Poll: Relaxing-Straight, Bone Straight, Texturizing, Texlaxing, For Long-term?

[MizaniMami]

Hello ladies,

I know all of us are not for relaxing so feel free to not vote in this poll if you feel otherwise. If you are for relaxers, or even if you don't relax and you still have a opinion to which one of these options are best then share your input. I would love to hear from everyone

Basicly what I want to know is: Which style of relaxing do YOU think is best for obtaining length in the long-run? Relaxing straight, bone straight, texlaxing, or texturizing? And why?

Here is a breakdown of the definitions to the people who may not know of the newbies. These are technical definitions so bare with me lol :

Relaxing Bone Straight- Allowing the relaxer to "relax" to it's fullest potential, making sure the hair strands are as straight as possible

Relaxing Straight- Allowing the hair to get straight. But not bone straight.

Texlaxing-Allowing the relaxer to loosen the curl pattern and make it easy managable, not necc. straight.

Texturizing-Loosening the curl pattern slightly, with no straightness at all

What do you think?

 

[sherann]

for me, relaxing straight is better in the long run. This way, all I need is a rollerset to get the sleekness and the body I want. If it's straighter than this, my hair has no body and breaks more. If it's less straighter than this I am tempted to use more heat to get my hair how I want it.

 

[MissFallon]

Truthfully the straightness of my hair depends on how fast my hands get tired when relaxing. When I relaxed back in January my sister did it so it was bone straight, but I did it myself in April it was straight but not "glued" to my head.I like it straight, since my hair is thin when I relax bone straight there is no thickness in the top and its usually too straight to do anything with so I have to wait for some ng to come in to get it how I want it.

 

[secretdiamond]

Straight, but not bone straight. Being texlaxed led to more problems than benefits for me. Straight all the way baby!

 

[leleepop]

I think texturizing would be the healthiest because it is closes to natural and has to most elasticity, but I am texlaxed for my personal styles.

 

[BamaBelle]

My vote was for "texlaxing" but, as per the provided definitions - which I found very helpful, btw - I am more "texturized" than "texlaxed"... My hair and I are confused!

 

[MizaniMami]

Straight, but not bone straight. Being texlaxed led to more problems than benefits for me. Straight all the way baby!

That's what I am struggling with right now. I am thinking whether I want to remain texlaxed or should I go back to straight. I don't ever think I want to be bone straight just straight.

 

[secretdiamond]

I think that the less your hair is relaxed, the better it is for your hair. AND if you can manage it and maintain it with little breakage, then that's definitely the best way to go.

But it didn't agree with my hair at all. I had the worst drying, matting and tangles & KNOTS! And I had to spend days on end detangling before relaxing. It was so bad that no one believed me until I made them feel the locks underneath my hair. I didn't want to risk breaking all of my hair so it took an EXTRA long time to detangle. But unfortunately, breakage still occurred for me.

My roots are relaxed straight now, but I still have texlaxed parts that tangle and break, but it's def. much better now for me.

 

[lonei]

I'm texlaxed and weighing it up too, I think for me it does more harm than good, I'm just in the process of deciding whether or not to got back to being bone straight. At least that way, there was no need for a flat iron after I rollerset...

 

[OneInAMillion]

I'm not sure at all .

The entire time I relaxed, I thought I was texlaxed (it looked like 2c wavy hair when wet; straight, just really deep waves and body). Came out bone straight with rollersetting, and I didn't have any issues growing or retaining length. I think I may want to go back to that. The very first time I relaxed straight, it was over --that was a big mistake because my hair is fine to begin with.

Right now, I think I'm texturized (people think I'm natural when it's wet, it coils up into tiny spirals and has texture). When I rollerset, it comes out straight, so that's a big plus. Only problem is that humidity makes it revert, and this NEVER used to happen. I like the thickness of my hair now, but I liked the manageability before.

 

[Shine-On]

This is interesting. I am exploring the texlaxing process and do agree that it takes more heat/products to make my hair look the way I want it too. I voted for straight. Looking forward to more responses.

 

[carrie]

So far for me, texlaxing has been the best method. There is too much difference between my textures when I go bone straight and I end of with breakage.

 

[SohoHair]

I voted texlaxing because for me I only feel my hair is in good shape when it's super thick. I'm all about big hair, so I don't mind the extra work that goes into texlaxing. I also don't like wearing my hair straight, it's always gotta have some curl to it.

 

[kbody4]

I prefer to have my hair relaxed straight. For me, it helps minimize breakage.

 

[RabiaElaine]

Hmmm this is interesting....

I voted for texlaxed. Right now I'm transitioning to texlaxed ( I have about 3 inches of texlaxed hair, the rest is bone straight, and then I have new growth too). I think once I get rid of all of the bone straight ends I will enjoy my texlaxed hair more. For me what tangles right now is the line between my texlaxed and bone straight hair.

