Self-Relax Support Thread

[Lady Esquire]

Nervous about self-relaxing? Or maybe you simply have a question regarding basing your scalp, adding oils to your relaxer, preventing overlapping, doing a corrective relaxer, relaxing in sections, etc. I compiled relevant self-relaxing links into this one thread. I am by no means an expert, which is why I researched the subject of self-relaxing at nauseam....in order to do it safely, and get best results possible. A lot of the info is repetitive, but each thread adds something informative to the subject of self-relaxing.



Who Invented Relaxers?
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=156445&highlight=relaxers



Difference between Lye and No-Lye Relaxers:
Is Lye or No-Lye Chemical Relaxing Better for Your Hair? by SistaSlick (Associated Content Article)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/352470/is_lye_or_nolye_chemical_relaxing_better.html



LHCF Threads difference between Lye and No Lye Relaxers:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=105301&highlight=sodium+hydroxide
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=144917&highlight=lye
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=146155&highlight=lye
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=104789&highlight=sodium+hydroxide&page=2



PH Levels of Relaxers:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=47544&highlight=henna+relaxing
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=134251&highlight=lye



General Relaxer Tips from AHBAI (American Health and Beauty Aids Institute):
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=25929&highlight=neutralizer


Links to SistaSlick's Articles on the Associated Content:
Getting Ready to Relax? Preparing Your Hair for a Relaxer Chemical Straightening by SistaSlick
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278572/getting_ready_to_relax_preparing_your.html
Guide to Safely Applying Chemical Relaxers by SistaSlick
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/320975/guide_to_safely_applying_chemical_relaxers.html?page=6



Here's an LHCF thread that also mentions SistaSlick's articles:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=145827&highlight=sistaslick+article



What to do a week Before and week After a relaxer:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=153311&highlight=relaxers

A week After a relaxer:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=84682&highlight=self-relax

Clarifying week Before relaxer:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=153243&highlight=relaxers

No Hardcore Protein for 2 Weeks After Lye Relaxer:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=13648&highlight=neutralizer






Nice Discussion about Silk, Keratin, Wheat and other Proteins (in case you want to add to relaxer or prior to relaxer):
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=85360&highlight=silk+amino+acids
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=129534&highlight=silk+amino+acids



Adding Protein to Relaxers (the benefits, the products, the websites):
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=156755&highlight=relaxers



The Science of Preventing Relaxer Damage by using Silk by Navsegda (Adding Silk Amino Acids to hair prior to relaxing):
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=112817
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=124441&highlight=SAA&page=12



Adding Oil to relaxer:


http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=124834&highlight=silk+amino+acids&page=5


http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=85670&highlight=silk+amino+acids&page=2




Basing prior to Relaxing:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=129173&highlight=self-relax




Many women relax in Sections:


SouthernGirl gives extremely detailed instructions on how she relaxes in 2 Sections:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=46135&highlight=self-relax




LondonDiva, relaxes in sections and has a photo tutorial in her fotki: (PM her for PW)
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=138665&highlight=self-relax


Lonei has a tutorial in her fotki, she does hers in halves also:
http://journals.fotki.com/lonei3/lonei4/



Here, Nixx shares her method of relaxing in halves:


http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=132633&highlight=relaxing+sections&page=2



Arcadian's Method (she uses Clips to separate small sections): http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=130924&highlight=clips

Preventing Overlapping:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=108851&highlight=self-relax&page=2
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=43357&highlight=self-relax
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=97462


Preventing Scalp Damage
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=179245&page=2

Rinsing Relaxer and What to do After:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=135416&page=4

 

[Lady Esquire]

Relaxing Processing Time: When Does It Actually Start?
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=235405

Corrective Relaxers:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=122927&highlight=corrective
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=150725&highlight=corrective


Texlaxers (Relaxers that are not bone straight, with some texture left)
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=131009&highlight=texlax

Henna and Relaxers:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=96623&highlight=henna+relaxer
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=106232&highlight=henna+relaxing&page=2

Ceramide Technology (interesting read):
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=131270&highlight=silk+amino+acids

