relax, texturize and natural...oh my!!!

[sugawooga]

I was reading one of my random hair books

and I came across one that said that all relaxed hair is damaged hair. I also read that relaxers have the same harsh chemicals as drano.

So I decided to go all nat-tur-el.

But now I'm starting to reconsider my decision

I love my straight hair but some times I like curly hair too

Maybe I should texturize...

(ouch!)

Has anyone ever been caught in a situation like this? I feel like I'm being tugged on all sides. Can you achieve straight hair with texturized hair. I tried to find info on texturized hair but there is not much info out there.

By the way, I'm a

be gentle with me.

 

[alliyah4eva203]

a relaxer might contain harsh chemicals but you can still have healthy beautiful hair if you take care of it properly.

you can achieve straight hair with a texturizer but you'll have to flat iron it and when you wash it it will revert back.

 

[CurlyCrly]

You can achieve straight hair with texturized hair the same way you would with relaxed-straight hair. I either roller set or air-dry, then use the curling iron. I don't wear it straight often though. I prefer texturized to relaxing straight because it's healthier for my hair, low maintenance, and I can wear it straight or curly with no effort to get it curly. I texturized mine because I did not like the extreme shrinkage when air-drying my natural hair.

 

[sengschick]

There are several texturized ladies here, so you should receive helpful responses. Try doing a search on the word texturizer or texturized here. Alliyah's right, there are plenty of ladies here w/beautiful, healthy relaxed hair here too.

I was natural and just got tired of it (and I saw great texturized hair here!), so I took the chemmy plunge. I opted for texturizing b/c I wanted to keep the curl and increase managability. I absolutely love it. It's my understanding that it's less taxing on the hair b/c the protein bonds that give us curl aren't completely broken and weakened.

I haven't straightened my hair since I texturized, b/c that was the whole point for me (avoiding heat). Depending on your hair texture I would expect that it wouldn't require the same amount of heat, b/c the hair is chemically altered. My natural hair blow dries straight, so I may not be the best barometer.

 

[14got]

modelchick has beautiful hair, annika and many others
I'm sure they can help you

 

[adrienne0914]

my hair is texturized with Affirm lye relaxer. i really like being able to wear my hair curly or straight depending on my mood. it's definitely possible to have long, healthy relaxed hair.

 

[14got]

[ QUOTE ]
adrienne0914 said:
my hair is texturized with Affirm lye relaxer. i really like being able to wear my hair curly or straight depending on my mood. it's definitely possible to have long, healthy relaxed hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't kow you had a texturizer

 

[sugawooga]

Wow, I think I may be gearing more toward texturizing But how do you touch up texturized hair without over processing? How often do you texturize?

 

[sugawooga]

Wow, I think I may be gearing more toward texturizing But how do you touch up texturized hair without over processing? How often do you texturize?

 

[BrEE]

[ QUOTE ]
Kei said:
[ QUOTE ]
adrienne0914 said:
my hair is texturized with Affirm lye relaxer. i really like being able to wear my hair curly or straight depending on my mood. it's definitely possible to have long, healthy relaxed hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't kow you had a texturizer

[/ QUOTE ]

i'm just as shocked as you kei. i didnt know either.

 

[RushGirl]

I have a question..how exactly do you texturize? It is where you do your relaxer and don't keep it on as long as you normally would and if you use the regular strength, you should go to mild? Is that correct? Well, what do those do if they use a mild? You don't buy that relaxer like SILK ELEMENTS No-Lye No-Mix Texturizer System do you??

 

[sugawooga]

Well, from what I've been reading. Texturizing is when you keep the relaxer on your hair for a minute or two and then you wash out. I'm still not completely sure of the whole process myself. Could some one break it down for me please.

 

[RushGirl]

Yes, step by step instructions if possible would be great.. I might just do this.. I'm so undecided on what to do..LOL

 

[CurlyCrly]

I used to use Regular strength to REALLY stretch out my coils to show more length, but now I use Mild (Revlon Realistic) since I've gotten more length. I leave it on for 20-25 minutes. 5, 10 or even 15 minutes would do nothing for me. I have added olive oil to the creme the last couple of times I've retouched. It makes it easier to comb the relaxer through because my hair is so thick.

You texturize by doing the same thing you'd do if you were relaxing straight, you just leave it on for less time and/or use a milder strength relaxer.

