A lot of us, when we start our hair journey, spend a lot of time and energy on finding the right products. As soon as one person recommends a product, we race to the stores to buy it.

Soon, our cabinets and closets look like the newest beauty supply store on the block. Here are a few tips to help you avoid becoming a product junkie or pj.

1. Make a Rule

For me there are seven products I absolutely must have: shampoo, conditioner (one moisture, one protein), leave-in conditioner, moisturizer, serum and oil.

If a product comes in, one must go out. So, if I buy a new leave-in conditioner, its only because I've used up the last one. This ensures I only have seven products in my cabinet at all times. Make up your own rules and stick to them.

2. Commit to One Product Line

Only buy products from that one line for a month. This avoids the seven different brands of leave-in conditioners problem. Also, if a product doesn't work, write down the ingredients. Soon, you will have a database of ingredients that clearly don't work for your hair and can avoid a lot of unnecessary purchases. Trust me, you will start to notice patterns very quickly. You should see my excel spreadsheet on products!

3. Sample First

Only purchase products that you have sampled already. Some product manufacturers will send you samples for free like Elasta QP. Some have travel sizes available for cheap like Design Essentials.

Or, test them out at your salon. Have your stylist wash and style your hair with a product line and talk to her about how the line works on your hair. If its just ok, keep looking!

4. Find Another Use for the Mediocre Products.

Watery conditioners are great for shaving. You can also doctor them to make other products. Add water to make a leave-in. Add oil to make a moisturizer. Add an egg to make a protein deep conditioner. Add coconut oil to make an awesome prepoo. Have fun and experiment!

5. Sell Them Back Online

On our social network, we have a product exchange section where you can sell your products to members. Just start a post, list your products and a price and ship when sold. Or, next time you meet up with a friend, ask them to bring any products that didn't work for them. This way, you can swap products. What might not work for someone else could be a blessing for you.

The main take away here is that its easy to get wrapped up in buying every product on the market. But really, the best thing you can do is take what's not working for your hair and learn from it so you don't repeat the same purchase mistakes again and again. That is when home hair care turns frustrating and overwhelming. Hope this helps!!!