: FEAR (yes fear) that the brand/product that I finally fall in love with will out of no where decide to change the formula on me!!!

So I always feel the need to have BACKUP .. I want at least 3 fav shampoos/conditioners, etc that I love and can use interchangeably so that I won't ever be caught out there on a desperate search to find a replacement

Yes I must admit, that fueled my PJ fire early on in my HHJ. But now that I have a selection of things that my likes, and more impotantly I've found TECHNIQUES that work for me . So I just try stuff out now just 'cause