Relaxed Hair Thread

MzSwift said:
That sounds like a winner! I've always thought grease would make a good sealant. Especially since one of my texlax idols used to seal with Vaseline.

Keep it up! I'm interested to see how much it helps you with retention.
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Thanks! I wanted to test it out a bit before I started singing its praises. On the plus side it has Shea in it too. So do my other leave ins (TGIN Green Tea Moisturizer, and Just 4 Me Hair Milk).
 
So I went ahead and relaxed a few hours ago. Getting ready to rinse out my final deep conditioner. I finished taking down my minis yesterday and did a little finger detangling. Then I relaxed without detangling Pretty sure I'm gonna regret that. It feels nice to feel my scalp again. My last relaxer was in June.

Here's my relaxer results. I'll post another pic of whatever style I choose to go with after I rinse and detangle. Lol

View media item 130413
 
three weeks post today, did a olaplaex treatment with a gloss last week.
Realized some things:
- the aphogee balancing moisturizer doesn't really work to moisturize as good as it should. there's protein in it, like why? Its marketed to use after the hard protein treatment. Decided to dump it even though its a half a bottle left.
- olaplex at times can leave my hair feeling dry. I'm thinking bc its closing the cuticles so tightly that moisture cannot get thru. So my workaround is after olaplaex, using a moisturizing DC with heat for at least 30 minutes to reopen the cuticle and get that moisture in.
- I need to read labels/ingredient lists better and question if some ingredients are indeed healthy for me and my hair/can fulfill what I'm looking for i.e. strengthening or moisture.
- my hair still grows quite fast but it also breaks off just as fast due to dryness so I net zero on retaining length.
- my hair needs a lot of moisture and I need to do some homework on finding products to give my hair what it needs.
 
Wenbev said:
three weeks post today, did a olaplaex treatment with a gloss last week.
Realized some things:
- the aphogee balancing moisturizer doesn't really work to moisturize as good as it should. there's protein in it, like why? Its marketed to use after the hard protein treatment. Decided to dump it even though its a half a bottle left.
- olaplex at times can leave my hair feeling dry. I'm thinking bc its closing the cuticles so tightly that moisture cannot get thru. So my workaround is after olaplaex, using a moisturizing DC with heat for at least 30 minutes to reopen the cuticle and get that moisture in.
- I need to read labels/ingredient lists better and question if some ingredients are indeed healthy for me and my hair/can fulfill what I'm looking for i.e. strengthening or moisture.
- my hair still grows quite fast but it also breaks off just as fast due to dryness so I net zero on retaining length.
- my hair needs a lot of moisture and I need to do some homework on finding products to give my hair what it needs.
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That’s how I discovered my hair does not like soybean oil/glycine soja oil. And it loves marshmallow root/slippery elm.
 
LonDone said:
Yes, this Exactly!!!!!! @ItsMeLilLucky

I was thinking, it looks like relaxed dreadlocks - how beautiful!!!

I wonder if that could be achieved, I would in a heartbeat.
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I love that style as well. And honestly, I did have some locs bc I did not properly detangle and I leave too much texture when I texlax to do that.

I tried to do relaxed locs in 2016 but I did them small like sistalocs. I was worried about not being able to rinse out the relaxer properly from the length of the locs and having breakage. So I just combed them out and kept relaxing it loose.

I'm actually hoping to install chunky twist extensions which sorta mimic the look. I don't like the neat, uniformed ones but they seem to be the most protective. Even the faux locs are too neat. And everytime I search "boho" all I find are ladies throwing in curly hair. That's not the look I'm going for, it's still too neat. I'm hoping to find a kinky boho look. Until then, I'm going to try some like these:

images


I like these fuzzy ones too, just not in blonde:

images
 
Sigh. I am now relaxed/texlaxed. I just washed out the press my stylist did and see that the length of my hair is texlax like I wanted but the roots are practically bone straight. At first I was a upset because now that means I will have to maintain 3 textures instead of 2 while I grow out that straight parts. That's going to take about 2 years.
I don't plan on cutting it but I may attempt a corrective on the texlax part so that everything will match and just texlax the roots as my hair grows out. I am so close to APL and every time there's a setback. :cry3:

Anyway, I will be doing my own at home-texlaxing. I was hoping to get a virgin texlax professionally so that I would have a good start. Sigh. Any suggestions for a pro-level mild/sensitive scalp relaxer would be great. I was going to try the Mizani Butter Blends but Affirm looks good too.
 
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@MzSwift

How long did you try that for, was it just one relaxer session only/one session and maintained until the next relaxer/multiple relaxers?

