Relaxed (and used to be relaxed) Ladies: Do you use Lye or No-Lye?

[AnjelLuvs]

I have tried sooo many relaxers in past, especially being on this forum, Lol...

I have tried Affirm Lye, Mizani Regular, Fine, and also the new fine Shea butter lye relaxer....

Now I use the following, the best by far... With others always burned as I have a sensitive scalp and with this NO issues...

 

[PinkPeony]

Starting on my hair journey my stylists used lye which gave me SLEEK and bouncy hair, once I started selfrelaxing I used nolye which made my hair straw like and stiff. I transitioned bc I could not get my hands on lye relaxer.

 

[nubiangoddess3]

Can Someone tell me the difference they have seen between Affirm Fiberguard and the Affirm Lye.


I current use Affirm Fiberguard sensitive scalp and my hair is very dull. I want to switch to something that will straighten my hair more ( but not give me bone straight hair).

Any suggests ladies

 

[Lucie]

I relax with Mizani lye every 3 months.

 

[H0tPinkButtafly]

I use no lye creme of nature

 

[outspokenwallflower]

Last weekend, I touched up with Mizani BB HG (Lye)...got wonderful, straight results (bone straight, I believe!) in a swift amount of time. I've been looking for a lye relaxer that could give me the straight results I've always been accustomed to.

 

[Kinky4Agirl]

I use lye because it is better for your hair. The no lye is harsh on your hair and the lye is harsh on your scalp... But I recon if I wash it out before it starts to burn, then my scalp will not suffer. Lye for sure. I used Dudleys relaxer the last time... But I might switch to Design Essentials when I run out of the Dudleys. I heard design essentials was a good relaxer. And I always use regular. I found that when you go to the salon they never ask us if we want regular or super or whatever.. they just use the same relaxer on everybody so I asked one day and she said she uses regular on everyone... I used to use super but now I use regular and just leave it in a little longer. Good luck!

 

[WendellaWoody]

I'm a no-lye head, pretty much always have been. Started with Gentle Treatment and Precise. Used those regularly since high school. Then went natural for a three year period, after which I tried lye which was an EPIC FAIL! Was way too harsh on my scalp and I don't think it's ever fully recovered...and it's been years. Anyway, currently using MBB regular no-lye and LOVING it! Hair is not nearly as dry and brittle as with other no-lye brands I've tried. A keeper for me for sure!

 

[hypek]

I used to use ORS no lye and reached APL, but my hair was so dry! It eventually broke off during a long stretch (even though I wore it in PS everyday) because I couldnt get it to hold moisture.

Now Im starting over and using Motions Oil Moisturing in mild. My hair feels so much better!

 

[myronnie]

I got my hair relaxed using a lye relaxer (idk brand or strength) at the beautician. This caused me very bad scabs and pain.

I stretched my relaxer to about 16 wks and used a silk elements Shea butter mild lye relaxer and it didn't even process my naps!

Welll I was forced to stretch for 8 weeks to apply my new relaxer: ORS NOLYE REGULAR.
After I did this corrective all was great. I had to cut some damage but throughout the yearsof using ORS NOLYE my strands thickened considerably.

 

[PrettyBrownEyes]

Lye. Works much better on my hair.

 

[BrEE]

I have tried sooo many relaxers in past, especially being on this forum, Lol...

I have tried Affirm Lye, Mizani Regular, Fine, and also the new fine Shea butter lye relaxer....

Now I use the following, the best by far... With others always burned as I have a sensitive scalp and with this NO issues...

I can't see the pic, which relaxer is this?

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

When I was relaxed, I used no-lye because it was less strong for my head.

 

[NaturallyATLPCH]

When I was relaxed, for about 6 years I used no lye. My hair did not start thriving until I used lye. I think the calcium hydroxide in the no lye used to dry my hair. Some lye brands I used were Motions mild relaxer, Design Essentials, Nu Expressions (the best), and Nairobi (good too).

 

[Rozlewis]

I use MIzani Butter Blends Lye.

 

[Fenaxa]

I used to use No lye Just For Me. I got scalp burns all the time (even though properly based), and it dried my hair out horribly. From the inside out, type of dry.
If I were to ever go back to relaxing, it would be with lye.

 

[mamaore]

My next relaxer will be a lye relaxer. I need to see if this will work better on my hair.

 

[NIN4eva]

I use Lye. Affirm Fiberguard is the brand in Mild strength.

I used No-Lye for a few years when they first put it on the market. My hair bone straight, no body, lifeless and limp, dry as straw and strangely enough very very light golden brown! People used to stop me and compliment my hair color and ask what color and brand dye I used and I loved the color. Sadly, I did not realize that the color loss was also a sign of how much the relaxer stripped and damaged my hair. Now my hair is not jet black but it isn't light golden brown either! I think that the relaxer bled out the color which was a sign of damage.

I like Affirm because it relaxes me straight but my hair still feel THICk and has body. It's not limp and lifeless. Although, I can't say it's thick just because of the Affirm brand relaxer since back then I didn't take care of my hair like I do now since I joined LHCF.

Pretty much the same story for me. After using No lye all of my relaxed life I transitioned to natural for a few years, went back to relaxing and tried Affirm Lye regular. I loved it because it clearly gave me better results (shinier hair, more body, better/more texture, better porosity) but was too lazy to base my scalp so after a year I switched to No Lye ORS to compare. No lye (not just ORS) leaves my hair too straight (bone straight), weak and dry, funky copper colors, makes retention much more difficult. SO now I'm back to basing my scalp for ORS Lye, but my hair is much happier. I should mention that I do not have a sensitive scalp, but I do have fine hair... 4b/c crown, 4b rear and top/fringe and stupid 3c edges and nape! Can't relax the edges and nape or they break off. Good times.