If after reading all of this you decide self-relaxing is not for you, Balisi, our resident Licensed Professional Cosmetologist wrote a great thread on how to make your relaxing experience at a Salon more successful:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=99985&highlight=relaxers

SistaSlick also wrote an Associated Content article about Stylist Etiquette:
A 10-Step Pre-Relaxer Checklist for Black Women and Their Stylist by SistaSlick
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278594/a_10step_prerelaxer_checklist_for_black.html

 

[wheezy807]

Ummm.......LadyEsquire:blowkiss:. THANKS YOU so much!!! Great info!! I promise myself i'm gonna learn how to self relax next year.

 

[Zawaj]

Wow awesome post!

 

[Creatividual]

THis is EXCELLENT! I'm mos def going to save this link. Thank you for putting this helpful resource together. I too want to get to the point where I feel more comfortable doing my own relaxers.

 

[Katt73]

Thank you! This definitely needs to be made into a sticky!

 

[sareca]

Great idea especially since I'm planning to increase my relaxer from 1 to 3 or 4 per year.

 

[gymfreak336]

Thank you!!!! This is GREAT

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this for us! I'm about to self relax tomorrow and this will be a BIG help! I'm sure it took a minute for you to compile all these links.

 

[growingbrown]

I love this thread. This thread answered my question I was looking for, which is what to do the next wash after a relaxer.

Thanks!

 

[betty-boo]

This is excellent!!! I like the stuff on the ph of different relaxers too! Thanks so much! This should be a sticky

 

[Ambitious1013]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I will be self relaxing for the first time in November. This is great that all of these threads are in one!

 

[Lady Esquire]

Hi ladies! Glad you like the thread!
Hopefully this info will help us DIYers looking fabulous all the time!!!

 

[favorc]

that was sooo sweet of u to do this. Thank you.

 

[PittiPat]

OMG! Thank you so much!!!

 

[Pat Mahurr]

Holy Smoke, LadyEsq. ! When I looked at this post, I thought it was my Westlaw research on the screen! Good job!

 

[RubyWoo]

Lady, you are the best!! I have this thread subscribed for future reference.

Just bumping this up for Energee!

 

[Energee]

This is a wonderful thread. Thanks LadyEsquire and Nixx!

 

[Empress Yahudah]

Bless ur heart this is Wonderful Ive only self relaxed twice and i still need as much help as i cant get .. now i dont have to search all over the place

 

[Energee]

I'm up late tonight...our little one isn't feeling well. My husband did first shift..now it's my turn. He has a little belly ache but he's being so sweet about it....trying to be a strong boy....

Anyway, I'm able to read through all of this now..while I am up...I'm taking notes..and printing some info out....

 

[NYAmicas]

Ok why am I just seeing this after 3 months of stretching and I finally just relax and come to the hair board after Im done to see a wealth of info on relaxing! Darn DH playing Guild Wars and hogging the computer!

 

[SelfStyled]

Thanks you so much for compiling this info in one place, I could not bookmark this FAST enough!

 

[lennet93]

Thank you SO much for posting this! This is exactly what I needed. I'm seriously considering self relaxing and I need all the info that I can get.

 

[Artemis]

Subscribing now...


Thanks so much!!!

 

[Energee]

This REALLY needs to be a sticky! 'Ohhhhhhh Modsssssss!!'

 

[thegirltolove]

See this is why I love you. I thank you so much for compiling this list for us. When I get more time, I will be looking through all of these threads. THANK YOU SO MUCH LADY!!!!!

 

[Allandra]

I wish I could still self relax. I have a good stylist, but I still wouldn't mind being able to do it myself.

 

[loved]

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this!

I started coming to this board on a regular basis after I had such bad results w/ my May relaxer. I was able to do a better job last month because of the tips from this board. Pics of the May and Sept. relaxers are in my fotki.

 

[SpiritJunkie]

Girl i can't thank you enough for compiling all of this in one thread. I'm about to relax my hair & i also need to do a corrective and everything i was questioning is in here.

thank you thank you thank you

 

[Lady Esquire]

You're quite welcome guys!