Can You Tell the Difference Between Relaxed and Natural Straightened?

[Jazala]

This is sort of a spin-off from a thread I was reading. (http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=419962)

Unless you can see obvious new growth, can you really tell if someone has relaxed hair or natural straightened hair? How can you tell?

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Sure, if someone is going for the kinky-straight look then its obvious.

Me personally, I'm a person of absolutes, if I'm wearing my hair kinky, I want it kinky from root to tip, if I'm wearing my hair curly, I want curls consistent from root to tip and if I straighten I want it consistently silky.

If you're like me, and you go for the silky pin straight look when you straighten, then people cant tell unless you let them know. Alot of times people do tell me they weren't sure but they knew my hair looked thicker and more bouncy then relaxed hair.

Its hilarious watching the reactions on peoples faces when I tell them I'm natural when I happen to be rocking a press & flat iron. I came up to this girl sitting at a large table with her friends and complimented her on her twa I was like "yay for being natural" and she was like "are you natural too?" I was like "100%!" all the jaws at the table she was sitting at dropped I was like "see ya!"

 

[chellero]

When people straighten their natural hair it tends to look thicker and healthier then relaxed hair.

 

[MoniintheMiddle]

Nope! I recently told a sales lady how pretty her shoulder length bob was. Then I asked her which relaxer she used. She said she is 1100% natural and had been that way for 5 years. Her hair was fiya and looked relaxed straight...it was beautiful!

 

[YankeeCandle]

My sister and I can almost always tell, but it also depends somewhat on the texture and/or pattern of hair that has been relaxed.

For instance, no, I did not know that a self described "Italian American" college girl's hair had been lightly relaxed as opposed to straightened because the end result looked just like European-straight hair with a mild wave. There was no way to know that it had undergone a chemical process as opposed to the blow-drying out and flat-ironing that I learned (once living in a dorm with them) many European-ancestry women do daily.

IMO, the tighter the natural curl or kink OR, alternately, the thicker or coarser the texture, I think it becomes much easier to distinguish chemical processing.

However, I do not think *most* people--and certainly not most men, as per that post--have any way to distinguish that. My sis and I grew up analyzing hair like hawks because we're from a very mixed ethnic background where people are always gossiping about "whose hair is naturally that 'good" (quite common for us) and whose hair had to be processed such (also common), and who just had an excellent stylist who knows their way around a hot comb.

 

[Jazala]

If you're like me, and you go for the silky pin straight look when you straighten, then people cant tell unless you let them know, its hilarious watching the reactions on peoples faces when I tell them I'm natural when I happen to be rocking a press & flat iron. I came up to this girl sitting at a large table with her friends and complimented her on her twa I was like "yay for being natural" and she was like "are you natural too?" I was like "100%!" all the jaws at the table she was sitting at dropped I was like "see ya!"

I can imagine those folks drooling over all that lovely hair!

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Thanks Jazala!

This is an interesting question, check out my press and flat iron, would you be able to tell, (just seeing me with my straightened hair) weather I was natural or relaxed?:scratchch

ETA: Here's a more recent improved flat-iron job with my beloved MaxiGlide

 

[Jazala]

When people straighten their natural hair it tends to look thicker and healthier then relaxed hair.

I used to think this too until I started seeing people on this board with thick, healthy, lush relaxed hair like Silver2 and Tee.

I'm thinking that if your hair is already thin, ANY type of straightening (thermal or chemical) will make it appear thinner.

As for healthiness, do you think that thick = healthy? or are you using some other measure for health?

 

[Jazala]

Thanks Jazala!

This is an interesting question, check out my most recent press and flat iron, would you be able to tell, (just seeing me with my straightened hair) weather I was natural or relaxed?:scratchch

Wow it's looks fabulous! I would not be able to tell. I do see some texture but, my hair looks a bit textured when I rollerset (most likely because I'm not bone-straight).

 

[Lucie]

I think I can. Which is funny because everyone thinks I am natural.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Wow it's looks fabulous! I would not be able to tell. I do see some texture but, my hair looks a bit textured when I rollerset (most likely because I'm not bone-straight).

Thanks I really liked the way it came out For me, if my hair is pressed, I pretty much have to convince people that I'm natural, then I have to show them that my texture isn't loose curls. I carry around my camera and show people my texture and different styles like I'm showing off a new born baby At that point most people just go "Wow" lmao

 

[Jazala]

My sister and I can almost always tell, but it also depends somewhat on the texture and/or pattern of hair that has been relaxed.

For instance, no, I did not know that a self described "Italian American" college girl's hair had been lightly relaxed as opposed to straightened because the end result looked just like European-straight hair with a mild wave. There was no way to know that it had undergone a chemical process as opposed to the blow-drying out and flat-ironing that I learned (once living in a dorm with them) many European-ancestry women do daily.

IMO, the tighter the natural curl or kink OR, alternately, the thicker or coarser the texture, I think it becomes much easier to distinguish chemical processing.

