After-relaxer proceedure??

[Sweetyb]

Hey ladies, I'm planning on relaxing someone's hair for the 1st time and would like to know if there are things I should do to the hair after being relaxed??

I have the base, relaxer, reconstructor, neutralizer...

Would you recommend that I wash and condition again with moisturizing/protein products? Do you blow-dry/air dry afterwards? Flat iron? Or is their anything special you add in with the relaxer, like olive oil? If so, how much?

 

[baglady215]

I usually just relax, neutralize, deep condition, and style. The style is up to you...

 

[sugaplum]

Here's what I do:

I don't wash my hair for 1 week before I get my relaxer. The day before the relaxer I oil my scalp. The day of my relaxer, I base my scalp (w/grease) and apply oil from ends to just before the re-growth. I do this to prevent overlapping. Apply relaxer, neutralize, deep condition, leave-in, & rollerset. If don't feel like rollersetting I let my hair air-dry.

 

[Ashee]

I pre-treat my hair with oil either the night before or 2/1 hours before the relaxer. I seperate my hair into four sections with Bantu Knots. I Relax, Neutralize Con Poo, Poo of Choice, Protein Treatment, Deep Con Treatment for about 1 hour, Leave-In & then style!

 

[FashionistaNY]

My relaxer process generally goes something like this:

1) Do not wash hair one week prior to relaxer
2) Base scalp with a petroleum based protectant
3) Apply protectant to previously relaxed hair to prevent overprocessing.
4) Apply relaxer to new growth
5) Smooth with back of comb
6) Rinse thoroughly
7) Neutralize
8) Rinse then apply reconstructor
9) Rinse then apply moisturizing conditioner
10) Rinse then apply rinse conditioner
11) Spray leave-in conditioner, roller set, and Dry
12) Wrap hair.

 

[Jewell]

This is how I do:

-Base scalp w/scalp protectant.
-Touch-up w/mild relaxer.
-Use accompanying products to normalize and neutralize.
-Apply protein reconstructor under plastic cap, dryer for 10-15 min.
-Apply moisturizing conditioner under plastic cap, dryer for 10-15 min.
-Rinse, towel dry, apply leave-in products.
-Air dry loose, grease scalp, oil ends, wrap hair or put into protective style.

 

[Sweetyb]

Thanks so much ladies for describing your routine. I'll definitely use a moisturizing conditioner after the whole process.

 

[Sweetyb]

I relaxed the hair, used a protein conditioner and moisturizing conditioner afterwards, applied leave in creme, serum, some oil, heat protectant, and setting lotion before blowdrying. Her straight hair started showing waves, and then the waves tightened as I blow dried. The back of her head was very thick and very little of her hair was very straight. It also looked and felt very dry and dull, but atleast was soft and neat.

Do you ladies think maybe I put too much scalp and hair protectant to where the relaxer didn't 'take'? Or should I mix olive oil with the relaxer for moisture? Or next time leave the relaxer in until she starts feeling a tingling (I left it in 20-30 min and it was barly iching her scalp).

 

[baglady215]

Call me crazy, but I don't base at all. I believe basing is one cause of my underprocessing in the past, the other due to the fact that my hair just is slow to break down. I do protect my previously relaxed hair though.

You shouldn't leave it on until it tingles, or rather, that shouldn't be the deciding factor telling you the relaxer "took". You should be able to actually see and feel the curl/wave pattern relaxing. HTH!

 

[Sweetyb]

Thanks, baglady215. I read somewhere that I needed to protect both the relaxed and natural hair. So next time I'll have to redo a lot of her hair, because it was 4-5" natural (took over 10 minutes and 2 cups of relaxer).

Has anyone tried the olive oil thing? How did it affect your results?

 

[baglady215]

Thanks, baglady215. I read somewhere that I needed to protect both the relaxed and natural hair. So next time I'll have to redo a lot of her hair, because it was 4-5" natural (took over 10 minutes and 2 cups of relaxer).

Has anyone tried the olive oil thing? How did it affect your results?

No problem.

I have never tried the olive oil thing, but I may because in about 4 weeks I'm gonna go over some underprocessed sections. I have Mizani super and I think oil oil and/or a moisturizing conditioner would tone it down some.