Why Do Products Stop Working?

We’ve all had it happen. We finally find our Holy Grail styling product or conditioner. It gives us the shiny, defined ringlets we’ve longed for. Then, overnight, it stops working. Your curls turn to frizz. Your hair feels like straw.

Has your hair become immune to the product?

The unanimous answer is no. If a product isn’t giving you the same results it once did, the culprits could be product buildup, hormonal changes, environmental damage, and even the weather.

“There are many reasons why products can seem to stop working,” says curl expert Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue.

A major culprit is product buildup, and improper cleansing.

“You can have too much of a good thing, especially with products designed to control and give weight to curls,” says Ethan Shaw, a curly hair specialist at Ann Kelso Salon + CitySpa in Austin, Texas. “Eventually they can leave a substantial film on the hair.”

A clarifying shampoo or a vinegar rinse, should be used once or twice a month to remove buildup from products. Products that contain oil, silicones, and waxes are especially susceptible to buildup, creating a barrier that can prevent products from doing what they are supposed to do.

Jonathan Torch of the Curly Hair Institute in Toronto, Canada, says protein can also affect how products work over time.

“Some proteins can cause the hair to become brittle, and can cause breakage if they build up,” Torch says. “The smaller the protein molecule, the deeper the penetration into the hair. The larger the molecule, the easier it is for it to buildup as the protein adheres to the outside of the hair shaft.”

Seasonal changes can have a major impact on the effectiveness of products.

“The weather does have a huge effect on how your looks, and how products seem to work,” Shaw says. “Humidity, or lack thereof, can give or take away curls.”

Many times, people may not realize their hair texture has changed over time. It may become coarser, curlier, or thinner. Hair tends to change every seven years.