Relaxed Hair Thread

[PlanetCybertron]

How would you describe your hair porosity?

My hair porosity is through the roof. Only parts of my hair that are lower in porosity are right at the roots, or my new growth when I’m stretching. But from my ears to the ends of my hair it’s very high porosity.

The last 5-6 inches of hair soak up whatever I put on them, so I just try to coat them as much as I can.

 

[MzSwift]

I have to drop this right here for my relaxed ladies as well. I read this article the other day about a water based amino acid treatment for the hair. It's apparently a Korean thing. I'm super intrigued.

https://www.byrdie.com/lamellar-water-hair-treatment-review-4707594

 

[sunnieb]

@PlanetCybertron thank you!

I'm going to add your techniques to my routine. I can especially see wet/ damp bunning during the week. After morning workouts, I can cowash, airdry a little and wear a wet bun to work.

 

[sunnieb]

@Divah97 in my case, I have a bad habit of always sleeping in two knots.

By separating my hair nightly, I know that contributes to my 'W'.

Gotta do better....

 

[sunnieb]

I was so intrigued by @PlanetCybertron's post, that I tried out a scrunchie-free bun on my short hair.

I combed all my hair back, split in 4 sections, and pinned each section to form a bun. Secured and pinned a hair net on top and took a pic.

Bun is puny for now, but I can see doing this when my hair is looking again.

 

[ArrrBeee]

I'm so over my natural hair. I don't ever wear it out because it ages me. I'm ready to relax again. How did you handle going from natural to relaxed? Did you self relax or go to the salon? What product would you recommend for a fine strand cottony sista?

 

[Lymegreen]

^^salon for the virgin relaxer.
Protein and no direct heat.
Moisture of course but we instinctively have that part. Just know you fine hair needs protein and maybe tea rinses?

But with relaxed hair - no / minimum flat ironing-blow drying

 

[MzSwift]

I'm so over my natural hair. I don't ever wear it out because it ages me. I'm ready to relax again. How did you handle going from natural to relaxed? Did you self relax or go to the salon? What product would you recommend for a fine strand cottony sista?

I was absolutely excited about going from natural to texlaxed again. So excited that after I texlaxed, I barely PSd and wore my hair out almost everyday. I wore braidouts almost everyday. I also like doing cowashed ponytails. I did enough to maintain but had lost some length bc I was tired of hiding it all of the time. So I went from WL to hovering around MBL for the first few years after I texlaxed. But even that was longer hair than I'd had my whole life! So I enjoyed it.

Immediately, wetting and styling my hair in the shower became infinitely easier. I could cowash and put my hair into a braided ponytail while in the shower. When I was natural, the water would get cold before I could do that. For braidouts, my wash day turned into wash DAYS and then my style may or may not last after all of that work.

I self relaxed bc I was too afraid of someone else messing me up and I had read so much on here. I went to old threads from around 2007-2010 when we had an abundance of long haired relaxed ladies on here and learned as much as I could. I looked for tips that overlapped, where lots of ladies said that particular tip was a part of their regi. As a natural, I'm sure you've applied conditioner to your hair in sections. If you can do that, you can totally self relax. Some of us pre-part our hair before relaxing so that way we can relax a lot faster. That may not apply to you for the first relaxer but it'll make your touch ups so much easier.

I'm a fine stranded, cottony sista too! My best advice is to find a style you like that's low manipulation and do a weekly light protein tx. I also added a leave in protein (Infusium 23) into my nighttime M&S every other day or so. I have no verdict on whether or not weekly blow dry/flat iron is bad. I've seen ladies grow long hair with weekly wash, DC and blow out/flat iron.

I chose lye over no-lye bc as I understood it, LYE is harder on the scalp but easier on the hair. And NO-LYE is easier on the scalp but harder on the hair. I figured I could just base my scalp properly and take the risk for one day every 3-4 months instead of spending months adjusting my regi bc of mineral deposits. HOWEVER, you'll see there are many ladies on here whose hair loves no-lye. There's no way to know until you start relaxing. And lots of ladies have switched between the two for touchups.

GL to you whatever you decide!! We're here for support!

 

[sunnieb]

@ArrrBeee

I would research a salon and go there for your virgin relaxer like @Lymegreen said.

BUT, @MzSwift brings up an excellent point about reading through older threads here. I learned so much when I found this site in 2008. I was almost full MBL before my setback. I know I'll get there again thanks the long haired relaxed ladies who laid the foundation.

 

[ArrrBeee]

Thank you @sunnieb @MzSwift and @Lymegreen

I've self relaxed in the past and honestly, my hair performs better in a relaxed state. On its own, it just curls and tangles, even with the most delicate regimen.

 

[healthyhair2]

I'm so over my natural hair. I don't ever wear it out because it ages me. I'm ready to relax again. How did you handle going from natural to relaxed? Did you self relax or go to the salon? What product would you recommend for a fine strand cottony sista?

I was so trying to grow my natural hair out to get another Gina Curl, but I am so fed up with my short 4b hair that I'm even ready to relax!

