Relaxed Hair Straight During Wash?

[tannicfer]

So...I keep watching all of these YouTube videos of wash day routines for girls with relaxed hair and I noticed that for a lot of women, their hair remains straight when they get it wet, but mine kinks up (to the point where it can look natural when wet). I'm just wondering what could be the cause? Is it not fully relaxed? Is it not retaining any moisture? I'm trying out washing and air-drying every week, but it's tough because my hair ends up drying in this in-between puffy thing. Just want to get a sense if I'm starting from a different place than other relaxed videos.

I have 4b hair and am pretty sure it's low porosity.

 

[faithVA]

So...I keep watching all of these YouTube videos of wash day routines for girls with relaxed hair and I noticed that for a lot of women, their hair remains straight when they get it wet, but mine kinks up (to the point where it can look natural when wet). I'm just wondering what could be the cause? Is it not fully relaxed? Is it not retaining any moisture? I'm trying out washing and air-drying every week, but it's tough because my hair ends up drying in this in-between puffy thing. Just want to get a sense if I'm starting from a different place than other relaxed videos.

I have 4b hair and am pretty sure it's low porosity.

I was guessing from your heading that you were probably low porosity. The relaxer takes but not as well as on a normal porosity hair. I don't have any help for you. Maybe make sure your hair is stretched while you let it air dry. I'm natural but putting a thin layer of oil on my hair really helps to straighten it out. Have you tried oil rinses?

 

[tannicfer]

I was guessing from your heading that you were probably low porosity. The relaxer takes but not as well as on a normal porosity hair. I don't have any help for you. Maybe make sure your hair is stretched while you let it air dry. I'm natural but putting a thin layer of oil on my hair really helps to straighten it out. Have you tried oil rinses?

I use oil in my hair a lot but this is the first time I've actually heard of an oil rinse. I'll maybe give it a shot. I just kind of feel like I need to figure out a way to get a relaxer to take. I can't get it to dry anywhere close to straight which means I'm left to using heat or doing braidouts. Using heat every week seems like a lot if I'm trying to keep it healthy.

 

[snoop]

I don't really have anything useful to add, but my hair used to do this, too. I used to think what was the point in relaxing if I couldn't wash it and take care of it myself between touch ups. Needless to say I wouldn'twash it myself cause I couldn't get it straight and I couldn't afford to go bi-weekly either.

I hope the oil rinses work. Good luck!

 

[faithVA]

I use oil in my hair a lot but this is the first time I've actually heard of an oil rinse. I'll maybe give it a shot. I just kind of feel like I need to figure out a way to get a relaxer to take. I can't get it to dry anywhere close to straight which means I'm left to using heat or doing braidouts. Using heat every week seems like a lot if I'm trying to keep it healthy.

If you don't get it to work try some type of rollerseting. I know you are trying airdrying but a dryer may be your friend in this situation. It doesn't have to be on high. A little heat while stretching can do wonders.

 

[bklynbornNbred]

So...I keep watching all of these YouTube videos of wash day routines for girls with relaxed hair and I noticed that for a lot of women, their hair remains straight when they get it wet, but mine kinks up (to the point where it can look natural when wet). I'm just wondering what could be the cause? Is it not fully relaxed? Is it not retaining any moisture? I'm trying out washing and air-drying every week, but it's tough because my hair ends up drying in this in-between puffy thing. Just want to get a sense if I'm starting from a different place than other relaxed videos.

I have 4b hair and am pretty sure it's low porosity.

Back in the day my relaxed hair was straight. If your hair always kinked up with relaxers then just learn to straighten your hair with roller sets (the indirect heat will not cause damage). But if your hair just started to kink up then maybe you need to change brands (or see if the formula was changed). You don't have to be bone straight to have a successful relaxer. Also utilize steaming (or at least sit under dryer) with deep conditioners.

I'm natural now but I unwittingly started my transition after a few failed correctives on relaxers that just stopped taking (once my stretch reached a certain amount I figured I should just see what my hair could do). My relaxed hair was healthy for years from roller setting and wraps. So check the brand, and if you're going to continue relaxing utilize your overhead dryer.

 

[tannicfer]

I don't really have anything useful to add, but my hair used to do this, too. I used to think what was the point in relaxing if I couldn't wash it and take care of it myself between touch ups. Needless to say I wouldn'twash it myself cause I couldn't get it straight and I couldn't afford to go bi-weekly either.

I hope the oil rinses work. Good luck!

Yeaaaah. Those are definitely some of the feelings I'm feeling. I was getting it washed, blow dryed, straightened at the salon every other week and I still could, but I was also having such a rough time with breakage that I was hoping I could do it better. Not sure if that's been the case yet.

 

[tannicfer]

If you don't get it to work try some type of rollerseting. I know you are trying airdrying but a dryer may be your friend in this situation. It doesn't have to be on high. A little heat while stretching can do wonders.

My hair is really short, neck length, so roller sets are kind of hard and and I still haven't figured out the proper moisturizing routine that'll keep it from getting puffy as it dries. I'm just imagining that if I roller set, I'm going to have a puffy dry mess with just a few moisturized areas, which is pretty much what I have now, so I suppose it's worth giving it a shot next wash day. Can't get worse.

 

[tannicfer]

Back in the day my relaxed hair was straight. If your hair always kinked up with relaxers then just learn to straighten your hair with roller sets (the indirect heat will not cause damage). But if your hair just started to kink up then maybe you need to change brands (or see if the formula was changed). You don't have to be bone straight to have a successful relaxer. Also utilize steaming (or at least sit under dryer) with deep conditioners.

