Feeling Delusional..

[ms_kenesha]

I don't know why, but I'm getting this idea in my head that I should self-relax. My stylist is excellent with relaxing, but I'm starting to think that maybe I could do it, too.

The thing is that my hair is tighter in the back section of my head *what my SO calls the hook * and looser in the front, from behind the ears on, so that when I was at my 10th week the front could have stayed the way it was, but the back was getting to the breaking point. I'm just afraid that I will underprocess my hair too much or something.

I'll have to think about it some more, but I think I might be able to do it, there are so many successful self-relaxers on this board.

 

[candibaby]

Um, skrrt. Hold up. I thought you were natural, ms k?

 

[ms_kenesha]

Where have you been lady ...I relaxed in September.

Um, skrrt. Hold up. I thought you were natural, ms k?

 

[JenniferMD]

I think you should do it, if you need help I know Southerngirl can give you some bomb advice. She does an excellent job self-relaxing.

 

[candibaby]

Oh dang, I must've missed the update. I was looking in your album earlier like "dang thats a really good press" lol. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I cant really offer any help (if you wanted it) because I dont self relax. What relaxer would you be doing it with, if you did?

 

[ms_kenesha]

Affirm if I can get my hands on it, but if not then Elucence. Umsummayah, had good results with it and they let her buy it although she's not a professional.

@ the really good press!

Oh dang, I must've missed the update. I was looking in your album earlier like "dang thats a really good press" lol. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I cant really offer any help (if you wanted it) because I dont self relax. What relaxer would you be doing it with, if you did?

 

[ms_kenesha]

Yup, Jen she's one of the reasons why I thought about doing it, her hair looks GREAT!

I think you should do it, if you need help I know Southerngirl can give you some bomb advice. She does an excellent job self-relaxing.

 

[UmSumayyah]

Affirm if I can get my hands on it, but if not then Elucence. Umsummayah, had good results with it and they let her buy it although she's not a professional.

@ the really good press!

Correction, I thought I had good results with it. Actually they were good on the strand test. Problem is that strand was hairline and it didn't work for the rest of my hair. I switched to Mizani Sensitive Scalp, which does the trick. Although now I'm thinking about this Phyto stuff... :scratchch

 

[KAddy]

Correction, I thought I had good results with it. Actually they were good on the strand test. Problem is that strand was hairline and it didn't work for the rest of my hair. I switched to Mizani Sensitive Scalp, which does the trick. Although now I'm thinking about this Phyto stuff... :scratchch

Did someone say Phyto? Go for it!

 

[UmSumayyah]

Kaddy,
Can I switch without fear of breakage though? Mizani sensitive scalp is no-lye and so is Phyto I believe. But I'm not sure what type of no-lye for either.

 

[KAddy]

Kaddy,
Can I switch without fear of breakage though? Mizani sensitive scalp is no-lye and so is Phyto I believe. But I'm not sure what type of no-lye for either.

Well, I guess it really depends on your hair and how long you stretch your relaxers. I have switched relaxers quite a bit and have never had any adverse reactions. I think if you are stretching enough and have a lot of new growth, you have less of a chance to overlap onto where the other relaxer was applied. I have used Mizani then I went to something called Aces (I think) then I moved onto PhytoRelaxer. The first 2 were lye relaxers then I moved to the PhytoRelaxer.

 

[ms_kenesha]

Oh, I didn't know that. What was the issue with the Elucence?

Correction, I thought I had good results with it. Actually they were good on the strand test. Problem is that strand was hairline and it didn't work for the rest of my hair. I switched to Mizani Sensitive Scalp, which does the trick. Although now I'm thinking about this Phyto stuff... :scratchch

 

[Huggette]

DO IT DO IT!!!!

i don't think you have anything to be delusional about!!! it's intimidating but not hard. and underprocessing---just start from the "hook".

are you stretching your relaxers out!?

oh yeah...what means this "hook" anyway!? lol!! where did that come from!?

 

[ms_kenesha]

The hook because that's where your head (or at least mine in my so's kind of comes out, I can't explain it) which is where both of our hair is tightest, he's about a 3C/4A and I'm a 4A/B.

I'm trying to stretch my relaxers out to every 12 weeks, last time I only waited 10, but I think with adding more heat to my regime, I can last until 12.

DO IT DO IT!!!!

i don't think you have anything to be delusional about!!! it's intimidating but not hard. and underprocessing---just start from the "hook".

are you stretching your relaxers out!?

oh yeah...what means this "hook" anyway!? lol!! where did that come from!?

 

[Huggette]

well when you do finally get around to it have a friend kinda sorta supervise you.

how much longer do you have!?

 

[ms_kenesha]

9 weeks, so I have a good amount of time to ponder the possibilities.

I self-relaxed off and on in highschool, when I was short on cash and my parents were being mean *aka almost my whole senior year!* but I used no-lye then. I think I used Revlon and something else once.

About a year or two ago I used Motions Oil and that left me underprocessed like a MUTHA!

