why do people make natural hair complicated

peaches095 · 09-04-2011, 12:12 PM

so, my hair is natural but, i dont buy all that hair curling stuff. all i do is wash it once a week and put hair lotion on my hair and oil spray and im done. i dont need to buy all that otha stuff so why do ppl do it?? i'm new at this naturale so i really dont understand lol

Devushka · 09-04-2011, 01:27 PM

Yeah, I guess it all depends on what style or look a person's going for and what they consider complicated. Whatever works for the given curly is what matters, right?

jessah · 09-04-2011, 01:39 PM

Speaking for wavies, we use product to help our hair retain the wave and curl. My hair gets pretty limp by the afternoon without some gel. Luck you, being able to get away with so little!

KurlyPrincess · 09-04-2011, 01:59 PM

Yeah, I don't really understand it either. I used to use at least 1 gel or mousse when I styled my hair. But now, I just put a leave-in in and I let it dry. I don't really have the time for all that other stuff.

I think it's fine to use products, but I think some people go over board with it.

peaches095 · 09-04-2011, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurlyPrincess

Yeah, I don't really understand it either. I used to use at least 1 gel or mousse when I styled my hair. But now, I just put a leave-in in and I let it dry. I don't really have the time for all that other stuff.

I think it's fine to use products, but I think some people go over board with it.

Ya plus all that stuff is expensive and probably does the same as the generic do. I just can't spend all my money on that stuff lol

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Naturalbeauty81 · 09-04-2011, 03:18 PM

Ooooh, it can be hard at times not to become a product junkie but in the back of mind I keep thinking I know what products works, my shampoo, conditioner and leave ins are Giovanni, my stylers are Kinky Curly and cheaper version is Queen Helene and Eco Styler with Argan Oil. I try to get products on the ground to also save the expense. Certain products produce specific results, I have been blessed to like all of the products that I have purchased lately. For some people like me all natural or 97% natural products work best for their hair.

DarkSkinBeauty · 09-04-2011, 03:39 PM

I am new to this natural hair journey and what I have seen is that people do use a lot of products that I find unnecessary. I have a 4b hair type so I usually can't do a wash and go style I would have to put a curl activator in it to get a curly look but otherwise than that I only use Eco styler gel for my hairstyles olive oil sheen spray and doogro growth stimulator oil and of course my shampoo and conditioners, and my hair is growing and healthy.

hippiechic81 · 09-04-2011, 03:40 PM

Unfortunately, like a lot of wavies, mine are pretty weak and without product I can't get wave formation. I'm trying to cut down a bit and see if that helps. I definitely don't go too crazy with buying products (no money!!!) but I think it's more than possible to be CG on a limited budget.

naturalzombiegirl · 09-04-2011, 03:47 PM

For me its not about making it complicated. Even though I already have staples, I enjoy buying and trying out other things.

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itsiliii · 09-04-2011, 03:55 PM

Id definitely have to agree, each person goes CG in their own way. Some people go crazy trying out whatever product they can get their hands on meanwhile others avoid the product addiction.

Unfortunately, some people also have harder times finding products that work for their hair -in the end i think whatever works for you is fine, 100 or 1 product, to each his own!

KurlyPrincess · 09-04-2011, 04:03 PM

That's one reason I try not to use a lot of products...because most of them are expensive.

No offense to anyone, but if your hair is only a little bit wavy (like 1a-2) then I don't think your hair is really actually curly. I think some people want they're hair to be curly soo bad that they try to use all these products to make it look curlier. When in fact they could just leave it naturally wavy and it would look just as good if not better. That's just my opinion though..

ttlolla · 09-04-2011, 05:00 PM

Are you saying complicated due to products or routines ( various steps) ?

I would say it is because people enjoy it, the problem lies with people who think they HAVE to do/use a million things to grow healthy hair ...... Then again its not my hair

I'm certainly not a minimalist so I can't criticise. When I style my hair I use a RO,oil,LI and gel... That's 4 steps every 3 days which for some could be complicated .

KurlyPrincess · 09-04-2011, 05:08 PM

I think it's complicated because you have to take SO much time to style and do all these routines with your hair. It's soo nice when you can get out of the shower put in some leave in and go.

@ttolla, I don't think that's a complicated routine. It's whatever works for that person. Me...I'm not really a "girly" girl. So sometimes I just DON'T care at all.

JoliePoetique · 09-04-2011, 05:10 PM

To a certain extent I agree. It annoys me to see YouTube reviews where the person uses 10 products before they apply the product they are there to review. There's no way to determine if it worked.

For me, I went through a lot of products until I found what worked for me. Now I have about 10 products I will buy again, and that includes poos, conditioners, leave ins, oils, moisturizers and stylers. May sound like a lot, but I have about 30 to use up that I won't rebuy.

ttlolla · 09-04-2011, 05:32 PM

@Kurlyprincess, honestly I don't think it is either but it could be too many steps for some. When 'I don't care' I use a RO then bun and I love it .

