If you are the typical female, you probably have tried thousands of products before latching onto a few that worked well with your hair.  You stockpiled all the ones recommended by friends, magazines or overheard in the beauty aisles, but can hair products expire?

When you next find yourself  free for 2 hours,  take a serious look under your bathroom sink or wherever you store your hair products.   Has the packaging taken on a faded caste or crumbles away on touch?   Until you do a purge, promise yourself not to buy one more hair product to add to the pile.  When you do the purge, you need to do the following:

Sort By UseYou will find there are several gels, hair sprays, shampoos etc.  Put all the shampoos together, conditioners and so on until they are all done.  Store them in a basket but try always to keep them together. If you suck at this, you are normal but it is always nice to try.
Sort By Number of Years StoredNow, if you have not used a particular product since 2 years, look if the ingredients have separated.  If they have, throw it out.  If the bottle looks really old and you have not used it in a while, throw that out too.
Sort by smellIf the container smells nothing like it did when you first purchased it, ditch that too!  I have bought oil-based stuff and they tend to take on a rancid odor when kept too long sometimes.
Sort by overindulgence:  If you have bought too many of the same product and the oldest copy is still good, resolve to finish it before using the others.  (And please, check your stock before buying any additions in the future).
Sort by Signs of DamageIf you stopped using any article because the bottle or something on it was damaged or broken, change it or get rid of it.

Sort by Sentimentality:  We all have that favorite conditioner that was discontinued or something we liked that could never be replaced and want to hold onto for sentimental reasons.  Throw it out unless the bottle is really cute and you can get good money for it in 20 years or so.

Anyway, the life gurus  tell us we will feel free and energised when we let go of clutter, so happy sorting.

By Paula Barker,  Hairstylist, Silkielocks.com

Buy my e-book:  Dreadlocks:  A Hairstytlist’s Manifest, Silkielocks.com, Amazon.com

 

 

 

 

 

Call (613) 789-2179 to book an appointment if you are in the Ottawa, Canada area now.