Paul Mitchell/the Relaxer

[Candycane044]

Has anyone used this product, and if so what were your results?

http://images.marketworks.com/fullV.../images.marketworks.com/hi/60/59525/pmrs1.jpg

 

[miracle]

I have this relaxer, but haven't used it. I'm actually a little afraid to use it.....the directions scare me. They don't mention anything about neutralizing.....just using a conditioning shampoo following rinse. Which has me wondering if the neutralizing shampoos that I have will actually work with this relaxer. I don't know......I'm just a tad skeptical. I've never "not neutralized" after a relaxer. I don't want to end up with a disaster on my head.

 

[JamericanGurl]

Paul Mitchell used me as a platform model for this product in a Beauty show in LA years ago..it was OK! But at that same show 6 years ago I discovered Phyto and the rest is history.

I'm natural now...but I have used it!

 

[Candycane044]

I have this relaxer, but haven't used it. I'm actually a little afraid to use it.....the directions scare me. They don't mention anything about neutralizing.....just using a conditioning shampoo following rinse. Which has me wondering if the neutralizing shampoos that I have will actually work with this relaxer. I don't know......I'm just a tad skeptical. I've never "not neutralized" after a relaxer. I don't want to end up with a disaster on my head.

Yeah that's scary...

 

[beautiful beginnings]

This is soo interesting. My hair stylist just switched to Paul Mitchell. They love it. I got a touch up with it in August and for once my hair did not burn easily!! I liked the way it made my hair feel and it gave my hair body without it being underprocessed as it usually was with motions. However, I too must agree that it is scary that they don't have a neutralizing shampoo.

 

[Candycane044]

This is soo interesting. My hair stylist just switched to Paul Mitchell. They love it. I got a touch up with it in August and for once my hair did not burn easily!! I liked the way it made my hair feel and it gave my hair body without it being underprocessed as it usually was with motions. However, I too must agree that it is scary that they don't have a neutralizing shampoo.

What did ur hairdresser use then to neutralize? Nothing?

 

[MissYocairis]

This is soo interesting. My hair stylist just switched to Paul Mitchell. They love it. I got a touch up with it in August and for once my hair did not burn easily!! I liked the way it made my hair feel and it gave my hair body without it being underprocessed as it usually was with motions. However, I too must agree that it is scary that they don't have a neutralizing shampoo.

Does anyone know what the ph is on this Paul Mitchell relaxer?

 

[Babyray]

Does anyone know what the ph is on this Paul Mitchell relaxer?

I too was interested in this relaxer about year ago, I called the 1 800 number
and asked , sorrrrry but I cant remember the exact ph(I think it was around 12-13)very high so I left it alone but I do remember the lady said you want someting with relatively high pH so it will break down & relax the hair......Hopes this may help. erplexed

 

[beautiful beginnings]

What did ur hairdresser use then to neutralize? Nothing?

Yeah, she didn't use anything. She told me that the shampoo was a neutralizing moistourizing shampoo. The more that i think about it the more nervous i am getting

 

[Candycane044]

I'm sure it's fine, you've still got hair on your head, if she didnt neutralize.. u wouldnt have any. So have no worries! But i'm just curious to what she rinsed it out with.

 

[MissB]

My stylist used the PM relaxer on her Asian clients only. I am not sure why but just noticed this at the salon.

 

[miracle]

I just called the 1-800 number on the back of my relaxer tub and spoke with a PM consultant. I'll warn ya.....it wasn't a good conversation.

First: I asked what pH the relaxer had. (They don't have the pH on the relaxer tub) Her response was: "What do you mean by pH?" I had to explain what a pH was, and she still didn't give me a clear answer.

Second: I asked about neutralizing, since the instructions on the relaxer just say to rinse and apply a conditioning shampoo. She stated that PM doesn't make a neutralizing shampoo and that a neutralizing shampoo isn't needed with The Relaxer.
Okay...this had my head swimming. The Relaxer contains lye and I've never heard of a relaxer, lye or no-lye, not needing to be neutralized. I asked her what would stop the process of the relaxer if there was no neutralizer, and she said that I could use PM Awapuhi Shampoo or PM Tea Tree Special Shampoo to "deep clean" the scalp and hair. And that that would rid the relaxer.

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ain't happenin'!!!!!!!!!!! (I looked up both shampoos and neither one of them say anything about stopping the relaxer process, or restoring the hairs pH.)

Third: She asked me my race (with attitude ), but I nicely told her I was African American, and she said that "The Relaxer was used to remove the natural "kink" (Yeah, she said "kink") from the hair but wasn't sure if it would be effective on Blacks".

