Relaxed Ladies, What Do & DON'T You Like?

[Junebug D]

This is a question for those that are currently relaxed and practicing healthy hair techniques. What do you like most about being relaxed? What are some things that you do not like about being relaxed? What are some of the unique challenges that you deal with concerning your hair? Is there something, real or imagined, that would make your relaxed experience ideal? Or do you feel that it is already ideal?

 

[ceebee3]

Well I would have had a bunch of answers for you before coming to this board. Now the only thing that comes to mind is that I don't have to use heat to get my hair straight and do all the styles that I like.

What I don't like is that I can't be straight or sleek one day and rock an afro the next. I don't think I have any unique challenges. Since I've started to care for my hair I've learned that I just need to balance my protein and moisture. That's what's been working for me.

If relaxers were not permanent that would be ideal. I hate the fact that I have to start all over when I decide to go natural. I'll either have to cut all my hair or transition for a while. I'm afraid of transitioning for too long, so I think I won't go that route.

 

[doll-baby]

What I don't like about being relaxed is the feeling of having to walk on egg shells when handling it, combing or brushing it. I feel like my hair is very fragile. I don't like the fact that i can't do wash and go's ( it just looks a frizzy mess when I wear it down). I guess the only thing that I do like about being relaxed is the manageability.

 

[pookaloo83]

I like to be able to just get up and throw it in a bun when I'm in a rush. When I was natural, It took me forever to just do that! My hair would shrivel up as soon as I got outside. But what I did have to learn was hot to balance my protein and moisture.

 

[locabouthair]

I dont like dealing with the new growth. The longer I stretch it seems the dryer my hair gets.

And I HATE how relaxers change the color of my hair.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

I like the manageability.

I don't like the cost (but who does?) and the new growth.

Unique challenges: My scalp gets dry (but I think that's because of the climate change since my move - I moved from Philly six years ago to live in L.A.), so keeping my hair moisturized is key. Also, my new growth sets in fast (within six weeks of applying relaxer); so, I don't like to stretch too long beyond nine weeks, if possible.

If I could positively roll of these "moments" into my hair, they would be ideal.

 

[Simply_Kelz]

Like:
-Lack of shrinkage.
-Manageability.
-Ease of straightening.
-Styling options.

Dislike:
I have to do something to it to get some texture.
Touch-ups.

 

[brittneyy92]

i LOVE:

1. being able to wash my hair, throw it in a bun when it's partially dry, and have it come out looking like this

2. being able to braid it for a more textured look.


3. the ease and elegance of a simple messy bun on air dried hair.

4. the fact that i never have to use heat but still can wear my hair down and have it look good.

I DONT LOVE

1. hmmmm..........

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Like:
-Lack of shrinkage.
-Manageability.
-Ease of straightening.
-Styling options.

Dislike:
I have to do something to it to get some texture.
Touch-ups.

I've found that wetting and drying my hair (either air or by blowdryer) gives me some texture, if I don't flat iron.

I love touch-ups. Taking care of the NG feels good to me. But, I may be weird

 

[prospurr4]

Good questions...

What do you like most about being relaxed?
Here's why I love texlaxing my hair:
- I spend way less time on my hair, ie detangling is sooooo much easier (compared with my natural hair).
- I don't use direct heat but can easily wear straight or curly styles with rollersets.
- I can wear a BIG, textured style where people wonder if I'm natural.
- It doesn't take hours upon hours to achieve the styles that I want.
- I get to enjoy the actual length of my hair, with less shrinkage.
- I still have plenty of thickness.
- Since I'm a self-texlaxer, touchups (only 4 times a year) are easy and inexpensive.
- I don't have "issues" with texlaxing, ie burning, shedding, breakage, etc.
- In spite of being texlaxed, my hair is healthy and the longest it has ever been in my life.

What are some things that you do not like about being relaxed?
- The only thing I can think of is having to do regular touchups. But, I do them myself and only 4 times a year, so it's really not an inconvenience.

What are some of the unique challenges that you deal with concerning your hair?
- None, really. Now that I have a regimen that works for me, I actually enjoy caring for my hair.

Is there something, real or imagined, that would make your relaxed experience ideal? Or do you feel that it is already ideal?
- Since I've started texlaxing, instead of relaxing-straight, everything concerning my hair have just come together beautifully. I have the health and thickness that I've always desired, and in 2010, I'll reach my ultimate goal of hip length. I thank God for it all. Yeah...to me, my hair is ideal!

 

[LovelyLionessa]

I like the managability of being relaxed. I love to rollerset on large rollers and flat iron my roots for a straight style. In the summer I love wearing no heat styles, washing my hair 2-3x a week and styling in a braidout. I like the versatilty of relaxed hair, I can wear it straight or in a natural looking style like a braidout. I like being able to leave my hair alone between washings no combing, easy maintenance. I like when the weather is cool rollersetting and washing 1-2x a week only and being to maintain my style.

I also like not being dependent on a salon, I take care of all my hair including relaxing at home.

The only thing I don't care for is when my hair gets unruly when the NG comes in, and or I find areas of my hair (like my crown) that are more resitant to the relaxer and don't get processed as effectively.

 

[silkii_locks]

LIKES:
Managability
Quick Styling
Silkiness
No shrikage

DISLIKES:
Dryness
Split Ends
Thinner Hair

 

[Americka]

What do you like most about being relaxed?

• manageability
  
• new growth in the 1st 6 weeks ( I love the feel and look of it)
  

What are some things that you do not like about being relaxed?

