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Yoanna
November 2nd, 2011, 02:37 AM
Hello I'm a newbie.What is your low budget haircare routine. I'm low on cash and would like to know from you, how do you take care of your hair with few resources?

xoxophelia
November 2nd, 2011, 02:43 AM
This is an article I wrote. I'm not sure if you can currently read them so I will just paste the whole thing for you.

Are you worried you won’t be able to have long shiny locks without the aid of expensive salon products or the multitude of options in stores? This guide will help you to start growing your hair while shrinking your expenses.

First, let’s start by covering what many consider to be the essential products.

note: this is meant as a beginner’s comprehensive guide to savings and will not cover alternative cleansing methods

Shampoo: This is one area where if you are like many LHCers you do not have to be too careful. Many people dilute their shampoo for it to be less damaging, only shampoo the scalp, use a tiny bit of shampoo infrequently, or a combination of any of these hair washing methods (while others do not use shampoo at all). Expensive brands, such as Biolage, have products that can be used frugally if one takes into account that the cost can be spread over a longer period. But what are we looking for in a shampoo? Something cleansing, gentle enough to not inflame frizz or damage, and for many cone and SLS free. While this is one area it can be OK to splurge, there are cheaper options that can fulfill these needs. I will start with a few favorites to get you started.


Trader Joe’s Nourishing Spa Shampoo- coming in at an average price of $2.70 this shampoo is great for those looking for SLS/cone free, natural products, and who enjoy a very pleasant and light scent (http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...oduct/60/cat/2)



Garnier Fructis Length and Strength Shampoo-slightly more expensive at $3.10 a bottle, this SLS and cone containing shampoo is a cult favorite (http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/171/cat/2)



The two dollar and under club- many people swear by VO5 or Suave products which can be found for great prices. Coupons and a trip to Wal-Mart often result in extra savings as well! (http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/246/cat/2)
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/511/cat/2)
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/166/cat/2)



Conditioner: A large mass of hair to tame, the CO method, and deep conditioning treatments can cause us to go through a lot of conditioner. The main two suggestions here then are to shop in bulk when possible and to find a go-to conditioner that is reasonably priced for regular use.



VO5- many use this for CO and it is easily found for under a dollar. My personal favorite is the Kiwi Lime Clarifying Conditioner as I find it gives the best shine (http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...oduct/72/cat/3)
Other VO5 reviews:
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...roduct/4/cat/3)
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/313/cat/3)


White Rain- another cheap conditioner that can be found for a dollar or under
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/266/cat/3)
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/270/cat/3)



Suave- a number of people with gorgeous long locks use this as their main conditioner
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/344/cat/3)



Trader Joe’s Nourishing Spa Conditioner- also around $2.70 this conditioner has a pleasant smell, natural products, and is cone free
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...oduct/48/cat/3)


GVP Conditioning Balm- known as the Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm knockoff, this conditioner can be used for deep treatments on occasion at about $5.60 a bottle
(http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com...duct/218/cat/3)



Leave Ins: For the money saving route to healthy hair two great options are to use sparse amounts of affordable oils or to create your own leave in products.



Oils- two with good reps are extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil which can be found easily. To use as a leave in, 1-2 drops can be distributed through damp or dry hair.



Create your own- this method helps you to be able to customize your leave in for your individual needs as well as get an even distribution. You will need a spray bottle, water, your conditioner of choice, and optionally your oil of choice. Then, mix the solution so it is mostly water with a much more dilute amount of oil (only a few drops). This can be sprayed in your hair between washes or after washing to refresh the hair.




Other treatments: You are doing all you can to promote healthy hair growth and to avoid damage but what can you do when you want shinier, more moisturized hair without breaking the bank?



