Relaxed Hair Thread

So then I'm in good company! I heard great reviews so I'm praying for a hard stop. LOL
I caved in and bought a big jar for myself :) I've been going back to the products I used at the beginning of my hair journey. I made a list of aaaaalll the products I have and will be putting aside/gifting the ones I do not use or are just ok. Once those are gone I will be buying more Alter Ego (the nourishing conditioner and the balancing and renergizing conditioner, I loved those so much I've kept the empty jars through the years)
 
suggestions:

I got a full head weave done in July. It was way too tight but I kept it in for a month anyway. The weave was a wet n wavy kind of weave sot it required daily manipulation which i think contributed to the breakage that I experienced after taking it out along with cutting some of my hair our when taking it out. I have used the aphogee 2 step and eggs for protein (at different times) and I am currently wearing a wig in order to give the hair a "break".

At this point I am at 11-12 weeks post relaxer, should I still go ahead and relax or wait and how long should i wait?
 
Hmmmm I was thinking of waiting a week after my relaxer to use it again. I don't really intervene with other products during my relaxer process lol What would you suggest?
I do use a mid step protein product (Affirm reconstructor) and only asked because you mentioned your relaxer and I seem to recall that someone here uses AE garlic as a mid step product. If you've never done a mid step rec and your hair looks lovely as your avatar then you might not need it? I read about it here and on the book The Science of black hair and it made sense to me.
 
I do use a mid step protein product (Affirm reconstructor) and only asked because you mentioned your relaxer and I seem to recall that someone here uses AE garlic as a mid step product. If you've never done a mid step rec and your hair looks lovely as your avatar then you might not need it? I read about it here and on the book The Science of black hair and it made sense to me.

Ahh I see. Maybe I will try it this weekend & report back.
 
I used the AE mid relaxer step and I loved the outcome!! Thick, full and strong! Yes, this will be my new routine.

The shedding seemed to have slowed down tremendously. It left a bald spot on my right side. Lol All I could do was laugh. My hair is way too thick to care about a bald spot at the moment. Anyhoo! I did come to the conclusion to cut my hair up to wl. Not because I have to but the time it takes to get thru this is annoying and I want to scream sometimes. I had enough. Maintain at blunt wl is ok in my book.
 
@TopShelf
To be on the safe side maybe do a couple protein & DC sessions before you relax. My hair is fine, low porosity so I can use protein like every week without any protein overload. Watch your hair carefully in the next week or two to see how its recovering from the breakage.

Is it still breaking now?
 
@TopShelf
To be on the safe side maybe do a couple protein & DC sessions before you relax. My hair is fine, low porosity so I can use protein like every week without any protein overload. Watch your hair carefully in the next week or two to see how its recovering from the breakage.

Is it still breaking now?

okay. i used the E'tae reconstructor, protein conditioner and shampoo. the shampoo tangled my hair, so i'm hoping that the hair that came out was from the tangling and not any additional breakage. i am going to have to relax next weekend because my roots are beginning to matt
 
okay. i used the E'tae reconstructor, protein conditioner and shampoo. the shampoo tangled my hair, so i'm hoping that the hair that came out was from the tangling and not any additional breakage. i am going to have to relax next weekend because my roots are beginning to matt

@TopShelf
Oooo! A reconstructor AND a protein conditioner in the same wash? Did you follow with a moisturizing DC? If not you should do that right away. You could even just do it on dry hair. If its a good slippy product it'll be great to help you get all the tangles out before you relax (very important).

Sounds like your hair is definately prepped for your relaxer after that much protein. Are you self-relaxing?

Sounds like you may have to pick apart those tangles with your fingers before you relax to avoid a big disaster. The DC will help you. Coconut oil also releases my shed hairs really well. It was probably shed hairs from keeping hair up in the weave. Its important to learn the diff between shed hair and broken hair.

Keep us posted on your results.

OAN: I was surprised you responded to my post. I do watch this thread but the last time I posted in here (over a year ago) nobody responded. I'm talkin' crickets fo' real. Its kinda hoitty toitty in here, IMO.
 
@TopShelf
Oooo! A reconstructor AND a protein conditioner in the same wash? Did you follow with a moisturizing DC? If not you should do that right away. You could even just do it on dry hair. If its a good slippy product it'll be great to help you get all the tangles out before you relax (very important).

Sounds like your hair is definately prepped for your relaxer after that much protein. Are you self-relaxing?

Sounds like you may have to pick apart those tangles with your fingers before you relax to avoid a big disaster. The DC will help you. Coconut oil also releases my shed hairs really well. It was probably shed hairs from keeping hair up in the weave. Its important to learn the diff between shed hair and broken hair.

Keep us posted on your results.

OAN: I was surprised you responded to my post. I do watch this thread but the last time I posted in here (over a year ago) nobody responded. I'm talkin' crickets fo' real. Its kinda hoitty toitty in here, IMO.



Dang I just realized that I didn't deep condition, which is not like me. I ALWAYS dc after every wash. but I was rushing to go somewhere.
I want to self relax but I am not sure because I under-processed the 1st time. I didn't like that the stylist had different people in my hair. One girl basted my scalp, another washed, he put the relaxer on my hair and rolled it but another person took the rollers out. That never sits well with me.