So tell me about your experiences with Elasta QP and give me the low-down on your technique.

well when you do finally get around to it have a friend kinda sorta supervise you.

how much longer do you have!?

 

[Huggette]

elasta!? i use the regular. i'm actually supposed to use mild b/c of my color but i just know that i'd be underprocessed. been there done that--i'm over it!!

i actually don't have anything bad to say. i based the first couple times i did it with tcb hair food. but it didn't really seem necessary to me so i haven't done it since. my most resistant part is in the middle of my head so i start there. in usually part my hair in quadrants. apply with a perm brush. top AND bottom of each section. i apply it in small/thin layers. that helps me prevent underprocessing. i think the thicker the section the less chance you have of "getting it right". so i start at the middle work my way down then go from the middle up. i pretty much don't do my kitchen and i'm TRYING not to do my edges. i end up doing them about every other t/u for like 5 minutes.

shampoo out with their neutralizing shampoo. then i'll do an aphogee treatment--b/c of all the crap i have in my hair (i.e the blond stuff). then i'll apply cpr and get under the dryer. rinse, apply h-2 and proceed with my rollerset.

i really like the qp b/c it makes my hair feel really moisturized. i think it even says that on the jar!!

this is the only lye one i've tried and haven't wanted to switch yet.

now no-lye...i've tried most ALL of those. they never lasted. ???

i think that's pretty much it though!!

 

[ms_kenesha]

Top & Bottom...I think this is one of the mistakes I was making, I didn't do this. I also think I was making the sections too big. I've been taking mental notes from my stylist and she does both of these things, top&bottom, plus narrow sections.

elasta!? i use the regular. i'm actually supposed to use mild b/c of my color but i just know that i'd be underprocessed. been there done that--i'm over it!!

i actually don't have anything bad to say. i based the first couple times i did it with tcb hair food. but it didn't really seem necessary to me so i haven't done it since. my most resistant part is in the middle of my head so i start there. in usually part my hair in quadrants. apply with a perm brush. top AND bottom of each section. i apply it in small/thin layers. that helps me prevent underprocessing. i think the thicker the section the less chance you have of "getting it right". so i start at the middle work my way down then go from the middle up. i pretty much don't do my kitchen and i'm TRYING not to do my edges. i end up doing them about every other t/u for like 5 minutes.

shampoo out with their neutralizing shampoo. then i'll do an aphogee treatment--b/c of all the crap i have in my hair (i.e the blond stuff). then i'll apply cpr and get under the dryer. rinse, apply h-2 and proceed with my rollerset.

i really like the qp b/c it makes my hair feel really moisturized. i think it even says that on the jar!!

this is the only lye one i've tried and haven't wanted to switch yet.

now no-lye...i've tried most ALL of those. they never lasted. ???

i think that's pretty much it though!!

 

[UmSumayyah]

Ms_K the problem with the elucence was that it is lye. I've concluded that lye just doesn't work for my hair, period.

 

[Chichi]

Not trying to convince you either way because I am totally biased (I self-relax) just wanted to share a little bit from my experience:

Going to the stylist to relax: they applied relaxer to my hair for 45 minutes and continued to straigthen until bone straight.

Self-relaxing: I relax my hair in halves; apply relaxer for 5 minutes and smooth for 8 minutes for a total of 13 minutes. I smooth until desired straigthening is achieved (about 75% straight).

I have only done this twice and I see a huge difference in my hair. There is really truth behind the saying that no one can do your hair as good as you can.

Chichi

 

[melodee]

Kenesha,
When you self relaxed two years ago (Good golly I remember it...we've known each other THAT long?), can you think of what may have been the culprit. Maybe it was the type of relaxer that didn't work for you. Or the amount of time you left it on. Or the oils you may have added, some stylists add oils or conditioners to dilute the relaxer when they just want to texturize. You'd probably be fine if you used the same realxer your stylist uses now. Now, to get it w/o a license may be tricky.

I, too, have been pondering this one. I have always been one to subscribe to that notion "a pro knows best. You could make your hair fall out". But past bad experiences have taught me that mainly stylists don't give a rat's butt about their clients true hair health. As long as it looks good while they're in the shop. I don't want my fragile nape hair relaxed over and over, and they ALWAYS realx that area, whether I tell them to or not.

My edges are the kinkiest area. My nape area is more curly and the crown of my head is where the loosest hair grows. I wish it wasn't that way, I'd rather have that crown hair on my edges. I'd probably relax ALOT less often if not for those darn rough edges. Anyway, I am SO scared to do my own, but I want to try phyto and don't want to pay $115 dollars for a touch up (the price of the kit+price of the labor at a salon). I may just do this, but that doesn't resolve the "uncareful practices" problems like raking your hair with a small tooth comb, not taking time to detangle, leaving the realxer on too long while they go away to drink their soda, pulling the relaxer through, and shampooing too rough following the relaxing process. I'm bout through too!!!