Ways to Know if You're A Member of Product Junkie Anonymous

This has nothing to do with the post.
I just thought the pic was fierce.

As a card carrying member of Product Junkie Anonymous, I feel it is my duty to point out the ways to identify if you or a loved one suffer from product junkyism. This list is in no particular order. Stay tuned for a follow up post on how and when to get help.

Pot.Kettle.Black.I.Know.

***Literally, I wrote this post like 'What do I do?'***

Easiest post ever. Enjoy

1) You have more than eight brands of hair products represented in your arsenal-whether you need them or not. Products extend into medicine and food. You have bottles of iron pills, MSG pills, biotin, and laxatives. You also use (or are open to using) apple cider vinegar, flax seed, banana, egg, and honey. You even have exotic things like henna, bentonite clay, aztec clay, oil from the Sudan, water that Jesus used to wash the disciples feet, tears from baby elephants, you name it. I ain't that bad.

2) You have more than 1 type of the same product- 3 shampoos plus a bar, 3 conditioners, 2 leave-ins plus a few sample packs, 4 oils, 3 moisturizers, 2 gels, 2 greases, several handheld dryers plus one  that you sit under, 2 different brands of leftover weave or braid hair from a previous install. And you practically go

eenie, meenie, minie, mo when its time to use them.

3)Your hair pantry, if you will, almost has a historic quality. Au naturale products, then the bandwagon products,  then the eff it it's my hair I can put on it what I will phase, finally to the 'it' products. Or the online products, then the first Shea Moisture Products (or for the seasoned sistas, the Carol's Daughter products in certain cities), then the BAM there's 'curly' products EVERYWHERE phase, and again back to the 'it' products.

4) You know how each of the products work, for the most part. You can point to everything in your medicine cabinet, bathroom shelves/closet, etc. and know the pros and cons of each product.

5) Even though you know how each product works for the most part, you still look forward to co-wash/wash day/re-moisturize day because you enjoy seeing how things work as you concoct new mixes and become pleasantly surprised (or disappointed). Sometimes.

6) You regret buying such a large amount of product, in my case for example, conditioner because now you have to wait a bit to justify buying another.

7) You whine about the cost of certain items but still budget them in anyway 'just to try it'.

8) When you try and cut back, you still go to that section of the store and 'browse' or linger in the hair store and long for the day when you'll buy/try that next (name that product) when what you have is gone (enough).

9) You enjoy getting to the bottom of products and throwing them in the trash because that means 1) they've been used and 2) your arsenol is getting smaller which only means less time to wait to go on a justifiable binge (buying new products).

10) When you feel a surge of excitement when you buy a new product, especially one you've been eyeing or hearing a lot about.

11) You justify buying a product you don't need because 'its just (name that basement price) ' or 'it is on sale'.

12) When you go to a Black Expo and seem to spend most of your time (and money) around the new, local (or not so local) natural hair lines or hair accessory designers.

13) You are happy you're local supermarket, hair store, etc has that product you've been eyeing in a very small (almost sample)size. You buy it because its better than buying the larger/regular size containers because you have so many of those already.

14) You say 'I'm only buying this for my subscribers' knowing full well your subscribers had nothing to do with the purchase.

15) You come across articles like this and start looking at things around your house differently.

16)You could give away 5 products and your hair wouldn't notice one bit. Consider donating to a transitional home that serves Black women this holiday Christmas season.

17) When you pray for guidance about your hair, He never tells you to buy something else, i.e. you have everything you need (there's a sermon in there). #praisebreak

18) You watch a few YouTube reviews and read a few reviews on hair boards and even if the product gets terrible reviews you still go and buy because 'no two heads are alike'...and when you try it you're glad you did because you're hair is hella cute but I digress...lol.

19) Skin care products tend to double as hair products (anything with shea or cocoa butter, various oils, etc).

20) You are concerned because 'you haven't seen that (name that product) in a while' and sigh in relief when you find it.

21)You go buy a product you need. Two weeks later while you're doing some cleaning you find an ample supply of what you just bought a fresh pack/bottle of.

22) You regularly put yourself on hair food diets. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't.

If you have any of these symptoms, know that you are not alone and its not your fault. You were born this way. You were born to love buying things and you were born as a woman to obsess over your hair. So of

course, you're going to enjoy buying things that have to do with your hair. You see the twisted web we weave, the tough hand we have been dealt. Have no fear. There is help.