 

[sunnieb]

Now that I'm back to heavy M&S'ing at night, my daily bun needs work. Here's me right now:



My ends are moist and sealed to the gawds and that makes bunning a challenge. With short hair and limp ends I'm having to think of ways to bun and not look ridiculous.

Work in progress....

 

[MzSwift]

@sunnieb

Looks good to me, Bun Master!

 

[MzSwift]

I'm 3 weeks in these mini braids/twists and almost 7 weeks post relaxer. After next week, I'll either redo them or get it ready for wigs/crochet.

 

[sunnieb]

Thanks @MzSwift!

My friends know that I did not come to play, I came to slay! They don't even all why I don't wear my hair out. I will rock a bun of some sort 95% of the time for the rest of my life if that means I'll have healthy, booty length hair.

I am so over wearing my hair down. I just want the HAIR!

 

[MzSwift]

Finished converting my micro braids into small plaits last night. I plan to rock these in a bun with a yoga headband. I have been sleeping in a baggied bun. I'm hoping this will help with retention. I pulled my nape area down out of curiosity and it's reaching my bottom rib. I'm interested in seeing what kind of retention I'll have at the EOTY.

I plan to cleanse and use this water amino acid tx. Kinda nervous because I don't like to play around with different products. But my hair loves that baking soda/amino acid DC that I mix up at times and a 10 second tx is right up my lazy alley. Fingers crossed!

 

[Divah97]

I've been cowashing about twice a week and damp bunning every day by spiritzing my hair with water and applying Care Free Curl Gold curl activator. Between that and cowashing with Tresemme moisture rich (this stuff is amazing!!) my hair feels great. Honestly and truly. When my semester starts up at the end of the month I will throw in some box braids.

 

[GraceandJoy]

Thanks @MzSwift!

My friends know that I did not come to play, I came to slay! They don't even all why I don't wear my hair out. I will rock a bun of some sort 95% of the time for the rest of my life if that means I'll have healthy, booty length hair.

I am so over wearing my hair down. I just want the HAIR!

YES, YES, YES!! Since 2017, I bun 99.9% of the time; whereas previously, I wore my hair out most days. I like buns now and my hair is healthy and flourishing. Buns, a headband, & pearl earrings….I'm good.

 

[MzSwift]

I've been cowashing about twice a week and damp bunning every day by spiritzing my hair with water and applying Care Free Curl Gold curl activator. Between that and cowashing with Tresemme moisture rich (this stuff is amazing!!) my hair feels great. Honestly and truly. When my semester starts up at the end of the month I will throw in some box braids.

That has been one of my staples since I texlaxed in 2014! Love it and it smells good!

 

[MzSwift]

TOTALLY forgot that I invested in a whole bunch of drawstring ponytails!! Time to put those babies to good use. Great way to protect my bun. Don't know how I forgot these. I think I'll rock one of the curly ones I have.

Hard to decide-

 

[sunnieb]

The proof is in the pudding..... or moisturizer in this case!

Took this pic on Monday:



After a trim and being vigilant about taking time to moisturize and seal nightly, here's my hair this morning:



I will definitely retain what I grow with ends that look like this in my daily bun!

 

[MzSwift]

Wow @sunnieb you are DOING IT, sis! KUTGW!!!

I tell you, consistency IS the most important step in any regi or life change.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Wow @sunnieb you are DOING IT, sis! KUTGW!!!

I tell you, consistency IS the most important step in any regi or life change.

You are so totally right. I have a hard time with consistency.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

The proof is in the pudding..... or moisturizer in this case!

Took this pic on Monday:

View attachment 450031

After a trim and being vigilant about taking time to moisturize and seal nightly, here's my hair this morning:

View attachment 450033

I will definitely retain what I grow with ends that look like this in my daily bun!

Okay @sunnieb I see you sis!

 

[Wenbev]

Looked at some pics from almost two years ago and realized I’ve been at the same length all this time. Between breakage for various reasons and haircuts I have nothing to show for the last two years in regards to my hair.
I read @PlanetCybertron and @MzSwift recent posts on their hair care and realized I need to do better!

 

[MzSwift]

@Wenbev You can do it, girl!!

 

[MzSwift]

I tried that amino acid shot and I think I like it! A 10 sec shot of protein is right up my alley. My strands felt stronger upon rinsing it out and it was easy to do in the shower.

I'm thinking of trying to incorporate it into my relaxing process. But, I'm a bit concerned. It begins to "warm" a bit which is why it is only left on the hair for 10 sec. Not sure I want that after relaxing. But it seems to be a very quick and efficient way of infusing protein into the strands after a chemical procedure that breaks protein bonds.

I typically play it safe when it comes to my hair and not try new things. But this may be what I need to get to longer lengths.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@Wenbev dont feel bad, I shaved my hair off last year and I feel like my hair is just stuck at the same length. Now to be totally honest, I have been mistreating my hair by being too lazy. I definitely understand where you’re coming from.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Yes! Got my hair done! I was supposed to get it trimmed but I turned it into a cut

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I gots my hair done thank you Jesusim not sure how long it is now since it’s feathered, but before I told him to cut it, I’m pretty sure it was back to the length I had before I shaved it off.