Although I do tend to stray occasionally, I like to use handmade products with natural ingredients. They seem to be better for my hair in the long run and they can do amazing things compared to products you find at Wal-Mart. However, there are pros and cons about handmade products that I’d like to point out.
(Just a note: The following concerns products sold and marketed as “handmade” and “natural” that have mostly natural ingredients. I am not refering to ingredients like honey, glycerin, etc that are readily available and inexpensive)
Good things:
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Piece of mind.
- You will have more security in the knowledge that you are getting quality hair care products and not putting a lot of chemicals in your hair.
No or few possible carcinogens.
- There is a decreased chance of exposure to carcinogens through the scalp/hands.
Good for the environment.
- Everyone seems to be “going green” these days and a lot of handmade products are all natural and biodegradable, making you feel just a tad bit better about what you’re washing down your drain.
Use on children.
- I know that I prefer to use only natural products on my son because their little minds and bodies are not fully formed and we want to help as much as we can by not exposing them to possible toxins. Now, just because something is natural does not mean it’s ok to use on children or when you’re pregnant (rosemary oil comes to mind), so make sure to do your research before using it.
Supporting smaller businesses.
- A lot of the handmade products start out and/or continue to be small businesses that operate primarily online. If you’re looking to support female or minority owned businesses, it also may apply.
Not so good things:
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Shipping costs.
- A lot of the hair care community’s favorites are only available online or in certain metro areas. With the economy the way it is, the shipping prices are only getting higher.
Longer shipping time.
- Most handmade products are not going to be shipped to you within a few days, especially if there is a sale going on.
- The key to avoiding frustration when ordering is to make sure you don’t run out of your staples. If you see that you’re getting low and you know that your favorite company takes sometimes up to 2-3 weeks to ship, then maybe it’s time to go ahead and order. Another good idea is to keep a stockpile of your products. It costs more at first, but in the long run it pays off not having to wait around on products.
Decreased shelf life.
- If you read the back of your handmade product labels, you may find a shelf life of anywhere from a 8 months to a year. If you’re going to use the products frequently, it won’t be an issue. However, you want to make sure that you use the products before they expire, causing a decrease in effectiveness.
- Commercial product usually have preservatives that keep the product usable longer. A few natural lines, such as Aubrey Organics, use “natural” preservatives to fight this.
The price.
- I know I touched on the price of shipping, but the price of the products themselves can sometimes be a bit much for some. It is much more wallet-friendly to go down to the dollar store and buy that tub of Blue Magic as opposed to going online and spending 20 dollars on 8oz of conditioner.
- Look around though. Some of the newer companies are not as expensive. Also if you’re really gung-ho about being more natural with your haircare, you can start making your own. There are many options at your local grocery/health foods store and more.
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Some of my favorite handmade/natural product lines:
Qhemet Biologics, Aubrey Organics, Hairveda, Oyin Handmade, Karen’s Body Beautiful, Kinky Curly
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
The ‘not so good things’ were right on
)
for the most part the not so good things have kept me using products that are readily available in the store. From time to time I’ll come across a product and I’ll try.
Oh yeahhhh, the shorter shelf life. Time to check for expired goods in the giant “hair box”.
You are so right with this post. As far as shipping is concerned, I try to wait until it is time to stock up on a few items to place an order. That way, I’m not paying shipping for individual items. It calls on me to become a smart shopper.
I have also begun to cut down on how many products I buy and make sure that I either use the products I purchase or give them away. I feel better packing a box for a friend than watch my products go to waste. The benefits to me outweigh the cost. Awesome info!
Oh so right with the cons. I can actually deal w/ the shipping costs a bit (although I just spent $8+ on shipping from KBB. Really KBB? It can’t be $6.95/$7.95?), but the shipping time and the price of the products get me. It takes me really loving/wanting a product for a good long while before I pull the plug and buy it. With that said, the pros, in my eyes, outweigh the cons.
Fleurzty, I will have to stop buying as much at some point, especially if we decide to go ahead and have our next baby anytime soon.
SA, I agree that the pros outweigh the cons. I just ordered from KBB, only because they were having a good sale.
You’re right on the dot! The downsides to all natural products are big ones but you have to consider whether or not they are outweighed by the benefits and most often they are! Qhemet Biologics is my all time fave! I just placed an order today to restock on my stash. The shipping costs were of course high, especially since I live outside of the USA but I luv ‘em still and will continue to support them.
P.S. haven’t stopped by your blog in a while, nice updates.
Very, very true!! I actually didn’t consider the cons at first, but once I became familiar with them I started shopping ‘smarter’. One thing that helped was not only cutting my routine down to four or five basic products/stylers but determining what products I was willing to spend the most on (moisturizers) and what products I could skimp on (stylers). I have also been finding local versions of my fav products (similar ingredients) that I could mix them with to make them last longer with the same effectiveness (i.e. my AOHSR and Jessicurl deep-co). In addition, I time how long each product tends to last me (this takes maybe one or two products to go through) so that when I stock up, I won’t be purchasing more than I can finish before the shelf life is up.
I also did some research and found that I can purchase my Qhem moisturizers and KCCC stylers locally, or call a store in the suburbs and have them send it to one of their ‘sister’ stores closer to me in the city. You really have to do your research because the brands probably won’t mention every single store on their website. I now only order my shampoo bars and deep-co online, but I’m still researching local alternatives for those too. It takes a lot of experimenting but you can save more money in the end and still splurge on your hair
you’re so right!! Great article!