Relaxed Hair Thread

[Napp]

Ok I was able to stretch till 6 weeks very easy this time because I started wearing my hair up with clips/hair sticks vs doing sock buns.

I moisturize my hair twice a day.
No combs or brushes
No gel for slicking hair back
Nightly overnight hair reconstructors

I touched up today. This time I used Fox Btox Extreme



I left it on for an hour with a heat cap
When I removed the cap I took out my ultrasonic infrared iron to seal in the treatment with no heat. I rinsed it out and got a silky texturized result which I loved. My hair looks great!. I put it in my signature bun and it looked so perfect just with leave in applied. I will continue to do this every 6 weeks.

 

[Theresamonet]

I relaxed my hair last night after a 9 month stretch. I’ve been doing a combination of low manipulation and hiding my hair, so this stretch was super easy. I’m laying in bed getting ready to sleep with my DC in, cause I got too tired to finish. Tomorrow I’m going to do a blowout and trim. Maybe lightly flat iron.

I finally used up my 4lb tub of Affirm. Took me 3 years. I actually still have a little left, just not enough to do my whole head. I’m sticking with this relaxer for as long as I can get my hands on it. I don’t have any complaints.

 

[GJay]

Well well... look who's here!
I was posting all my questions about relaxing here a few months ago... and when I was ready to try it, I got very ill. Man, I was never ill for so long in my life!

But I feel a lot stronger now, so I decided to finally go through with the relaxing process this evening.

I had a friend do it and we tried to follow all the tips and recommendations I got here as much as possible.
I used the Affirm Argan Relaxer (Lye, so no mixing).
The Strong blend!

It was not easy to put on all the relaxer in the time frame (18 minutes) because my hair is really long now... but I knew from experience that my hair can handle a relaxer for an awful lot of time, even the "strong" version.

Interestingly, I had ZERO scalp problems. Did not even feel anything.
Which is amazing, since I only waited two days after washing the hair and I usually have some scalp problems. We put on Vaseline around my ears, neck, forehead, that was all we used. No burning, no tingling... amazing.

But after about 27 minutes, I chickened out, so I rinsed it and did the rest of the process, followed by the K18 rebonding leave in as adviced, and a simple blow dry.


The results so far are excellent!
The hair is MUCH healthier looking than before, it has a nice shine, it is perfectly straight (which I never got it to be, even when using a flat iron) and I am beaming right now.

I flat ironed it afterwards just to make sure (I usually do this after relaxing because I read it helps to "set it in")... but that was not necessary at all, no difference to just blow drying as the hair is already perfect... really amazing.


No I am only afraid that the hair will revert after a few days/weeks, as it ALWAYS did in the past.
I really really have suffered enough bad hair for the rest of my life, and I truly hope that the hair will stay like it is now (new growth not counting, of course).


If you have any advice what I can do to make sure the hair stays relaxed like this... let me know.

 

[GJay]

Here's an update.

My Euphoria is already gone for the most part.

As I already wrote here, so far EVERYTHING I tried would eventually fail... it would either have no effect at all - or the hair would revert after a few washes (at most).
I'm afraid this will happen this time as well.

Today was my first wash day after relaxing... the hair is still mostly straight... but it already lost the beautiful shine it had after relaxing. And I'm afraid the curls will be back sooner or later (the whole hair, not just the newgrowth).

Why does this always happen?
I mean there IS a way to make it shiny, the relaxing process show this; but I can not recreate this even after the first washing. Hair looks dull as before. And as I can't relax my hair every time it's time to wash it... I would love to make it shine again, but I just can't do it.


My guess is that the hair cuticle is very well closed after relaxing.
There must be a way to get this result with other means.


I used the Redken ABC series (deep conditioning, shampoo, conditioner) since I thought a series with low PH would close the cuticle and be good after relaxing... but that does not seem to do the trick.
Used K18 repair mask as well, but that didn't do it either.

