Relaxed Hair Thread

Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

swgpec your hair looks really thick and healthy. you've been able to make a lot of progress in a year. If you have a stylist that you actually like, you might just have to ignore her chatter. I found a stylist this year that I think does a pretty good job with my relaxer. I went in 10 weeks post, and she started telling me i should get a relaxer every 6 weeks, and stretching too long is what causes my shedding. I only go to her for my relaxers, so obviously i know my hair better than her. My hair sheds a lot no matter what. I just ignored all that, and next time i went back i was 12 weeks post, LoL. She complained a bit, but at the end of the day I walked out of there with a head of freshly relaxed hair, which is all i cared about.

I self-relaxed on Labor Day after reading up on numerous threads. It's not the first time i've tried but it's the first time i'd say it was actually 'successful'. I think I texlaxed a bit, which i don't think i mind so far. I was 12 weeks post, and I ended up flat ironing my new growth a few days beforehand. Some people are probs shaking their heads, BUT I did it on a low setting. I wasn't aiming to get it bone straight. I just wanted to make it a little more manageable to that it would be easier to detangle/part my hair, instead of fighting with it when applying the relaxer.

I might alternate between going to a stylist and doing it myself. It is a pretty time consuming process (I did the half and half method). I also read an old thread about adding some kind of silk protein to your hair before you relax. I sprayed on Aphogee Keratin & Green Tree Reconstructor onto my new growth before I relaxed, and my newly relaxed hair feels much smoother than the rest of my hair. So i think i'll continue to do that whether i self-relax or go to a stylist.
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

beloved1bx thanks for your detailed response. I do like my stylist as a person and a stylist. I think I will focus on doing a better job managing my new growth, protecting my previously relaxed hair and stretching longer and longer until I can relax two or no more than three times per year.

I am a shedder also, no matter what I shed, some things I have learned on this board has lessened the shedding but I still shed and don't get too freaked about about it unless it gets excessive. My main focus is my edges and getting them thicker, think this will only happen with stretching.

Good to hear about your self-relaxing experience. Your hair is beautiful and healthy. What relaxer (and flat iron if you use one) do you use. It's difficult to tell by pictures but looks like we could be hair twins and I thought we were about the same length until I looked closer--you look bra strap length and I'm not there yet. Could take forever lol, I'm tall with a long torso. My hair looks thick in the pictures but it's because I air dried. It's dense but my strands are fine..... I covet coarse and natural hair, but realistically speaking my hair will never look the way some of the heads of hair look on this board, so I just admire and appreciate all of the beautiful heads of hair that I see and work with what I have.

Still on the fence about self relaxing but would not want to hinder the process I have made. So for now I will read the self relaxing thread until I am a bit more confident.

Is this the usual stretching time for you (12 weeks) now? And is your strand fine? I ask because when I have product on my hair it looks identical to yours.
 
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Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

swgpec we might be hair twins! I do have very fine strands. I have to use protein regularly otherwise my hair will break off daily. It's always dry and my hair sheds constantly. I'm actually very tender-headed so i always used no-lye relaxers in the past because i burn very easily. But when i tried my stylist for the first time in March she relaxed my hair with Mizani Butterblends LYE, and it wasn't planned, so i didn't prep for it (making sure not to scratch my scalp, spray, base, etc.) and i didn't burn at all, which is a miracle and why i've gone back to her.

I usually stretch 8-10 weeks. My relaxer in June at the salon was at 12 weeks, which wasn't planned, but my stylist and I couldn't get our schedules to match. My last relaxer 3 weeks ago (self-relax) was also 12 weeks, but I used Mizani Butterblends No-Lye because the BSS didn't have the lye version (and i was nervous about using Lye on my own).

I have thinning edges. It's been that way for years now, but lately it seems to be getting worse, and i'm afraid i'll wake up one day and they'll be completely gone. So as of this last relaxer i've decided to stop relaxing them. I sectioned off the very front, and flat twisted along my hairline, and relaxed the rest of my hair. I plan to do this even when i go to my stylist. Just want to see if that will help them grow in, along with applying castor oil. I do miss the feeling of having super smooth edges after a fresh relaxer, LoL, but we'll see how this goes.

And I use a Solia flat-iron. I'm actually not that close to BSL (i wish). I have long legs and a short torso. And I just trimmed by hair last week, so I think i'm closer to APL now.
 
Okay, so the last time I relaxed, I switched from Phyto to Creme of Nature Argan Oil. Everything seemed fine, but in these last 3-4 weeks, I've noticed increased dryness, like extreme dryness.

I got a recommendation from a girl at a place called Beauty First here in Houston. She suggested Bumble & Bumble Creme de Coco Masque. Let me tell you...my hair felt so soft and moisturized that I didn't need a creamy leave-in. I just sprayed my hair with heat protectant and rollerset it.

I'm not saying to run out and buy it because it is pricey, $26, but I'm happy with it so far. I'll have to see how my hair holds up over the next few days/weeks of consistent use.

I also ordered Hydratherma Naturals daily growth lotion. I plan to stretch until the end of the year, avoid direct heat, DC with every wash, and moisturize my hair twice a day (I'm lazy about this!)

I also think rollersetting leaves my hair smoother than airdrying.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using LHCF app
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

Okay, so the last time I relaxed, I switched from Phyto to Creme of Nature Argan Oil. Everything seemed fine, but in these last 3-4 weeks, I've noticed increased dryness, like extreme dryness.