I'm natural now but I unwittingly started my transition after a few failed correctives on relaxers that just stopped taking (once my stretch reached a certain amount I figured I should just see what my hair could do). My relaxed hair was healthy for years from roller setting and wraps. So check the brand, and if you're going to continue relaxing utilize your overhead dryer.

I never paid much attention to it to be honest. My mom's said my hair never took relaxers well. It'd usually start burning before it was processed. And my college stylist wouldn't wash until I complained about burning (but my hair always looked amazing and felt super healthy) and my current stylist always washes before I even get close to any sort of discomfort...which is probably healthier. But it makes me think my hair isn't relaxed. I had my hair in a weave for like a year and she did a virgin relaxer which barely took at all and then another relaxer six weeks later and my hair didn't feel very good after that.

But, yeah, it sounds like I need it to actually be relaxed. I'll probably try to hold off until January though since I had two so close together. There was just a time where my hair was relaxed and shiny and mostly straight and healthy that I'm trying to get back to.

 

[Prettymetty]

I am 4b, but my relaxed hair was bone straight when wet. I know what you mean though, because lots of girls with relaxers still had texture when wet (like wet n wavy hair).

When it dries is it straight OP?

 

[tannicfer]

I am 4b, but my relaxed hair was bone straight when wet. I know what you mean though, because lots of girls with relaxers still had texture when wet (like wet n wavy hair).

When it dries is it straight OP?

lol, I wish. Nah, it's like a dry loose afro. And sorry, I mis-wrote. I'm actually 4c. So each strand is like a crazy twisty road of randomness. There are no waves, just kink. I think it's causing more damage than if my hair was completely relaxed or natural.

 

[InBloom]

Just wondering if you ever tried wet-setting your hair. Using foam wrap lotion, wrapping your hair while wet, then letting it dry either under a dryer or overnight. You could get a sleek finish this way....

 

[ClassyJSP]

My hair does this when my relaxer doesn't take that well.

 

[lana]

You're basically describing texlaxed hair. Your hair sounds like it's underprocessed. I (texlax) underprocess on purpose and it leaves me with thick, highly textured hair that looks beautiful flat ironed.

You could try getting another relaxer (if it's been at least six weeks)...but after trying a corrective myself, I don't suggest them. Make sure you're using the right "strength" relaxer going forward and trim away the underprocessed ends over time.

 

[tannicfer]

You're basically describing texlaxed hair. Your hair sounds like it's underprocessed. I (texlax) underprocess on purpose and it leaves me with thick, highly textured hair that looks beautiful flat ironed.

You could try getting another relaxer (if it's been at least six weeks)...but after trying a corrective myself, I don't suggest them. Make sure you're using the right "strength" relaxer going forward and trim away the underprocessed ends over time.

That's for confirming what I was beginning to suspect. I'm so close to goal length, I'm really trying to make the length I have more manageable.

 

[bklynbornNbred]

If your goal is straight hair maybe you need to upgrade to Super and use as directed via time to leave on. Using Normal/ regular and leaving on for long time never worked for me.

 

[tannicfer]

Just wanted to follow up with what I did and how it went for me in case someone's ever going through something similar. Not saying it'll give you the results you want of course, but this is my experience.

I'm honestly not sure if I held out for 6 weeks on the relaxer. It was somewhere between 4 and 6 probably. I used the Ors Olive Oil Extra Strength relaxer at home and really aimed at relaxing everything but my new growth. My edges and new growth were the last areas I put relaxer on before washing. My last salon relaxer was just a touch up on new growth which is why I avoided it this time. I also relaxed for the recommended time - 20 minutes.

I used the shampoo, deep conditioner, and moisturizer in the box plus a leave-in-conditioner, some other moisturizers and oil. And I'm really happy with the results. My hair is straight-ish, very soft and moisturized. I did notice some breakage as I was combing through with conditioner, like little bits and ends breaking off, but once my hair dried, I couldn't see a noticeable difference. My hair is very low porosity, 4c, chemical resistant and from past experience I was pretty sure that a box relaxer wouldn't get my hair bone straight...and I was right. There's still some texture and it will probably never dry straight, but it's straight-ish with a bit of texture. I also felt it was able to take in moisture a lot better. I've heard some say that chemical treatments can change the porosity of your hair, so that may be at play as well.

Products Used:
Ors Olive Oil Extra Strength Relaxer (fave brand)

• Ors Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo
• Ors Olive Oil Replenishing Mask (30 min with Gold n Hot Heat Cap)
• Ors Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Hair Lotion

Generic Value Products Tea Tree Leave-In for Hair & Body (always leaves my hair soft, but it's not amazing, will probably keep shopping around)
Design Essentials Natural Coconut & Monoi Deep Moisture Milk Creme (worked okay, but wouldn't recommend, still looking for perfect moisturizer)
One n Only Argan Oil (usually works okay on my hair, but wasn't doing anything for my ends)
Cococare Natural Grapeseed Oil (usually doesn't do anything for my hair, but was really good for my ends)

 

[divachyk]

I haven't read all the responses but my views:
Hair that's straight while wet is relaxed bone straight
Hair that's wavy or textured while wet is more along the lines of texlaxed

Texlaxed hair is underprocessed relaxed hair, be it intentional or unintentional.

If you do not desire texlaxed hair, you might opt for a stronger relaxer.