9 beloved hair products that I likely won't repurchase (& why)

This post is very near and dear to my heart because it marks the ending of an era and the beginning of a new one.  I'm about to share a list of nine products that I likely won't be repurchasing.  It would be easy enough if I could honestly say that these are products who didn't meet my expectations but sadly this isn't the case.  As a matter of fact, many have been my beloved staples for years.  I can't believe I'm actually saying goodbye to them.

I gotta shake it off and keep moving forward.  Honestly, I'm glad that all of this is happening because I've moved on to bigger and better.  Is this how it feels when you breakup with someone you love?.....I don't want to drag this on any longer so let's get on with it.  Here's a list of my fave products I will may no longer use again (in no particular order).


Coppola Keratin Complex

With Coppola Keratin Complex, I felt like I finally found the elusive third aspect of the healthy hair trinity.  For those of you who have no idea of what I'm talking about, let me explain.  I believe healthy hair has three main characteristics, strength, moisture, elasticity.  The hardest to obtain (in my opinion) is elasticity or the ability to bend and stretch during manipulation without suffering breakage.  Coppola Keratin seemed to give that to me. Then I noticed that things changed.  Kinda like the guy who showers you with compliments and gifts at the beginning of a relationship then barely notices that you are in the room as time passes.  It was so good for us in the beginning but things just aren't the same anymore. I miss the excitement of the early days. Since I'm not getting what I need, I've decided that it's time for me to move on.



Biolage Daily Leave In

For years I've been treating my hair to Biolage leave in during my roller setting session. It's the only leave-in that I keep going back to time after time.  But ever since Miss NIX08 put me on to tea rinses and spritzes, I suddenly found myself taking on someone new.  My current leave-in for the past several weeks has been a simple mix of bamboo tea and acid water.  Just last week a popped open a capsule of Marshmallow root powder and mixed it with my tea just for kicks and giggles.  I must say that I'm enjoying every bit of it.  This two ingredient leave-in rivals the results I achieved with Biolage, so I decided that someone has to go.  I'm excited about the benefits of using an all natural silica product as a leave-in.  Perhaps I may receive some strengthening benefits in the long run.  Either way, I love what the bamboo tea is doing for my hair and I'm not looking back.

Silicon Mix

I heard something about the end of the world happening soon so I began my preparedness plan by stockpiling on unusually large sizes of my favorite products.  Silicon Mix was one of them.  I clearly wasn't in my right state of mind when I made this decision, because if I was, I would have gone for the Silicon Mix protein de Perla or (better yet) a gallon size of Keracare Humecto.  Silicon Mix is cool and all but it still doesn't compare to the others.  I feel like one of those people who abused their Costco card only to realize that they actually have to eat a gallon of mayonnaise before it expires.  So for now, I'm mixing it with my other conditioners while longing for the day when the bucket of Humecto arrives on my front doorstep.

Burt's Bees Avocado Butter Pre-poo

It pains me to have to type up these words right now.  Burt's Bees pre-poo has always been so good to me.  A thick, nourishing pre-poo treatment is exactly what my hair likes.  But lately things haven't been the same.  I'm not sure why but I haven't repurchased in a while. Once upon a time, I would go through tube after tube of this stuff.  Perhaps it has something to do with me having thicker hair and requiring more product than I did in the past. Actually, now that I think about it, the distance started to happen when I shifted my regimen to deep condition prior to my wash.  This eliminated the need for pre-poo.  So it wasn't the product who changed, it was me. I still have 1/3 of a tube left. Maybe I'll schedule a weekend rendezvous  with Burt Avocado pre-poo and see if there are any sparks left between us.

Avlon Fiberguard Sustenance

When I read the description of this product online I knew it had to be mine. Sustenance boasts of having a "revolutionary conditioning complex that  penetrates deep within the hair shaft....it also contains ceramides (high on the ingredient list) while having a low pH of only 4.5.  I wanted Sustenance to be a part of my weekly routine so badly.  But unfortunately, it came on a little too strong.  Kinda like meeting someone online because of their amazing profile but 5 minutes after you meet him, he's already trying to kiss on your neck.  Sustenance left my hair feeling stiff  and that feeling lasted several washes for me (which isn't a bad thing but it's not my preference)  Unfortunately, I've got a ton of this stuff left so I'm going to give it one last try on relaxer day (between the relaxer rinse and when I neutralize). To be honest, I'm probably to blame for the results.  I tried to use it weekly as a conditioning treatment when it's meant to be an after relaxer strengthener.  Sustenance has a million positive reviews online.   Maybe instead of forcing a long-term relationship with sustenance, I just keep it as a side piece for whenever I'm in the mood for the occasional intense "experience."

Hair One Cleansing Conditioner

There's a special place in my heart for Hair One.  It's because of Hair One's cleansing conditioner goodness that I made my Youtube debut.  I just loved the way it made my hair feel week after week.  That is...until my hair got a taste of WEN Honey fig.  It was like my cleansing conditioner game was taken to a whole notha level.  I haven't looked back since and I have several mostly full bottles of Hair One to prove it.

Aveda Damage Remedy Conditioner

What I love most about this conditioner is how it strengthens without being overly obvious.  Kinda like the guy who's so smooth and has beaucoup swagger without even trying.  I'm infatuated with everything about this conditioner and I thought it would be my crush forever that is until someone else showed up.  The new conditioner is so amazing that it will receive it's own post (within the next week) so I'll keep it a secret for now.

Kerastase Nutri-Thermique

Have any of you ladies ever experienced love at first sight? Well, I have...Kerastase Nutri-Thermique conditioner fits the definition of love at first sight. After my first usage, I fell deeply, madly in love. A love that I thought would last forever.  Unfortunately, I'm a fickle young lady who has been wooed by someone else.  This new conditioner is the same that I referred to in the previous paragraph. My new "boo-thang" is so bomb that it has me second guessing all of my long-term loves.  I'm sprung!

Aveda Damage Remedy Moisturizer

Have you every broken up with someone who treated you amazing well and loved you with all of their heart?  Worst of all, you're breaking up with them even though you still feel so strongly about them.  Well this is what's happening with me and Damage Remedy moisturizer.  For years I went without moisturizer and only relied on Gleau.  Then one day, I found this light, nourishing moisturizer and I was hooked.  I take it with me when I travel. I reapply throughout the day. I spent time with it every day.

 Then one day, out of the blue, I decided it was time for us to part.

The reason why I made this decision is because I don't want to settle.  Damage Remedy Moisturizer is like the perfect guy who wants to get married and have kids. Your friends and family think you are crazy for breaking up with him.  Unfortunately, you have dreams of moving to New York to live out your dreams of performing on Broadway. If you marry him, you may be giving up on your dreams.  So I had to decide. Two weeks ago, I decided that I would no longer buy the Aveda Moisturizer so I would be forced to formulate the moisturizer of my dreams. This moisturizer will soon become the second addition to the Gleau Hair Care line.  As I threw away the empty tube of Aveda, I new that something amazing would be created.  I made a couple of batches and brought into existence a formula with so much potential that it brought tears to my eyes. My hair is now moisturized way beyond the way it felt with Aveda.  Two weeks ago I was crying tears of sorrow, now I'm experiencing immense joy.  I am beyond excited about the product that will evolve from my decision.

As you would imagine, making the decision to possibly separate from products I know and love is extremely difficult. But I know how important it is to keep moving forward.  This is a good thing....