Hey Curlies,
You spend paycheck-after-paycheck budgeting how much you can spend on natural hair products and before you know it, you have a collection of half-opened creams, gels and butters. Is natural hair too expensive?
People ask me this question all of the time but I actually find it quite interesting and humorous because we forget how much control we truly have. This is how I look at my natural hair expenses, versus my expenses when I wore my hair relaxed.
Relaxed hair care: With a stylist
-$40 spent every two weeks on salon visits (wash/flat iron/touch up)
-$5-$10 spent every four to six weeks to trim ends
-$35-50 spent every three months on roller sets/updo styles for special occasions or to "mix things up"
Total: Over $100/month
Relaxed hair care: Do it yourself
-$10 spent every two weeks on a boxed relaxer purchased at drug store
-$15 spent every month on hair glossers, oil sheens, gels, etc.
-$30 for a one-time purchase of hair sheers, rollers, etc.
Total: Between $35-$60/month
Natural hair care: Do it yourself
-$20-$30 every month on hair products
-$30 for a one-time purchase of hair sheers, rollers, etc.
Total: $20-$60/ month
Natural hair care: With a stylist (for those who wear their hair curly)
-$40-$60 spent per salon visit (twist outs, updos, etc.)
-$5-$10 spent every three to four months for trims (not needed as often in curly state)
-$10 spent on upkeep-hair products
Total: Over $60/month
OK...OK, clearly all of these options can get quite expensive but you can see what usually makes or breaks the bank are salon visits and purchasing too many hair products. Product junkies are people who have a collection of hair products they've never used or haven't even opened. They must have the new hair items often. This can get expensive.
Since I go to the salon only once a year and have invested in hair sheers so I can trim my own hair, my hair expenses each month are little to nothing. I only buy hair products when something truly catches my attention, which has been maybe two-three times over the last eight months. I also make sure to use what I have before moving on.
Remember, you control your hair regimen and how much you spend. I am an avid believer that you don't need expensive or tons of products to have great hair. I at once did consider myself a product junkie because I was new to the community and wanted to know what worked for my hair, but over the years I've discovered my most favorite products are the simplest: Shea Butter, Coconut oil and drugstore brands.