Breakage was the first consideration; I thought maybe the broken hair would become part of the loc but if the hair's breaking at the ends that's a complete non-starter!

Your hair is Goals, still to this day since I joined under another name in 2012!
 
Meritamen said:
Sigh. I am now relaxed/texlaxed. I just washed out the press my stylist did and see that the length of my hair is texlax like I wanted but the roots are practically bone straight. At first I was a upset because now that means I will have to maintain 3 textures instead of 2 while I grow out that straight parts. That's going to take about 2 years.
I don't plan on cutting it but I may attempt a corrective on the texlax part so that everything will match and just texlax the roots as my hair grows out. I am so close to APL and every time there's a setback. :cry3:

Anyway, I will be doing my own at home-texlaxing. I was hoping to get a virgin texlax professionally so that I would have a good start. Sigh. Any suggestions for a pro-level mild/sensitive scalp relaxer would be great. I was going to try the Mizani Butter Blends but Affirm looks good too.
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Awww. :bighug:

I don't think you'll have to cut. Depending on how you primarily wear your hair, you may not even really notice the difference. Honestly, if you think about it, even natural hair isn't uniformed. My texlaxed strands aren't uniformed either and I had heard ppl cutting because of it so I was worried. But I found that it wasn't really a big deal. Also, sometimes the hair seems super straight right after a relaxer but after a while, it poofs back up and isn't as straight. I hope that's the case for you.:pray:

I agree that it may be better to take control of your relaxers. Sounds like she did the roots first and then combed it down the length, which means that the roots processed longer and maybe your body heat helped it to processes straighter. I love using Motions mild, lye relaxer. I know it's sold almost everywhere so I don't have to worry about not being able to find it. And I think it's overall a good relaxer. GL to you in your search! :)
 
LonDone said:
@MzSwift

How long did you try that for, was it just one relaxer session only/one session and maintained until the next relaxer/multiple relaxers?

Breakage was the first consideration; I thought maybe the broken hair would become part of the loc but if the hair's breaking at the ends that's a complete non-starter!

Your hair is Goals, still to this day since I joined under another name in 2012!
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Thanks so much! :kiss:

I only did it for 6 months. I started them on 3 months post relaxed hair and then put them in. I wanted them tiny for versatility. I had planned to only relax them every 6 months. But when I went to relax, I was too terrified to try it and then lose length. So I chickened out. Lol


This is what they looked like before I combed them out

View media item 128815
View media item 128817
 
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MzSwift said:
Awww. :bighug:

I don't think you'll have to cut. Depending on how you primarily wear your hair, you may not even really notice the difference. Honestly, if you think about it, even natural hair isn't uniformed. My texlaxed strands aren't uniformed either and I had heard ppl cutting because of it so I was worried. But I found that it wasn't really a big deal. Also, sometimes the hair seems super straight right after a relaxer but after a while, it poofs back up and isn't as straight. I hope that's the case for you.:pray:

I agree that it may be better to take control of your relaxers. Sounds like she did the roots first and then combed it down the length, which means that the roots processed longer and maybe your body heat helped it to processes straighter. I love using Motions mild, lye relaxer. I know it's sold almost everywhere so I don't have to worry about not being able to find it. And I think it's overall a good relaxer. GL to you in your search! :)
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Thanks so much for the response @MzSwift. Yeah, I'm not going to cut it if its not needed. The plan is to keep my hair in updos and buns since its at the length where the ends rest on my shoulders anyway. No one can tell the texture difference unless my hair is down without straightening it first.

Right now I am looking for a stylist to do a corrective relaxer. I will just have to rock relaxed hair for a while and then texlax the roots as they grow in.

I just talked to one stylist and she said the same thing you did MzSwift that over the next few weeks I may see some more texture. She said she wouldn't do a corrective until a few weeks after the virgin relaxer. So I will wait it out and see what happens.
 
Meritamen said:
Thanks so much for the response @MzSwift. Yeah, I'm not going to cut it if its not needed. The plan is to keep my hair in updos and buns since its at the length where the ends rest on my shoulders anyway. No one can tell the texture difference unless my hair is down without straightening it first.

Right now I am looking for a stylist to do a corrective relaxer. I will just have to rock relaxed hair for a while and then texlax the roots as they grow in.

I just talked to one stylist and she said the same thing you did MzSwift that over the next few weeks I may see some more texture. She said she wouldn't do a corrective until a few weeks after the virgin relaxer. So I will wait it out and see what happens.
Click to expand...