I got a recommendation from a girl at a place called Beauty First here in Houston. She suggested Bumble & Bumble Creme de Coco Masque. Let me tell you...my hair felt so soft and moisturized that I didn't need a creamy leave-in. I just sprayed my hair with heat protectant and rollerset it.

I'm not saying to run out and buy it because it is pricey, $26, but I'm happy with it so far. I'll have to see how my hair holds up over the next few days/weeks of consistent use.

I also ordered Hydratherma Naturals daily growth lotion. I plan to stretch until the end of the year, avoid direct heat, DC with every wash, and moisturize my hair twice a day (I'm lazy about this!)

I also think rollersetting leaves my hair smoother than airdrying.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using LHCF app

I'm definitely curious to know how the Hydratherma Naturals Daily Growth Lotion does on your hair. Keep us updated!
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

This is me to a T!

beloved1bx thanks for your detailed response. I do like my stylist as a person and a stylist. I think I will focus on doing a better job managing my new growth, protecting my previously relaxed hair and stretching longer and longer until I can relax two or no more than three times per year.

I am a shedder also, no matter what I shed, some things I have learned on this board has lessened the shedding but I still shed and don't get too freaked about about it unless it gets excessive. My main focus is my edges and getting them thicker, think this will only happen with stretching.

Good to hear about your self-relaxing experience. Your hair is beautiful and healthy. What relaxer (and flat iron if you use one) do you use. It's difficult to tell by pictures but looks like we could be hair twins and I thought we were about the same length until I looked closer--you look bra strap length and I'm not there yet. Could take forever lol, I'm tall with a long torso. My hair looks thick in the pictures but it's because I air dried. It's dense but my strands are fine..... I covet coarse and natural hair, but realistically speaking my hair will never look the way some of the heads of hair look on this board, so I just admire and appreciate all of the beautiful heads of hair that I see and work with what I have.

Still on the fence about self relaxing but would not want to hinder the process I have made. So for now I will read the self relaxing thread until I am a bit more confident.

Is this the usual stretching time for you (12 weeks) now? And is your strand fine? I ask because when I have product on my hair it looks identical to yours.
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

Currently 9 weeks post. Here's my stretching wash day reggie. Finally got it down pat since joining this month. :lick:

Shampoo-
  • Chi Deep Brilliance Balancing
  • or Chi Hydrating Nourish Intense Silk Bath
  • or 100% Dead Sea Mud
Condition-
  • Chi Deep Brilliance Moisture Shine
  • & Chi Deep Brilliance Reconstruct Protein
  • or Chi Keratin 17
Detangle-
  • Sebastian Drench
  • or Biolage Detangling Solution
*comb here* *rinse* *towel blot*
Scalp-
  • 100% Emu Oil
  • and Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil

*lightly apply Emu Oil to the Scalp* *lightly apply JBCO to the wack patch*

Leave-in-
  • Chi Ionic Color Protect System (3) Leave-in Mask [I do not have color in my hair.]
  • and 100% Pure Argan Oil

*mix together and apply*
Ends Sealing-
  • Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil

*comb into ponytail* *cover with “do-rag”* *air dry*
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

I really am gonna give this henna thing a try... I have text-laxed hair that I thought would thicken up, but it isn't as thick as I would like, also using Castor/JBCO
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

Maaaannn.. I had my first experience with the sweater I had on snagging my hair :perplexed. I probably broke off a good 50 hairs (yes I kind of counted lolsmh).. plus I didn't even have bobby pins to get my hair out of the way and my boss was harassing me all day and I barely had time to think. **Note to Self: I will be bunning my hair when wearing certain fabrics. **
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

Raspberry - sweaters are no joke! I've been where you are.

The worst feeling was when I felt my hair snagging and tried to slowly work the hairs loose. Didn't work. :(
 
I'm definitely curious to know how the Hydratherma Naturals Daily Growth Lotion does on your hair. Keep us updated!

I will. I got my order in the mail today and realized that I accidentally ordered the oil! Ughhhh but I will likely order a sample pack of everything in a couple of weeks. I started a thread in Hydratherma naturals to post about the products and hopefully get more responses.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using LHCF app
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

Hello ladies,

I was so excited to go to a meetup but when I went to RSVP, I noticed it was for naturals only and they welcomed transitioners too. Yes it's a LHCF new orleans meet up. Oh well, i just want to connect with some local LHCF ladies.

Any texlaxed/relaxed ladies living in Louisiana up in here? LOL!
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

^^^^I'm sorry that was just plain rude!

All of the LHCF meetups I've seen didn't exclude anyone. It was just about meeting up with members and talking about our hair obsession.
 
To be fair let me tell it all. It's advertised here as "new Orleans Meetup" and there was a fb event link to go to RSVP. But when I clicked the link it said "naturals in new Orleans meet and greet".
 
LaidBak exactly. Why all the division? It's enough we are stereotyped and discriminated against by other races and genders but for us divide internally all because of a chemical service, is crazy to me.
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

bebezazueta That's unfortunate :ohwell: Maybe you should message the meet-up organizers to clarify? I'd like to to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they've only connected to other naturals on here and weren't thinking they may be excluding relaxed heads...
 
Re: Relaxed Hair THREAD!!

My hair looks friggin awesome today, Thanks LHCF :grouphug2:

I've been wearing primarily wavy or curly looks, I'm not sure how to get my hair to look completely straight without heat.. is my only option a wrap? I'm a bit paranoid of stressing my edges and ends out brushing it around like that. Or should I experiment with air drying straight?
 
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