Relaxed Hair Thread

abioni said:
Doesn't look like my hair grows fast. Got one inch at 3 months post relaxer. Some parts are not even up to one inch. This is with Xcel21 growth aid too. Granted, the Xcel21 product might have been expired so maybe not as effective .
Click to expand...

Aww, I hope you don't feel too bad about it. ((BIG HUG))

I'm in the same boat as you, I'm a slow grower. I only grow about 4"/yr or about 1/3" a month. That's why I stretch my relaxers and focus on retaining almost everything I grow. I've been able to have long lengths after multiple cuts. You can do it too - if that's what you want! :)
 
MzSwift said:
I can't even remember the last I DC'd. smh.
I can say that using my Ayurveda mixes leaves my hair in such a condition that I'm not feeling pressed to DC as often.

I can't deny the benefits of DCing though, especially with heat. So I'll only aim to DC in between my long term styles. If I change them out every 3-4 weeks, that puts me on a monthly DC schedule and I can live with that.
Click to expand...
What Ayurvedic mixes do you do?
 
MzSwift said:
Aww, I hope you don't feel too bad about it. ((BIG HUG))

I'm in the same boat as you, I'm a slow grower. I only grow about 4"/yr or about 1/3" a month. That's why I stretch my relaxers and focus on retaining almost everything I grow. I've been able to have long lengths after multiple cuts. You can do it too - if that's what you want! :)
Click to expand...


Thanks for the encouragement. It is odd, my nails grow so fast.

Growing my hair to waist length is the ultimate goal. I feel like I have been at armpit length for 2 years. I'm hopeful this coming year though. I will try my best to retain as much length as possible.
 
abioni said:
Thanks for the encouragement. It is odd, my nails grow so fast.

Growing my hair to waist length is the ultimate goal. I feel like I have been at armpit length for 2 years. I'm hopeful this coming year though. I will try my best to retain as much length as possible.
Click to expand...

Hmm, maybe a good test would be to do a full PS for 2-3 months as a comparison? It would also be a good way to help get over the hump. What do you think?

I definitely see a difference in retention when I choose full, pretty much no-manipulation PSing (like cornrows under wigs/crochet hair or braid/twist extentions) vs when I'm PSing with my hair in low-manipulation styles like bunning or even minibraids/twists without extensions.
 
Theresamonet said:
What Ayurvedic mixes do you do?
Click to expand...

Hope this isn't too long-winded. :blush2:

I make my own cleanser and cowash/leave-condish for the shower. I also make a tea spray that I use daily as the "water" or "L" in the LOC/LCO moisturizing step. And I make a scalp oil that I use a few times a week.

For my cleanser and condish, I take an empty 16 oz bottle (empty condish bottles or new bottles from Amazon) and pour in about 1- 2 tsp of Shikakai and Neem powders (for the cleanser) and 1-2 tsp of Henna, Brahmi and Amla for the condish. Then I fill them about 1/3 - 1/2 with really hot water. Shake it up to make a tea. And then for the condish, I fill it the rest of the way with a cheapie moisturizing conditioner. For the cleanser, I add about 1/3 peppermint castile soap and 1/3 cheapie moisturizing conditioner. I also add about 10 drops of lemon EO to it. Then I shake them both up. They can last me anywhere from 2 weeks - 1 month. I use them each shower. Maybe once a week, I use a regular shampoo instead (followed by the moremo/loreal water tx and then my cheapie condish as a leave in).

For my tea spray, I mix 1-2 tbsp of Hibiscus, Brahmi and Bhringaraj powders into an empty glass jar (old spaghetti sauce or tall salsa jar) and fill it halfway with really hot water and shake to mix all of the powders into a tea. And then fill it the rest of the way with hot water and shake to mix well. I let that cool down and then put it in the fridge. I let that sit for at least 24 hrs to let the particles settle. I pour some into a spray bottle about 1/3 full and then fill the rest with regular hot water. I also like to throw in a few drops of my favorite EOs (orange and lavender). If I'm using this spray on extensions, I dilute the tea with a lot of water - probably around 1:5, tea:water. I hope that makes sense. :) The premixed tea usually lasts me about 1-1.5 months.

And for my scalp oil, it is usually Bhringaraj and Amla infused. I pour about 2-3 tbsp of the powders into an empty glass jar and then fill it with either EVOO or Grapeseed oil. I usually add a few tsp of Nettle Leaf and Horsetail powders when I have them. Lately, I've been thinking of using Almond oil bc I like how light it is. I shake up the glass to mix the powders through the oil and then let it sit at least 24 hrs so that the particles can settle at the bottom again. Then I pour some of the oil into a 4 oz bottle with an applicator tip. I fill it up about 99% of the way and then add peppermint (and lately clove bud) EOs for scalp stimulation. Also I like to add lavender EO for scent. I use the scalp oil a few nights a week and it lasts a long time as well, maybe about a month. Once the oil starts to get to the murky part of the glass mix, I reuse the same powders 1-2 more times. I just refill it with more oil, shake and let it settle again. So I guess this powder usually lasts me about 3-4 months.

