Sept-nov No Buy Challenge

I have my team together (co wash, dc, leave in and heat protectant) except for a shampoo. After Cream of Nature changed their formula, I have used at least 6 shampoos with meh results.

I'm not sure whether to end my search for the perfect poo or keep up with trial and error. So far Keracare detangling shampoo is the best (closest to Cream of Nature).
I've used both and I totally agree. I usually buy the Keracare Detangling poo in the 32 oz bottle. It lasts so long. I don't think I will have to keep buying Elucence as long as I can find this shampoo on the ground. But for sure Elucence is my back-up shampoo line, from the detoxing one to the clarifying one and the detangling shampoo. I love them all and it makes sense to always purchase them in liter sizes to avoid frequent ordering.
 
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Very strong, @Aggie!

All, I am tempted to "proceed to checkout" at the Komaza website. Resisting . . . resisting . . .

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You can be strong too @YvetteWithJoy. You can do it. I just scratched 35 brands off my repurchase list. That is a lot and I still have a lot left. I don't know if I'll be able to bring it down as low as @lulu97 with 4-5 brands but it will be a lot better and a lot less than it was before, thank God.
 
You can be strong too @YvetteWithJoy. You can do it. I just scratched 35 brands off my repurchase list. That is a lot and I still have a lot left. I don't know if I'll be able to bring it down as low as @lulu97 with 4-5 brands but it will be a lot better and a lot less than it was before, thank God.

Thanks, Aggie. I just closed the browser window. I don't wanna cave, but I know I need a protein treatment and need to see if the Komaza one is better for my hair than the Nutress protein packs. And the other two products in my cart are just samples. I'm so curious about them. I'll try not to purchase until I determine more products to donate to the women's shelter.

I know I'm honing in on what's working for my hair. I just have some legitimate issues remaining. My stash is too large for purchasing at the moment. Must reduce it before allowing myself to bring more and more in. I can do this.
 
Update:

Used up Natures Blessing pomade. I already purchased Extra Dark JBCO to replace it.

11 products gone
1 product purchased

Update:
Today I used up 1 bottle of Neutral protein filler. I have no backups but will repurchase within the next 2 weeks to do another treatment.
Also used up Curl Junkie Daily Fix. I have 1 backup that I plan on diluting.

13 products gone

Purchased:
1 bottle of jbco
3 samples qhemet moisturizers

(I know the samples does not count, but I'm trying to keep up with everything I purchase)
 
I couldn't even buy anything because we were in the middle of Hurricane Matthew and the recovery and clean up in the aftermath is pure madness right now. So this turned out to be a good thing for me this past week. I am however still waiting on a couple of labor day packages that have not yet shipped.
 
So far, so good. I don't think I've bought anything for my hair since Labor Day. I still want my Dominican conditioner and will need to use my Sept pass for that. I am trying to use up some stuff but they don't do anything for my hair which is probably why they have sat in my bathroom for so long. I want wigs for the winter. I'll use a pass for that too.
 
Needed purchase: Colorful Neutral Protein Filler (~ $7 at Sally's) and Framesi Color Lover Moisture Rich Masque (33.8 oz for $21)

Reason: My hair is hipo and fine, and detangling took 2 hours yesterday (I just finally stopped). I have to try some protein. I'll try Aphogee eventually. The second product contains many ingredients I try to avoid. :cry3:Something has to GIVE, though.

Framesi masque ingredients:
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Lauryl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Superoxide Dismutase, Silk Amino Acids, Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Panthenol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Saccharomyces Magnewium FermentHydrolsate, Saccharomyces Potassium Ferment Hydrolysate, Adenosine Triphosphate, Propanediol, Silicone Quaternium-16, Bis-Diisopropanolamino-PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PEG-14 Copolymer, Quaternium-95, Undeceth-11, Fragrance, Butyoctanol, Dimethicone, Undeceth-5, Polysorbate-20, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, BCC12-Base.​

Addendum:

My name is Yvette, and I am a product junkie.

Lawd, help! I'm trying y'all. I'm trying . . .

I've been really good. Really, really, REALLY good. I have been honest about all of my purchases, my pass uses, etc., and I am donating products to women who can likely really use them.

However, were I free to purchase whatever I wanted, I would spend at least $25/day every day all month every month. I have a problem! Jesus, be an HG-product locator and a technique teacher!!!
 
Ok so... I used up my pass for November too. I saw some of the prices at rickysnyc.com and couldn't pass them up because I didn't know how long it was going to be like that... I figured I'd just get the rest of the stuff on my wishlist and be done :lol: No shopping for the rest of the year unless I unexpectedly run out of something.

