I think having long hair includes the gene that makes most of us become product junkies.  Gotta try everything!  So here is my question -

How long should you use a product before making a final decision on how it affects your hair?

Is once enough, or do you need several consecutive uses to give it a fair chance?

I'm the exception to the rule:

Quote:

I think having long hair includes the gene that makes most of us become product junkies

That being said, if I try something new and it feels yucky or something I'm not likely to try, try again.  If it seems so-so I will probably give it a longer trial, or at least use it all up and then not get any more (I am an admitted tightwad when it comes to things for myself :-/).

Most of the time I can tell I wont like a product first time around. Then I end up feeling bad for buying it because I surely do not need anymore shampoo and try it again. Sometimes I get lucky and it works sooo much better the next time. However I still have far too many bottles of shampoo and conditioner I do not use!

I vote for the several trys before yea or nea.

Consider that we are always changing:

environment
weather
styling products
hair style

I think these things can play a part in the result of trying a new product and so a few goes of it will likely be most illuminating.

It depends on what the product is, if it is a shampoo I may try it two or three times. If it is haircoloring and it is difficult to rinse out or the color doesn't hold, once is more than enough. :-/ >:(

I usually try a product two or three times only,because if something doesn't work for my hair,I get really *bad* hairdays,so I normally can't stand it any longer.
Lines which gave me horrible hair even after first try are L'Anza,Nexxus and Lush for example.

I'll try things multiple times before giving them the ax.  I don't like to spend money on things I don't need, and hate extra clutter more.  (It took me 2 years to finally give away all the hair stuff that I had collected, but never pulled out of the closet.  I just kept reorganizing them).  

I usually consider a period of 2-3 weeks of usage as a test. If it's something that is used more rarely, 2-3 usages.

I guess that if some product felt really yucky, I wouldn't tried it again, but fortunately I've been spared such products so far.

It depends.  If it's hair dye, if it doesn't work the first time, I won't use it again.  With shampoo/conditioner, I have to try it a few times just in case I didn't use it correctly.  For example, I tried V05 a few year ago and each time I used it I had this residue-type feeling on my hair.  I thought it was because I didn't rinse out well enough the first time, but after a few washes I figured out that my hair doesn't like V05.

If something gives me bad hair the first time- I don't use it again.  I'm usually impatient and don't give things enough time to work.  I had a stylist that told me to give things a couple of months to make a difference.  Makes sense.
I'm a PJ, too.

depends on the product. when i was still into shampoo: if it caused itching: just once. conditioners, now i tend to think they should be good at least on the first trial or nothing good will ever come out of them. so, i dunno, i just tend finally to continue emptying bottles of conditioners i don't like a lot, cuze the shampoos are already filling the cupboard more than enough. but these days i don't have that problem anymore, from the ingredients i can really tell if it will work or not. then there's just good products and excellent products.  ;D

although, i tried a shampoo with sulfates but not at all one of the four common (harsh) ones, and mostly panama wood extract, for very oily hair. now my scalp was already itchy, and stayed itchy after using it so i don't know if it's the shampoo. but anyway it also seems to regrease my hair faster.  :-[