I disagree with doing 3 things even before you wash your hair but that is because I don't need that for MY hair so the bias already exists...

KurlyPrincess · 09-04-2011, 08:05 PM

I'm not saying people shouldn't use a lot of products or do routines... I just really think some people take it way too far! You look at some peoples siggies and it's like a mile long with stuff they put in their hair or do to it on a regular basis..

itsiliii · 09-04-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurlyPrincess

I'm not saying people shouldn't use a lot of products or do routines... I just really think some people take it way too far! You look at some peoples siggies and it's like a mile long with stuff they put in their hair or do to it on a regular basis..

OMG I KNOW it's like first I put in this leave in and then this cream and then this gel and then my HARD HOLD GEL and as it's drying one more gel and it's like DAYUMMM that just isn't for me

The most amount of products that I use is three- and I thought THAT was a lot

Devushka · 09-04-2011, 08:22 PM

Actually I think many people's signature blocks intend to show all the products they trust/have had success using on their hair, but don't necessarily use regularly. A lot of people find it a great help to see what someone else with the same hair properties is using (I know I check sigs for that sometimes.) My sig block for example is loaded with lots of products, but in the last two weeks (washing every other day) I've used 3 commercial products and homemade FSG. But who knows -- Next time I wash my hair, I may choose to change up conditioner or gel or whatever just for the "fun" of it!

But of course, like others have been saying, whatever works for someone else is good as long as what they're using or doing works for them!

capellifelici · 09-04-2011, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hippiechic81

Unfortunately, like a lot of wavies, mine are pretty weak and without product I can't get wave formation. I'm trying to cut down a bit and see if that helps. I definitely don't go too crazy with buying products (no money!!!) but I think it's more than possible to be CG on a limited budget.

^^I definitely agree.

To Peaches095, some people out there do become product junkies, but I just can't afford that (not to mention it gets cluttery and materialistic and is downright unnecessary!). What I say is do your research--a LOT of research--before you fork over the money to buy anything--including the products that you already buy! Don't be an apathetic consumer!

Before I went CG earlier this summer--and no, I didn't fork over the money even for the book and movie, I just became well-versed on this website!--I had been spending SO much money over the course of a long time, going from product to product, trying to find something that would work for me. I had no idea that my hair wasn't getting any better (and in fact was getting worse) because of all the nasty chemicals that I was pumping into it.

Then once I decided to go "CG" (basically in my book, no sulfates, silicones, short-chain alcohols, or parabens, and heat-free drying using plopping and duck clips) I researched a lot and read tons of product reviews of curlies with my same type of hair (fine 3a/2c). Then I narrowed it down to 3 basic styling products (I've since tacked on 3 more) that I rotate out, as well as 3 different conditioners and 1 shampoo. Then, instead of buying right away on curlmart (which, honestly, can get way too expensive), I shopped around and actually found three of the four shampoo/conditioners at my local Super Supplements for CHEAP. I ended up buying the stylers on curlmart, but found a coupon online for 20% off. I think that ultimately you just have to be a smart shopper.

And honestly it was worth every penny. My hair has never been healthier or happier. Plus what's great is that I'm finding that with these good quality, healthy products, I end up needing less each time, so they last a lot longer than a lot of non-CG products. A lot more bang for your buck than "over the counter" non-CG things like Pantene, Garnier, TIGI, Herbal Essences, what have you. (Plus, while I have not had success with them myself when I tried them in the past, many other CG curlies do swear by things like VO5 and Suave Coconut conditioner, which are both super cheap and available right at the drugstore!)

Is it worth it? I think so. My hair is so soft, so clean, so frizz-free, so light, so healthy, so CURLY...not to mention the natural color is restored, which had been artificially darkened by no-no products that I was using...honestly it's just like the adorable perfect hair on three-year-olds. As another CG curlie said on a different thread, it's "sex-ready hair" haha.

This whole CG thing might seem frivolous and hyped-up, but honestly the science backs it up and, at least for me, my before- and after-hair prove it.

Anyway, long story short, you can go CG and stay within a budget. I think that your hair will thank you in the long run, like mine did.

KurlyPrincess · 09-05-2011, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsiliii

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurlyPrincess

I'm not saying people shouldn't use a lot of products or do routines... I just really think some people take it way too far! You look at some peoples siggies and it's like a mile long with stuff they put in their hair or do to it on a regular basis..

OMG I KNOW it's like first I put in this leave in and then this cream and then this gel and then my HARD HOLD GEL and as it's drying one more gel and it's like DAYUMMM that just isn't for me

The most amount of products that I use is three- and I thought THAT was a lot

I was seriously LOLing reading this! It's SO true!