Conditioning Before Neutralizing - Protein or Moisture? (Theory)

[bedazzled]

Okay so I was watching a youtube video of a lady doing her clients relaxer and before she neutralized she applied a moisturizing conditioner. Now I know the reason why we do this is because after a relaxer, before neutralizing this is when the cuticles are the most/fully open and this is the time to get the best conditioning in. Well after watching this I thought about something. When we sit under the dryer to open our cuticles, we do it because we want the moisture to seep into the hair shaft and then we wash with cool to close the cuticle to seal the moisture in. But protein on the other hand, we don't have to do that. Atleast with aphogee products & many of my other protein products it seems like the protein just bonds to the hair regardless & heat isn't needed. So with that said, wouldn't it make more sense to fuse moisture in our hair during this time before neutralizing, since protein will bond to the hair regardless if the shaft is wide open or not? Am I correct or Am I wrong? Someone explain this to me please.

So instead of relax, protein treatment, neutralize then moisture dc.. would it be better to just relax, moisture cond., neutralize then light protein? I mean it seems plausible since even if i do not follow up with a moisture DC, products like aphogee 2 min don't dry out my hair at all.

 

[Barbie83]

very good question

I'm no expert, but I think that since relaxing essentially breaks down the protein structures in your hair, it's more important to build the structure back up immediately after relaxing.

I doubt a moisturizing condish would do harm, but at that point when your hair is weakest (and most receptive), it makes sense to build it back up as soon as possible.

Hopefully other ladies will chime in for you....

 

[bedazzled]

^^ Thats very true. Thank You. But would it make a difference to just do a hard core protein a week before hand, or instead of doing the protein condition before neutralizing, do a moisture one and follow up with a light protein after neutralizing?

 

[FluffyRed]

Since I have screwed this up before, and had to live with the aftereffects for like two months, I would recommend using the pre-neutralizing condish that comes with the line (e.g., mizani). But maybe some experts can chime in.

 

[Sugar]

^^ Thats very true. Thank You. But would it make a difference to just do a hard core protein a week before hand, or instead of doing the protein condition before neutralizing, do a moisture one and follow up with a light protein after neutralizing?

I do a hard core protein conditioner the week before. But I still do the light protein step before neutralizing. I'm not sure I'd want to add moisture when its at its weakest....it might turn out mushy or something.