Any No-Lye Ladies Had Successful Switches to Lye?

[Royal Glory]

Good morning hair mentors,

Because no-lye relaxers tend to be more drying to the hair, I am considering switching to a lye relaxer after 25+ years of using no-lye. Only considering... My hair is healthy and I'm not having any major issues, but I thought it might tweak my regimen and give me even longer, stronger hair helping me reach and maintain my goals more quickly. I currently self relax, but if I switch I will probably go to a professional to be absolutely certain there is no overlap. (Boy, even the thought of that is a little intimidating.)

How many ladies have made the switch successfully and how did you do it? Even if you tried it and had to switch back, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks,

 

[back2relaxed]

I had a no lye for years and my hair was at its healthiest. Whenever I go strictly lye that's when I see a weakening in my hair. Its what led me to BC last year. Now that I am relaxed again, I chose to go back to No-Lye. My hair is thicker and healthier for it. I use Phyto Index 2. I just moisturize and condition my hair regularly, and I haven't experienced any of the dryness that everyone talks about. But as with anything what works for some may not work for all!

 

[Leslie_C]

I asked this question the other day and didnt get much of a response lol...anyway hopefully we can get some input. Im interested in making the switch too but dont want to have a setback...Im thinking I should just leave well enough alone because this could be some type of self sabatoge by me trying to mess with switching between the two.

 

[Royal Glory]

I asked this question the other day and didnt get much of a response lol...anyway hopefully we can get some input. Im interested in making the switch too but dont want to have a setback...Im thinking I should just leave well enough alone because this could be some type of self sabatoge by me trying to mess with switching between the two.

Ooops. I didn't know that. I would have bumped yours.

But leaving well enough alone might not be a bad idea. "If it ain't broke, don't fit it", huh?

 

[Leslie_C]

Ooops. I didn't know that. I would have bumped yours.

But leaving well enough alone might not be a bad idea. "If it ain't broke, don't fit it", huh?

yeah pretty much! I remember a few days ago someone posted about their hair coming out from switching. I really dont want to take that risk! Ive had enough setbacks in the past, but this has been a good year for me with hair growth.....dont want to mess it up now! Looks like u are doing well too with your hair...it looks reallly nice!

 

[*Frisky*]

I switched successfully and I am glad I did...actually I use to go back and forth using no lye and lye and never had any idea I was doing it until I joined the hair board. My hair is in better condition now that I use lye exclusively.

 

[lunabelle]

Girl don't do it. If there is nothing wrong with your hair, don't bother it. I made this mistake this summer. My hair was just fine and I decided to try Lye after reading so many great reviews. My hair ended up underprocessed and dull. So, of course I switched back to my no-lye, 4 months later and I'm still trying to get that shine back.

 

[RubyWoo]

Warning: long response ahead

I only used no-lye before I was a member here and made the switch to lye relaxers this past June. I also relaxed with a lye relaxer in September and plan to stick to lye relaxers. My hair is the best it has ever been and the lye relaxed hair is definitely softer and silkier than the no-lye relaxed hair; however, the difference between the too isn't too dramatic since I use a chelating shampoo regularly. Nonetheless, my hair feels great and has been thriving.

Before I made the switch, I did a lot of research on this board. I also purchased and read Shamboosie's book Beautiful Black hair where there is a section that discusses lye relaxers. He also included instructions on how to do a corrective retouch but it was advised that it be done by a professional. Here is are the instructions that Pinkskates was kind enough to type. I had it saved in my private journal.

Its on page 163, here it is:
The Corrective Retouch and Virgin Relaxer
Applying a conditioning lye relaxer over a No-lye relaxer, (which I recommend) is called a corrective retouch. You can expect minimal shedding, but don't be alarmed. Do a treatment following the retouch.
For the corrective relaxer and the virgin relaxer, apply the chemical to the entire length of hair shaft, but remeber timing is still the key. When it is a corrective relaxer, you begin and complete the process the same as any retouch. After smoothing the third time, apply the chemical by hand to the rest of the hair and smooth with your hands for only 3 to 5 minutes. Then begin the rinsing process. The objective here is to simply condition the hair that was previously relaxed with the no-lye relaxer.
With a virgin relaxer, use the same process as with a retouch except the chemical is applied to the entire length of the hair, one quarter section at a time. The smoothing is done with the hands until the hair is totally relaxed.
In every case, completing the service should take 18 to 20 minutes when using a mild, 22 minutes with regular, and 22 to 24 minutes when using a super relaxer.

