Natural ladies!! Do you ever get THAT URGE to relax??

[greenbees]

I've been natural for five years now and I love it but when I see some of the pretty styles that woman with relaxed hair have, it makes me consider going back to relaxers again.

Sometimes I find myself lingering around the Mizani relaxer boxes at the BSS. Lately, I can't get the ides of a sleek bob out of my head. I'm in love with Rihanna's bob from a few years ago.

I thought about cutting my natural hair to that length and straightening it for the look but I didn't like the in-between stage of my natural hair at that length.

Maybe I'll just slap some extensions in my head until I get through this stage.

 

[NappyNelle]

Nope. Can't say that I have.

If you like the straight styles better, why not relax?

 

[SpyCats]

Almost every month, even after 18 years of being natural lol.

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

Directly after I BC'd. I had to almost cut my fingers off to not reach for my full jar of texturizer in the closet. I'm over it for now, but sometimes I hear the texturizer whispering to me...

 

[Nonie]

Nope. Can't say that I have.

If you like the straight styles better, why not relax?

@NappyNelle and I seem to be on the same page on many things. 'sup brain twin!

OP if you prefer straight hair, I agree relax and enjoy it. If you just crave it for a bit, straighten and have the option of returning to coils when you've had your fill. The versatility of our hair is one reason I never miss relaxed hair. I can get the look w/o the chemicals and not be stuck there for longer than I want.

Braid extensions are indeed another way to enjoy the "styles of relaxed hair". I just recently shared how I did that with mine here. If you wrapped damp human hair extensions in cross wrap like this and airdried, you could probably get the look in the OP.

 

[Blkrose]

in a word: yes

 

[Smiley79]

Yes, I have an urge to become a long term stretcher, wondering if 1 to 2 times a year of relaxing "won't be so bad". I try to justify the danger of relaxers is maybe for those who do it every 6-8 weeks; what if I do it every 6 months? Maybe it wont be so bad? Girl my mind goes through that tennis match weekly. lol

 

[prettybyrd]

I don't think about relaxing again, but I see hairstyles that make me want to live in weaves!

Weaves, wigs, and extensions are a girls best friend when you don't want to give up your natural texture for a hairstyle you don't want to grow out later.

 

[Rastafarai]

If you like the straight styles better, why not relax?

She doesn't have to. If she wants the straight look, she can change it up and flat iron her hair professionally or better yet, get a weave done. Hair is an accessory and relaxed hair does not have much versatility as rocking it natural (IMHO).

bernag06, get a sew in. I don't know if Ri is natural but Beyonce, Tyra Banks and many others are natural heads rocking those lacefronts, wigs and weaves to obtain that straight look without damaging their napps.

And to answer your question: I get the urge but I don't cave in.

 

[greenbees]

Nope. Can't say that I have.

If you like the straight styles better, why not relax?

I like natural styles and straight styles about equally. I love the way my natural hair feels, its so soft and fluffy , I feel like I might make a mistake if I decide to relax it again.
Also, I'm extremely tenderheaded and I have never forgotten what the burn of a perm feels like.
I know if I relax, I'd probably have to depend on going to a stylist or at least a friend that I trust dearly because I tried to relax my hair once and a patch of it fell out a little bit later and I BC'd that fall.
I think I might be in a bit of a rut and somewhat bored of my hair right now.

 

[JudithO]

Yes.. all time. Whats stopping me? I don't know a good hair stylist, natural hair costs me less than 5 bucks a month to maintain, + i dont know the health implications of a chemical relaxer. I feel i retain more with proper care on natural hair too.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using T-Mobile G2

 

[Philippians413]

Me + Relaxers = Joanne Robertson edges (but not just on my edges)...so no.

I do get the urge to straighten though.

 

[Uniqzoe]

Surprisingly, no! I have gotten the urge to wear my hair straight more lately but only temporarily. Sometimes I even wonder if I will want to relax when my hair gets longer but each time I think about it, it actually turns me off. Especially when I think of the 18 months of transitioning, I'm like naw I'm good.

bernag06 since you like the best of both worlds maybe you should try to find a stylist that can press it and give it that relaxer straight swang that won't damage it in the meantime. (tall order I know but they are out there).

 

[kandake]

Not really. For me it's just the urge for straight hair. I can do that with a blow dryer and a flat iron.