However, I do not think *most* people--and certainly not most men, as per that post--have any way to distinguish that. My sis and I grew up analyzing hair like hawks because we're from a very mixed ethnic background where people are always gossiping about "whose hair is naturally that 'good" (quite common for us) and whose hair had to be processed such (also common), and who just had an excellent stylist who knows their way around a hot comb.

That's an interesting observation and now that I think about it, it holds true in my experience as well. My uncle's ex-wife had hair that was in the 2's or 3's. She was relaxed and we never knew it till one day I found the relaxer kit she tried to hide in the trash lol. She wanted us all to believe that her natural hair was type 1. She wore her hair long, slightly wavy, and it was thick and very silky. It really fooled me for the longest time!

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

Not if a person gets a TRUE press.

 

[MAMATO]

I used to think this too until I started seeing people on this board with thick, healthy, lush relaxed hair like Silver2 and Tee.

I'm thinking that if your hair is already thin, ANY type of straightening (thermal or chemical) will make it appear thinner.

As for healthiness, do you think that thick = healthy? or are you using some other measure for health?

I definetely agree with you on this one Sweetie My own hair is far from being thin, and same goes for my sisters ...relaxed or natural

 

[xcuzememiss]

Thanks Jazala!

This is an interesting question, check out my most recent press and flat iron, would you be able to tell, (just seeing me with my straightened hair) weather I was natural or relaxed?:scratchch

I Could tell it was natural. But it straightened pretty good for not having a relaxer

 

[lexiwiththecurls]

I can definitely tell the difference. When I see people with bone straight flowy hair in the streets, I always ask if they are natural and 100% of people I ask say Yes. It is hard to explain how I know. Its the natural sheen, the bounce, and the flow of the hair. No offense to people with relaxed hair, but IMO a natural's press looks healthier straightened. There is a whole different look between a relaxed head and a natural head that is straightened bone straight. Idk..its hard to explain.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Thanks xcuzememiss I like when people can tell I'm natural too because that way I can serve as an example of the potential of natural hair

I totally feel what you're saying lexi

 

[claudia05]

Not really. I can sometimes tell between straightened fine hair vs relaxed fine hair. But definitely not with people with thick hair...

 

[dynamic1]

When comparing hair that appears healthy you cannot tell. When comparing two chewed up heads, you cannot tell.

Good presses, even with flat irons can look very smooth and bouncy. All you need is the right tools and a good professional or to be an awesome DIYer. There are alot of women in cities like Atlanta, that have competent stylist and get great results.

People often ask naturals who alternate between kinky and straight, if they got a relaxer to straighten. While working out with natural straightened hair my roots waved up because I sweat in the scalp. It looked like new growth.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Sometimes I can tell. The main indicator is thickness. Usually, to me, relaxed non-healthy heads seem flatter than relaxed healthy and naturally straightened heads. It's as though the relaxer took away any volume or fullness.

 

[MAMATO]

Forgot to tell, by the way BMP I love your pincurls results. For an unknown reason my pincurls are always a mess. So I gave up after a couple of trials

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Thanxsomuch Mamato!:blush3: your hair is sooooooo gorgeous!!!

My YouTube channel is on its way and I promise this will be amung the tutorials

 

[Bachelorette]

*sighs* You have such beautiful healthy hair, Mamato!

can you include your relaxer in regime? pretty please. lol

 

[MAMATO]

Thanxsomuch Mamato!:blush3:

My YouTube channel is on its way and I promise this will be amung the tutorials

Great Sweetie, I'll be there watching ... keep us posted

 

[Bachelorette]

I used to think this too until I started seeing people on this board with thick, healthy, lush relaxed hair like Silver2 and Tee.

I'm thinking that if your hair is already thin, ANY type of straightening (thermal or chemical) will make it appear thinner.

?

Exactly.

Quite a number of relaxed heads esp on here with nice healthy thick hair

 

[30something]

No, I can't. If both are straighten to pin straight then would be hard to tell the difference only thing I could do is suspect what it is.

If both was flat iron pin straight, used same products and had same thickness would be extremely hard for me to tell.

 

[MAMATO]

*sighs* You have such beautiful healthy hair, Mamato!

can you include your relaxer in regime? pretty please. lol

Oh thanks Honey ... Just ORS no lye regular, nothing fancy... 10-15 mins and I am good to go. I am texlaxed by the way. My natural texture is quite coarse and would take at least 45-60 mins to get bone straight

 

[taz007]

I can't really tell the difference either. In fact, my pressed natural hair was MUCH thinner than my relaxed hair. Not sure why that was/is. I will be posting pictures of both my natural and relaxed hair in December.

 

[anon123]

I think I can tell the difference at least 2/3 times. Something about the texture looks different. Just like at least 2/3 times I can tell the difference between a type 4 straightened and a type 3 straightened, even though they're both straight. The texture still looks different.

 

[CurlyNue]

I carry around my camera and show people my texture and different styles like I'm showing off a new born baby At that point most people just go "Wow" lmao

I assumeyou care for your hair like its a new born baby might as well show her off like shes one. Once I BC I might have to start carrying around my camara.