Been natural and relaxed...what have you learned??

Which have you been in your adult life?

  • I've only been relaxed/texlaxed, and that's the way I plan to stay

    Votes: 15 4.6%

  • I've only been relaxed/texlaxed, and I want to try being natural.

    Votes: 35 10.7%

  • I've only been natural, and that's the way I plan to stay.

    Votes: 4 1.2%

  • I've only been natural, and I want to try being relaxed/texlaxed.

    Votes: 3 0.9%

  • I've been both and I love both.

    Votes: 59 18.1%

  • I've been both, and I like being natural better.

    Votes: 155 47.5%

  • I've been both and I like being relaxed/texlaxed better.

    Votes: 55 16.9%
  • Total voters
    326
  • Poll closed .
Currently relaxed SL/CBL and working on APL. Once I reach my personal relaxed goals, I'm thinking of tackling the same goals with my natural hair to determine which one I am the most comfortable with.
 
Cheleigh said:
I was relaxed for 21 years, and natural for 3. For ME, at this point in my life, I've learned that I have thin strands, and looking at my mom, gran, will have thinning hair when I'm older. So, making the decision to go natural was a good one for me, because I think I would have needed to do so at some point anyway.
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:yep: Same here, Cheleigh. I've always had fine strands of hair, but I had a WHOLE lot more hair in the past, so it looked thick ... even while relaxed. Buuuuut, the older I get, the thinner my hair gets, and thin hair just looks lifeless when relaxed bone straight. I just think that big, curly hair just looks better with my features.

Thin, fine hair +
a sensitive scalp =
Tara going natural and staying that way :yep:
​
 
I've been both and I like both. To me it doesn't really matter. I remember when I use to be a hair nazi (lol, crazy times). Now I shrug and go it's just hair. But I've learned that I'll be a product junkie no matter what state my hair is in.
 
I've been both as an adult and I prefer to be a natural who straightens. As far as I'm concerned, I have the best of both worlds.
 
I BC'd in '05 and liked the thickness of my natural hair. I prefer straight hair so i relaxed again. I'm transitioning now and I think i will BKT when I have some length. (I voted, "I love both")
 
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I've learned not to listen to other people. I thought when I would get a relaxer, my hair would be screwed for life but that is not true. Just do everything in balance. I've also learned not to let my hair get too dry.
 
I've been both and am currently transistioning for the second time.

I've learned that I prefer how my natural hair feels, and behaves, and I'm glad I have my thickness back. However, I still prefer to wear my hair straight.

I've learned that just like with my relaxed hair, I'm lazy about my hair care. I will wash, and DC, and flat-iron but spending time styling I won't do. It's why I mostly flat-ironed my hair when relaxed, because I was too lazy to roller-set, flexi-rod, or anything else. Now I'm feeling the same way about my transistioning hair.
 
I have been both.
Hated the relaxers, my strands are too thin and my hair broke off.
I have learned that:
Co-washing is the biz.
My hair needs a lot of moisture and gentle hands.
NEVER comb hair unless it's saturated with conditioner.
Use heat sparingly.
Be patient.
 
Been both, natural longer than relaxed, and I have to say i love both. Hair is beautiful no matter what as long as you take care of it, period. My sister is natural and i love doing her hair just as much as i love doing mine. :)
 
Hmmm

The poll is incomplete. There is no option for "I have been both and I love neither." :look:

Both have their issues for me. I loved the coiliness, strength and elasticity of my natural hair, and I think textured hair suits my features better. But I disliked the shrinkage and tangling.

With relaxed hair, I like the increased manageability and the fact that my length shows, but I dislike the thin strands, split ends, brittleness, and lack of texture.

So here i am with MBL hair with relaxed ends but some inches of natural and texlaxed hair from the root up, not quite sure what I'll do next. Maybe shave my head - take it all off like I used to do years ago?

What I've learned in both cases? Protein-moisture balance (more moisture while natural, more protein while relaxed), low manipulation, protecting my ends.
 
I've been natural, texlaxed AND relaxed. I voted natural. I like to colour and my natural hair withstands this better, although I like my hair in relaxed styles so I flatiron/ rollerset for that.

I've learned my hair is a loooot more fragile relaxed- while I can have a protein based regimen and wear my hair how I like natural
 
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i voted that I've experience both and I prefer natural...that was hard to choose because I am still sooooo very new in this natural thing. I don't find it easier but I think because I've been wanting natural hair for so long (more than 5years) and never built the courage to even try so right now I'm in a serious honeymoon stage. I *hope* that even with length and the inevitable thickness (my hair was ridiculously thick with relaxers), I'll be able to stay away from the chemicals...even if it means regularly wearing straight styles for "easier" maintenance (I say that very cautiously). relaxers were just a horror story for me from the very beginning and sadly, I dont have horror stories from childhood with my natural hair. relaxed, straight hair was just more 'grown up' and I felt it was time to be a woman. IF only I knew!
I know one thing, I'm happy I stumbled across ths forum and various blogs because it has really taught me about hair care and I feel more comfortable even if I chose to go back to relaxed tresses...
 