Today I used my pass for:

- Sebastian Light Conditioner - 1 liter

- AG Sleek Conditioner

- Framesi Moisture Rich Masque - 16.9 oz

- Sebastian Penetraitt Conditioner sample

- Nairobi Wrap Lotion

- Biotera Intense Smoothing Conditioner (I returned 2 things to Sally's and got this)

- AG Xtramoist Shampoo

The good thing is that all this cost me less than $60 so it's not like I was out of a lot of dollars...
 
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Update:
Today I used up 1 bottle of Neutral protein filler. I have no backups but will repurchase within the next 2 weeks to do another treatment.
Also used up Curl Junkie Daily Fix. I have 1 backup that I plan on diluting.

13 products gone

Purchased:
1 bottle of jbco
3 samples qhemet moisturizers

(I know the samples does not count, but I'm trying to keep up with everything I purchase)

Used my October pass and did a little shopping over the last few days.

I've been testing out products for my ends and I've found the perfect one. Out of the 3 samples I tried from Qhemet the one that I fell in love with was the honey balm so I purchased a full size bottle from Sephora today. I thought about buying the 2nd favorite to that one but I just really don't need 2 products in my after washing routine that does the same thing. So I chose the one I liked the most.

Also stopped by Sally's and repurchased my staple protein treatment: Color Neutral protein filler

And 1 bottle of the Netwurks growth spray.

Updated stats:

13 products gone

4 products purchased and 3 samples.

I think I'm doing pretty good. I don't need to add anything else to my stash after finding my staple OTG ends product. I should be finishing up a few more products soon as well.
 
Hi, ladies! :wave:

I think my hair just is what it is: Super fine and coily and thus prone to tangling. All this product trialing is helping a little, but it's fatiguing me to do all the research, asking, review-reading, ordering, trialing in various combinations, etc. I'm not the happiest hair journeyer right now. If I have to keep it stretched/straightened for it to work, I might as well wear my hair straight! LOL!

To fix my problem with worrying, I've decided to do the following:

1. Let go:
Every time I detangle and lose hair and see the SSKs piling up, I get so worried about my hair's health and whether it'll be okay if in the future I decide to do a BKT or texturizer or relaxer with all of the knots piling up more and more. So, I'm just going to detangle for a reasonable amount of time, let some of the strands clump up (knot together) per my hair stylist's "okay" and just keep it moving. If I have to BC later because of the SSKs piling up or knotted clumps, so be it. If I lose hair faster than it allows for growth, I'll observe so and can follow my plan below. But I can't worry any more. :smile:

2. Streamline:
I'll hold onto my various treatments/DCs and gels, but I'm about to rid the house and shower of most of my other products except for "the chosen ones." It will be great to just work with what does my hair pretty good instead of constantly worrying about trialing different combinations, adding this or that into the mix, etc.

3. Work the plan:
a. BKT soon and assess for 6 months
b. If that doesn't help, texturize after 6 months
c. If that doesn't work out, wear hair in relaxed style as healthily as possibly . . . relaxing about 4 times a year
 
It helps to type the below. :smile:

Remaining purchases I wish I could make once I clear everything else out, so that I can stop thinking about desired purchases at all:

1. BKT (trying to decide whether to go to Lenoir's salon or the Good Day Hair salon)
2. Standing steamer
3. Komaza protein treatment (along with a sample of their new aloe vera gel and a sample of the califia moisturizer)
4. Deep conditioning cap
5. Joico Moisture Recovery Balm
6. Darcy's Botanical's pumpkin conditioner
7. TGIN masque
8. Aphogy protein treatment
9. SM's new protein masque . . . if they EVER answer my question on the site about why its ingredients are equal to the shampoo's ingredients, and about whether it is a light protein treatment or a heavy one

I'm still curious about a few other things, but not curious enough to feel a need to bite just yet: SheScentIt products, Bee Mine products, Amika Rx DC, etc.
 
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I forgot to share the good news below here.

I had one of the BEST wash and go's ever the other day. I discussed it at the Hipo Hangout thread and the Winter/Fall Wash and Go thread.

I think what made it work was this:
1. DevaCurl Decadence One Condition . . . steamed in with shower steam and left in
2. Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Milk . . . praying hands method'ed in and flashed under shower water to disperse through strands
3. Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker . . . praying hands method'ed in
4. Diffuser

I was in loooooooooove with my hair. It felt and "fell" amazingly. :D
 
I bought 3 jars of my FAVORITE DC. Went into a BSS. Saw the price. Told the lady it was cheaper online. She dropped the price by $4 total. I said ok. It is cheaper online but with shipping...I was better off buying it in the store.

