What to do when you don't have money for your products?

I'm not a millionaire by any means. I make enough money to keep me living on my own comfortably. But I have come across situations from time to time when I've had to make a choice between paying bills or getting my usual hair products. I hate to say it, but these "natural" products are expensive! I love them though. They make my hair feel good and smell good too. No build up. No problems, but they aren't cheap. I have tried alternatives, but they're nothing like the good stuff. So what is a curly, coily girl to do?? The products I love to use are as follows:

Blended Beauty Curl Styling Butter

Blended Beauty Cleansing Conditioner

Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper

Curly Hair Solutions Silk Leave-In Conditioner

Ouidad Water Works Specialty Shampoo


After being a PJ for the first year, I finally found the products that work for me. And I realized that I use so often that I must buy the largest size possible in order to keep down on the shipping costs. I usually try to buy them all on curlmart.com to cut down on shipping, but it still becomes expensive. Luckily, products like Ouidad Water Works Specialty shampoo and Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper I don't have to buy all of the time. But the other products I do buy often. The total cost for everything I just listed at the largest size available and shipping from curlmart.com would be almost $150! And that price doesn't include the 1 liter for the Curly Hair Solutions Silk Leave-In conditioner ($35.50 price difference!) and the Ouidad Water Works Specialty shampoo. The shampoo I have to buy from Ouidad.com. In total, I'm racking up close to $200 bill just for hair care products. Unbelievable what I have to spend to get great products. I've tried to find places where I live to buy them so I don't have to pay for shipping, but that doesn't work. I am happy to say that I don't spend that much ALL of the time, but its still expensive.

Like I said before, I do try to find alternatives because its unreasonable to have to spend that much money on hair care products all of the time. So I tried to do some bargain shopping and I found a few things I liked, but still don't like them as much as the products I buy online. They are as follows:


Sunsilk Captivating Curls conditioner

Garnier Fructis Instant Melting Conditioner


But that's all I have found so far as substitutes. They are no more than $3 each and the sunsilk last a little longer. But I have to use one as my leave in and the other for my co-wash. The thing I don't like about them is that I have so much buildup after 2 weeks that I have to wash my hair more often than I would have if I was using the other more "natural" products. Oh what am I to do? It would be easier if I could have a great paying job so I wouldn't have to worry about the cost of my products. Or just buy in bulk and deal with how much it costs to have fabulous, healthy curls. What do you do?

The 1st Year

I just wanted to take some time for you all to see my curly hair journey during my first year. Keep in mind, it was a HUGE change for me as I'm sure it was for alot of african american women who decided to take the same journey. Enjoy the slideshow and feel free to comment. If you want to leave comments on my individual pics, please visit my album:

My first year as a Curly

My Straight life.

Let me start by saying I liked having unnaturally straight hair. I guess you could've called it my pride and joy because everyone thought I was Indian or something. Somehow I made it look extra shiny and "white" like. Well, in April of 2006, on a whim, packed my stuff and moved to Miami. Very bold move might I say. I was of course single and not looking for a relationship at all. I met a young fella (who will be nameless) whom I started dating. As we were dating, I ended up moving in with him which is where he saw my routine for getting my hair unnaturally straightened hair perfectly coifed whenever we were to go out. One night he asked me, why did I do all that stuff to my hair? You know, I had been unconciously asking myself the same question, but never answered it. He asked me why did I spend so much time manipulating and altering my natural hair? Why don't I just let my hair grow naturally. So yes, I was inspired by my now ex-boyfriend to go natural. And just a side note, he is white!

January 9, 2007 I went to my local haircuttery and found somone to chop off alot (not all) of my hair. I figured why transition? But to be honest, I didn't know about transitioning so it wouldn't have made much of a difference anyway. At the same time, I always wanted one of those really short pixie cuts so this was a good time to experiment. This is when I officially began my naturally journey.