Since I wasn't getting any clear answers from the PM Consultant, I called my old hairstylist and asked her the same questions. She said that she hadn't used The Relaxer on any of her clients and wasn't sure of the pH either but would find out and get back to me. She also stated that she wasn't 100% sure if any other brand of neutralizing shampoo would work with The Relaxer, but that if I were to use it, I should wash at least 3 times with whatever neutralizing shampoo I decide to use.

(She's a stickler on using the same neutralizing shampoo brand as the relaxer because they are formulated to work together to stop the the relaxer process.)

So, after all of this, I've decided not to use PM The Relaxer. I just don't trust the info provided and I don't want to end up with a total mess. But I hope that this info will be helpful to someone else.

 

[kim]

This may be a dumb question, but what is in a neutralizing shampoo that stops the relaxing process? I asked because after reading this thread I was curious, so I read the back of my neutralizing shampoo and I do not see any ingredients in there that are different from any other shampoo. Anyone know??

 

[miracle]

This may be a dumb question, but what is in a neutralizing shampoo that stops the relaxing process? I asked because after reading this thread I was curious, so I read the back of my neutralizing shampoo and I do not see any ingredients in there that are different from any other shampoo. Anyone know??

Neutralizing Shampoo's-*All types of relaxers are high-pH systems. When the relaxer treatment is complete, the hair is in a highly alkaline state. After the relaxer is rinsed off, a neutralizing shampoo is used to bring the hair back to the normal pH range (pH 4 to 6). A neutralizing shampoo is acidic in nature, having a pH around 4.5–6.0. Neutralizing shampoos contain mild surfactants, since both the hair and scalp are chemically compromised, and these products are expected to do more than just adjust the pH. They are also expected to help condition the hair by aiding in de-tangling and adding softness to the hair. Therefore, neutralizing shampoos contain polymeric conditioners.

 

[Candycane044]

I just called the 1-800 number on the back of my relaxer tub and spoke with a PM consultant. I'll warn ya.....it wasn't a good conversation.

First: I asked what pH the relaxer had. (They don't have the pH on the relaxer tub) Her response was: "What do you mean by pH?" I had to explain what a pH was, and she still didn't give me a clear answer.

Second: I asked about neutralizing, since the instructions on the relaxer just say to rinse and apply a conditioning shampoo. She stated that PM doesn't make a neutralizing shampoo and that a neutralizing shampoo isn't needed with The Relaxer.
Okay...this had my head swimming. The Relaxer contains lye and I've never heard of a relaxer, lye or no-lye, not needing to be neutralized. I asked her what would stop the process of the relaxer if there was no neutralizer, and she said that I could use PM Awapuhi Shampoo or PM Tea Tree Special Shampoo to "deep clean" the scalp and hair. And that that would rid the relaxer.

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ain't happenin'!!!!!!!!!!! (I looked up both shampoos and neither one of them say anything about stopping the relaxer process, or restoring the hairs pH.)

Third: She asked me my race (with attitude ), but I nicely told her I was African American, and she said that "The Relaxer was used to remove the natural "kink" (Yeah, she said "kink") from the hair but wasn't sure if it would be effective on Blacks".

Since I wasn't getting any clear answers from the PM Consultant, I called my old hairstylist and asked her the same questions. She said that she hadn't used The Relaxer on any of her clients and wasn't sure of the pH either but would find out and get back to me. She also stated that she wasn't 100% sure if any other brand of neutralizing shampoo would work with The Relaxer, but that if I were to use it, I should wash at least 3 times with whatever neutralizing shampoo I decide to use.

(She's a stickler on using the same neutralizing shampoo brand as the relaxer because they are formulated to work together to stop the the relaxer process.)

So, after all of this, I've decided not to use PM The Relaxer. I just don't trust the info provided and I don't want to end up with a total mess. But I hope that this info will be helpful to someone else.

