Hmmm, I've been relaxed so long that it's really all I know. I don't hate my natural hair, I just absolutely LOVE being relaxed. Here are a few of my reasons:
*Unlimited versatility with NO heat! I love how if I wanted to, I could wear my hair down and straight on Sunday, a sleek neat bun on Monday, a bantu-knot out on Tuesday, a braid-out on Wednesday, a thick messy bun on Thursday, and so on and so forth with absolutely NO heat. Once I wash and air-dry, I just set my hair the night before for how I’m going to wear it the next day.
*No shrinkage! I get to see the length of my hair everyday!
*Since I wear a bun to work almost everyday, it takes me less than 2 minutes to do my hair every morning! (remove scarf, moisturize, put in bun with flexi 8 or good day hair pins – that’s it!)
*No damaging brushing required! I haven’t used my brush since January of 2009. I don’t need it. Matter of fact, I don’t even know where it is.
*My relaxed hair loves the rain! Don’t know why there’s the myth that relaxed ladies run from the rain. I think of it as a free moisturizing treatment. Now I’m not trying to stroll around in a downpour (who is?), but if my hair gets rained on, I just rub some NTM silk touch leave-in through out, slick back into a couple of bantu knots, put on my silk scarf for about 20 minutes, undo the knots, and I’m good to go!
*No single strand knots!
*Ponytails! Ponytails! Ponytails! – Now that I’m APL, I can actually make a good size ponytail that hangs down and swings when I walk!
*Newgrowth! I love seeing my newgrowth popping in against my straight previously relaxed hair. It means my hair is constantly growing and I can see exactly how much growth I get every month!
*Detangling is a breeze!
*HAIR SALONS!!!! Let’s see, Every few months I get to go to a place where someone else does my hair for a change, I don’t have to work, cook, clean, or answer DH/kiddos questions for a good hour and a half, and when I’m done my hair will be longer since I’m into stretching out my relaxers. I know I’m probably one of the lucky ones on this issue. My stylist is wonderful. She’s never kept me waiting over 10 minutes, she listens to me, she works hard to get me out quickly and doesn’t hassle me about getting a trim with every relaxer. It a very “relaxing” process!