Please tell me about your FIRST time self-relaxing

A

Amcd

Well-Known Member
I am thinking about starting to do my own relaxers, but I am SCARED. I've read a LOT of threads on the forum and watched a lot of youtube videos, but I am still scared to make that next move.

I had a great stylist in Charlotte, but with my move back to Maryland I am having a hard time finding someone who is as good as she was. I also want to start texlaxing instead of having it bone straight.

So tell me about your fears (or fearlessness :yep:) and the results the first time you did your own relaxer.

Thanks!
 
My 1st experience was a while ago and before LHCF (so don't adopt my practices). I was getting teased at school (high school) about "needing at perm" :nono: and my mom didn't have the money to take me to the salon. I went to the dollar store and got a just for me kit and read the instructions like 3 times before starting. I sectioned my hair in 4 sections and based my scalp and then put the protective solution on my ends. I mixed the relaxer and applied it with an application brush to each section I remember working really quickly. Once the relaxer was in my hair, I went back through each section to smooth. I was finished within 8-10 mins--application and smoothing. I neutralized until the lather was white. Deep conditioned for 20 mins and I was done. My hair was completely straight. That was before I knew how terrible those kits were.

I'm sure you can still use the same application process I used but just not the products. :grin:
 
I relaxed my hair for the first time in June '08, I believe. I had lurked these boards for about a year before I did it as I was natural for about 9 years previous.

I was terrified.

Here is my self-relaxing routine:

I apply vaseline, neutralizing shampoo and the cuticle sealer to my previously relaxed hair before beginning the relaxing process. (I believe that this step is KEY to thick, relaxed hair if you do not stretch)

1. Relax hair in two sections (front and back sections) with Phyto II (mixed with EVOO to give me more time).
2. Rinse relaxer
3. Apply Joico Reconstructor mixed w/Cera-Repair Hydratherapie or Mizani PerpHecting creme.
4. Rinse
5. Neutralizing Shampoo
6. ACV
7. Neutralizing Shampoo
8. ACV
9. Neutralizing Shampoo (Leave in until I finish relaxing the other section of my hair)
10. Repeat 2-9 for second half of my head
11. Chelating Shampoo for entire head (I use a no lye relaxer)
12. Joico Cuticle Sealer (reconsidering this)
13. Joico K-Pak reconstructor
14. Joico Intense Hydrator (leave in overnight)
15. Rinse in the morning.

Good luck.
 
I done this way before hair boards. But i thought the application and process time were together so i tried to do everything in 20 mins. I thought if i don't put too much relaxer then i won't get over processed. So the back didn't process at all and it was only till i got to the front i realised how much you actually need to make it straight so i started to slather it on. Then the 20 mins time was up so i washed it out. Only like the front two inches of my hair got well processed. But my friend did notice i had relaxed so i didn't look to much of a hot mess. But i went and got a corrective at the salon 6 weeks later. I didn't self relax my hair ever again untill about 3, 4 years later and it turned out a lot better. Practice makes perfect.
 
The first time I relaxed my hair, I was in High School. I didnt know boards like this existed then. & since I always had an interest in experimenting with my hair I decided to relax by myself instead of going to a salon.

I dont remember which relaxer I used. I read the instructions 100 times (lol) then...

-I divided my hair into 4 parts.
-I put the protective gel around my hairline and my scalp.
-I mixed the relaxer and applied to new growth with a comb.
-I left it on for about 10 mins. I didnt smooth.
-Washed with the neutralizing shampoo over and over.
-Conditioned with whatevr was in my bathroom.
-Blow dry in sections with a brush.

& I was out the door....Then it rained:ohwell:

I think that was the only time I ever relaxed by myself
 
Thanks ladies. I think I may practice putting conditioner on my head as if it were a relaxer to see how long it will take me to put it all on. I'm 11 weeks post, so 1 more week of my stretch so I will have to decide soon!
 
taz007 said:
I relaxed my hair for the first time in June '08, I believe. I had lurked these boards for about a year before I did it as I was natural for about 9 years previous.

I was terrified.
Click to expand...

You relaxed virgin hair the first time? That is brave. :yep: Thanks for the detailed routine. The more information I read and youtube videos I watch the braver I get.
 
^that's a good way to practice. Also gather all the mirrors in your house and arrange it in to a kind of circle. So you can see.
 
Lol but you kind of have to arrange them at a certain angle so if turn your head you'll see the side straight away instead of having to move the mirrors about. I would sit on the floor and do it. I only had 2 big mirrors but 3 would be perfect.
 
If I decide to do it myself, I guess I'll invest in some of those cheap behind the door mirrors from Walmart.
 
I was super under processed because I was scared of over processing. I also wasn't using enough relaxer on the sections. It takes some getting used to.
 
My first time I very slightly under-processed because my hair was uber thick, and I didn't leave the relaxer on long enough on that section before rinsing. Subsequent attempts came out just great! Since then, I never let another relax my hair once I mastered doing it myself. My first tex-lax attempt was great as well. The second I processed a little too long, and it got straighter than I preferred. Those days of chemical apps are thankfully over. I just love the "natchal" thang.
 
