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Lye vs. No lye relaxers

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morehairplease

Well-Known Member
this has probably been asked a zillion times but what is the difference betweent the two? Is one better for the hair than the other? TIA for you help!
 
Supposedly lye is easier on hair but rougher on scalp and no lye is easier on scalp but can leave calcium build up on the hair (well that is if it's CaOH...calcium hydroxide). I noticed the Soft and Beautiful (no lye) relaxer has a decalcifying neutralizer.
 
Faith said:
Supposedly lye is easier on hair but rougher on scalp and no lye is easier on scalp but can leave calcium build up on the hair (well that is if it's CaOH...calcium hydroxide). I noticed the Soft and Beautiful (no lye) relaxer has a decalcifying neutralizer.


thanks Faith! I was wondering what the difference between the two were.....thanks for replying!
 
I've finally decided that lye relaxers are better than no lye. I was a staunch lye user, then when I switched salons last year, I started using no lye. I realise that my hair just never gets straight, no matter how long they smooth or leave it in, so I'm going back to lye forever more. Amen.
 
Lye has moisture in it and No Lye dries your hair out. That is why I use Lye in my hair. The moisture is out of this world. With no lye on my daughter's hair is really dry and I have to put a lot of moisture in her hair just to keep it moist. I mean her hair will be dried out by the end of the day. So, this is one the differences between lye and no lye relaxers.
 
I'm glad I've been using lye relaxers for the past 5+ years. I'm glad I found a new stylist that based my scalp before relaxing my hair. It's a win-win situation. :D
 
I switched to Lye I would say a year ago, and dont plan on looking back... the MOISTURE, is unbelieveable... I can notice where my no lye starts, because it is so dry, meanwhile my roots and somelength length is smooth... I would cut it /no lye off, but almost bra strap... lol
 
AnjelLuvsUBabe said:
I switched to Lye I would say a year ago, and dont plan on looking back... the MOISTURE, is unbelieveable... I can notice where my no lye starts, because it is so dry, meanwhile my roots and somelength length is smooth... I would cut it /no lye off, but almost bra strap... lol

I'm in the same boat where you can see the different textures. With no lye I couldn't pay enough to get moisture. Now all I need is UBH and a little shine. This will be my 3rd time relaxing lye. I can't see myself going back to no lye.
 
thanx ladies, i always thought that lye= baaaad, but i see that was some bad info. i'm gonna stretch my relaxer a lil longer and then try this lye relaxer thing, any recomendations? And i get my perms done at home so i buy my relaxers from walgreens and such and they only sell no-lye relaxers,Where can i get a lye relaxer.

Thanx!
 
I'm planning on switching to lye for my next touchup in a couple of weeks (after stretching 30+ weeks). I got Vitale lye relaxer andthe reconstructor and neutralizing shampoo that go with it at the BSS.

I'm assuming you're planning on doing your hair yourself. Be sure to check out SouthernGal and LondonDiva's (I think) self relaxing tips before you do.
 
AnjelLuvsUBabe said:
I switched to Lye I would say a year ago, and dont plan on looking back... the MOISTURE, is unbelieveable... I can notice where my no lye starts, because it is so dry, meanwhile my roots and somelength length is smooth... I would cut it /no lye off, but almost bra strap... lol

Same exact thing here.....Switched in October 2004, when I decided to be nice to my hair.
 
PatTodd said:
I'm planning on switching to lye for my next touchup in a couple of weeks (after stretching 30+ weeks). I got Vitale lye relaxer andthe reconstructor and neutralizing shampoo that go with it at the BSS.

I'm assuming you're planning on doing your hair yourself. Be sure to check out SouthernGal and LondonDiva's (I think) self relaxing tips before you do.


thanks pattood! off to check out the self relaxing tips thread you mentioned! Thanks again!
 
Just my two cents, but I have always used no-lye, and my hair was relaxed gently and grew fine. I switched to lye after hearing the raves (April 2005) on the board, and it left my hair severly underprocessed. I have now recently gone back to no lye and my hair is doing better (there is a clear difference in texture in my hair, the no-lye part is smooth and silky, and the lye part is curly and frizzy). I think that you should used the brand of relaxer that best suits you whether that be lye or no lye.
 
I'm no expert, but I think that most of the ladies here who use lye relaxers are more interested in the moisture and retention of strength that it gives the hair, rather than straightness. If I really wanted my hair bone straight, I'd go back to no-lye, but I'm more interested in keeping my hair on my head! So it's lye all the way for me!
 
that's so interesting lye didn't get my hair straight and reverted within weeks, is lye supposed to be more straightening?
Maybe I should give it a second try.

sithembile said:
I've finally decided that lye relaxers are better than no lye. I was a staunch lye user, then when I switched salons last year, I started using no lye. I realise that my hair just never gets straight, no matter how long they smooth or leave it in, so I'm going back to lye forever more. Amen.
 
SleekandBouncy said:
that's so interesting lye didn't get my hair straight and reverted within weeks, is lye supposed to be more straightening?
Maybe I should give it a second try.
You know what's so strange about the Lye relaxer is that everyone that uses it says it doesn't fully straighten hair, (some like it and other don't) andyway, back in the day they men and women would be tearin' their scalps up for that bone straight hair, So I wonder why the Lye relaxers don't straighten like they did yeeeeeeeeeears ago?:confused:
 
I'm back and forth between Dudley lye relaxer and Affirm. I never thought about it before, but I do get straighter results with the Affirm. Anyone know anything about these two particular brands?
 
This is my experience with lye / no lye:

I used Lye relaxer for years and started using Affirm regular about 2 years ago. My hair used to be really straight and shiny but lacked bounce. The worst part was when I just relaxed - the root looked thin (see through) and I had to wait a week or so for any kind of body, which is usually more evident when rollers are just taken out or curled with iron. Unfortunately as soon I combed it out, the style would flap - look dead. I also had to moisturize everyday or the ends would be really dry. I started using Phyto (first time on August 17th - self relaxed) and the result was amazing. The next day after relaxing, my hair was full of body! It takes minimal effort now to maintain body and bounce and my hair looks and feel so natural. It doesn't make the hair look as shiny as the lye relaxer but that is not a problem because the products you put in works just as well or better in giving shine. The strands are stronger and I don't feel it is a must to moisturize everyday. I only do it because the board advice moisturizing daily. Once I even washed and used no conditioner (an experiment) for 2 days and my hair was fine - I am not advocating this, I didn't like the way my hair felt the second day. I would never dream of doing that if my hair was relaxed with a lye relaxer! Anyway, my two cents is, I will be using a no lye relaxer (Phyto) for a really really long time.

On a realistic note though; our hair is so different and subjective so experimentation is the only thing that will guide us to knowing which products maximise the health of our hair.
 
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