You SHOULD do a strand test to determine the proper strength and timing for YOUR hair to achieve the results you're going for. Everybody is different. In fact, the hair on the same person's head could be different depending on where on the head the hair is. I know that mine is. Different sections of my hair require different timing. IMO texturizing is trickier than relaxing straight.

 

[CurlyCrly]

Instead of smoothing, like you would do for a relaxer for straighter hair, you'd just let it sit on your head or comb it through to stretch/loosen the curls.

 

[adrienne0914]

i didn't realize that what i do is considered texturizing until someone from another board explained what her hairdresser does with a texturizer. until then, i always thought of a texturizer as something like a jheri curl (or thio perm).

anyway, i've never left the relaxer on for the amount of time specified on the instructions because my scalp won't allow it. i've had psoriasis since i was in high school. so it almost always burns. i think 15 minutes is the longest its ever been left on. usually they start the application in the back. by the time they get to the front, i'm ready to rinse out... even if my hairdresser isn't...

i really just wanted something to loosen the curl anyway, not eliminate it.

i get it done every once every 3 months. until last year, it used to be once every 4 months, but waiting made the shedding problem worse.

with a texturizer, i think there isn't as much breakage when stretching out a relaxer, since the two textures aren't as different as when you relax bone straight.

i have mine done professionally so i can't really give any good tips. i think the main thing is finding someone who will do it consistently every time so that you don't end up with 50 gazillion textures on your head.

 

[alibi]

Hmmm, interesting that this thread came up, b/c I've been on the fence about texturizing my hair for a while!!! The Miami humidity is making me long for my days of relaxed hair!!! I'm going to try to finish out my year of transitioning, then texturize in July, if I can last that long.

 

[CurlyCrly]

ayanapooh, your texturized hair worn curly will LOVE humidity.

My hair laughs at humidity and rain.

 

[RushGirl]

So if you want to start texturizing how much of new growth should you have before you do? Also, does having it done professionally cost the same as having a touch-up?

 

[sugawooga]

I am sooo excited about letting my relaxer grow out. I really want texturized hair now. I just hope I can do it myself...I may have to get it professionally done for the first couple of times.

 

[RushGirl]

I think I might try it too sugawooga! I want to. How far are you gonna let your relaxer grow out before you do it?

 

[Trell]

I am at the texturizing/relaxing crossroad myself. I have inquired about it several times to stylists, everytime I got the same answer "You won't get the results you desire because of your hair type it will only get straight"

So now I'm thinking about either perming or locking (neither of which I really want to do). But, I have to make a decision soon because I have gotten to the point where I can't do anything to my hair

 

[sugawooga]

I haven't decided yet. I know it will be a while from now because I have a lot of relaxed hair right now. First I need to grow out this relaxed hair. I want it to be at least shoulder length before I texturize I guess. Until then I don't know what to do with my hair. Right now I have it in cornrows.

 

[skegeesmb]

I also texturize. I waited for five months. I just got another touch up this past Saturday. The last relaxer I got was in October, the first after two years of being natural.

I could see a difference and I reapplied it up to two inches of my hair so I was sure I didn't overlap.

That's how I did it.

 

[RushGirl]

[ QUOTE ]
sugawooga said:
I haven't decided yet. I know it will be a while from now because I have a lot of relaxed hair right now. First I need to grow out this relaxed hair. I want it to be at least shoulder length before I texturize I guess. Until then I don't know what to do with my hair. Right now I have it in cornrows.

[/ QUOTE ]

WOW so you are gonna go that long eh? Man, I don't know what to do.. my hair is all relaxed except for the new growth that I have which doesn't seem like alot.. my hair is short though.. it's at the middle of my neck..I just got it all chopped off..I'm not sure what I'll do either.. I think it will depend on how long I can go w/o doing a relaxer.. Around my bday..April 10th.. it will be 2 months.. since my last relaxer.. Maybe I'll try to go 4 months and decide after that.. I don't know..we'll see..

 

[sengschick]

[ QUOTE ]
Trell said:
I am at the texturizing/relaxing crossroad myself. I have inquired about it several times to stylists, everytime I got the same answer "You won't get the results you desire because of your hair type it will only get straight"

So now I'm thinking about either perming or locking (neither of which I really want to do). But, I have to make a decision soon because I have gotten to the point where I can't do anything to my hair

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have 4b hair why would it automatically go straight?! You don't want this woman to touch your hair. There are stages of straightness, it's a chemical process, so it isn't instant. She's telling you this because she isn't familiar with the process and is used to relaxing hair fully.

