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POLL: relaxed 4a/4bs who does lye, who does no-lye

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what does your 4a/ 4b hair prefer: lye or no-lye?


  • Total voters
    188
  • Poll closed .
I do no-lye, but I'm thinking about switching to lye. I read the ingredients on the back of a lye relaxer that my friend got and they were much better than the one's in my no-lye. If Lye is stronger, then I'll just mix it with some coconut oil. That should take some of the strength away from it.
 
I know I need to go to bed too. My poor DH went to sleep in anticipation waiting on me and I'm frolicking with the hair boards. :nono:
 
no lye's make my hair feels worse afterwards, plus i learned that they leave mineral build-up afterwards
 
I've changed recently, from no-lye to lye
and i'm satisfied, when i relax with a no lye relaxer my hair is very dry and needs more moisture. i can see the difference with a lye relaxer.
My last relaxer was done at the salon (lye) but it burned my scalp, so you have to protect your scalp very well before relaxing with a lye relaxer
 
ive been using no lye, but im about to switch to lye for my next touch up. my hair looks so horribly dry after i relax, and it always comes out underprocessed.
 
I use no - lye. It straightens better. If you're going for bone straight, no lye is your best bet.

In my case, my hair is extremely resistant, that's the only reason my hair isn't straight. It's also why even though I'm texturized I go with no - lye. Lye straightens my hair even less!

Lye DOES leaves your hair shinier in my experience.

I don't see any difference in health/dryness.
 
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My answer is a little complicated :lol:

I usually relaxed with mizani lye for fine hair. Traditional no-lye relaxers made my hair terribly dry and rough. Lye relaxers made my hair feel more silky and smooth but I started to feel that they were a little rough on my scalp.

So, I have now switched to lithium no-lye which are the usual No-Mix No-Lye relaxers. Lithium no-lye doesn't leave behind the mineral deposit like calcuim hydroxide does but it also more gentle on the scalp. It also pentrates a little differently than the two so my hair is still silky and smooth. For me, its the best of both worlds. If I couldn't use it anymore for whatever reason though, I would go back to the mizani.
 
I use Affirm Lye (not sure which one - but i am now curious)

My hair was always so dry and frizzy using a No-Lye
 
I did no lye the last time I relaxed and my hair was soooooo dry and it was also underprocessed. I'm sticking to my creme of nature herba riche from now on.
 
I use lye. I've never tried no-lye and I'm somewhat afraid too due to all the negatives I've read about them, i.e. dryness, calcium deposits, etc.
 
which lye relaxers do they sell in stores? for some reason i feel like you can only get most of the lye relaxers yall mention from salons
 
My answer is a little complicated :lol:

I usually relaxed with mizani lye for fine hair. Traditional no-lye relaxers made my hair terribly dry and rough. Lye relaxers made my hair feel more silky and smooth but I started to feel that they were a little rough on my scalp.

So, I have now switched to lithium no-lye which are the usual No-Mix No-Lye relaxers. Lithium no-lye doesn't leave behind the mineral deposit like calcuim hydroxide does but it also more gentle on the scalp. It also pentrates a little differently than the two so my hair is still silky and smooth. For me, its the best of both worlds. If I couldn't use it anymore for whatever reason though, I would go back to the mizani.

thank you for the response ladies!! keep em comin!

For the above bolded, who makes this?
 
I use a lye relaxer. No lye relaxers left my hair bone straight, stringy, and unable to hold moisture. My hair used to just break off w/ the slighest tug:sad:
 
My texturized hair was processed with Hawaiian Silky Lye.

Had I been using that in the first place I never would have transitioned at all. Lye just keeps my hair strong, and makes it shine and feel better. Also the texture loosens a better way. With NoLye it just gets fuzzy and mushy. With Lye it lays down smoother.

ETA: Most of my head is 4a/4b and took a good amount of time to process with either relaxer, but the 3c textured hair is different, it actually processes sooner with lye and later with no-lye. I am guessing because the strands are more fine or something, not sure
 
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I didn't know anything about relaxers until now (2008). My poor hair hair has been through alot. I used perm after perm not knowing whether it was lye or no lye, but I know for a fact 99% of them were no lye which is why my hair never grew well. Well, I'm well on my way I cut my hair and now its like 1 inch long and natural. I have my Lye relaxer just waiting to be used after my hair grows below my shoulders naturally, so that way I can wear protective styles and look presentable. Lye relaxers is the best bet though I used Motions and now that I think of it it left my hair soft and like 3 months ago I had a no-lye and my hair started breaking which caused me to cut it:ohwell:
 
Without a doubt - Lye relaxer. I suffered a major set back from No-Lye relaxers 2 years ago. No-Lye caused my hair to become dry, brittle, lifeless, thin and dull and I will never go back to it.

Yes Lye relaxers are harder on the scalp but that can be easily remedied with some vaseline. No lye is much much harder on the hair strands themselves and this scares me because my hair is already fine and definitely can't handle that anymore. Now since switching back to Lye relaxers, my hair is thickening up some again:yep:. Praise the Lord!!!

ETA: My hair is 4a/b fine.
 
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I use lye relaxer to texturize my hair. In fact, I used Motions Herbal ly mixed with conditioner and I put some protein on my hair the night before and let it dry because I was so terrified about overprocessing.

I actually had to do it twice :nono: because it looked like nothing had happened.

So I did it again with only conditioner mixed in Motions Herbal (no protein) and now I love my look. I was able to leave it in for 15 minutes and it still looks very natural but is super easy to take care of.

BTW: I have super resistant and strong healthy hair.- pre- and post relaxer. I wouldn't recommend this for those who are looking for a straight look...I think it might actually be reverting a month after application ( I also co-wash 2-3 times a week) but I'm happy and will continue to use it.

ETA: I don't have a problem with the harshness on my scalp cause I don't put relaxer on my scalp.
 
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