AVC/vinegar rinses- mix apple cider vinegar or a clear vinegar for light blondes with water to a dilution of 1:10. You can dip your length in a bowl of this solution and then pour it over your head after showering for extra shine and to reduce tangling. Optional: follow with a short cold rinse


SMT: With clear aloe vera gel available at Wal-Mart and flexibility in the conditioner used, this can be a very affordable deep conditioning option. Follow link for more information
(http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...read.php?t=128)


Deep oiling treatment- you can select your favorite oil listed above and apply a more generous amount to leave on overnight or as a pre-wash treatment. One method that I commonly use it to heat up for a short period of time extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and honey in the microwave, apply it to my whole head, and then let it sit over night. While honey can be more expensive, 1-2 tablespoons will do for thick waist length hair.



Saving money at the salon.. or at home: For salon goers there are a few tips that can keep your costs down:


-decide on a more simple haircut that can be easily replicated at cheaper chains or barbershops
-come with your hair freshly washed or even wet in a bun (detangled as well)
-stretch your trims
-decline having your hair heat styled after



But, there is another secret that could lead to you possibly avoiding salons all together—Feye’s Self Trimming Method (http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com/) . Affordable haircutting scissors can be found easily at stores like CVS. If you are lucky enough to have another person who can cut your hair, you can also save costs by asking them to do your trims.



Additional Tips:
-Avoid heat styling. The less damage you cause your hair, the less you will need to do to it in order to “make up” for it becoming dull or dry. This means you will save money on products aimed at creating artificial shine while also being able to extend your trims.
-Look for deals. If you find a sale on a product you swear by, stock up on a few bottles.
-If there is a more expensive product you are interested in, see if a sample size is available before splurging on the whole purchase.
-Be patient. Damage can’t be reversed over night so to a certain extent products can become a well for unfulfilled wishes. The next miracle product may not be able to save your hair but gentle handling, time, and trims will.
-Have a few basic hair accessories so that you can wear your hair up on days where it just isn’t working with you.

Pierre
November 2nd, 2011, 05:00 AM
My consumables are jojoba (to which I add a little coconut oil and some EOs) and henna. Jojoba I bought a liter of months ago and I keep the bottle in the fridge, using a little (maybe 1 ml/d total, including what I spray on underarms and groin) from a spray bottle. The big bottle is going to last me a few years. Henna I buy several hg at a time and keep them in the freezer. Rajasthani Twilight, one of the latest lots from Mehandi.com, is 7 ¢/g in kilogram quantity. I use 30 g every 4-6 weeks (actually half of that is amla and cloves, but I'll ignore that), which is about $2 per month. Your prices will be different in South Africa, but they won't be much.

My biggest hair expense is hairtoys. A few month ago I plunked down 80 bucks on Flexis. I also have some Ficcares, hair scroos, and Buffs. I need to get some more Buffs, as my Polar is misplaced and the other one has lost its reflective strip.

Amber_Maiden
November 2nd, 2011, 10:06 AM
If you want to be super cheap you can try washing your hair with baking soda and Coing with ACV.

swearnsue
November 2nd, 2011, 10:51 AM
There are things you can do right now without buying anything. Use the shampoo you already have, just dilute it. If you shampoo every day, start skipping a day and shampoo every other day. Rinse with cool water. You probably already have vinegar in the kitchen. If so, make a hair rinse by mixing a couple of teaspoons of vinegar to a quart of water.
When you comb and brush your hair be gentle. Read the articles, the tab for them is at the top of the pages. You can experiment with oiling if you have extra virgin olive oil in the kitchen. If you use hair styling appliances, stop or if you must use them, be very careful. You can also massage your scalp gently every day. There are tons of things you can begin doing right now without spending a dime! Welcome to the forum and enjoy your hair!!!

proo
November 2nd, 2011, 10:55 AM
The WO method is quite economical, even when using distilled water if you keep it to once a week.

Signe
November 2nd, 2011, 11:24 AM
I second the WO method. The only hair products I have at the moment are my detangling comb and my boar bristle brush. Cold water is even better because it doesn't cost on your heating bill!

Also, the number one way I found to save money on hair care is to make an initial investment on some good hair-only scissors (10 bucks?) and stop going to the salon!

Hope this helps!
xox

JuliaDancer
November 2nd, 2011, 11:29 AM
You will also save on shampoo/conditioner by stretching washes. Now that it's cold, I can stretch to 4 days. I used to wash every day, or every other day, so my products last 4 times longer now!

