Home relaxing - process question

[peacelove]

Hi to all home relaxers. I have a question. I have been getting my hair relaxed with Affirm for over 10 years. I have not been able to find a stylist I am really pleased with since my stylist moved and I am tired of spending all the money to get results I don't love. So I am going to having my sister relax my hair. As an affirm user, I swore by the 3 step process of relax, condition FIRST, then neutralize. I decided to purchase the 5 in 1, but wanted to try another relaxer that I could find easier than affirm lye. I decided to go with Vital. But my question is, does anyone use the affirm steps without using affirm? In other words, condition the hair before they neutralize? I know some home perms have that step, but most don't. I just don't want to do something damaging because I did not follow the instructions of neutralizing immediately after the relaxer is washed out.

Also, does anyone use Vitale MILD? I have seen a couple of vital threads. Just wondering if anyone uses mild. EDIT: I am on the site, I guess they don't make mild. Is the life and body a fairly gentle perm? I had switched to affirm mild, I don't want anything too strong.

Thanks!

 

[peacelove]

Oh dear, I have another vitale question. It says it is NOT good for porous hair, which I have!

Are then any suggestions for a lye relaxer that work on porus hair? Now I am scared.

 

[Ashee]

Maybe you could use Porosity or something else to close the pores in the shaft...

Other than that I use Motions Salon Herbal now and I used to use CON Regular Relaxer.

I am very curious to know how Conditioning hair first, that's off it's pH balance, helps the hair.

I would stick to Neutralizing the hair first...

Any Affirm users out there?

 

[lkg4healthyhair]

I have used Affirm for years and my hairdresser would rinse and wash with neutralizing shampoo ONE TIME then use the 5 in 1.

I just don't feel comfortable without washing at least once with relaxer in my hair. Then she rinses out the conditioner after 5 mins and continues with neturalizing.

Cathy Howe uses the Affirm Fibergard and she says she does the same (washes first).

Sorry, I don't know other relaxers that I could recommend.

 

[Ashee]

I have used Affirm for years and my hairdresser would rinse and wash with neutralizing shampoo ONE TIME then use the 5 in 1.

I just don't feel comfortable without washing at least once with relaxer in my hair. Then she rinses out the conditioner after 5 mins and continues with neturalizing.

Cathy Howe uses the Affirm Fibergard and she says she does the same (washes first).

Sorry, I don't know other relaxers that I could recommend.

I think Cathy Howe is now transitioning her hair

 

[peacelove]

Thanks guys for the feedback. With the affirm, I never had a problem with the condition first. In fact I think that is why I did well with affirm because once I did not do that step and it did not do as well.

I am just wondering if anyone does it with non-affirm relaxers.

 

[Ashee]

Thanks guys for the feedback. With the affirm, I never had a problem with the condition first. In fact I think that is why I did well with affirm because once I did not do that step and it did not do as well.

I am just wondering if anyone does it with non-affirm relaxers.

Not here...
Maybe Affirm is made in a way that allows the conditioning process to work well with it...
Other brands usually recommend to neutralizing stage to be first...

It could all be in the way it's made...

 

[baglady215]

Ashee, Motions Salon Herbals has a neutralizing conditioner. You didn't use that?

I think the purpose of a neutralizing conditioner is to condition the hair while the cuticles are still open from the relaxing process. Other Motions relaxers have neutralizing conditioners too. I find that my hair is much softer when I condition before I shampoo.

If you do condition before you shampoo, make sure that the conditioner has a low pH.

 

[Babygurl]

When I went to a stylist, thats one thing she told me that stuck with me, never condition before neutralizing (she says it causes damage), that tip always stuck in my head, and now that I self relax I neutralize before anything else.

 

[Ashee]

Ashee, Motions Salon Herbals has a neutralizing conditioner. You didn't use that?

I think the purpose of a neutralizing conditioner is to condition the hair while the cuticles are still open from the relaxing process. Other Motions relaxers have neutralizing conditioners too. I find that my hair is much softer when I condition before I shampoo.

If you do condition before you shampoo, make sure that the conditioner has a low pH.