I just finished my first attempt at self-texlaxing, and I don't know... it might be my last.

During the application, I felt ok. But when I was rinsing it out, I became SO nervous, as if clumps of hair were about to start falling out. When I saw some strands in the tub, I felt so panicked. What were my normal shed hairs for the week were completely freaking me out. It's like I completely forgot that I hadn't washed or combed my hair in 5 days.

I'm under the dryer now, deep conditioning. I just hope I am even texlaxed.. (added quite a bit of oil to the relaxer).

I was a pack of nerves, so I don't know if I'll do it again. Too much stress on my poor little heart LOL
 
The first time I relax, my hair came out so underprocessed...Lol. And it was mainly at the crown of my head and the back. It felt like I had burned off my edges too. Lol. Then I continued self relaxing and I damaged my hair pretty badly. Because everytime I would relax my hair, I would do it from root to tip to do correctives. Lol. I'm natural now though.
 
Amcd said:
I am thinking about starting to do my own relaxers, but I am SCARED. I've read a LOT of threads on the forum and watched a lot of youtube videos, but I am still scared to make that next move.

I had a great stylist in Charlotte, but with my move back to Maryland I am having a hard time finding someone who is as good as she was. I also want to start texlaxing instead of having it bone straight.

So tell me about your fears (or fearlessness :yep:) and the results the first time you did your own relaxer.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
who was you stylist in charlotte TIA
 
Amcd said:
I am thinking about starting to do my own relaxers, but I am SCARED. I've read a LOT of threads on the forum and watched a lot of youtube videos, but I am still scared to make that next move.

I had a great stylist in Charlotte, but with my move back to Maryland I am having a hard time finding someone who is as good as she was. I also want to start texlaxing instead of having it bone straight.

So tell me about your fears (or fearlessness :yep:) and the results the first time you did your own relaxer.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Oh, I need this thread. I've been thinking about doing this but I am scared as well.
 
I think I was like in the 6th or 7th grade. Lol! Boy was I ignorant. I became a full grown woman and just now starting to reclaim back my old hair from before the chemicals and excessive heat. Don't be like me though. Listen to the ones who knew better when they did theirs.
 
My first time was my sophomore year of high school. I parted my hair into four sections, based my scalp, set my timer, then I began my application starting from the back. After the application I went back over it to smooth it out.

Things i wish I would've done:
1. Protect my ends with an oil or conditioner
2. Make sure to only apply to ng (i would go like 2 inches out with only 1 inch of ng)

Other than that the results were superb for my first time!
 
Well I don't remember my first time ever because I was young. I don't remember any bad experiences... However my first time self relaxing after 7 yrs being natural I was severely underprocessed. I was soo afraid of overprocessing that I washed it right out I took too long to get it in and I didn't want to go over the time limit so I barely smoothed it and just rinsed it out.... I also used a mild relaxer that time.. That didn't help.
 
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The first time I self-relaxed was about 19 months ago. It was a about a year after I found this board and was on my healthy hair journey. It was right before the start of my senior yr in college. I did my research and was ready to go.

About an hour later I realized that my hair was underprocessed and decided to transtion the same day. And I am still going strong. :-)
 
The first time i self relaxed i was roughly 17 years old after my aunty who used to process me from root to tip EVERYTIME since the age of 5 moved away, needless to say i was not bothered too much about self relaxing as i also relaxed my hair from root to tip ...every 4 weeks :ohwell:, until it fell out at the age of 19!



Thank God i found LHCF!
 
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:blush::blush::blush::blush::blush::blush::blush:

I never came back to post a response! Here's what I posted in another thread a year ago after my first time:

I've only self-relaxed once, but I was amazed at the results, so I feel comfortable answering the questions:

What have you tried that you KNOW works:

*taking the time to pre-section your hair. It took me about an hour (I did small sections and twisted them), but it made the relaxer application go quickly.

*heavily coating previously relaxed hair with oil.

*wearing a plastic cape while rinsing my hair in the shower so the relaxer didn't touch my back (thanks to an LHCF tip).

*wearing gloves that allowed me to feel my texture so I didn't have to use a sprush.

What will you never do again because you know it DOES NOT work:

Can't think of anything right now. I read and researched self-relaxing for over a year, so I was well-prepared.

Please include examples of things you believe in.

*Do your research! Feeling educated about self-relaxing put me totally at ease. I wasn't nervous at all.

*Have all of your tools at hand. You don't want to be searching for something with a head full of relaxer!

*Allow enough time for the entire process. It took me six hours from start to finish and I was fine with that. I scheduled a day totally for me and me only. No interruptions. I know I'll be faster next time, but I'll still set aside all day.

Please include specific techniques.

*Pre-section and oil hair (priceless tip).

Also, feel free to share which products you liked, and if possible, why.

*Design Essentials Sensitive Scalp - gave me great and straight results! I've never had a relaxer burn, but I hear that this relaxer doesn't burn.

*Vaseline - I coated my ends with this to give them extra protection.

Even add new techniques you haven’t tried yet, but are considering trying in the future.

Can't think of anything right now.

I created an album in my fotki that outlined exactly what I did if you want to check it out.
 
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