SpinDance
November 2nd, 2011, 11:51 AM
I was going to link in her article, but xoxophelia was kind enough to include it for you. :) Another idea is oil shampoo, which as a couple of threads and many references on the forum. Basically it is adding coconut oil, or similar hair penetrating oil, to a very simple shampoo. The amounts of each vary based on what you find works best for you, but coconut oil isn't very expensive, a little goes a long way, and you can use it for cooking, too. The shampoos that seem to work best for this technique are usually pretty basic, thus not that expensive.

For hair toys, check the self-made thread for ideas on making your own. You can use children's chopsticks for hair sticks. At a small local shop mine cost just over a dollar US. Double pointed metal knitting needles needles can be bent into a U-shape and used as hair forks and pins.

You might find this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=55578) of interest.

It doesn't take a lot to take good care of your hair. All the experiments and such that so many of us do are optional, not required. And sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I expect that most of us eventually get a fairly simple routine figured out that we like and that works for our situation, and then stick to it.

heidi w.
November 2nd, 2011, 12:02 PM
1. I buy quality tools, and then I MAKE SURE to take care of them. Such as my detangling comb, I wash it each time I wash my hair. And I've now had this comb for around 3 years, easily, now.

2. I buy my shampoo/conditioner for hair washing in bulk once per year. I spend around $160, max, on my annual supply.

3. If I have to choose what to kind of splurge money on, I choose to splurge on conditioner over shampoo.

4. Find a hair care routine, and stick to it if it works.

5. All you really need for quality hair care is one smooth-fabriced (satin, sateen, polyester perhaps) pillowcase, one detangling comb, and a supply of shampoo/conditioner, maybe one hair stick and a supply of bobby pins of sorts. That's minimal. Hair decoration items can be garnered at peak points of income.

6. I buy two kinds of conditioner for different reasons, and the main conditioner I use on my length is Biolage Conditioning Balm. It's expensive, but I buy it in the large container providing 38 fl. oz. I try to buy when it's a kind of two for one sale, and take advantage of sales. This is the only thing I buy via Walmart, in a Supercenter where they have a hair cutting salon inside. The salon carries this conditioner; it's not in the beauty or where all the other shampoos are in the main store area. One vat is about $40.00, but if you can buy two for the price of one, you've got around 6-7 months of conditioner supply. One vat lasts around 3 months or so for me.

7. I no longer oil my length nor Boar Bristle Brush my hair. I'm in survival mode, and can't afford the long drive to acquire the oil I prefer. I know what it's like to survive on a tight budget. Suddenly TP takes on a new order and priority.

heidi w.

heidi w.
November 2nd, 2011, 12:04 PM
If you want to be super cheap you can try washing your hair with baking soda and Coing with ACV.

I believe this reply includes using conditioner after washing the hair with Baking Soda. I do not recommend washing hair with Baking Soda as it's really a form of "clarifying" the hair which has as its rule to strip all stuff off the surface of the hair, including applied moisture of sorts. When you strip the hair so, it's imperative to replace what's been removed.

heidi w.

jacqueline101
November 2nd, 2011, 12:07 PM
You could buy shampoo and condish in bulk gallon jugs. I do that with my mane n tail. I have budgeted my hair toys I use my old ones and repair the elastic in my scrunchi collection and wear my hair toys from decades ago I just found it easier to keep them and cheaper. I also find hair toys at yard sales and sales at the dollar stores. I. also like to wear more then one head band at a time. I don't use a lot of products monistat is my luxury item. I use family dollar brand of it.

torrilin
November 2nd, 2011, 03:56 PM
Hello I'm a newbie.What is your low budget haircare routine. I'm low on cash and would like to know from you, how do you take care of your hair with few resources?

Hair care usually isn't very expensive. And caring for long hair tends to be really inexpensive.

I mostly finger comb. Most people have fingers naturally. If you are lacking in fingers and hands, I think your situation might be a bit exceptional.

