Being, that I don't like to waste money and I like to use quality products, I have to read ingredient lists. To get me to put a product in my buggy the company really has to have the ingredients to back up the price. So, what exactly do I look for in a conditioner?

Quality Ingredients: What are quality ingredients? Being that most of the products I buy are on the natural-organic end of the spectrum, I look for herbs and extracts. Oils and butters are great too but, I don't look for softness (this comes from emollients) from products I look for strengthening, repairing and ingredients that help preserve my hair. Some of my top ingredients are:

• Water (must be #1 ingredient)
• Aloe Vera 
• Horsetail
• Comfrey
• Hops
• Nettle (this one is definitely a must)
• Rosemary

Of course, there are more but, we don't want this list to last forever.

Any product that doesn't have any of these ingredients in the top 5 of their list, gets a thumbs down from me.

Price: Being that money doesn't grow on trees, I do have a price point. I never go over $10 for a product. I try to stay around $6-8 for all conditioners; rinse-out and leave-in.

Protein: I don't fear protein. When I first went natural, everything I read, spoke about being weary of protein because it had a tendency to make "our" hair dry and brittle. So, I over moisturized and did as I was told. That didn't last long... I love protein. I want my hair to be strong and healthy. Silk protein, hydrolyzed protein all of it is music to my ears.

Keeping a healthy protein moisture balance is crucial to maintaining length. I can't help but notice that almost all of the long hair gurus I see on the internet are not afraid of protein. Water, protein and a sealant seems to work well for my hair.

So, what do you look for in products? What makes you buy? Does smell matter to you? (it doesn't really matter too much to me....)


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As a customer don't ever feel like you have to continue to patronize businesses that display poor business ethics. You set the standard for how you want to be treated as a customer.

Whether you're a customer or business owner being involved with a business that doesn't follow these simple "rules" can set you up to waste money in the long run.

1. Consistency. A company that is constantly changing the formula for products, may show that the owner doesn't know what he or she is doing. Even though, products may be homemade/handmade making a thick batch of lotion one month and a runny batch of lotion the next, is inconsistent. 
2. Pricing. Make sure you're not paying too much for products. Just because a product is homemade/handmade, doesn't mean you have to pay outrageous prices for it. Remember, if you continue to pay outlandish prices, companies will continue to charge outlandish prices. Don't let business owners rip you off.
3. Customer service. On a weekday during business hours, a "receipt of payment" notice should be sent within 24 hrs. Orders on instock items need to be shipped within 48 hrs. I don't understand why the processing time on some homemade items is over 2 weeks long. If a company is using the proper preservatives, they should be able to make a product in large batches and ship them out as needed.
4. Packaging. Bad packaging is a huge pet peeve of mine. Products that are going to be exposed to moisture NEED to have waterproof labels. The name of the product needs to be clearly written on each label along with the ingredients. 

As a customer you are paying for the above services each time you purchase a product. You're paying that person for their packaging, shipping and handling and for quality ingredients. All of these factors are factored in when a business owner sets the pricing for an item. Make sure you're getting your money worth.