• new growth post 6 weeks +
  
• no wash n go's
• major shrinkage at 9 weeks+
  

What are some of the unique challenges that you deal with concerning your hair?

• dealing with post 6 weeks new growth especially from 8 to 10 weeks; in the week prior to relaxing I had to co-wash almost every day
  

Is there something, real or imagined, that would make your relaxed experience ideal? Or do you feel that it is already ideal?

• would love to relax 4 times a year
• just want to get to BSL; anything beyond that would be a blessing

 

[*Muffin*]

What I do like:
-How easy it is to style on a day-to-day basis.
-No shrinkage
-Easy to apply product/don't have to use that much
-Doesn't take much to straighten it when you want to flat-iron
-Don't have to worry about reversion
-I like the overall appearance of my hair, but I'd probably like the appearance of my hair natural as well.
-I love seeing how much my hair has grown after I've just relaxed .

What I don't like:
-Stretching relaxers and dealing with the two textures.
-Having to part with my beloved NG and wondering what it would be like to be natural.
-Have to pay close attention to protein.moisture balance of hair
-Have to worry about evenness of hair and appearance of ends more (compared to naturals who don't straighten)
-Preparing for a relaxer/relaxer process

 

[sylver2]

What do you like most about being relaxed?
-the manageability
-the versatilty-straight & silky or wild & curly, braidout, curls
-smooth edges
-silky look


What are some things that you do not like about being relaxed?
What are some of the unique challenges that you deal with concerning your hair?
-goin to get a touchup
-hopin the touchup didn't overprocess or underprocess hair
-protein treatments
-havin to baby, nurture ends
-that its stripped my once jet black hair of its color and now has brownish streaks
-having to stretch and dealing with 2 textures
-not stretching but scared of overprocessing and stunted growth
-always having to wear a scarf
-dealing with dryness-hair and scalp

Is there something, real or imagined, that would make your relaxed experience ideal?
the perfect moisturizer

 

[JenBenCal]

What I love:
I love the manageability. I am a busy college student so taking time to detangle daily would probably make me late for class or work. With my busy lifestyle, its easy to take care of.

I love being able to airdry. I find that using heat doesn't really matter to me as much with relaxed hair because it comes out drying pretty straight anyway. And since I have very thick hair pre-relaxer, my relaxed look when airdryed isn't as thin as sometimes results with a flat iron.

The styles I can wear. I love being able to rock it straight or wavy if I attempt a braid out.

What I DON'T like:

Not being able to rock my natural texture. I do miss it sometimes and wish I had that beautiful nature texture to wear, but you can't have everything.

Dealing with new growth without losing the relaxed ends. This is probably going to be very hard for me as I'm going to attempt to stretch for quite some time.

I don't like using chemicals. I do think a lot about what I'm doing to my hair and I wish there was a less harmful way to get it straightened. All I can do is stretch till I can't do it anymore!

I don't really face any unique challenges, accept sometimes a dry scalp.

 

[imaccami]

I like the manageability, easy combing, washing whenever I feel like it, getting a straight style quicker, styles that last all day, and fog resistance.

I don't like that my hair doesn't actually get straight without blow drying and flat ironing first.

Ideal relaxer experience would be to step out of the shower let my hair air dry and for it to turn out straight.

 

[Junonia]

This is a question for those that are currently relaxed and practicing healthy hair techniques. What do you like most about being relaxed? What are some things that you do not like about being relaxed? What are some of the unique challenges that you deal with concerning your hair? Is there something, real or imagined, that would make your relaxed experience ideal? Or do you feel that it is already ideal?

What I don't like:

The burn (really intense when I was younger)
Limp hair after a fresh relaxer
Always feeling like breakage is right around the corner if I stray from my routine.

Unique challenges:
My hair is dry and dull. I believe this would be a problem if I was natural too.

What I like:
Styling my hair.

Imagined:
I wish I could put the pregnancy hormone in a shampoo or conditioner. My hair was at it healthiest when I was pregnant.

 

[Nightingale]

Good questions...

What do you like most about being relaxed?
Here's why I love texlaxing my hair:
- I spend way less time on my hair, ie detangling is sooooo much easier (compared with my natural hair).
- I don't use direct heat but can easily wear straight or curly styles with rollersets.
- I can wear a BIG, textured style where people wonder if I'm natural.
- It doesn't take hours upon hours to achieve the styles that I want.
- I get to enjoy the actual length of my hair, with less shrinkage.
- I still have plenty of thickness.
- Since I'm a self-texlaxer, touchups (only 4 times a year) are easy and inexpensive.
- I don't have "issues" with texlaxing, ie burning, shedding, breakage, etc.
- In spite of being texlaxed, my hair is healthy and the longest it has ever been in my life.

What are some things that you do not like about being relaxed?
- The only thing I can think of is having to do regular touchups. But, I do them myself and only 4 times a year, so it's really not an inconvenience.

What are some of the unique challenges that you deal with concerning your hair?
- None, really. Now that I have a regimen that works for me, I actually enjoy caring for my hair.

Is there something, real or imagined, that would make your relaxed experience ideal? Or do you feel that it is already ideal?

Hmmm, I can't think of anything.

Prospurr4 said everything I would have said.

 

[tarheelgurl]

I hate: how thin my hair is/looks relaxed and taking care of 2 textures when the new growth comes in.

Love: The ability to manage it without too much handling and its really simple to style and care for ( I love simple)....ie I don't have to press it or anything to get it straight for an event.