Lastly, my DC mix is pretty simple. I like to mix Hibiscus powder into Queen Helene cholesterol. Then I add in about 1.5 tsp of salt and some EVOO. Sometimes, I'll add a few squirts of my thicker cheapie moisturizing condish or some EOs for scent. I apply it to my hair like a relaxer and tie a couple of plastic grocery bags around my head. And then I sit under the heated conditioning cap for about 20-30 minutes and rinse it out.

So I pretty much only do the mixing monthly. I find it to be so much easier than sitting and doing pastes bc I'm already doing these steps anyway. I like to use Suave for my mixes. I use that same cheapie moisturizing condish as the "C" in my moisturizing step. I add in a thicker, but still cheap, condish in the winter (Tresemme usually, but Amazon knockoff now). I can't believe it but I've been doing this since 2010 and that's when my hair took off, coupled with long term PSing. There was a stretch of time where I fell off the wagon (cough, a few years) and I noticed the difference in my hair immediately once I picked it back up. My hair has a natural shine to it that I don't have when I don't use the powders, I feel that my hair is definitely healthier from using these mixes.

HTH! :)
 
MzSwift said:
Hope this isn't too long-winded. :blush2:

I make my own cleanser and cowash/leave-condish for the shower. I also make a tea spray that I use daily as the "water" or "L" in the LOC/LCO moisturizing step. And I make a scalp oil that I use a few times a week.

For my cleanser and condish, I take an empty 16 oz bottle (empty condish bottles or new bottles from Amazon) and pour in about 1- 2 tsp of Shikakai and Neem powders (for the cleanser) and 1-2 tsp of Henna, Brahmi and Amla for the condish. Then I fill them about 1/3 - 1/2 with really hot water. Shake it up to make a tea. And then for the condish, I fill it the rest of the way with a cheapie moisturizing conditioner. For the cleanser, I add about 1/3 peppermint castile soap and 1/3 cheapie moisturizing conditioner. I also add about 10 drops of lemon EO to it. Then I shake them both up. They can last me anywhere from 2 weeks - 1 month. I use them each shower. Maybe once a week, I use a regular shampoo instead (followed by the moremo/loreal water tx and then my cheapie condish as a leave in).

For my tea spray, I mix 1-2 tbsp of Hibiscus, Brahmi and Bhringaraj powders into an empty glass jar (old spaghetti sauce or tall salsa jar) and fill it halfway with really hot water and shake to mix all of the powders into a tea. And then fill it the rest of the way with hot water and shake to mix well. I let that cool down and then put it in the fridge. I let that sit for at least 24 hrs to let the particles settle. I pour some into a spray bottle about 1/3 full and then fill the rest with regular hot water. I also like to throw in a few drops of my favorite EOs (orange and lavender). If I'm using this spray on extensions, I dilute the tea with a lot of water - probably around 1:5, tea:water. I hope that makes sense. :) The premixed tea usually lasts me about 1-1.5 months.

And for my scalp oil, it is usually Bhringaraj and Amla infused. I pour about 2-3 tbsp of the powders into an empty glass jar and then fill it with either EVOO or Grapeseed oil. I usually add a few tsp of Nettle Leaf and Horsetail powders when I have them. Lately, I've been thinking of using Almond oil bc I like how light it is. I shake up the glass to mix the powders through the oil and then let it sit at least 24 hrs so that the particles can settle at the bottom again. Then I pour some of the oil into a 4 oz bottle with an applicator tip. I fill it up about 99% of the way and then add peppermint (and lately clove bud) EOs for scalp stimulation. Also I like to add lavender EO for scent. I use the scalp oil a few nights a week and it lasts a long time as well, maybe about a month. Once the oil starts to get to the murky part of the glass mix, I reuse the same powders 1-2 more times. I just refill it with more oil, shake and let it settle again. So I guess this powder usually lasts me about 3-4 months.

Lastly, my DC mix is pretty simple. I like to mix Hibiscus powder into Queen Helene cholesterol. Then I add in about 1.5 tsp of salt and some EVOO. Sometimes, I'll add a few squirts of my thicker cheapie moisturizing condish or some EOs for scent. I apply it to my hair like a relaxer and tie a couple of plastic grocery bags around my head. And then I sit under the heated conditioning cap for about 20-30 minutes and rinse it out.

So I pretty much only do the mixing monthly. I find it to be so much easier than sitting and doing pastes bc I'm already doing these steps anyway. I like to use Suave for my mixes. I use that same cheapie moisturizing condish as the "C" in my moisturizing step. I add in a thicker, but still cheap, condish in the winter (Tresemme usually, but Amazon knockoff now). I can't believe it but I've been doing this since 2010 and that's when my hair took off, coupled with long term PSing. There was a stretch of time where I fell off the wagon (cough, a few years) and I noticed the difference in my hair immediately once I picked it back up. My hair has a natural shine to it that I don't have when I don't use the powders, I feel that my hair is definitely healthier from using these mixes.

HTH! :)
Click to expand...
It is long winded, but we appreciate the wind in these parts.
 