I wash with diluted shampoo. Because I tend to react to fragrances, I have been splurging on fragrance free shampoo. It runs $6 US, and a single 500mL or so bottle will last me most of a year. Most countries will have a variety of inexpensive shampoos that work fine.

For conditioner, again I tend to splurge on fragrance free stuff. I use a lot more conditioner than I do shampoo, but even there, it'd be weird for me to go through even $6 worth of conditioner in a month. But let's use that as a worst case scenario. That works out to $72/year.

My hair is fairly straight, so I tend to wear it up in buns secured with hair pins. You have to WORK to spend more than $5/year on hair pins. If it's not in a bun, it's in braids secured with some kind of elastic band. Again, $5/year should more than cover you.

Most oils that I use are standard kitchen supplies. I just don't use all that much, and I have literally never replaced a bottle of oil from just hair use. I do not count them in my hair care budget. I count them in my food budget.

So for a year, I'd expect to spend around $88 US. Mostly, I spend less than that. And it'd be pretty doable to be covered for a year for under $40 US. A typical charge for a women's haircut in the US is $30, so just one haircut a year out would nuke pretty much all the savings from a long hair routine. Needless to say, I skip a lot of haircuts. Most of the savings from long hair come from skipping haircuts.

jaine
November 2nd, 2011, 04:03 PM
I don't want to rock the boat here... but unless you're doing weekly salon visits I would gamble that haircare isn't the biggest thing in your budget.

Budgeting for me is an iterative process: find the largest expense in my budget, and make it smaller. Repeat.

mint.com can help ... it automatically categorizes all of your transactions and shows a pie chart of where your money is going.

McFearless
November 2nd, 2011, 06:50 PM
Hey welcome to the forum! :flower:

What is your current routine?
Are you looking for new ways to care and style your hair or are you looking for cheaper product alternatives?

Check out the Kinky 4's thread:http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=1881

Off the top of my head I'd start with stretching shampoo washes and diluting the shampoo heavily with water. It makes the product last longer in my opinion and the harsh chemicals a little more mild. This of course depends on what type of shampoo you use. The less you strip your hair with harsh detergents, the less you need to overcompensate with lots of oil and product.

There is also a group of us who wash our hair with water only. It is much cheaper than most routines and also good for the environment. You can find more information here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=3412

starlamelissa
November 2nd, 2011, 07:21 PM
I recommend using a shampoo you already have. if you are restocking, cheap shampoo diluted in a cup or ketchup bottle in the shower will clean hair nicely. If you prefer full strength shampoo, I like baby shampoo.

conditioner doesnt need to be a huge expense. something that helps you detangle in the shower.

use whatever combs and brushes you have, just use them gently, and try to wear your hair up.

longhairedwolf
November 2nd, 2011, 09:12 PM
I swear by Pantene. It's not super cheap, but it's way more economical than salon brands. I know some people don't like the cones, but I find they keep my hair really soft and shiny.

longhairedwolf
November 2nd, 2011, 09:13 PM
I don't want to rock the boat here... but unless you're doing weekly salon visits I would gamble that haircare isn't the biggest thing in your budget.


Budgeting for me is an iterative process: find the largest expense in my budget, and make it smaller. Repeat.


mint.com can help ... it automatically categorizes all of your transactions and shows a pie chart of where your money is going.

That's actually really good advice, and helps put things in perspective.

Shermie Girl
November 2nd, 2011, 10:20 PM
I swear by Pantene. It's not super cheap, but it's way more economical than salon brands. I know some people don't like the cones, but I find they keep my hair really soft and shiny.

I love Pantene, as well. I stock up on it when it is on sale and I have coupons. I save a lot of money doing this. When my budget was really screaming, I used VO5 that I bought on the cheap at Big Lots. It worked just fine and was dirt cheap.

