Relaxed Hair Thread

[beloved1bx]

Just finished straightening. I used sleek matrix as my heat protectant.

Your hair is so shiny and full. Love the color too.
All you newly relaxed heads are putting me to shame. I'm side-eyeing this mop on the top of my head like 'why can't you get it together?'

 

[Evolving78]

Just finished straightening. I used sleek matrix as my heat protectant.

Lovely!

 

[Evolving78]

I won't be counting weeks until my next touchup. I plan on relaxing the end of Aug. that will put me at 10 weeks.
I picked up the wrong strength of relaxer box twice. I don't know why I didn't look. I was in such a rush. I got Course. I have fine hair, but my hair can be somewhat resistant. My hair is doing fine though. I'm going back to lye though. The last time I grew my hair out, I used lye relaxers.

 

[quirkydimples]

The woman who did my cornrows soaked the hair in apple cider vinegar and water, so @Black Ambrosia hopefully I won't be clawing at my scalp. I think they came out fine; good vacation hair.

Excuse my shiny face in the pics...

 

[movingforward]

I am so ready for it starts up and it's only been seven weeks.

 

[sunnieb]

@shortdub78 I don't count weeks like I used to. I've just decided to relax when I can't take it anymore. That usually will put me around 14-18 weeks post.

Relaxed bone-skrait Sunday night and I'm loving it!

 

[11228]

The woman who did my cornrows soaked the hair in apple cider vinegar and water, so @Black Ambrosia hopefully I won't be clawing at my scalp. I think they came out fine; good vacation hair.

Excuse my shiny face in the pics...

Looks so neat!

 

[quirkydimples]

Looks so neat!

I'm so happy I can spend the next five days enjoying the beach and not thinking one bit about my hair.

 

[sunnieb]

@quirkydimples love your hair!

Nice to be able to enjoy vacationing and not worrying about what your hair is doing.

 

[LushLox]

Quirky your hair looks gorgeous, you'll look great on the beach

Guinan your hair looks great, nice and thick. Welcome to the dark side!

 

[LushLox]

My hair feels great at the moment the ends feel nice and full and hair generally feels thick. Just hope I can maintain it for the duration of this stretch.

It's so hot that I'm having to wash my hair more. Just so my scalp can feel normal.

 

[MzSwift]

@Guinan
Your relaxer turned out very well. Pretty color!

@quirkydimples

Love the cornrows!! Have fun on your trip!


Interesting, I just did the same thing. I put an ACV rinse on my hair then used my regular products to cornrow. I'm moving in two days and didn't want to pack it up or throw it out. No itchiness so far.

 

[Evolving78]

I decided, I'm going back to washing and conditioning while in the shower. It worked pretty well for me before. Meaning right after I shampoo, I apply conditioner in the shower/with a cap, allow it to sit while I wash up, scrub, shave, etc, then rinse. This way the steam will help too. This way, I'm not getting in and out, not having to get under the dryer, and not risking over moisturized hair.

I still haven't purchased the macadamia oil line yet, but I do have the conditioning packs.

The only hair purchase I'm going to make next month is the Kiss handless dryer. For my next relaxer, I'm gonna get the Babyliss digital flat iron.

I don't plan out wearing my hair out until my next relaxer.

 

[MzSwift]

I don't plan out wearing my hair out until my next relaxer.

This is what I'm doing!. I'm doing a personal challenge to get my hair back to where I want it. If I end up wearing it out in between PS styles, I'm going to keep it flat ironed.

 

[Evolving78]

This is what I'm doing!. I'm doing a personal challenge to get my hair back to where I want it. If I end up wearing it out in between PS styles, I'm going to keep it flat ironed.

I'm on a trying not to spend money challenge. I wanna up my styling tools game, but I gotta focus on other expenses. So I am going to try to stretch my relaxer for 14-16 weeks total.

I will still wash my hair 2x a week. I will cowash one day, then shampoo the next day. I will deep condition 2x week. I will detangle and allow my hair to airdry. I will use my hair clip, or my spin pins to pin my hair up, then wear a turban.
I will moisturize and seal daily.
Do you know of a Moisturizing spray with no protein and no glycerin?

 

[LushLox]

For those who stretch 10+ weeks, what strategies do you use to manage the two different textures?

I just have a few questions, please answer if you can:-

Do you moisturise daily/twice daily or less?

What moisturiser do you use, do you use the same one throughout the duration of your stretch or do you need to use different products the deeper you go?

Do you co-wash, and if so how often?

Do you prepoo if so what with?

How often do you condition, do you do it with heat or without heat and for how long?

When deep in a stretch how do you style your hair

How do you dry your hair after washing?

Sorry for all of the questions I just think it’ll be useful for us all (read me) lol.


To answer my own questions:-

Do you moisturise daily/twice daily or less / more?

I moisturise in the evenings mainly. If I’m bunning I will probably use a bit more product in the morning

What moisturiser do you use, do you use the same one throughout the duration of your stretch or do you need to use different products the deeper you go.

Between 0-8 weeks I only need a light moisturiser, I use NTM Silk Touch Leave In and seal with whatever oil is to hand.

8 weeks + I part my hair into 4 sections and use a spray leave in on the roots, currently enjoying SachaJuan and Mahogany Naturals leave in but any good spray moisturiser is fine

On the lengths I’ll use Anita Grant’s Double Cream or Mahogany Naturals leave in

When deep in a stretch how do you style your hair

I normally use satin rollers or flexi rods for some waves then pull my hair into a loose bun, with the ends tucked in bar a few tendrils. I can more or less get away with this for the whole of my stretch if I wanted to. However some days I don’t sleep in the rollers then I’ll just wear a simple bun and sometimes I'll wear it down just for variety but not often

How do you dry your hair after washing?