I'll update next week
 
I am always rushing my wash days. Especially when I henna/indigo two-step. I try to do it twice a month. I often break those wash days up into several days. It helps that I wear wigs to work so I dont have to worry about styling.
 
Didn't dc last week, so I'm taking the time to do a protein dc right now.

On that note, I'm finally running out of my precious Motions CPR again. I'll see if I can score one more batch from Walmart again, then I'll be forced to find a new protein dc.
 
Just gorgeous!! back shot please? I'm in need of some hair prn today :)

I was just watching that curl band video on Facebook! Like literally just watched it a few minutes ago and thought the same thing, would like to support a sister but I've done this before based on youtube videos using a soft fabric headband.

I feel the same way! I really wanted to support but no thank you to the price.

Girl I never left the house in those curls. I brushed my hair into a ponytail and went to work lol

I think I had too much product in my hair. :confused:
 
Hmm... observation... last Saturday I was at a local church (99.9 % white people, it was a funeral) and while the mass was going on I couldn't help but look at other women's heads in front of me, like I said, all white, and NONE had healthy looking hair. Lots of fried bleached blonde hair, or hacked limp brown hair. There were 2 pretty healthy heads of hair (one long and one short) and they were both Indians.
 
Can anyone help me tweak my regimen? I need someone to review it and/or suggest other options.


I’m currently at 14 weeks post relaxer. I’m texlaxed with Affirm relaxer and undecided on whether to follow a no heat regimen (airdrying) or an indirect heat regimen(rollersetting). I’m currently BSL from MBL after cutting my bone straight limp ends (looks shorter in photos but BSL when flat ironed straight which I try not to do often). I don’t want to blow dry/flat iron.


My other problem is tangling (webbing) on the newgwroth and dryness on NG too.


No heat: The reason I want to try a no heat regimen is that I’ve seen other ladies have great success and retention with it but then I’ve also seen other people who rollerset or blow dry/flat iron and their hair flourishes.


My problem with airdrying is that my hair looks good for 1 or 2 days then becomes tangled, ends kink up and then I lose even more hair than before. I get “webbing” on my newgrowth where the hair tangles from the root and gets matted on my right side especially, I read “webbing occurs when hair is not moisturized but I use hydrating masks and moisturizers. My newgrowth also feels dry even though I deep condition every weekend, making sure I DC my newgrowth.last week I started trying Prettywitty77 leave in formula(Hello Hydration+water+glycerin) I like that one.


Rollersetting: I did a roller set last Monday and today my hair feels and looks amazing and moisturized but my NG still feels dry)


The pros about rollersetting are:

That was how my hair was best when I started.

Tangles are minimized when hair is smooth.

Easier for me to put in a loose bun or ponytail

I’m good at them.


Cons:

It’s still heat.

There’s manipulation to part hair, smooth it over the roller etc.


My regimen when airdrying:

I detangle with my fingers first, then a wide tooth comb.

Prepoo with conditioner and grapeseed oil

I started using a sulfate free shampoo but sometimes I use one with sulfates to use it up.

I deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner (I’m a PJ and have been using up my stash in order to get it down to maybe 3 DC) for 30 minutes under my Pibbs.

I then hop back in the shower and rinse.

I apply a leave in conditioner and a serum. I’ve tried detangling in the shower under the shower head using a wide tooth comb but was losing too much hair) .

Use the tshirt method to dry. I then cover my hair with a scarf and let it airdry with the rest of the hair hanging loose.

Smooth hair back with a moisturizer and put it in a loose bun with no elastic or if I use one then an elastic without metal.


When rollersetting:

Same thing as before until leave in conditioner and serum.

I then rollerset using grey magnetic rollers. Then flat iron the newgrowth although if I’m wearing a bun I don’t flat iron the NG.

I wear it down for a day or 2 then up in a bun or ponytail for the rest of the week.


I use a protein treatment once a month, clarify once a month.

I moisturize and seal twice a week, maybe 3.

I wear a satin scarf to bed but sometimes I forget. I have a satin pillowcase too but it gets tossed to the floor in the middle of the night sometimes.


Shampoos I’m using currently: Keracare detangling (sulfate free), Mizani Supreme oil (sulfate free), Moroccan oil (with sulfates)

Deep conditioners I reach for the most(moisturizing and protein based ): Silicon Mix, Kanechom Ceramides, Salerm Wheat Germ, Moroccan oil Hydrating Mask, Mizani Hydrafuse.

Leave in I reach for the most: Salerm 21, It’s a 10 leave in.

Serum: Mizani Supreme oil, Moroccan oil, Kerastase oleo relax or Chi Silk Infusion.

Moisturizer: Mizani Coconut Souffle.

Oils: coconut oil, grapeseed oil.


So, any suggestions? Another moisturizer? Cowashing? I’d really appreciate any help.
 

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@danysedai

You have a nice head of hair! It's thick and lush!

Guess what? My hair webs too. It webs from the scalp all the way down to the ends. Smh It doesn't bother me though. I de-web (not a word lol) them with my fingers and keep it moving.

I personally think your NG is being dried out with all the protein based products (even the mild ones) you listed, hence the constant dryness even after deep conditioning. My NG plays nice with nexxus phyto organics humectin extreme moisture conditioner.
 
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