I have fine hair and there isn't much of it, so I feel that texlaxing is giving me more body. However once my new growth comes in thick I am dealing with 3 textures instead of 2, and that is what makes it a lot of work. Couple that with stretching and you have a situation where you need a lot of patience! That's why I've incorporated braids into my regimen to help through my stretch once I'm 8-9 weeks post.

Like someone said before...I looooooooooooovvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeee big hair! So once I get rid of these bone straight ends I think I will be wearing way less straight styles. I'll probably only where my hair straight on special occasions and only if I feel like it. I can't wait to rock a texlaxed fro...not sure what that will look like...but I plan on experimenting.

Transitioning to texlaxed takes a lot of patience...but I really believe once I'm finished transtioning I will be really happy with my hair. We'll see how I feel about this transition after my next relaxer. By that time I should have 5-6 inches of texlaxed hair.erplexed

 

[DDTexlaxed]

This is good research for me. I'm still deciding on whether to texlax or not. A texturizer did not work for me. I am trying to keep both worlds- my natural curls and gain a level of managability to my hair. My natural hair is so thick, I can't even part it. Texlaxers, do u find that your styling time is shorter?

 

[Legend]

I have my hair texlaxed (although, my stylist calls it texturized when I go for a touch-up ). My hair basically has the appearance and texture of unprocessed hair that has been lightly pressed. Most people don’t realize it is relaxed because most of my natural texture is fairly intact—just loosened a bit. I even have shrinkage.

Why did I choose this method? My hair hates being straight. I find that when it is straighter, the line of demarcation is just too much for it, and my hair breaks no matter how well it’s cared for. I can also stretch my touch-ups much further apart. I also choose this method because I will transition again in about 18 months (once my hair has more length and weight to it) so I can avoid the Big Chop--been there, done that...won't do it again.

 

[jackie1277]

Soho, I pm'd you about this.

But I'd also like to ask other's (especially using Phyto II) how long they leave the relaxer in for texlaxing.

This has been a dilemna for me b/c I really liked how my hair came out when I tried texlaxing it the first time on virgin hair w/ Phyto II but ever since then, the nice luxurious curls I had have turned into a frizzy mess and I hate it. And am definatley getting breakage now. But I'm pretty sure I'm not doing anything different in the relaxing process that would cause this.

This is driving me crazy.

 

[MizaniMami]

Anybody here between these?

I know this may sound confusing but I was thinking about going with something between straight and texlaxing, but more to the straight end. Basicly my hair would be kinda wavy after I relax it.

 

[caribeandiva]

my hair is usually straight but never bone straight no matter how long i leave it.

 

[peacelove]

Bone straight leaves you with no elasticity. The hair has no where to go and breaks. So I am between texlaxed and straight. I still have a slight curl pattern.

 

[MizaniMami]

Bone straight leaves you with no elasticity. The hair has no where to go and breaks. So I am between texlaxed and straight. I still have a slight curl pattern.

That's EXACTLY where I want to be. What kind of relaxer do you use and how long do you leave it on? Do you consider your hair resistant?

 

[Synthia]

I love being straight (optimum no-lye regular, 15 minutes from beginning of application to rinse out).

I like getting out of the shower and detangling easily.
I like air drying relatively straight with no need for flat-iron.

I love the convenience of multiple styles. The maintenance is just so much easier.

As long as I use protein and moisturizers I think I can keep my hair healthy. I really think if I were texlaxed, i'd stress my hair with too much manipulation to straighten, detangle, or style it.

 

[MizaniMami]

I am bumping this (again lol)

I am having a hard time deciding whether I want to go back to relaxing straight or go the texlaxing route again!

 

[Princess Pie]

I leave Phyto Index 2 on my 4a/b hair for 15 minutes, and this leaves me with a slight curl pattern. My hair isn't straight, but it isn't texlaxed either. I am able to detangle and air dry with no problems. I think texlaxing would be a problem for me, because I've had a hard time with underprocessed hair before. I am also trying to stretch relaxers, which is helping add more body and thickness to my hair.

I think it's all about finding a good balance. I never want to do anything that may cause more breakage or stress to my hair.

 

[africa]

I voted texturized because I think in the long-term it's healthier because it is closest to the natural state. Texturizing worked for me because I preferred more natural styles and 'big hair'.

I think the answer should be different for everybody depending on their style preferences, hair goals, and hair type (think, thin, resistant, etc). For people whose hair can take heat and is more resistant, texturized or texlaxed is probably better in the long-term because your hair will have preserved more elasticity and moisture. How long you plan to stretch, how your hair acts @ the demarcation line, how much hair you lose if any when you detangle etc. are also considerations.

 

[KhandiB]

I like mine straight!

 

[Candy_C]

well i say texlaxed cos thats all i know. i have no problems with my hair whatsoever..TOUCH WOOD! :O

 

[B_Phlyy]

I voted straight. I figure if I'm going to relax, no half stepping or stopping at texlaxing.

 

[sareca]

I'm texturized, but my hair rollersets straight. I can go from an afro to very straight w/o direct heat. I my hair.