niva
Member
to relax hair. Has anyone else heard of this.
http://www.ehow.com/about_4600367_h...ce=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art
About Homemade Hair Relaxer
By Diana Monda Dill, eHow Editor
About Homemade Hair Relaxer
Rate: (11 Ratings)
Also called a hair straightener, a hair relaxer is concocted to effectively "relax" or straighten natural or permed curls in hair. A relaxer either lessens the intensity of curls or straightens them completely. Though many commercial options are available, some people opt to make their own hair relaxers so they can exercise more control over the ingredients.
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Types
1. Not all homemade relaxers are created equal: formulations that work well on Caucasian hair do not fully relax African-American hair, while those suited for African-American hair may be too harsh for Caucasian hair. African-American hair, which is typically dry and extremely curly, is the most challenging to relax or straighten. The most common key ingredients used to formulate hair relaxers for this type of hair are cocoa butter and activator gel, which help promote the health of the hair as well as control the severity of the hair curls. Fresh coconut milk is another natural solution for straightening. These products are available at most hair care supply stores.
Function
2. Cocoa butter is used to supplement the natural oil in the hair, combining with it to add a protective coating to each individual shaft of hair. It provides each hair shaft with a smooth and moisturized surface, which renders the hair much more supple. This in turn loosens hair curls, minimizes tangling and allowing for better control when styling. It also provides protection from the harsh elements. Chemically, activator gel combines well with cocoa butter to create a mild, relaxing homemade formulation for straightening hair.
Fresh coconut milk is another natural solution for straightening. For a homemade relaxer, grind up the flesh of a fresh coconut in a blender. Measure out a glassful of the blended coconut. Now squeeze the juice of a lime into the coconut juice and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate it until a creamy foam develops on top. Massage the cream into the scalp and cover with a hot towel for about an hour. Wash out with shampoo and rinse well. Repeat several times a week. Your hair curls will gradually relax and straighten out.
Considerations
3. Caucasian hair requires different ingredients for relaxing the hair curls. One wash-out treatment for Caucasian hair is a combination of olive oil and hair conditioner. These are combined in the ratio of 4 parts olive oil to 1 part hair conditioner.
To prepare this homemade relaxer, warm 1/4 cup olive oil in a saucepan to just before a simmer. Add a tablespoon of hair conditioner and mixed it in thoroughly. Set the mixture aside and let it cool down until it is bearable to the touch. Apply it to the hair and leave on for at least 5 minutes. The more damaged your hair, the longer you should leave it on, but no longer than 30 minutes. Rinse out the relaxer and let your hair air-dry. This homemade mixture untangles and loosens hair curls. Style your hair as usual.
Effects
4. The straightening effects of a homemade relaxer can be enhanced using hair-straightening irons, such as a ceramic-coated flat iron. It helps by drying the hair quickly and allowing the relaxer to infuse into the hair shafts, loosening the natural or permed curls and helping to straighten them out. The flat iron should be used in a small section of hair at a time, right after coating the section with the homemade mixture. The flat iron should be worked from the hair roots toward the hair ends to maximize the relaxing benefits.
Warning
5. Do not overuse hair-straightening irons, because this may result in hair breakage and split ends. If you have recently used a hair-bleaching or hair-coloring treatment on your hair, you should also avoid using hair-straightening irons because your hair is more vulnerable to damage.
http://www.ehow.com/about_4600367_h...ce=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art
About Homemade Hair Relaxer
By Diana Monda Dill, eHow Editor
About Homemade Hair Relaxer
Rate: (11 Ratings)
Also called a hair straightener, a hair relaxer is concocted to effectively "relax" or straighten natural or permed curls in hair. A relaxer either lessens the intensity of curls or straightens them completely. Though many commercial options are available, some people opt to make their own hair relaxers so they can exercise more control over the ingredients.
* Send to Phone
* Print Article
* Add to Favorites
* Flag Article
* Bookmark and Share
Types
1. Not all homemade relaxers are created equal: formulations that work well on Caucasian hair do not fully relax African-American hair, while those suited for African-American hair may be too harsh for Caucasian hair. African-American hair, which is typically dry and extremely curly, is the most challenging to relax or straighten. The most common key ingredients used to formulate hair relaxers for this type of hair are cocoa butter and activator gel, which help promote the health of the hair as well as control the severity of the hair curls. Fresh coconut milk is another natural solution for straightening. These products are available at most hair care supply stores.
Function
2. Cocoa butter is used to supplement the natural oil in the hair, combining with it to add a protective coating to each individual shaft of hair. It provides each hair shaft with a smooth and moisturized surface, which renders the hair much more supple. This in turn loosens hair curls, minimizes tangling and allowing for better control when styling. It also provides protection from the harsh elements. Chemically, activator gel combines well with cocoa butter to create a mild, relaxing homemade formulation for straightening hair.
Fresh coconut milk is another natural solution for straightening. For a homemade relaxer, grind up the flesh of a fresh coconut in a blender. Measure out a glassful of the blended coconut. Now squeeze the juice of a lime into the coconut juice and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate it until a creamy foam develops on top. Massage the cream into the scalp and cover with a hot towel for about an hour. Wash out with shampoo and rinse well. Repeat several times a week. Your hair curls will gradually relax and straighten out.
Considerations
3. Caucasian hair requires different ingredients for relaxing the hair curls. One wash-out treatment for Caucasian hair is a combination of olive oil and hair conditioner. These are combined in the ratio of 4 parts olive oil to 1 part hair conditioner.
To prepare this homemade relaxer, warm 1/4 cup olive oil in a saucepan to just before a simmer. Add a tablespoon of hair conditioner and mixed it in thoroughly. Set the mixture aside and let it cool down until it is bearable to the touch. Apply it to the hair and leave on for at least 5 minutes. The more damaged your hair, the longer you should leave it on, but no longer than 30 minutes. Rinse out the relaxer and let your hair air-dry. This homemade mixture untangles and loosens hair curls. Style your hair as usual.
Effects
4. The straightening effects of a homemade relaxer can be enhanced using hair-straightening irons, such as a ceramic-coated flat iron. It helps by drying the hair quickly and allowing the relaxer to infuse into the hair shafts, loosening the natural or permed curls and helping to straighten them out. The flat iron should be used in a small section of hair at a time, right after coating the section with the homemade mixture. The flat iron should be worked from the hair roots toward the hair ends to maximize the relaxing benefits.
Warning
5. Do not overuse hair-straightening irons, because this may result in hair breakage and split ends. If you have recently used a hair-bleaching or hair-coloring treatment on your hair, you should also avoid using hair-straightening irons because your hair is more vulnerable to damage.
