Saturday, July 25, 2009

Product quest


One of the missions I had going to Kentucky (besides, of course, visiting my family) was to look for hair products there that I haven't been able to find here. I looked for the beauty supply shop I used to go to many years ago when I was living in Louisville, and was happy to see it still there. It used to be a big highlight of my week to shop for new hair products back in the day, hoping that maybe that trip I would find a miracle product that would stop my hair from breaking and get it to grow. Well, I never found that miracle product, but I sure enjoyed looking for it.

So this time I spent about an hour looking at all the hair products in the Beauty Supply store in downtown Louisville. On the three or so blocks before you reach the store, there are at least two wig shops that I counted, anyway. Inside this beauty shop I visited there was an entire isle devoted to weaves and extensions. I used to buy my extension hair there (mostly nylon), and when I wore weaves, I bought the hair at a store across the street.

It was fun picking up products, looking over all the shampoos, conditioners, hair dressings and lotions. I read through their ingredients and looked for products I might be able to try out so I could recommend them. I located about five possibilities. I know many ingredients to avoid, and many I like to see, by heart. But there are probably tens of thousands of ingredients out there, so I never know about every ingredient in a product, and therefore if a bad ingredient or two has snuck in, until I look them all up at home in my books.

I crammed the new bottles of products in my suitcase and brought them home to Seattle, eager to perhaps find a new one to use. I brought each one in to the room with my reference books, and began to look up the ingredients that weren't yet on the site. And wouldn't you know it, one by one, all of them had at least one ingredient that turns out I don't trust. Almost all of them had one sticky ingredient lurking under a poly- something. Some poly- somethings are okay, and others are sticky. And due to a bad experience I once had with major product buildup when I was a teenager, I always try to avoid things with these sticky ingredients in them (unless they're supposed to be there, like in a gel). Also, by avoiding sticky ingredients, I can use a very mild shampoo because there isn't that sticky buildup that needs removing by a stronger shampoo (or I could use a conditioner-wash, but I break out when I don't shampoo. Otherwise I'd go that way).

So with a sigh, and a realization I am truly paranoid and stubborn when it comes to my hair (well, more than just about my hair, but in this case, it's about my hair), my search continues for finding products I trust enough to use.

12 comments:

Mary said...

Terri,
I am grateful for your stubborn nature. I have benefited from your method and research. Thank you so much.

Mary Chappell-Davee

Deadra Morrison said...

God bless you for the work you do Terri. I wanted you to know I kept trying and I've learned how to make your technique work for my thinning hair--I love have the tightly curly method available to me and can't work for your book to come out! =)

Former Mushroom-Haired Child said...

Jinji's parents: Thank you so much for being grateful for my stubborn nature! I think that's the first time it's been considered a good thing by anyone else! I'm really glad anything on the site can help, and thank you for reading!

msdeem9: I'm so glad you kept trying and learned how to make the technique work. It does take some practice. Yes, I can't wait for the book to be out too! I'm hoping to hear soon when that will be.

Anonymous said...

I use your site to research any product before I buy it as well:) researching ingredients has been the most benefitial thing to me in my hair journey. I really hope you will try the elucence moisture shampoo and conditioner one day.

Kel said...

Teri,

I make mine the words of Jinji's parents and msdeem9! I am new with your technique (about a month). I tried it before (in a wrong way and gave up). I tried it again and I am so happy it worked nicely!! My hair has become so great!! Now, I am only waiting it grows. Thank you, Teri!! God bless you!!

Anonymous said...

Is that the 2 Minute Keratin Reconstructor? Please don't tell me it's no good...

Anonymous said...

NOOOOO! I just bought 2 of the things in the photo, number 2 and the CPR which I use on my chemically relaxed hair... Please email me and help a now "stuck in Scandinavia with hair products that will not work on my kids hair" girl... Gina

Keshia said...

I frequently pickup things in Louisville too, when I go to visit my family. I have a difficult time finding hair products I like in DC (of all places) but I can always find them and they are less expensive (extra perk) in KY!

Siemone said...

Teri, again, you and your research, but more importantly, the fact that you share your research, have helped me so much with how I treat my mixed hair. I love my hair so much more since the day I stumbled upon your site. I am so grateful that you still make the time to post to this blog and share with all of us struggling mixed girls out there. Please never stop!

Love,
Siemone

Real Talk said...

Terri,

I have tried every combing conditioner on your site. None of them worked for me. I finally found a conditioner that worked very well for me. It is John Frieda's root awakening conditioner. The ingredients looked ok. Although it did worry me a little because it dried fast. It didn't dry my hair out but the drying time was quicker than many of the other conditioners I've used for combing. Try it, recommend it, advise, etc. I love this conditioner. I have finally found something that works for me and I love it but I do value your opinion. Thanks so much. You have truly helped to grow my hair.

BTW: You saved a young girls life. She is my bi racial 18 year old God daughter. She was suicidal because of the constant teasing she got about her coarse hair. She thought she was the ugliest thing in the world. I downloaded your videos and showed your before pics on your site which you had hair just like hers. She got the courage to BC her damaged hair (she permed 3x a month). However, when she went to the salon for her BC the stylist told her she should get a professional perm because she didn't have the face for short hair and it was going to be hard to manage it in it's natural state. She pretty much called her ugly. This was a major set back. But, your videos and website was a major tool in getting her back on track. She has a short curly do and we have never seen her smile so much her entire life. Thank you. You are the best. YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Mshappynappy78

middleclassego said...

I love your site. I am also from KY and live in Chicago. This is the 3rd time I chopped all my hair off because I gave up and got a relaxer each time. I decided to go natural about a year ago. I went to visit my family in KY for Thanksgiving 2009 and boy did they let me know how they felt. One of my aunts who I hadn't seen in a year announced to everyone how she thought my hair looked terrible. Throughout my 2 week stay each relative came up to me at some point and let me know how they thought i looked terrible with my natural hair. I have to have thick skin when I'm around them. Yeah ridiculous I know but they've said worse lol. I definitely had to keep reading your blog a few x's a day 2 get through that stay.

Anonymous said...

Love your site, I am thinking of going natural, i find myself enjoying my haircare in the inbetween state and the demarcation point of my hair has stayed intact.
Going from 6wks to 10wks stretch is amazing which is a testimony to my haircare. Next relaxer is in august(god willing) then November will be my last relaxer.

I don't want to do the big chop as my hair is healthy and not breaking as it was two years ago. But yout site has given me encouragement to go natural and see my natural curls.