Essence Magazine Article

Aisha

New Member
I read these tips in the latest Essence Magazine and I wanted to share with everyone...sidenote Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith don't relax their hair,they get it pressed:



*Begin with the right formula. If you over or under process your hair, you can expect brittle strands that snap easily.


*Call on a friend.Relaxing requires quick and through application. Since you can't see every angle of your head, you'll need assistance to achieve a uniform finish.

*Protect the scalp, hairline, ears and nape. Apply a base to protect the skin and alleviate the burning irritation that relaxers can cause. Be sure to distribut the base evenly. Using too much can actually slow down the relaxing process.Instead, dab it on lightly with your fingers or use a pointed-nozzle squirt bottle for precise application.

*Prevent overlap. You can avoid overprocessing by applying a moisturizing conditioner to the relaxed sections of the hair. This acts like a barrier in case the chemicals come in contact with already processed hair..Apply a generous amount of the conditioner and the let it sit on the hair for 45 minutes before relaxing.

*Relax the most resistant hair first, which is usually at the back of the head or at the crown.

*Leave the comb alone. Most stylists agree that at-home users tend to pull the hair too much when applying relaxer with a comb, causing it to lose elasticity and making it easier to break. User your fingers instead or a tongue depressor to distribute the relaxer.


*Rinse properly. You should thoroughly rinse the hair at least three times or the relaxe that remains will continue to break down the hair and cause major damage.
 
I never and still don't understand how you can prevent overlapping. Now you can TRY not to overlap but it's VERY hard because your hair doesn't grow at the same rate everywhere on your head. So this is pretty difficult. I know that I overlapped ALL the time back when I relaxed but I never had a problem with it.
 
I like the part about applying a moisturizing conditioner to the relaxed sections of the hair to prevent overlapping. I've been doing something similar by applying oil, like olive oil to the relaxed hair to prevent overlapping.
 
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Aisha said:
*Leave the comb alone. Most stylists agree that at-home users tend to pull the hair too much when applying relaxer with a comb, causing it to lose elasticity and making it easier to break. User your fingers instead or a tongue depressor to distribute the relaxer.


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I was reading this article Tuesday during my last touchup as Todd was beginning to apply the relaxer. I asked him what would happen if he did NOT comb through the new growth -- if he just smoothed it with his fingers and the comb. He said my tight curl wouldn't straighten unless physically pulled straight.

Judging from my underprocess at home relaxing job, I believe. I'll comb the roots during my next self-relaxer.
 
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