Hair tools/toys don't have to be spendy to be effective and even pretty. Bobby pins or u pins are very inexpensive and can securely anchor a bun or twist. Jaw claws are handy to have around and are rarely more then a few clams. Metal free elastics are available in big packages for not much money (check clearance bins in drugstores and places like Big Lots for cute and inexpensive hair accessories). Pretty chopsticks from an import store or World Market, even some drugstores are inexpensive and will hold and decorate your hair at the same time.

If you like to oil, you can find coconut oil and other luscious oils at places like WalMart for a bargain price.

Clip coupons and catch sales. That is the biggest way that I can pamper my hair on my tight beauty budget. :D

Yoanna
November 2nd, 2011, 10:29 PM
Thank you so much for the replies. I'm still trying to find a haircare regime, my problem is I have thick, thick hair of which I love cause its mine and its healthy, and I want to stop using heat on hair but I'm scared of how my hair will come out if I don't blow dry. This is the first time I will be doing my own hair from home in a long time, I want to stop salon visits because they can be rough with my hair. So I'm scared cause I want the salon look in a less damaging way.

KateMcC
November 2nd, 2011, 11:02 PM
I actually started growing out my hair because I couldn't afford to get the regular trims and buy all the products to keep my short "stylish" cut looking good. I think you will find that unless you are one to buy every cool hair toy or new shampoo/conditioner, that growing your hair long is actually easier on the budget.

If you want to try something new, buy just a sample size to make sure it works for you before buying in bulk. Watch for coupons and store sales. I buy my hair color when it's on sale and I have a coupon which makes it about $3 every couple months. Ulta often has coupons that makes their items less expensive than the discount or warehouse stores. If you are dreaming of a special hair toy, put it on your Christmas or Birthday wish list.

Find people among the LHC who have similar hair types and wear their hair the way you hope to. When I am considering a product, I always check with my "hair-twins" to see if they have any experience with it. That will keep you from wasting money while figuring out your new routine.

Go to LHC meets in your area. Often groups will bring items they don't like to swap and you can get some cool things. My favorite hair fork was one that another Longhair didn't like and put in the trade pile at a meet.

Always buy quality over cheap! One good ficcare may be expensive, but I've been using it for over five years. I've broken at least a dozen cheap plastic hair clips during that time--I could have bought another ficcare.

Good luck!

CaityBear
November 3rd, 2011, 12:57 AM
I find the cheapest conditioner I can (I CO so this works for me either way) which is usually at Dollarama or something..I've found some really nice conditioners there for cheap....

And I usually have a jar of coconut oil...if I used it for hair only it would last forever so the cost really isn't that much afterwards because you don't have to continually buy it. And you can use it with food as well which I sometimes do.

I also make hair cream with oil, conditioner and butter (shea or cocoa) and that lasts for a while and doesn't cost much in the long run.

busnutmedic
November 3rd, 2011, 01:04 AM
I was thinking about writing a blog post about this!

I know my hair is relatively short now, but I'll tell you what's been working for me. I bought a container of shampoo last year in July. It was bulk, but it cost me $13 for something like 32 ounces of Nature's Gate shampoo, which I like because it has no sulfates in it. I dilute it and put it in a perm bottle with a little squirt tip on the end and it has lasted me all this time! I just squirt it around and somehow it gets my hair clean with very little. I guess it's been something like 15 months. I feel like I can splurge a little on shampoo because it lasts so long. Even though I spent $13, and wash my hair every day, I spend less than a dollar a month on it! I'm still using it, so I'll probably get about 17 months out of it, and I have a bottle of shampoo that was marked down from $30 to $7 that I'm using next. I'd imagine it'll last the whole year.

For conditioner, I only use it on my ends. I used to use it on my length, which used to be quite a bit longer, but it takes very little for me now. I've only bought two bottles in the last year or so.

That's the whole of my haircare routine. I just don't do things like blowdry or towel dry it. I comb it, put it in a ponytail and put a headband on (I'm growing out bangs) and that's all.

Áine
November 3rd, 2011, 11:25 AM
Hmm, some of the replies, while really very good, can't apply so well to the OP's hairtype of 4b. You absolutely do need a heavy dose of creamy moisturizer on your hair, you can't rely on conditioner and thin oils alone to give you the level your head needs. You will probably also go through conditioner much faster than those with straighter hair at your same length.