That was September's pass. :look:
 
:wave:

Hi, ladies.

How y'all doing? I'm feeling great! Almost ready for my massing product purge! :yep:

So, phew, okay!: All passes are gone!

Backstory (it's long, so obviously skip if you desire :smile:):
It's my birthday month, and I have this internal desire to find peace about my hair by my birthday. As I mentioned above, my recent strategy/practices had me kind of amped up about my hair. Too much so. I've been researching galore, asking galore, posting galore, trialing galore, etc.

I appreciate the LHCF lades, my relatives, and especially my husband and mom for trying to keep from going bananas over this!

I'm pretty sure hubby and mom got worried about me, and I'm so grateful for their humor, support, and help. They have literally applied treatments, detangled, scalp massaged, talked products and techniques, turned comedic . . . I know they are not used to seeing me so caught up in my hair and the forum! Also, I think I irritated some LHCF folks with all my posts and threads. I hope not but if so hope they can just overlook me. :sad: I think being trapped inside (with my special needs little guy) sends me to SM a little too much. It's so isolating and SM is easy to go to. I'm going to try to pull back a bit and exercise with little guy instead. Win-win. :smile:

Anyhoo, with my November pass I purchased:

1. the Komaza protein treatment because literally scores of folks have told me I must try it. I want to heed their advice, This was NOT a frivolous purchase: This was about trying to prevent knots, tangles, and breakage. I ordered a sample of their aloe gel and Califia moisturizer along with it. Samples don't count!!! Yay!

2. a $60 standing steamer instead of the $260 high-end one I really wanted (I just wouldn't let myself pull the trigger on that awesome one)

My Soultanicals finally arrived (October pass purchase) and a free product arrived: Darcy's Botanicals Curling Creme Gel. Y'allllllllll!!!!! The DB CCG smells AH-MAZIIIIIIIIING! Has me eyeing my mock cart that contains DB's pumpkin seed conditioner and DB's gel.

That was a lot! But I'm feeling soooooo peaceful about my hair and spending more strategically. This thread has been GREAT for me. Thank you, ladies, for the support!
 
I finally changed my avatar lol. That was after my bkt Thursday. I'm going to do my first wash tomorrow. Actually I will cowash with Curl Ideal Cleansing conditioner and dc with Chroma Riche to bring out the shine.

I'm really excited about this wash! My ends are stronger and smoother than they have EVER been.
 
:wave:

Hi, ladies.

How y'all doing? I'm feeling great! Almost ready for my massing product purge! :yep:

So, phew, okay!: All passes are gone!

Backstory (it's long, so obviously skip if you desire :smile:):
It's my birthday month, and I have this internal desire to find peace about my hair by my birthday. As I mentioned above, my recent strategy/practices had me kind of amped up about my hair. Too much so. I've been researching galore, asking galore, posting galore, trialing galore, etc.

I appreciate the LHCF lades, my relatives, and especially my husband and mom for trying to keep from going bananas over this!

I'm pretty sure hubby and mom got worried about me, and I'm so grateful for their humor, support, and help. They have literally applied treatments, detangled, scalp massaged, talked products and techniques, turned comedic . . . I know they are not used to seeing me so caught up in my hair and the forum! Also, I think I irritated some LHCF folks with all my posts and threads. I hope not but if so hope they can just overlook me. :sad: I think being trapped inside (with my special needs little guy) sends me to SM a little too much. It's so isolating and SM is easy to go to. I'm going to try to pull back a bit and exercise with little guy instead. Win-win. :smile:

Anyhoo, with my November pass I purchased:

1. the Komaza protein treatment because literally scores of folks have told me I must try it. I want to heed their advice, This was NOT a frivolous purchase: This was about trying to prevent knots, tangles, and breakage. I ordered a sample of their aloe gel and Califia moisturizer along with it. Samples don't count!!! Yay!

2. a $60 standing steamer instead of the $260 high-end one I really wanted (I just wouldn't let myself pull the trigger on that awesome one)

My Soultanicals finally arrived (October pass purchase) and a free product arrived: Darcy's Botanicals Curling Creme Gel. Y'allllllllll!!!!! The DB CCG smells AH-MAZIIIIIIIIING! Has me eyeing my mock cart that contains DB's pumpkin seed conditioner and DB's gel.

That was a lot! But I'm feeling soooooo peaceful about my hair and spending more strategically. This thread has been GREAT for me. Thank you, ladies, for the support!
@YvetteWithJoy

I'm an October baby myself. My BD was on the 8th. Happy BD lady!
 
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I picked up my APB package already and now my Soultanicals package is at the courier ready for pickup. I might not have time to pick it up until Thursday though.
 
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