 

[hairmaster]

RINSING THE RELAXER FROM THE HAIR STOPS THE CHEMICAL BREAKDOWN OF THE RELAXER. THE USE OF SHAMPOO ONLY HELPS TO GUARENTEE THAT YOU HAVE REMOVED ALL OF THE CHEMICALS, THE KITS YOU BUY WITH NEUTRALIZING SHAMPOO CHANGES COLOR IF THE RELAXER IS STILL IN THE HAIR, THE PH LEVEL IS TO RETURN THE HAIR BACK TO A NEUTRAL LEVEL 4-6. THATS WHY THEY ARE TELLING YOU TO USE THE PAUL MITCHELL SHAMPOOS, THAT ARE FORMULATED TO A NEUTRALE LEVEL.
A RELAXER IS A RELAXER, BUT PAUL MITCHELL WANTED TO JUMP ON THE BAND WAGON WHEN EVERY ONE WANTED STRAIGHT HAIR AND DIDN'T WANT THE BEAUTICIANS IN THEIR SALONS TO GO OUT AND BUY SOME OTHER RELAXERS.
SO YES A RELAXER IS A RELAXER, JUST THAT THE ETHNIC/BLACK COMUNITYS HAVE
BEEN USING THEM FOR A LONGER TIME. ITS ALL IN THE MONEY WHO'S GOING TO MAKE IT AND MARKET IT TO THE "WHITE" COMUNITY.

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

There are shampoo's and conditions that bring the hair back to it's normal ph so maybe that's what the PM moisturizing conditions shampoo do. I have a shampoo by Elasta QP that is for relaxed hair and it neutralizes the hair to the normal ph but it's not called a neutralizing shampoo and there are other poo's and conditions that do this. I guess it's all about following exactly what the products tell you using there products so that you don't go wrong.

 

[miracle]

RINSING THE RELAXER FROM THE HAIR STOPS THE CHEMICAL BREAKDOWN OF THE RELAXER. THE USE OF SHAMPOO ONLY HELPS TO GUARENTEE THAT YOU HAVE REMOVED ALL OF THE CHEMICALS, THE KITS YOU BUY WITH NEUTRALIZING SHAMPOO CHANGES COLOR IF THE RELAXER IS STILL IN THE HAIR, THE PH LEVEL IS TO RETURN THE HAIR BACK TO A NEUTRAL LEVEL 4-6. THATS WHY THEY ARE TELLING YOU TO USE THE PAUL MITCHELL SHAMPOOS, THAT ARE FORMULATED TO A NEUTRALE LEVEL.
A RELAXER IS A RELAXER, BUT PAUL MITCHELL WANTED TO JUMP ON THE BAND WAGON WHEN EVERY ONE WANTED STRAIGHT HAIR AND DIDN'T WANT THE BEAUTICIANS IN THEIR SALONS TO GO OUT AND BUY SOME OTHER RELAXERS.
SO YES A RELAXER IS A RELAXER, JUST THAT THE ETHNIC/BLACK COMUNITYS HAVE
BEEN USING THEM FOR A LONGER TIME. ITS ALL IN THE MONEY WHO'S GOING TO MAKE IT AND MARKET IT TO THE "WHITE" COMUNITY.

Exactly, and I want the guarantee, bae-bee!!! I don't trust putting a chemical on my hair and not have it effectively removed. I don't want to end up looking like Beeltejuice's first cousin.

The PM Shampoos that were mentioned, personally, I just don't trust because they say nothing about restoring the hairs pH at all. I have Awapuhi samples on hand (but won't be using because it contains formaldehyde), and that just says "moisturizes and conditions". The Tea Tree says something about dandruff......but neither one say a word about restoring pH.

It would be a lot better, to me, if they put the pH of the shampoo on the bottle (the shampoos that I use after relaxing do) or at least state that it returns the hair to a normal pH after a chemical, even if it isn't marketed directly as a "neutralizing shampoo". Or even just put the info on the relaxer tub. That would give me much more confidence in the product.

I need to know what I'm working with upfont when it comes to putting chemicals on my head. I think PM dropped the ball juuuussssttt a lil' on this one.

For now......I'll stick with what I've been using.

But hey, if anyone wants to buy, I have an un-opened tub of The Relaxer/Regular.

 

[hairmaster]

THe Paul Mitchell is not sold in drug stores and is not suppose to be sold to non licensed, trained by their trainers that can tell you how to use the products.
how did you come to buy it? Is it the real thing or a bootleg tub.

 

[miracle]

THe Paul Mitchell is not sold in drug stores and is not suppose to be sold to non licensed, trained by their trainers that can tell you how to use the products.
how did you come to buy it? Is it the real thing or a bootleg tub.

A licensed stylist ordered it for me. I wouldn't think of buying any bootleg chemicals. That's taking quite a chance.

 

[Candycane044]

A licensed stylist ordered it for me. I wouldn't think of buying any bootleg chemicals. That's taking quite a chance.

They also have it on ebay, selling it to anyone. Def wouldn't buy it though, especially not after knowing they dont have a neutralizer.