 

[NappyNelle]

I like natural styles and straight styles about equally. I love the way my natural hair feels, its so soft and fluffy , I feel like I might make a mistake if I decide to relax it again.
Also, I'm extremely tenderheaded and I have never forgotten what the burn of a perm feels like.
I know if I relax, I'd probably have to depend on going to a stylist or at least a friend that I trust dearly because I tried to relax my hair once and a patch of it fell out a little bit later and I BC'd that fall.
I think I might be in a bit of a rut and somewhat bored of my hair right now.

Oh ok. From the OP, I gathered that you had a preference for the straight styles and that was why you second-guessed heat styling and weave. Well, you already know what to do to get your 'fix'. Now you have to find someone you trust to braid your hair.

 

[nzeee]

relaxer? no. i have very bad associations with it including a peeling scalp (not dandruff or flakes, like huge pieces of scalp that couldn't really be washed out easily. unpleasant and unsavoury). plus major breakage. and soooo much thinness. i hate the look of thin hair. i know relaxed ladies here say you can have thick hair and relax but i don't think EYE personally can have thick relaxed hair.

oh... and the smell and the... nope. i never ever feel like relaxing.

but texturizing? YES!! once a month. i think this will change as my hair continues to retain and as i learn how to best retain moisture (coarse strands, low porosity). i feel this strong desire a bit less now but there were times in the recent past that i fantasized about texturized or texlaxed hair. the thickness. the length. the detangling ease (all assumptions btw).

what stopped me? my innate distrust for stylists plus thread after thread of texlaxers transitioning. i don't want to do something just to return to natural and cut my hair again

 

[tbaby_8]

Every now and then I think about it, but once I flat iron my hair, then the urge is gone.

 

[ms-gg]

no ma'am. Absolutely NOT. Never EVER EVER again. And I mean that. Five years in the game and I'm in it for life.

 

[bride91501]

In the 12 hours between my BC and when I found LHCF? Yes.

Since then? Nope. I can honestly say that this community has helped me fill any insecurities I had over my hair when I first BC'd. Love y'all

OP- maybe you can rock a straight full weave until you decide if you want relax? I have a friend who is a super-coarse natural 4b, and her stylist installs the flyest razer-sharp straight bob weave 'do for her. You'd never know she was natural underneath....

 

[Hairlosophy]

Now I love being natural and all, but I had a short relaxed haircut for years. Every so often I get the urge to cut off my hair and rock a relaxed short cut.

 

[lilyofthenile]

Not at all. I haven't got a relaxer in years.

 

[discodumpling]

Get a weave.

No I never ever get the urge. The thought of a relaxer makes my scalp tingle

 

[30something]

Yep, I get urges to do just about anything and everything with my hair including coloring it.

 

[NaturalRed]

Relax, no. I used to get the urge to heat straighten when my hair was going through it's awkward phase. But I've gotten over it. Now, I don't get the urge nearly as much, mainly because I'm afraid of heat damage, and I've grown to love by 4ab texture.

 

[NaturalEnigma]

Nope. I never think about it. Relaxers=Breakage for me. I started my hair journey when I was relaxed no matter how much I cared for my hair it would still break. I felt like I was pushing a rock up a hill, only to have it slide back down, over and over again, uh! Thinking about it makes me depressed, no ma'am, I'm not going back to that lifestyle.

 

[RegaLady]

Now I love being natural and all, but I had a short relaxed haircut for years. Every so often I get the urge to cut off my hair and rock a relaxed short cut.

Otherwise, nope, I don't.

 

[winona]

Relax no but I get the urge to straighten seems to be at least 1X a month lately. Then I get all scurried and wash it out in a week lmbo

 

[faithVA]

I love some short sassy hair styles. And there are some that catch my eye. I want the style but I don't want the relaxer part of it. My relaxer days were traumatic for me so I never get the urge. And I don't try to fool myself, my hair looked good for the 2 weeks after I got it done then it was more work to keep it straight than my natural hair is. Even with all the stuff I have learned on LHCF I don't believe I could maintain my relaxed hair.

But if you need a change up, I love that the ladies shared so many options for you to try. Show us your new look if you get one.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I do all the time, however, I have a goal I want to meet first before I even think about relaxing. Maybe, I will change my mind about relaxing when I meet the goal.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

already did it once and regretted it two days later. So now I don't get the erge but as far as that style is concerned get a wig and chop it up to your desired style.