~***How Long Does It Take You To Neutralize?***~

[Nita81]

How long does it take you to fully neutralize after your relaxer?

The reason I ask...I used Phytorelaxer for the 1st time today and it came with a color signal shampoo. It took me almost 30 minutes of repeat washings to get the foam to finally turn white.

My previous relaxers were ORS Lye/Mizani Lye. I was using their shampoos and they didn't have color signal. I would typically spend 10 minutes on neutralizing and thought I was okay. This leads me to believe my hair issues (dryness/brittleness) came from not doing this important step completely.

I'm hoping by neutralizing properly this time will yield good results.

 

[SpiritJunkie]

it takes me about 15min-20 to neutralize. i need too make sure that i get the chemical OUT! i also let the 'poo sit on my hair for 2-5mins then rinse/repeat.

 

[moonglowdiva]

I have a neutralizing ritual so it takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

 

[bbdgirl]

I would say that it takes at least 15 min, but I also make sure that I leave it on for like 3 minutes and then rinse also

 

[Ivonnovi]

I voted 5. I poo with it. Put somemore on while I exfolliate and clean my body. I them "shampoo"/"manipulate" the poo thats been neutralizing. Finish up with a moisturizing poo repeat the "wait to rinse" while I clean my body.

 

[bluevalentine]

i voted for more than 30 minutes. i dont know if i'm not rinsing the relaxer off for a long enough time or what, but last time i relaxed i thought that poo would NEVER turn white...scared me for a minute....

 

[frizzy]

Thanks to this board, I now take about 30+ minutes to neutralize. I do about 3 good washes then I lather up a fourth time, put a plastic cap on and let that sit for about 20 minutes, then rinse and wash one more time. I feel pretty confident relaxer is out after all of this.

There is no way I could go to a salon and get a relaxer now.

 

[NYAmicas]

What an eye-opener! I bought a bottle of neutralizing shampoo but didnt let it sit that long-I will next relaxer.

 

[malibu4590]

I typically use a generous amount of neutralizing poo to work up a lather and let it sit for 10 minutes. Afterward, I'll rinse and then use my shampoo of choice.

The only reason I neutralize "once" is because my relaxer comes with a "Post-Perm Treatment" that must sit on your hair for 10 minutes after the relaxer is rinsed out BUT before it is neutralized. It is not supposed to be rinsed out and you just add your neutralizing poo on top of it.

So in essence, I neutralize for 20 minutes though I voted for 10 minutes. Hope this makes sense.

 

[lana]

I would say that I go for about 10-15 minutes with the Neutralizing shampoo on my head, I rinse, neutralize, rinse, add more shampoo and let it sit, rinse and repeat. So that's a good ten to fifteen minutes. I'll try to add a forth one in there for good measure, but generally after that I add a conditioner, rinse and then deep condition and rinse...so by the time I'm all finished I've rinsed my hair about 6 or 7 times. I think that gets it all out and I haven't noticed any drying or brittleness.

Oh one thing...I use Mizani No-Lye and using the Mizani Neutralizing shampoo was the key for me. All those other $2 - $10 no name brand Neutralizing shampoos weren't working for me.

 

[Misseyl]

How long does it take you to fully neutralize after your relaxer?

The reason I ask...I used Phytorelaxer for the 1st time today and it came with a color signal shampoo. It took me almost 30 minutes of repeat washings to get the foam to finally turn white.

My previous relaxers were ORS Lye/Mizani Lye. I was using their shampoos and they didn't have color signal. I would typically spend 10 minutes on neutralizing and thought I was okay. This leads me to believe my hair issues (dryness/brittleness) came from not doing this important step completely.

I'm hoping by neutralizing properly this time will yield good results.

Yep, Phytorelaxer is no joke, it also takes me about 45 minutes to neutralize using this relaxer.. As a matter of fact, I attribute my hair growth/retention because of good neutralizing. IMO, I don't think they neutralize enough at the salons..

 

[neenee280]

I never timed it but I relaxed yesterday and I used the whole lil bottle and luckily had another on standby. I have to rinse like five times.

 

[tallygirl]

It takes me about 15 - 20 minutes to neutralize. I lather up and let the neutralizing shampoo sit on my hair and marinate for 3 -5 minutes, then rinse. I repeat this 4 times....That's my ritual

 

[tiffers]

After I rinse out my relaxer, I shampoo with Porosity Control shampoo. I lather twice, and each time, I give my scalp a long massage. Then I use the neutralizing poo the same way. By the time I use the neutralizing shampoo, the color-coded lather is already white, but I still lather up for a while to make sure

So I'd say about 15 minutes

 

[Son26]

At the salon, the stylist would give me three quick washes (2 with the neutralizing poo and 1 with a conditioning poo). That's probably one of the reasons why I had some breakage over the years. I didn't know until I saw this info a few months ago that the neutralizing poo should sit on the hair for a few minutes. After my last relaxer, when I went home, I washed my hair again with a neutralizing poo, and let it sit on my hair for 10 minutes. I've noticed that I haven't had much breakage.

 

[LivingDoll]

I use a lye relaxer, so I rinse, protein treat, then neutralize twice...it takes about 20-30 mins.

 

[Aggie]

The more I relax my hair the longer I seem to leave in the neutralizing poo. The first time it was like 7 minutes, the second time it was like 10 minutes and the last time I self relaxed, it was 15 minutes and each time my hair comes out better and better. Hmmm, I think I'm on to something, something good.

 

[ynggftd&mxd]

even using mizani's neutralizing poo, it still takes me about 25 minutes. for some reason, my hair will hold onto that relaxer!

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I leave it in for a while. First I rinse, then shampoo, then rinse, then shampoo and let it sit, then rinse, then shampoo again.


We may have all been causing some serious over processing damage because the directions on most relaxers don't put too much emphasis on neutralizing. I agree with misseyl, in that good retention and growth can probably be attributed to good neutralizing. I know I have seen a difference in my hair since I learned how to properly neutralize.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

Do y'all think that porosity could have something to do with how our hair holds on to relaxer? Now that we know how much more effort it takes to properly neutralize, should it be automatic to do a protein treatment after a relaxer?

 

[Neith]

I used to take about 20 mins to neutralize, but now I feel it's excessive and my hair came out feeling like straw. I use color alert poo and the suds where white, but I just had to be sure.

Now I rinse the relaxer from my hair, coat it in coconut milk for 5 mins, shampoo once with neutralizing poo and rinse out, then lather up really well with neutralizing poo again and let it sit for 5 mins, then I shampoo once with gbp poo.

I dunno why it takes some people so long.

 

[chrstndiva]

Yep, Phytorelaxer is no joke, it also takes me about 45 minutes to neutralize using this relaxer.. As a matter of fact, I attribute my hair growth/retention because of good neutralizing. IMO, I don't think they neutralize enough at the salons..

ITA. I use Phyto II and it seems like the lather just stays pink. I leave the neutralizing shampoo on for 2-3 minutes at a time, but I also mix in ACV rinses as well. The ACV rinses have shortened my neutralizing time to 20 - 25 minutes.