I'm scared. I'm doing my first self-relax in less than 48hrs!

[anatomicallycorrect]

I'm going to be using Phtyspecific index 2. I have 6 months of new growth and will do the ponytail method. I was thinking of buying more neutralizing shampoo b/c i am afraid i won't have enough. Is it ok to use CON shampoo afterwards or do y'all recommend anything else.
I am afraid i wont get a good perm . I'm also afraid of leaving the relaxer in.
But i need to relax. I've noticed a lot of shedding--i don't think stretching this long--w/a style that i have to comb weekly, unlike braids--is for me, bit i still will stretch maybe 3 months.

 

[amy1234]

Don't worry and calm down!! (lol).
I also get this way when the time comes to touch up. You mentioned that you have 6 months of new growth...now are you sure you have enough relaxer for this? not trying to scare you. Hopefully it will be enough. It's highly unlikely that your hair will fall out though, you'll be fine

 

[Arcadian]

don't worry too much, you should do ok.

Just make sure that any previously relaxed hair is protected to avoid any overprocessing. (I use porosity control conditioner for this)

I DO make sure I go around the hairline and cover my ears with the oil they have in the box. Some people base, some don't. I'm one of those that don't need to, especially with this product.

make sure you have everything you need at hand, also just fyi. If you want your hair to be straighter be sure to smooth it well.

If you have a full bottle of shampoo then you'll have plenty of shampoo. The relaxer...well, thats another issue. I don't know how long your hair is but I do believe one kit should cover you. (it bulks up when you mix the activator in)

Personally I always deep condition after a relaxer and my hair responds wonderfully to it. However, even if you don't do a deep conditioner, I still would recommend a good moister-rich conditioner. Some people like the milky reconstructer some don't. I mix some of the reconstructor with an ORS pak and a little oil which works just fine for me.


HTH

-A

 

[Neroli]

What Dee said. Stay calm and just be fast but methodical. Take each section at a time, do your best and move on to the next section.

I second the concern re: whether enough relaxer -- phyto is very stingy with the relaxer cream and 1 box was almost not enough for my 3 month retouch when I used it (I returned to my beloved affirm lye mild after experimenting with phyto) . . .

Stay calm, stay cool, and be a lean, mean, relaxing machine . . . LOL

 

[anatomicallycorrect]

Well, I only have abou 2.5 inches of new growth (hair grows very slowly ), so do you guys think i'll be ok? i was only planning on mixing half of it.

 

[AKA-Tude]

Slow yo roll!

You'll be fine! I just did my first Phyto retouch & it went like BUDDA!!!

I thought I was just going to use half of the mixture, but I almost didn't have enough! They should put a little extra in there!

Work steady and completely! You should have PLENTY of shampoo ( I was worried about that, but remember to RINSE WELL FIRST!) I still have half a bottle of poo left.

The next retouch I will be sure to have extra conditioner, esp. for my ends, so you may want to have that ready before you work. My ends were kinda dry afterwards.

Be sure you have all of your stuff right in front of you, have everyone leave you alone & let the machine get the phone while you are working.

I hope you love it as much as I do.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[blackbarbie]

I don't have any pointers but I just want to add that I wish I were as brave as you are and could self relax!!

Good luck and hope all goes well.

BB

 

[prettywhitty]

You can do it! I just did mine for the first time and I read Southern Girls tips for self relaxing. You can find it in the A Nwecomer's Guide for Starting Out thread. It helped me a lot.

 

[CandiceC]

Good luck and be sure to post your results!

 

[fattyfatfat]

what a coincidence!! I just self relaxed too. I thought it was going to be hard and I was going to burn my scalp and hair off. But I did really well! Wow...Ima open up my own shop. Just kidding!!!

 

[anatomicallycorrect]

Thanks guys for the encouragement
Another question: do you think it would be sufficient if i based the night before or should i base right before the relaxer?

 

[Neroli]

Thanks guys for the encouragement
Another question: do you think it would be sufficient if i based the night before or should i base right before the relaxer?

I think you should base right before the relaxer. If you do so the night before, some of the base will rub off and you won't have the full barrier that you'll need between you skin and the relaxer.