I'm lost.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

@GJay
Do you think a Gloss or Glossifier would bring back the Glossiness/Shine you are looking for.

 

[Napp]

Here's an update.

My Euphoria is already gone for the most part.

As I already wrote here, so far EVERYTHING I tried would eventually fail... it would either have no effect at all - or the hair would revert after a few washes (at most).
I'm afraid this will happen this time as well.

Today was my first wash day after relaxing... the hair is still mostly straight... but it already lost the beautiful shine it had after relaxing. And I'm afraid the curls will be back sooner or later (the whole hair, not just the newgrowth).

Why does this always happen?
I mean there IS a way to make it shiny, the relaxing process show this; but I can not recreate this even after the first washing. Hair looks dull as before. And as I can't relax my hair every time it's time to wash it... I would love to make it shine again, but I just can't do it.


My guess is that the hair cuticle is very well closed after relaxing.
There must be a way to get this result with other means.


I used the Redken ABC series (deep conditioning, shampoo, conditioner) since I thought a series with low PH would close the cuticle and be good after relaxing... but that does not seem to do the trick.
Used K18 repair mask as well, but that didn't do it either.

I'm lost.

How are you styling your hair?

 

[GJay]

@GJay
Do you think a Gloss or Glossifier would bring back the Glossiness/Shine you are looking for.

What would you recommend?


But I'd like to get to the bottom of this.

WHY is it that the cuticle seems so tightly closed after the relaxing process?
Is it the conditioner (from the relaxer system) you use afterwards?
But WHY does this only seem to work immediately after relaxing?

I tired using the relaxer from another relaxing system by itself some time ago, but that seemed to do nothing.

It is my understanding that the relaxer itself rises the PH of the hair into the alkaline levels and this opens the cuticle.
The conditioner you use afterwards neutralizes the relaxer and closes the cuticle.

How can I achieve this result without relaxing?

 

[GJay]

How are you styling your hair?

Letting it air dry or blow dry it on a lukewarm setting, wearing it open or in a ponytail...

 

[IDareT'sHair]

@GJay
Remember Cellophane Rinse(s) from back in the day? That give you shine.

You may be able to do a clear rinse that will give you the shine you are looking for.

There are several glossifying treatments out there as well as products to enhance shine. Like Silk Infusion etc.....

You may have to do some research.

Your actual technique may need some work too. A lot of times the Higher the heat, the shinier the gloss. i.e. Silk Presses etc....

 

[abioni]

Ok I was able to stretch till 6 weeks very easy this time because I started wearing my hair up with clips/hair sticks vs doing sock buns.

I moisturize my hair twice a day.
No combs or brushes
No gel for slicking hair back
Nightly overnight hair reconstructors

I touched up today. This time I used Fox Btox Extreme

View attachment 506424

I left it on for an hour with a heat cap
When I removed the cap I took out my ultrasonic infrared iron to seal in the treatment with no heat. I rinsed it out and got a silky texturized result which I loved. My hair looks great!. I put it in my signature bun and it looked so perfect just with leave in applied. I will continue to do this every 6 weeks.

How is your hair doing with this product?

 

[Napp]

How is your hair doing with this product?

It is going really well! I just did a touch up and my results were great! I forgot about the infrared iron though so it’s not as silky. Perfect for my needs. It only relaxes my hair lightly making the hair look more uniform. I also notice I retain more thickness this way too. I need to post some pictures on the difference.

 

[abioni]

It is going really well! I just did a touch up and my results were great! I forgot about the infrared iron though so it’s not as silky. Perfect for my needs. It only relaxes my hair lightly making the hair look more uniform. I also notice I retain more thickness this way too. I need to post some pictures on the difference.

Thanks for the update. I have 4c hair and I'm wondering if this would loosen it a bit. I'm tender-headed and going natural is causing me pain. I'm looking for something that will make my hair easy to manipulate.