No, when I bought mine I didn't see the Neutralizing Con, but I still had PCJ Neutralizer Poo (I think it conditions as well) but it's one of the multi-relaxer neutralizers...
I try not to buy brand specific neutralizers... But I know see that the Salon Herbals have a whole new line...
I might look into it...
I was just wondering if the Affirm was a seperat con & neutralize process... That sounded scary to me, but putting both together sounds safer and saves time as well.... I just like to neutralize the relaxing process immediately...
Correct me if I'm mistaken, but are neutralizers supposed to immediately end the relaxing process in the hair & balance out the pH levels?
-TIA

 

[baglady215]

From what I've heard, it doesn't matter if the NEUTRALIZER is a shampoo or a conditioner, as long as it does the job of neutralizing the relaxer to stop it from processing. With a conditioner, you get the added benefits of conditioning while neutralizing. Then the poo is for removing the relaxer residue from the hair.

 

[msmerc]

Motions Salon Herbals uses a neutralizing conditioner. I have had great results with this relaxer system.

 

[Ashee]

From what I've heard, it doesn't matter if the NEUTRALIZER is a shampoo or a conditioner, as long as it does the job of neutralizing the relaxer to stop it from processing. With a conditioner, you get the added benefits of conditioning while neutralizing. Then the poo is for removing the relaxer residue from the hair.

The main thing I look for with my Neutralizers, JFM, is that Alert Color Suds...
The PCJ, & a few others, have made it so that if you haven't completely pooed out all of the relaxer, the suds would be bright pink to a slight pink color....
I like the feature... JML it would be the day I buy something "different" and I missed a spot, *POOF* BALD SPOT!
Does the Salon Herbals brand have a safety alert?

 

[c_octavia]

I am not too positive, but what I thought was nutralizing about shampoo was the low ph. I am pretty sure you can use the cond, then the nutralizing shampoo. I use creme of nature, but I know that Optimum has a cond that goes on b4 the nutralizing shampoo. Not the box kind, the lye kind you can get at the bss. Its called opti ph post relaxer nutralizer and normalizer, and the bottle says to use it after rinsing the relaxer. So Yea other brands do that. I dont think there wouldbe a problem with doing that. I used the Opti Ph after relaxing with creme of nautre mild, I've done it twice and my hair is still on my head.

 

[baglady215]

Does the Salon Herbals brand have a safety alert?

No, the neut. conditioner doesn't have a color alert, but you are supposed to leave it on for 10 minutes. I believe the poo (Motions Salon Herbals) has neutralizing properties also.

I've heard that you should leave any neut. shampoo on for 10 minutes as well.

 

[Ashee]

I am not too positive, but what I thought was nutralizing about shampoo was the low ph. I am pretty sure you can use the cond, then the nutralizing shampoo. I use creme of nature, but I know that Optimum has a cond that goes on b4 the nutralizing shampoo. Not the box kind, the lye kind you can get at the bss. Its called opti ph post relaxer nutralizer and normalizer, and the bottle says to use it after rinsing the relaxer. So Yea other brands do that. I dont think there wouldbe a problem with doing that. I used the Opti Ph after relaxing with creme of nautre mild, I've done it twice and my hair is still on my head.

I think at the end of the day, all of these conditioners have the neutralizing properties within them. The company is just adding a softening touch to the neutralizer with the con properties.

 

[Ashee]

No, the neut. conditioner doesn't have a color alert, but you are supposed to leave it on for 10 minutes. I believe the poo (Motions Salon Herbals) has neutralizing properties also.

I've heard that you should leave any neut. shampoo on for 10 minutes as well.

I'll look into this then... My PCJ is almost done.. I've had it for almost two years!

 

[baglady215]

LOL. I used Isoplus for years but it was very drying. I had great results with the Salon Herbals one. You should try it!

 

[peacelove]

I am not too positive, but what I thought was nutralizing about shampoo was the low ph. I am pretty sure you can use the cond, then the nutralizing shampoo. I use creme of nature, but I know that Optimum has a cond that goes on b4 the nutralizing shampoo. Not the box kind, the lye kind you can get at the bss. Its called opti ph post relaxer nutralizer and normalizer, and the bottle says to use it after rinsing the relaxer. So Yea other brands do that. I dont think there wouldbe a problem with doing that. I used the Opti Ph after relaxing with creme of nautre mild, I've done it twice and my hair is still on my head.

Yeah, and actually Vitale has a step like this too. It does seem like the PH level is what is important. The 5 in 1 has a low PH level so it lowers the overall PH level of the hair.

 

[lkg4healthyhair]

I think Cathy Howe is now transitioning her hair

Yes, she is...but this is how she used to relax