BTW, I would mix up the whole relaxer cream, just to be on the safe side since this is your first time. I know that phyto doesn't give a lot of the relaxer cream and I'd hate for you to be right in the middle of your thang and run out and have to waste time mixing up the other half. I THINK you can save any pre-mixed cream and use for next retouch, but not sure on that.

 

[MizaniMami]

Yaaay! welcome to the self relaxing world.

If you are afraid of overprocessing you can always divide some relaxer up and add oil to half of it, to use on the part that you relax first, giving you time to relax the rest of the hair (stoppong it from penetrating so fast) without over processing the first section.

It's okay, and you'll do fine. Some tips from me personally is:

Base you hair with a conditioner from overlapping right before you relax. It also makes you hair really soft too. It creates a barrier, a conditioning one at that.

Take you time!

Sit down in front of a mirror.

Turn off your phones, so no one will call you when the relaxer is in.

Lay everything out before you relax, so you won't be searching for anything.

Keep a clean towel on hand, base those ears and forehead!

Good luck and pleas ekeep us updated!

 

[UmSumayyah]

You can't save any pre-mixed relaxer for the next retouch.
And I concur that you should go ahead and mix up the whole jar, just to be safe.
Have you practiced before with cholesterol or some other thick conditioner to be sure you can apply and smooth your whole head in the time limit? I can't so I use the half-and-half method.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[RabiaElaine]

Hey girl!!!

I don't have any tips, since I haven't tried it yet. I will be where you are in about 1 month, I will attempt to self-relax 5 months of new growth for the first time !!!!!!!!!

I'm worried too, but I still have a few weeks to go so I know I will become more worried then. I think I'm going to take Mizani's tip and add oil to the half of the relaxer for the hair I do first. Still trying to decide if I will continue with Affirm Fiberguard Mild or Affirm Mild (not fiberguide)erplexed .

I also plan to do what UmSumayyah said earlier about practicing with Cholestoral. I'm going to buy the peachy pink one so that I can see the cream even better.

Please post your results when you are done...I pray everything goes perfectly .

 

[anatomicallycorrect]

Have you practiced before with cholesterol or some other thick conditioner to be sure you can apply and smooth your whole head in the time limit? I can't so I use the half-and-half method.

Let us know how it goes.

Yes. Monday I practiced using the coconut milk lime thing w/some conditioner mixed in too. But still i was like, this isn't the real thing. What if my strands still take longer to relax even w/smoothing? I'm just scared . I keep rereading the directions like i am taking a test!
I think i will rinse out in the kitchen sink b/c I am afraid of getting too much relaxer on the rest of my hair in the shower and in the bathroom sink.
I think you guys are right about just using thr whole thing. I was hoping I could use just half though.I paid $48 for that bad boy .
Also, y'all remember the movie Malcom X when they turned the water off when they came to arrest him and he had that relaxer in his hair? I'm afraid something like that will happen!

 

[anatomicallycorrect]

Oops, Double post

 

[rrolle234]

Yes. Monday I practiced using the coconut milk lime thing w/some conditioner mixed in too. But still i was like, this isn't the real thing. What if my strands still take longer to relax even w/smoothing? I'm just scared . I keep rereading the directions like i am taking a test!
I think i will rinse out in the kitchen sink b/c I am afraid of getting too much relaxer on the rest of my hair in the shower and in the bathroom sink.
I think you guys are right about just using thr whole thing. I was hoping I could use just half though.I paid $48 for that bad boy .
Also, y'all remember the movie Malcom X when they turned the water off when they came to arrest him and he had that relaxer in his hair? I'm afraid something like that will happen!

Every time I relax my hair i think thats going to happen to me. LMAO

 

[punchinella]

Yes. Monday I practiced using the coconut milk lime thing w/some conditioner mixed in too. But still i was like, this isn't the real thing. What if my strands still take longer to relax even w/smoothing? I'm just scared . I keep rereading the directions like i am taking a test!
I think i will rinse out in the kitchen sink b/c I am afraid of getting too much relaxer on the rest of my hair in the shower and in the bathroom sink.
I think you guys are right about just using thr whole thing. I was hoping I could use just half though.I paid $48 for that bad boy .
Also, y'all remember the movie Malcom X when they turned the water off when they came to arrest him and he had that relaxer in his hair? I'm afraid something like that will happen!