Try interview stylists and telling them your desire. All you need is some to under-process your hair! Stylists make me so

sometimes.

 

[GodMadeMePretty]

[ QUOTE ]
sengschick said:
[ QUOTE ]
Trell said:
I am at the texturizing/relaxing crossroad myself. I have inquired about it several times to stylists, everytime I got the same answer "You won't get the results you desire because of your hair type it will only get straight"

So now I'm thinking about either perming or locking (neither of which I really want to do). But, I have to make a decision soon because I have gotten to the point where I can't do anything to my hair

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have 4b hair why would it automatically go straight?! You don't want this woman to touch your hair. There are stages of straightness, it's a chemical process, so it isn't instant. She's telling you this because she isn't familiar with the process and is used to relaxing hair fully.

Try interview stylists and telling them your desire. All you need is some to under-process your hair! Stylists make me so

sometimes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sengschick, I was thinking the same thing for myself and I didn't talk to a stylist. If you don't have curls already, a texturizer isn't going to give you curls. My hair is all different textures. It's 4a/3c and 4b in spots. I call my 4b the places where my hair comes out in waves or frizzy straight. There can't be any curl in the straight parts with a relaxer - only straighter with less bulk. So I'm inclined to agree with the stylist.

 

[sugawooga]

I don't have much new growth either. My last relaxer was in Jan 04. Although I think I can go without getting a relaxer for a while it is still tempting to get one. My husband and sisters are my support group and not to mention the ladys of the LHCF. I've been taking hair vitamins and so far my hair has been growing super fast

I'm taking biotin and MSM. I noticed that my hair growth has been spirally and I think it's due to the MSM but I'm not 100% sure on that. I haven't had natural hair since I was 9 yrs old.

 

[alibi]

[ QUOTE ]
GodMadeMePretty said:
[ QUOTE ]
sengschick said:
[ QUOTE ]
Trell said:
I am at the texturizing/relaxing crossroad myself. I have inquired about it several times to stylists, everytime I got the same answer "You won't get the results you desire because of your hair type it will only get straight"

So now I'm thinking about either perming or locking (neither of which I really want to do). But, I have to make a decision soon because I have gotten to the point where I can't do anything to my hair

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have 4b hair why would it automatically go straight?! You don't want this woman to touch your hair. There are stages of straightness, it's a chemical process, so it isn't instant. She's telling you this because she isn't familiar with the process and is used to relaxing hair fully.

Try interview stylists and telling them your desire. All you need is some to under-process your hair! Stylists make me so

sometimes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sengschick, I was thinking the same thing for myself and I didn't talk to a stylist. If you don't have curls already, a texturizer isn't going to give you curls. My hair is all different textures. It's 4a/3c and 4b in spots. I call my 4b the places where my hair comes out in waves or frizzy straight. There can't be any curl in the straight parts with a relaxer - only straighter with less bulk. So I'm inclined to agree with the stylist.

[/ QUOTE ]

Trell,

GodMadeMePretty is right, and so is your stylist. My aunt has done hair for over 40 years, and I also consult her w/ these kind of questions. All a texturizer/silkener does is slightly relax the hair you already have. So if you already have curly/springy hair, it's going to relax those curls a bit and make them looser and easier to style. But if your hair doesn't have a natural wave pattern, then a texturizer will either make it straight, or frizzy, depending on your hair. Basically, you can't get out of a texturizer what you don't already have.

I hope that helps. Also, you might want to examine your natural texture again to be sure you are really 4c

, b/c this hair typing thing is definitely nowhere near being exact, and a lot of people mis-type their own hair! Anyways, I hope that helps.

[ QUOTE ]
CurlyCrly said:
ayanapooh, your texturized hair worn curly will LOVE humidity.

My hair laughs at humidity and rain.

[/ QUOTE ]

Curlycurly, your hair is gorgeous!!! What is your hair type?? And how do you do a strand test??? I remember you describing how on another thread, but I can't find it! You really think I would do well w/ a texturizer??? That's what I'm leaning towards.

 

[myco]

I agree also. The stylist probably didn't articulate what she meant very well.