Timing is everthing- The timing begins with the start of the first application, which is the very moment the chemical comes in contact with the hair, and the time ends with the beginning of the first rinse.

Relaxing color treated hair- Be sure to use a mild relaxer every time, no exceptions. The idea is to protect the color-treated hair, even if the new growth is not completely relaxed as straight as you would like it to be at the end of the process. Be sure to coat the color-treated hair with a styling gel or creme conditioner, to protect that hair before applying the relaxer and be sure you keep the chemical in the area of the new growth. All of this is an absolute must!

Chemical Tip Warning: "When you are relaxing hair that has previously been relaxed with No-Lye Relaxer and the hair was not properly straightened, the no-lye will "lock in" the remaining curl pattern in the hair. When this happens, nothing, not relaxer, Thio, or anything else will be able to break this hair down and remove the curl. The only hair that will become straight is the new growth, the hair closest to the scalp.

I made the switch to lye when I self relaxed in June with ORS Regular lye relaxer. I did a strand test prior to relaxing just to make sure the relaxer would work well with my hair. I based my scalp and put conditioner on my ends the night before and the day of my touch-up. My total processing time including application and smoothing was 15 min and my hair was straight with some slight waves in some places. I did do the corrective retouch as explained by Shamboosie but only brought the relaxer to my ends in the last 2-3 min of my processing time. Keep in mind my ends were protected with the conditioner so I'm not sure how effective this was but I didn't want to take any chances. I also don't think doing the corrective retouch is all that necessary since I believe you can get the same results with a chelating shampoo. Anyhoo, after I rinsed the relaxer, I used Aphogee 2 min keratin reconstructor and left it for 5 mins, neutralized and then deep conditioned for 20-30 mins with heat. My hair turned out great; silky, shiny and smooth. There was no drama or breakage. The next time I relaxed which was in September, I did just the new growth and the proceeded to the conditioning/neutralizing/deep conditioning steps. My hair now is definitely stronger, and more moisturized than it has ever been. Also, I find that I can go days without using a daily moisturizer because my hair just doesn't need it. I'm not sure if that was because of the switch to lye but my hair feels soooo much better than when I was using no-lye relaxers and I have no regrets whatsoever. I only wish I started using lye relaxers sooner. As I said before, I plan to continue to relax with lye relaxers. I hope that helps.

 

[Royal Glory]

yeah pretty much! I remember a few days ago someone posted about their hair coming out from switching. I really dont want to take that risk! Ive had enough setbacks in the past, but this has been a good year for me with hair growth.....dont want to mess it up now! Looks like u are doing well too with your hair...it looks reallly nice!

Thanks for the encouragement, LeslieC. Yours looks good, too. And you're right, we don't want any setbacks, now!

 

[Royal Glory]

Wow! Thanks for the thorough response, Nixx. I'm glad it is working so well for you.

All of you have given me so much to consider.

 

[Lissa0821]

yes, I have had a successful switch from Profectiv no lye relaxer to ORS Lye relaxer. My hair is usually much fuller and has more shine with the lye relaxer. An added plus is my hair is darker now, no more of the brownish tint that I would get from the no lye relaxer.

 

[RubyWoo]

An added plus is my hair is darker now, no more of the brownish tint that I would get from the no lye relaxer.

I noticed that too!

@Royal Glory:You're very welcome .

 

[Leslie_C]

Wow! Thanks for the thorough response, Nixx. I'm glad it is working so well for you.

All of you have given me so much to consider.