I made the mistake of doing a corrective after I did my virgin texlax. I waited about 8 months but I regretted doing it almost immediately. I ended up with bone straight hair. I primarily rocked braidouts and wet buns. And when I straightened it, the different textures didn't matter. So I really didn't need to do a corrective in the first place. I don't do WNGs at all. So if you don't do WNGs either, you may not even need a corrective. That'll limit the chances of messing up any progress you've made.
 
Meritamen said:
Sigh. I am now relaxed/texlaxed. I just washed out the press my stylist did and see that the length of my hair is texlax like I wanted but the roots are practically bone straight. At first I was a upset because now that means I will have to maintain 3 textures instead of 2 while I grow out that straight parts. That's going to take about 2 years.
I don't plan on cutting it but I may attempt a corrective on the texlax part so that everything will match and just texlax the roots as my hair grows out. I am so close to APL and every time there's a setback. :cry3:

Anyway, I will be doing my own at home-texlaxing. I was hoping to get a virgin texlax professionally so that I would have a good start. Sigh. Any suggestions for a pro-level mild/sensitive scalp relaxer would be great. I was going to try the Mizani Butter Blends but Affirm looks good too.
Click to expand...
That sucks! Maybe see if olaplex standalone treatment no 1 and 2 can help correct the broken bonds...
 
Rollersets are soo pretty! Every time I think I've talked myself into doing them, I remember: small toothed comb, rolling technique, 1+ hr under the dryer... Then I decide against them. But they're soo freaking pretty! I guess I'll keep admiring from afar. sigh.

I'll use my energy instead to perfect my bantu knot out. A single top knot that I can rock for a day or two and then let down for pretty, loose curls. I think that'll be a styling goal for 2020 forward.
 
I just installed crochet twists. So happy to have my hair protected again. PSing is my safe space. I had my hair in two braided pig tails that I either pinned up or kept wrapped up. Every time I wear my hair out I'm too worried about friction, weather, etc. It's just not worth the stress. Lol. I'm happy to rock my hair "down/out" while in mini braids/twists. I'm also happy to only wear my hair loose for special occasions and short periods of time.
 
FadingDelilah said:
I want to do my first relaxer EVER and I have no idea the do's and don'ts. Can anyone help me out with tips?
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There are a few threads I read through before I did my virgin relaxer but that was a few years ago. The information is still very good though. I think there's a thread about relaxer tips or something like that floating around. It was very long and SUPER helpful.

My quick advice from a non-professional:

-practice applying the relaxer ahead of time using conditioner. The faster you can apply it, the better.
-do your roots last because they will process faster
-pre-part your hair ahead of time and use vaseline (not grease or oil) to base your scalp very well.
-Smoothing (with a comb or your hands) seems to most directly impact the outcome of your relaxer. Lots of smoothing tends to give straighter results.
-neutralize your hair thoroughly (lather up at least 3 times and leave the shampoo in for at least 5 minutes each time)
--- For my final lather, I pour an ACV rinse onto my hair and then add neutralizing shampoo to lather.
-Watch some Youtube relaxer videos for ideas. I like to pick up tips from different ppl to find what works for me.
-Breathe, relax (no pun), and turn on some good music

Both Lye and N0-Lye have their pros and cons. Think about which one would work best for you. And don't worry, you can always switch later. In one of the relaxed threads I learned a very unscientific quick way to remember the difference

Lye- harder on the scalp, easier on the hair
No-Lye - easier on the scalp, harder on the hair

Have fun and GL!! :)

ETA: A few post-relaxer thoughts:

Natural hair hides a multitude of sins, LOL, so don't freak out if your hair doesn't look as prestine afterwards. I would say, give yourself a good trim (not a cut) and then create a plan for your hair.

I learned this trim method and this is what I do whenever I trim my hair:



If you haven't already, grab a lite-medium protein tx. Relaxed hair definitely needs protein. A good initial protein is the ORS Replenishing pak or conditioner. I personally used Infusium 21 leave in protein as both a natural and relaxed head.
 
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I came in to post this bc sis has me thinking I can totally do this without tangling my hair! Lol. I love this video and come back to it every now and then but then I chicken out. After I take my hair down in a couple of weeks, I'm gonna try this wet wrap technique and let my hair air dry under a scarf.



Then I'm gonna use this crosswrapping technique to upkeep and see how I like it. I have family coming from across the country for Xmas and I want to wear my hair out. My niece, the only girl among the kids, will be here and she wants to see her TiTi's hair. This is one of the reasons why I grew my hair out, to show young girls that WE can also have long hair so I have to wear my hair out. Lol

Anyway this cross wrapping technique is less manipulation than regular wrapping. Does anyone know the name of the band that she uses? I'd like to get one.

 
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