Rollersetting or if I have no other option, blow dry.

Do you co-wash, and if so how often

No not really, I’ve been shampooing my hair twice a week which I don’t have a problem with

Do you pre poo and if so what with?

I rotate between the following:-
Darshana oil
Kerastase Premier Soin
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer

Bar the Kerastase product I either prepoo all day or overnight

How often do you condition, do you do it with heat or without heat and for how long?

Minimum once a week, and I do need to do it this often otherwise my hair is too dry in between washes. I will normally use heat for 30 minutes then another 30/45 minutes without heat.


Any other tips/suggestions

Yes I wash my hair in two sections when I’m 8/10 + weeks post.

I have a spray moisturiser bottle at work which I mist now and again as needed

I use a mid strength protein treatment every two weeks


Thanks ladies!

 

[Nina_S]

Just finished straightening. I used sleek matrix as my heat protectant.

@Guinan I love the color! Shrinkage is real.

 

[Nina_S]

The woman who did my cornrows soaked the hair in apple cider vinegar and water, so @Black Ambrosia hopefully I won't be clawing at my scalp. I think they came out fine; good vacation hair.

Excuse my shiny face in the pics...

@quirkydimples Your cornrows look great! Enjoy your vacation!

 

[quirkydimples]

The cornrows were perfect for the vacation aside from having them drip after being in the ocean or the pool...or while coloring.

I think I may have gotten sunburn on my scalp though, so I'll probably take them out today to wash and deep condition my hair.

 

[MzSwift]

I'm on a trying not to spend money challenge. I wanna up my styling tools game, but I gotta focus on other expenses. So I am going to try to stretch my relaxer for 14-16 weeks total.

I will still wash my hair 2x a week. I will cowash one day, then shampoo the next day. I will deep condition 2x week. I will detangle and allow my hair to airdry. I will use my hair clip, or my spin pins to pin my hair up, then wear a turban.
I will moisturize and seal daily.
Do you know of a Moisturizing spray with no protein and no glycerin?

I make my own moisturizing spray mix using water, condish and a few drops of oil. Me and glycerin ain't never been friends. Lol. It's so hard to find something with no protein or glycerin so I had to make my own.

 

[Evolving78]

I make my own moisturizing spray mix using water, condish and a few drops of oil. Me and glycerin ain't never been friends. Lol. It's so hard to find something with no protein or glycerin so I had to make my own.

What conditioner do you use?

 

[MzSwift]

What conditioner do you use?

I use either Garnier Triple Nutrition or Suave Tropical Coconut. But for me, it's mainly the water I rely on to moisturize my hair. Like you, my hair loves water multiple times per week. So my mix is usually about 80% water, 20% condish and just few squirts of EVOO or grapeseed oil.

 

[Evolving78]

I use either Garnier Triple Nutrition or Suave Tropical Coconut. But for me, it's mainly the water I rely on to moisturize my hair. Like you, my hair loves water multiple times per week. So my mix is usually about 80% water, 20% condish and just few squirts of EVOO or grapeseed oil.

I just used an old Shea moisture bottle and mixed my leave-in with water and pumpkin seed oil. I love that bottle, since it actually is a true mist. I sealed with grapeseed oil. I can use this throughout the day, since it sprays out so lightly.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Hey ladies, I was watching a YouTube video and I thought I'd asked what do you do daily (or even weekly) to your relaxed hair (freshly relaxed and deep in a stretch) when it's really hot?

 

[SuchaLady]

Hey ladies, I was watching a YouTube video and I thought I'd asked what do you do daily (or even weekly) to your relaxed hair (freshly relaxed and deep in a stretch) when it's really hot?

Wash it once a week and put it in a ponytail. Nothing else. Curly hair is very cool as well if you can manage to dry it when it's hot.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Wash it once a week and put it in a ponytail. Nothing else. Curly hair is very cool as well if you can manage to dry it when it's hot.

Thanks for answering!

Do you change the position of your ponytail?

 

[11228]

Hey ladies, I was watching a YouTube video and I thought I'd asked what do you do daily (or even weekly) to your relaxed hair (freshly relaxed and deep in a stretch) when it's really hot?

The first 3 weeks or so after a fresh relaxer, I wash once a week and air dry. I put it in a ponytail or a bun. If I wear it out, it is only for a few hours a day.

Mid stretch, I wash once a week and have no incorporated blow drying. I don't feel the need when the relaxer is fresh. Styling options is the same as above, buns and ponytails

Towards the end of my stretch. Same as routine as mid stretch except I braid my hair instead. The braids last anywhere between two to three weeks.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@11228 Thanks for answering!

 

[11228]

@11228 Thanks for answering!

You'er welcome.

Keep in mind that this routine is not set in stone. I might co-wash during the week if I feel sweaty or have a few hours to kill etc

 

[Guinan]

I slightly messed up my hair I tried to cut my own hair into a layered bob and it didn't come out too well. Prior to the cut it was alittle past SL. Now I have various pieces at CBL and EL. I had wanted to do one more drastic cut before I decided to grow out my hair. I may go to the salon and have them fix it and dye it. It's not too noticeable.

I haven't washed my hair since I relaxed. I think I may wash my hair today. Since my hair is short, I'm not too sure how I want to style my hair. I hate to wash my hair b/c my hair is still fairly straight, soft and manageable. I'm thinking I'll wear it curly.