It is a lot to consider....let me know what you decide! One thing for me is Im texlaxed and it said if put lye on underprocessed no-lye relaxed hair, it will lock in the curl/wave pattern and no other relaxer will ever be able to straighten it. Im afraid one day I might want to go bone straight and do a corrective...and if this is the case it wouldnt work and Id have to grow out the part that was texlaxed (my whole head of hair!) before it would all be straight.

So that means I would have to do a corrective with no lye, and then another corrective the next go round with lye.....that doesnt sound like a very good idea unless I want to be left with 2 strands of hair.

 

[Neala21]

Im in that same boat of no-lye texalaxed making the switch to lye on Monday. But i think i will do a chelating shampoo today to get rid of buildup.

For those who have made the switch what is your hair texture? Im a 3c/4a mix I was just wondering if it made a difference. Because with no-lye i have to do extra moisturizing daily to avoid bad dryness but my twin doesn't but then again her hair is a bit limp (thinking its buildup)

Hopefully mines will go well for monday.

 

[kittenz]

I wanna switch but I'm scared. So I won't.

 

[thegirltolove]

Hmmmm, I am wondering about this too. I have relaxed with Affirm exclusively for the last few years. I am really nervous because I planned to relax at the end of the year. I am in Iraq right now and the only relaxers available are No-Lye. I was thinking about trying an ORS No-Lye since I figure it was my best bet, but I am questioning it.

 

[curlcomplexity]

I switched 2 years ago from no-lye to lye. I honestly think that it was the best thing that has happened to my hair. I heard that lye was better for the hair. With no-lye my hair was dry and dry and when wet it was very weak. I also noticed that the color was lighter w/ a no-lye. I like not having to mix the chemicals up myself, that part always worried me. Also, it's less expensive IMO b/c you can save the rest.

 

[Lotus]

I live in an area with hard water so I switched from No-lye to lye... I guess last year or year before. My hair is way healthier because of it. IDK.. it seems to have more elasticity, be able to hold moisture better... something, I dont know how to really explain it. Im even able to stretch longer. I've learned that alot of times I was perming my hair because it felt like I needed one... when what I really needed was moisture. Lye all the way for me. But, if your hair is healthy and thriving... I say if it aint broke, dont fix it. HTHs!

 

[SvelteVelvet]

I was a no-lye user all my relaxed life and just made the switch to lye and January of this year, which is what made me come to this board because I wanted to read experiences of other ladies who made the switch.

For me, it was one of the best things I could have done, I believe it has helped my hair to retain moisture better and the overall texture and feel of my hair is softer, my hair was always so brittle with all the build-up and my hair has surpassed the usual 'break-off' point which was a little past shoulder, I'm close to BSL now and I don't think I'd be at this point if I didn't switch. That also heralded a change from doing my own touch-up or having my mom do it, to always getting it done by a professional. Thankfully I've found salons I trust to do this.

The first time I had lye, my former hairdresser coated my entire hair with the perm, she said she was 'getting rid of the build-up'...ok. Well none of my hair fell out, it actually felt thicker, healthier and heavier, it was great. I went back for my touch-up and the **** coated all of my hair again and I protested but she was on the "I know what I'm doin" tip. My hair did feel weaker after that, and I went on emergency strengthen my hair back up and did protein treatments and nursed it where luckily I experienced no loss from the error of her ways. That was my only bad experience and it was more of the dressers fault. In the long run I believe lye has been better for my hair.

 

[growinglong777]

I went from no lye to lye with no problem. With the no lye relaxers, my hair was always dry, breaking, shedding, and never retained moisture. I have switched to lye with the help of a great stylist, and never looked back. My hair has been healthier, stronger and very moisturized. But, I would say if you are not having any problems, why spoil a beautiful head of hair.

 

[BrooklynSouth]

I went from no lye to lye with no problem. With the no lye relaxers, my hair was always dry, breaking, shedding, and never retained moisture. I have switched to lye with the help of a great stylist, and never looked back. My hair has been healthier, stronger and very moisturized. But, I would say if you are not having any problems, why spoil a beautiful head of hair.

Now, that...Growinglong is beautiful hair. Congrats.