 

[Eiano]

Mizani Lye.

I didn't notice any difference b/w Lye and No-Lye. When I was little, I used No-Lye box kits, now that I can afford to take matters into my own hands I go to the salon and that just happens to be what they use. If they used No-Lye, I wouldn't care..

 

[Jewell]

QueenAmaka

Are you talking about Optimum Care Multimineral Reduced pH Lye Creme Relaxer in the brown and white jar? If so, that has been my "baby daddy" too for over 11 years!! I have nothing but great stuff to say about that relaxer system (I use steps 1-4). No lye relaxers always left my hair stiff, dry, breaking, hard, etc the one or 2 times they were accidentally applied by stylists without them asking which I preferred. They do indeed tend to use the same relaxer on everyone, too cheap to buy and stock a variety, I guess. I assumed all Mizani BB relaxers were lye, but there is a no lye version and it did my hair some kind of disservice!!

I have used Mizani BB lye mild once and it caused me a lot of shedding. But that could have been a fluke since I was pregnant and under stress at the time. That could've been the real cause of shedding. But I have thought of switching to Linange Shea Butter, Silk Elements (have used once and loved it), or Design Essentials...but I'm like hey, Optimum MM does me great and processes me any way I like. I have only had a box relaxer applied to my hair ONE TIME...a PCJ relaxer in the early 90's, and it broke off my hair BAD. Had to get it cut to shoulder length. My mom went to cosmetology school shortly after, and we have never touched box relaxers or no-lye again as women who keep our own hair up.

I ALWAYS use a mild (helps me control processing better and retain more thickness) but if I add a thick oil, I get less processing; if I use a thin, small amount of oil, I get perfectly straight results and nice silkiness and shine. However, I have only added oil to Optimum MM the last 2 touch-ups and all the 11 years before that (except while I was natural) I just used the mild relaxer as-is and still got great results. It has a blend of calcium, sodium, and lithium hydroxides, but it is considered a lye relaxer. I NEVER get burns from it either.

 

[NGraceO]

ORS Lye in Regular here!!

 

[Carmelella]

Lye! I use to use ors regular but found it too harsh and thins my hair and bleaches it even without getting it bone straight.

so I switched to hawaiin silky no base ( still has lye) regular... was not string enough... then switched to super and it was perfect. Got my hair straight enough without bleaching it or making it thin.

Old experience with no lye is dry coated hair.

 

[Kinky4Agirl]

I use Affirm lye... Because I chose to lesser of the two evils. lye is harsh on the scalp and no lye is harsh on the hair.. So I chose to be harsh to my scalp since I can rinse it out before it can give sores on my scalp.

 

[nerdography]

Lye.

I tried no-lye because I have a bad habit to scratching before I get a touch up. But, my hair hates no-lye. I barely straightened and my hair was so dry afterwards.

 

[QueenAmaka]

QueenAmaka

Are you talking about Optimum Care Multimineral Reduced pH Lye Creme Relaxer in the brown and white jar? If so, that has been my "baby daddy" too for over 11 years!! I have nothing but great stuff to say about that relaxer system (I use steps 1-4). No lye relaxers always left my hair stiff, dry, breaking, hard, etc the one or 2 times they were accidentally applied by stylists without them asking which I preferred. They do indeed tend to use the same relaxer on everyone, too cheap to buy and stock a variety, I guess. I assumed all Mizani BB relaxers were lye, but there is a no lye version and it did my hair some kind of disservice!!

I have used Mizani BB lye mild once and it caused me a lot of shedding. But that could have been a fluke since I was pregnant and under stress at the time. That could've been the real cause of shedding. But I have thought of switching to Linange Shea Butter, Silk Elements (have used once and loved it), or Design Essentials...but I'm like hey, Optimum MM does me great and processes me any way I like. I have only had a box relaxer applied to my hair ONE TIME...a PCJ relaxer in the early 90's, and it broke off my hair BAD. Had to get it cut to shoulder length. My mom went to cosmetology school shortly after, and we have never touched box relaxers or no-lye again as women who keep our own hair up.

I ALWAYS use a mild (helps me control processing better and retain more thickness) but if I add a thick oil, I get less processing; if I use a thin, small amount of oil, I get perfectly straight results and nice silkiness and shine. However, I have only added oil to Optimum MM the last 2 touch-ups and all the 11 years before that (except while I was natural) I just used the mild relaxer as-is and still got great results. It has a blend of calcium, sodium, and lithium hydroxides, but it is considered a lye relaxer. I NEVER get burns from it either.

Hey Jewell I actually use the Optimum No Lye relaxer in the red box. I have been using it for about 2 years, maybe even more. The lye relaxers were too hard on my scalp. With the no lye I just make sure to use the ORS aloe shampoo to take the mineral deposits out of my hair.

 

[Tangie]

I use no-lye now. My hair just doesn't take to lye so well. Then I find myself over processing.

 

[Mahsiah]

No Lye - Ors.

 

[TLC1020]

I use Mild Lye.. No Lye made my hair a hard cruchy mess...

 

[Lilmama1011]

no lye mizani butter blend for sensitive scalp

 

[LovelyRo]

I use Linange Lye relaxer! I've used Lye for years even before Linange. Linange is a gentle relaxer and it doesn't get my hair bone straight! I love it!