Why Do Products Stop Working?

In some cases, the length or style of the hair may change over time, requiring different types of products. A light gel that may have worked perfectly in a short curly style may not be heavy enough for longer ringlets.

“Just think of how different your hair was compared to when you were a kid,” Shaw says. “It’s natural for your hair to get more or less curly, and more or less coarse, especially with gray hair.”

Because of that, the formula of a person’s styling products will have to change as well as the way she uses them, Christo says.

If you’ve been using the same products for several years, and have noticed a change in how they work, consult with your stylist. There may be different products better suited to the changing needs of your hair.

Ouidad, of the New York curl salon Ouidad, believes it’s a fallacy that people need to change their products over time—a creative marketing strategy perpetuated by product manufacturers trying to sell more products. She said she constantly tests her products on her clients and on herself, and she believes good products continue to perform over time.

“When there is a change in the way it works, it is most likely from an extenuating circumstance, such as a medical conditioner or a chemical process such as color or straightening,” Ouidad says.

By Michelle Breyer