 

[LiLi]

Warning: long response ahead

I only used no-lye before I was a member here and made the switch to lye relaxers this past June. I also relaxed with a lye relaxer in September and plan to stick to lye relaxers. My hair is the best it has ever been and the lye relaxed hair is definitely softer and silkier than the no-lye relaxed hair; however, the difference between the too isn't too dramatic since I use a chelating shampoo regularly. Nonetheless, my hair feels great and has been thriving.

Before I made the switch, I did a lot of research on this board. I also purchased and read Shamboosie's book Beautiful Black hair where there is a section that discusses lye relaxers. He also included instructions on how to do a corrective retouch but it was advised that it be done by a professional. Here is are the instructions that Pinkskates was kind enough to type. I had it saved in my private journal.

I made the switch to lye when I self relaxed in June with ORS Regular lye relaxer. I did a strand test prior to relaxing just to make sure the relaxer would work well with my hair. I based my scalp and put conditioner on my ends the night before and the day of my touch-up. My total processing time including application and smoothing was 15 min and my hair was straight with some slight waves in some places. I did do the corrective retouch as explained by Shamboosie but only brought the relaxer to my ends in the last 2-3 min of my processing time. Keep in mind my ends were protected with the conditioner so I'm not sure how effective this was but I didn't want to take any chances. I also don't think doing the corrective retouch is all that necessary since I believe you can get the same results with a chelating shampoo. Anyhoo, after I rinsed the relaxer, I used Aphogee 2 min keratin reconstructor and left it for 5 mins, neutralized and then deep conditioned for 20-30 mins with heat. My hair turned out great; silky, shiny and smooth. There was no drama or breakage. The next time I relaxed which was in September, I did just the new growth and the proceeded to the conditioning/neutralizing/deep conditioning steps. My hair now is definitely stronger, and more moisturized than it has ever been. Also, I find that I can go days without using a daily moisturizer because my hair just doesn't need it. I'm not sure if that was because of the switch to lye but my hair feels soooo much better than when I was using no-lye relaxers and I have no regrets whatsoever. I only wish I started using lye relaxers sooner. As I said before, I plan to continue to relax with lye relaxers. I hope that helps.

This is soooo true. I do not have to moisturize my hair everyday. I put my afro detangler on and my hair is good until I wash it again. I love that about the lye relaxer. Also, I can see why people have to relax so soon when they have lye relaxers. The texture is soooo unbelievably different than the texture of my natural hair. Where as the no-lye left my hair just as dry as my natural hair so it wasn't that big of a deal.

This is what I did to make sure everything would be ok. I did a section test (not a huge section) and monitored it for a while before I decided to switch. Don't rush on something like this. If you test a section a monitor it for a month or so, then you will know whether or not it will work for you.

Leslie girl ... if I had of seen this yesterday, you know I would have responded.

 

[Royal Glory]

Thanks for the thoughtful and heartfelt responses, ladies!

 

[Soliel185]

My biggest concern with switching would be actually purchasing the Lye - Iu don't have a license, so I can't buy @ Sally's, and I'm afraid to purchase online in case I get an old batch or something. By the time I relax again - I'll be 8 months post - so I'm not worried about overlap between the two....but I do need a place to actually buy it that reputable and dependable.

 

[thegirltolove]

My biggest concern with switching would be actually purchasing the Lye - Iu don't have a license, so I can't buy @ Sally's, and I'm afraid to purchase online in case I get an old batch or something. By the time I relax again - I'll be 8 months post - so I'm not worried about overlap between the two....but I do need a place to actually buy it that reputable and dependable.

Me too. I am deployed right now, and I don't want to spend a fortune at Sheldeez. Anyone have any suggestions of a GOOD lye relaxer and a GOOD site to purchase from???? Hope I am not hijacking the thread...

 

[Evazhair]

I switched from affirm sensitive scalp, to affirm lye about 2 years ago when I had problems with dryness and tangling. Gradually, the dryness problem improved greatly as I am still growing out some of the no lye. My hair too is more moisturized, smoother, softer and less tangled. I would go to a professional, so there is no overlap, and use a protectant on the no lye hair.