Girl don't do the crime if you can't do the time - Barretta

But seriously, just relax and be confident in yourself and visualize how beautiful your hair is going to be. Oh yeah and if you have one of those mirrors that you can put on a door put that behind you so you can see the back of your head too.

 

[MizaniMami]

Every time I relax my hair i think thats going to happen to me. LMAO

lmmfao!!! I think about a fire alarm happening where I have to vacate the building with relaxer in!!!

 

[tenderheaded]

You're going to be just fine. Watch your time and remember to smooth, smooth, smooth. I have 4a/4b hair that will drop kick you, so I keep telling myself this. Smooth, wait a few min, smooth, etc.

Please keep us posted. We're excited for you

 

[anatomicallycorrect]

OK, how do i smooth without touching my scal[? All directions say don't get relaxer on my scalp. And how do i rinse without getting on previously relaxed hair?

 

[MizaniMami]

OK, how do i smooth without touching my scal[? All directions say don't get relaxer on my scalp. And how do i rinse without getting on previously relaxed hair?

That's why you base your scalp and your hairwith the conditioner and scalp base of your choice. Because it WILL get on your scalp no matter how hard you try. I don't even worry about it because I am so heavy on the scalp basing tip.

Also make sure you coat your strands with some sort of conditioner. It is impossible to rinse the relaxer out without it coming to your ends. So that's why you coat it to prevent it from penetrating.

 

[anatomicallycorrect]

OK, Well, i couldn't wait any longer and I DID IT!!! No, it is not the smoothest relaxer. I think i was so concentrated on getting the roots that i forgot how long the roots were. I put the ponytail holder on but it slipped down anyway. i was afraid i would overlap (which i think i did) but at the same time there was more new growth that i didn't get. Well, i can say that the roots directly by my scalp are bone straight but it is kind of straight roots, wavy area, straight ends erplexed . Well, this is why i did the relaxer b/c i had 6 months of new growth and i started to get afraid if i waited too long to relax it would not get straight.
I am glad i relaxed b/c i was getting a lot shedding/breakage in y combout but i guess i wish it was smoother erplexed . Also i didn't keep it in the full time.I ws smoothing for a good 20 minutes and i think the total relax time was about 22-24 mins. i started feeling a little tingling and i was generally kinda scared to leave it in too long...
I only used half of the relaxer too, though i did mix the whole thing
ETA, after the neutralizing, was i supposed to use another shampoo b/c i did though the instrictions didn't say to do that.

 

[MizaniMami]

OK, Well, i couldn't wait any longer and I DID IT!!! No, it is not the smoothest relaxer. I think i was so concentrated on getting the roots that i forgot how long the roots were. I put the ponytail holder on but it slipped down anyway. i was afraid i would overlap (which i think i did) but at the same time there was more new growth that i didn't get. Well, i can say that the roots directly by my scalp are bone straight but it is kind of straight roots, wavy area, straight ends erplexed . Well, this is why i did the relaxer b/c i had 6 months of new growth and i started to get afraid if i waited too long to relax it would not get straight.
I am glad i relaxed b/c i was getting a lot shedding/breakage in y combout but i guess i wish it was smoother erplexed . Also i didn't keep it in the full time.I ws smoothing for a good 20 minutes and i think the total relax time was about 22-24 mins. i started feeling a little tingling and i was generally kinda scared to leave it in too long...
I only used half of the relaxer too, though i did mix the whole thing
ETA, after the neutralizing, was i supposed to use another shampoo b/c i did though the instrictions didn't say to do that.

OMG! Congrats! Sure beats the hell outta spending money for paying for someone to do it for you.

After I neutr. I use wash with a clarifying poo then a moisturizing poo, but then again, I'm extra like that. I think you should be fine with just the neutr. poo.

Congrats again, and now you know what to do for the next time.