I don't know what kind of brands are out there in South Africa, otherwise I'd recommend something. But I what I will do is recommend you to other hair sites that cater to and serve kinky hair needs and navigates the politics behind it better than LHC will:

Black Hair Media (forum.blackhairmedia.com/)

Long Hair Care Forum (www.longhaircareforum.com/) Only paying members can post, but you can browse through the hair care section.

Black Girl With Long Hair (bglhonline.com/)

heidi w.
November 3rd, 2011, 11:39 AM
A great conditioner is Biolage's Conditioning Balm, which is available at SuperStore Walmarts, inside the Beauty salon. They a number of times a year have a sale of some sort, a few times per year a buy one get one free offering. Ask the clerk when the next sale might be. Sometimes they know.

If interested in creating home remedies, there's a great hair care book titled, Naturally Healthy Hair, by Mary Beth Janssen. It offers a hefty amount of home recipes for shampoo, conditioner, and rinses. It's an otherwise highly informative book, and is based on Ayurvedic principles, if you know what that is a general reference to. The author goes into the Ayurvedic part relatively quickly, and ends with styling tips. But the bulk of the book is recipes, which are really helpful. ALSO, many online hair care forums have home remedies and recipes, such as LHC has a Recipes forum. You may not be able to see this forum on LHC until after you've posted 100 times, though. You might also be interested in checking out The Long Hair Loom, another free haircare website, and mostly devoted to women with longer hair goals.

The book, cited above paragraph, is generally in the U.S. not on bookstore shelves and must be specially ordered, so it may take a bit, if you're interested, in you acquiring the book. I have no idea if you can get it in your location. I presume so. There's a Swap Board here, and you might be able to procure it that way. Again, the 100 posts on Mane Forum may apply before you can see the Swap Board and have access. Not sure though.


I believe this is a link to the book so you can view the cover. I cite the author's name because there ARE other Naturally Healthy Hair Care books out there. But this is the only one by this author.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=Naturally+Healthy+Hair+book&gs_upl=4466l8116l1l11374l11l8l2l0l0l2l924l4684l5-2.4l8l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=574&wrapid=tlif132034165835310&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17807604784633870633&sa=X&ei=ldCyToSbK-GxsAKswvHYAw&ved=0CDoQ8wIwAQ#


heidi w.

torrilin
November 3rd, 2011, 04:43 PM
Thank you so much for the replies. I'm still trying to find a haircare regime, my problem is I have thick, thick hair of which I love cause its mine and its healthy, and I want to stop using heat on hair but I'm scared of how my hair will come out if I don't blow dry. This is the first time I will be doing my own hair from home in a long time, I want to stop salon visits because they can be rough with my hair. So I'm scared cause I want the salon look in a less damaging way.

What are you counting as the salon look? Where I live, with your hair type even a blowout would not be an option. You'd be using relaxers :-/. It is still seen as very edgy around here for women to wear their hair in twists or other sensible styles for 3c or 4 type hair.

But the salon look for you might not be the same as I'm expecting.

In general, if you're straightening your hair the way I'm used to, you're not going to be able to grow long hair. Relaxers, 4b hair and long just don't mix. And fighting what your hair does naturally just isn't cheap either. And Aine's points about 4b hair having special needs are right. I gave my conditioner pricing mostly so you could see where my savings are coming from. I'm pretty sure nothing I use on my head but coconut and olive oil are readily available in South Africa. The principles are the same, but the products probably aren't.

Tho I dunno that even 4b hair worn curly is realistically going to go through a 500mL jar of coconut oil every 3 months? That's how fast I go through it for cooking. Olive oil is around a liter or two every 3 months for cooking. I'd rather use the food safe oils on my hair since in the US it's a stricter standard... so when I need some oil, I grab it out of my stash in the kitchen. And that way I don't have to worry about it going rancid either. It also works out as cheaper, since most stuff sold as hair oil is quite expensive and nowhere near as pure.