from natural to relaxed

[ajoyfuljoy]

Hey all. Search has been disabled so i couldn't look for a topic on this.

I've been on this board since 2006. I've been natural for five years. And i think I'm done.

Ive worn weaves for five years. My natural hair is super high maintenance and I stopped enjoying styling it several years ago.

I'm a very densely stranded 4a/4b. My hair is super coily. Close to bra strap but always shrinks to my ears no matter the product or styling technique used.

I had no real reason outside of curiosity to stop relaxing. My relaxed hair was super thick. I worked out a no heat regimen through braid outs that was simple and worked for me. Man do I miss those simple braid outs!

Now that the curiosity has been satisfied. Im pretty sure im gonna go back. I'm considering ors relaxer so it will leave texture in my hair.

Anyone else done something similar or know of a thread about this?

 

[niknakmac]

I was natural for about 5 yrs. I then relaxed for another 5 and now am back to natural. I really don't think one is easier then the other. They both have their benefits and drawbacks.

I relaxed with mizani butter blends. It leaves texture in your hair and I found it was very gentle.

 

[bydebra]

I will say that my hair was super easy to take care of when it was relaxed as far as weekly styling (shampoo/dc/roller set). But, relaxer touch-ups were a pain.

Have you thought about heat straightening instead of relaxing?

 

[greenandchic]

I textlaxed my hair late 2013 after being completely natural. I spent all of my adolescence and my early 20s as a straight haired natural. I loved it but it was a pain and since I wanted to be more active, it wasn't going to work. After I stopped using heat back in 2002 I wore my hair completely natural. It was great for...11 or so years but the care and upkeep was a bit much for me. I want long hair and I feel I can't have both. Knots and tangles were getting the best of me. Since I've always been natural, I've had a LONG time to get to know my hair so it wasn't like I wasn't being patient. I was never into braids, twists and never wore a wig or weave (and no desire to) so that type of protective styling is out.

Upkeep of my hair is so much easier and faster than before. I also have less breakage. There's a lot I needed to learn about my "new" hair but this works for me - at least for now.

 

[Misseyl]

Hey all. Search has been disabled so i couldn't look for a topic on this.

I've been on this board since 2006. I've been natural for five years. And i think I'm done.

Ive worn weaves for five years. My natural hair is super high maintenance and I stopped enjoying styling it several years ago.

I'm a very densely stranded 4a/4b. My hair is super coily. Close to bra strap but always shrinks to my ears no matter the product or styling technique used.

I had no real reason outside of curiosity to stop relaxing. My relaxed hair was super thick. I worked out a no heat regimen through braid outs that was simple and worked for me. Man do I miss those simple braid outs!

Now that the curiosity has been satisfied. Im pretty sure im gonna go back. I'm considering ors relaxer so it will leave texture in my hair.

Anyone else done something similar or know of a thread about this?

There's a thread about this out there and I was about 6 pages in when I went to do something and came back and it was gone. Natural hair is not for everyone and if you think you can have healthy relaxed hair, then go for it. I know I won't be relaxing again and this has been my first transition. There is just too much information out there now on natural hair for me to go back, plus my hair wasn't thriving when it was relaxed, it would grow and break, my edges burnt off and I wasn't happy with the way my hair looks. Now that it's been natural, I'm seeing hair grow where there wasn't any hair there in decades. If I come to the point where I'm experiencing knots and stuff then I'll just deal with it because I love my hair anyway so I don't mind taking my time to deal with it

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

I will say that my hair was super easy to take care of when it was relaxed as far as weekly styling (shampoo/dc/roller set). But, relaxer touch-ups were a pain.

Have you thought about heat straightening instead of relaxing?

Heat straightening seems to be a greater sin than relaxing for my hair. My hair is just super thick whether relaxed or natural. It takes a whole lot of heat to straighten my natural hair. I don't have the patience to attempt it at home. The person who did it succesfully left my hair smelling burnt.