I let my relaxer grow out, now what??

[lwilliams1922]

I let my relaxer grow out, now what??

I had a baby a year ago. When I found out I was expecting I decided to stop getting relaxers (during preg and nursing).

I've been wearing a lace front for a year and a half. I kept my own hair braided underneath.
I like the aspect of get up and go especially since I have a 1 yr old and a 2 yr old. Now I have what amounts to a huge afro. My natural hair is 4A or 4B. It's so thick and course that when I wash it's almost impossible to comb it and just recently I had to start flat ironing when I wash too keep the hair from being to bulky.

Once I flat iron it I can get a comb through it and it reaches just to the tops of my shoulders. However if I don't braid it RIGHT away it will start to kink/bush.

Now here is my dilemma...

I want to look at putting away the lace front. I'm not looking at sporting the afro, braids or twists though.

I need to relax the curl pattern but I thinking about the cost of relaxers. $70 every 8 weeks. I'd like to get some suggestions on alternatives (that wont break my now stay at home mom bank).



Is there something I can put in my hair at home to help with this bush?
It doesn't have to be bone straight anymore , but manageable.

or should I look into self relaxing?

any suggestions?

thanks

 

[lurkersincejan]

I dont have any real suggestions but co washing does help when I stretch. Also depends on the products but Im am sure some of our ladies can suggest something

 

[Irresistible]

If you want it relaxed to any degree and dont want to pay the salon I think Self Relaxing or 'texlaxing' (feels like a bad word now ) would work for you best!

 

[ladylibra]

hey lwilliams, if you don't wanna relax it straight, why not just texlax? (i still like the word i don't care what y'all say ) if you don't alter your texture too much, you don't have to get a touch-up often, you can probably stretch them out to every 3-4 months or so. that way whether you have it done professionally or at home you're not doing it as often and you're spending less money.

when's the last time you got a hair cut? maybe you can get it cut in a way that it will be less bulky, like layers or something? i have thick hair too, and layers make it less bulky... although i am trying to grow those out cuz i want the thick bulky hair

 

[FemmeCreole]

I need to relax the curl pattern but I thinking about the cost of relaxers. $70 every 8 weeks. I'd like to get some suggestions on alternatives (that wont break my now stay at home mom bank).



Is there something I can put in my hair at home to help with this bush?
It doesn't have to be bone straight anymore , but manageable.

or should I look into self relaxing?

any suggestions?

thanks

do like I plan to do

get your hair relaxedor texlaxed professionally sinceit's so thick rigt now. After that it should manageable enough for you to self relax so when you ready for your touch ups you can do it yourself.

 

[queenbee8687]

Could try texturising to just loosen the curl patturn a little. From what I've seen on LHCF it seems to allow you to keep your natural texture but makes the curl pattern loser and therefore easier to comb.

 

[lwilliams1922]

sound like a good idea to try texlaxin.

but I am wondering about the stylist issue.
I took my 12 yr old and asked to have her curl patterned loosened. I hadn't heard of the term texlaxing at the time.

Well each time I took her to get her hair done (and asked to havethe curl loosened) she came out with bone straight hair that started to break 6 weeks later with the new growth coming in.

Now my 12 yr old has broken hair that I can't do anything with.
I know it's parlty user error though. She knows too much to listen to mom about how to WRAP and care for relaxed hair.

My mom came to town last week and put some box braids in it for now but
the two of us need something to do now.

the $70 relaxers need to be replaced with something healthier and cheaper.

the first thought would be to look for another stylist but we are in boonieville with VERY few options.


any thoughts

 

[sweettrini]

Lwilliams how do you feel about doing relaxing both your daughter's and your hair yourself at home?

There is a wealth of info here at LHCF about self relaxing and many members here texlax their own hair (myself included at one time). Check out sareca and isis's albums or my own if you'd like.

You will have to do some strand tests and paly with relaxer strengths (mild?, regular?, with added oil/conditioner/ protein?) to figure out which combo will give you the result you want. Search fotki albums and youtube also.

But I think you will only get the result you want if you do it yourself esp. since you live in a place where there are not a lot of stylist options.

If you do choose to try another stylist, I would go in for a consultation armed with pics from magazines of the outcome you anticipate and ask questions as to how the stylist would achieve that look. You want to know what products they would use, what timing they would use (timing is sooooooo important when texlaxing), and what follow up care they would recommend.

HTH!!! Good luck!