The only drawback of relaxing my hair so far is that my staple DCs don’t work as well as they used to. I’m not getting that silky soft hydrated feeling from them anymore. I don’t understand why that happens… I still have about 10 - 16.9 oz jars of my fav that I’m not sure what I’m going to do with. I already tried adding honey and olive oil. I think it was better, but I wasn’t blown away.

But the fun (and expensive) part is that I have a lot of newly purchased DCs to try out. I’m hoping one or more of them is a hit.
 
Plushottie said:
Does anyone use silk elements or ors lye relaxer? I’m just trying to see if I should change my silk element one.
Click to expand...
I’ve used ORS lye in normal strength for about 2.5 years. I forget what page it is in this thread, but many of us talk about how we think they changed the formula bc we’re underprocessed consistently now. I’m actually stretching so I can switch, but idk know to what. Thinking about Affirm.

ETA: I have no info on SE. Good luck! Please lmk where you land.
 
demlew said:
I’ve used ORS lye in normal strength for about 2.5 years. I forget what page it is in this thread, but many of us talk about how we think they changed the formula bc we’re underprocessed consistently now. I’m actually stretching so I can switch, but idk know to what. Thinking about Affirm.

ETA: I have no info on SE. Good luck! Please lmk where you land.
Click to expand...
Ok that’s what I thought I read but reading at 2am makes for confusion. I will look at affirm. Thank you!
 
Theresamonet said:
The only drawback of relaxing my hair so far is that my staple DCs don’t work as well as they used to. I’m not getting that silky soft hydrated feeling from them anymore. I don’t understand why that happens… I still have about 10 - 16.9 oz jars of my fav that I’m not sure what I’m going to do with. I already tried adding honey and olive oil. I think it was better, but I wasn’t blown away.

But the fun (and expensive) part is that I have a lot of newly purchased DCs to try out. I’m hoping one or more of them is a hit.
Click to expand...
@Theresamonet
Agreeing with this post a Hunnen and Ten Percent!:goodpost:
 
I really, really wanna love Affirm bc you ladies here speak so well of it. :(

I can just say that my hair does not feel as soft as I'm accustomed to my relaxed hair feeling when I use Motions. But I have a FIVE GALLON bucket of Affirm Fiberguard mild and I need to use the rest of it. I'm gonna add oil to it when I relax next, either 80/20 or 70/30 since it processed me pretty quickly and the Motions already has oils in the relaxer.

:scratchchin: I'm thinking of doing an early relaxer just to test this theory bc I'd rather not relax a longer length of new growth with it if I end up not liking it. I'm cautious about experimenting and changing up things with my hair so it's making me a bit antsy. But I'd rather mess up now while my hair is short. I'll be 13 weeks post on 12/31. I think that would be a good time to try it out. My new growth won't be much but it'll be enough for me to see how my hair feels. I'm stretching until May anyway so it'll still be a good stretch from Dec/Jan instead of Oct.
 
@Theresamonet
No, unfortunately I have not:nono: Following the Relaxed Threads seeing what everyone is using/buying.

So, I've just been using Olaplex 8 for my DC'er and Olaplex products overall to build up my Relaxed Hair. (as well as a few other Bonding products).

Eventually I have to get back into my Stash - back to all the Handmade/Natural stuff in my Stash and weigh out how it's working on my newly relaxed hair while still trying to keep 'cones' to a minimum, if possible.

I picked one or two Mizani and Affirm products (just because). Also looking at Aveda and PhytoSpecific (for Relaxed Hair - used a few of these in the past).

SSI and some others Handmade/Naturals worked really well when I was relaxed before.

But I definitely have got to get back into my stash. So, it's going down this Winter:cold:
 
One of the best salon masks that I've bought this year is Ouai's Thick Hair mask (it doesn't matter if you don't have thick hair). This product leaves my hair so beautifully silky and hydrated, it's a real joy to use. It's expensive though, so I tend to buy it when it's on offer, which reminds me that I need to repurchase.

I've been using a Mizani night treatment which has a few nasties in it, but I love the way it makes my hair feel. I've decided that I'm not going to give up on products that worked for me historically, just because of the ingredients. I'll just clarify more if I need to and just see how my hair reacts in the longer term.

I'd really like the Aveda Botanical Strengthening mask because I've heard SO many good things about it, but that price man - ugh!!!

And I've just spent an absolute fortune on a load of skin care, so I'm not going to be buying anymore hair care for a while unless it's replacements.
 
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LushLox said:
One of the best salon masks that I've bought this year is Ouai's Thick Hair mask (it doesn't matter if you don't have thick hair). This product leaves my hair so beautifully silky and hydrated, it's a real joy to use. It's expensive though, so I tend to buy it when it's on offer, which reminds me that I need to repurchase.

I've been using a Mizani night treatment which has a few nasties in it, but I love the way it makes my hair feel. I've decided that I'm not going to give up on products that worked for me historically, just because of the ingredients. I'll just clarify more if I need to and just see how my hair reacts in the longer term.

I'd really like the Aveda Botanical Strengthening mask because I've heard SO many good things about it, but that price man - ugh!!!

And I've just spent an absolute fortune on a load of skin care, so I'm not going to be buying anymore hair care for a while unless it's replacements.
Click to expand...
What did you get skincare wise.
 
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