I've experienced both and prefer CORRECTLY relaxed hair. A lot of people claim that relaxers are the reason for their hair troubles, when it's actually misinformation or overprocessing. I was able to maintain a healthy and thick head of relaxed hair until I started overprocessing it. I would beg my mother to apply relaxer to my WHOLE head (not just the new growth) for EVERY touch-up and then wondered why my ends were see-through. :ohwell:

I BC'ed recently and plan on growing out my hair while correctly relaxing it. I really hated being natural, because I always had to worry about reversion and shrinkage. I'm not a fan of afros, braids, and twists, and don't want to feel limited to those styles just because I want to exercise. I have always been a fairly active person, and natural hair just doesn't work for my lifestyle. I love textured styles (braidouts, twistouts, etc.), but also like to straighten my hair regularly and don't want to have to worry about the style not lasting.
 
voted been both love both
I wasn natural for 15yrs straight and relaxed off and on. I'm relaxed now and loving it. I think I like the change
 
They both have their own special issues but i prefer natural. I like the versatility and how thick my hair looks when wet. i never realized how thin my hair was with a relaxer until i started transitioning. i do love straight hair but i dont think my hair can handle relaxers and still grow. My mom used to relax and her hair is thin and damaged. my sister never relaxed and her hair is still thinning so im freaked out about any hereditary problems i may have and want to keep my hair as strong as possible - dont think relaxers will be in my future.

I'm doing the BKT thing now and i really like it b/c it allows me to wear my hair straight or curly with more manageability and no commitment.

and what i learned - um - for relaxed hair - Overprocessing even ONCE is the devil on ur strands. for natural hair - its not as nappy or unmanageable as it SEEMS when ur just seeing new growth. when u actually have more natural hair on ur head then relaxed - its not bad at all.
 
I voted I've been both and I love both. Regardless of what I do to my hair it is HIGH maintenance. I decided to transition because I miss my fro. Also, my SO misses playing with my hair.
 
I have always had thick hair, and relaxers never really worked in my hair. I switched so many times in my adult life from relaxed, texturized, natural and texlax. But when I was totally natural in my early twenties, I did not have the self confidence to stay natural due to peer pressure I would end up relaxing my hair. Then I finally locked my hair for six years. I suddenly felt a need for a change and I missed combing my hair so I took out my locs and now I am totally natural, the only thing is its hard to find hair styles I feel are appropiate for my job.
 
I have been natural all my life until about 6 years ago when I have started relaxing my hair. Now, I am considering going back to natural. The problem I have with relaxing is hair sheds too much and now that I mastered why my hair almost broke off at the line of demarcation- I did the protein treatments but my A## forgot to moisturize! Any ways, now that I know better. With the help of my stylist on 6-13-09, I may just start to go back to natural with out the BC!
 
Nefertiti0906 said:
I've been both and I like both. To me it doesn't really matter . . . I shrug and go it's just hair. But I've learned that I'll be a product junkie no matter what state my hair is in.
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GoingNatural said:
Relaxed and Natural, I know now to use limited heat, limited manipulation and cowashes are heaven on earth!
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NatrlChallenge said:
. . . I've been both relaxed and natural and I have come to realize that I prefer strait styles on me.
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mscocoface said:
I have learned that both require common sense knowledge and some education about the basic facts of both types if you want to keep the hair on your head healthy.
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Mini mimi said:
I needed to attend meetings, and appointments, and could not spend time doing my hair. i had to focus on my son, as well as the rest of my family. i relaxed, slicked it back, and kept moving. . . Relaxed was/is quicker and less time consuming FOR ME.:yep:
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All the above, Nough said - :amen:
 
I have been both. Relaxed from age 9 to 30 something i've only been natural for 2yrs. I prefer natural & will never ever use a relaxer or other chemical in my fine hair. My napps fit me better IMO I never felt truly like myself until I cut the perm out...I rarely straighten my hair...not 'cause I don't know how; I'm confident with my technique; but moreso cause I just don't feel like it!
 
Been both. Love both.

To add to the thread (If I hadn't already):

I have learned...people always have something to say about hair that is not on their head. :lachen:
 
I've been both and had not a clue what to do with my natural hair. I stayed in braids and twists and ended up relaxing again. I don't see myself going natural anytime soon though. I'm learning about the natural side of things because my daughter is and I have no plans of relaxing her hair. I don't know what I'll do once I reach my goal. I do think that once I get a little older I may opt to go natural again, time will tell I guess...
 
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