Peachtree was having trouble sopying and pasting on to LHCF so I'm doing it for everyone that wanted to know. I know she won't mind.
I get absolutely wonderful results from applying my own relaxer. I've never had a problem in the 13 yrs that I've been relaxing my own hair and no under or over processing.
Getting the results you want is going to take a lil practice. Some people have told me that they found it easier to practice their "relaxer application" techniques by using a "crème conditioner". This way you will get a hands on feel for what's all involved, and more importantly a realistic way to time your self when applying. After all, if you do a poor, sloppy job, that's perfectly fine remember, you practiced with "conditioner" & not the real thing.
Another determinant in getting the right results is this I seriously believe it depends on the relaxer u use & its strength. This is a trial & error sort of challenge to figure out which relaxer and/or strength is best suited for your hair needs. But the bright side to this is knowing if one relaxer and/or strength did not agree with your hair, well, that one gets eliminated. There's still plenty of more options. Hopefully you will find your ideal relaxer/strength by the 3rd or so time & you'll also have the application down to a science...hopefully!!!
I am hoping to cover the essentials here. The steps are really simple. By the way, "simplicity" is a part of my technique & regime.
Please keep in mind that I use NO LYE relaxers only (Optimum, Luster's Pink) in regular strength. If I were to mistakenly overlap the relaxer, there is no major breakage that will occur. However, this may be different if you use a LYE relaxer I'm not for sure; you may want to check with the ladies on the board, or better yet, let a professional apply your relaxer to be on the safe side. Another thing, this is kind of' long, but if u can picture what I've typed out, "visualize" the steps...then it should be easier to understand it looks more complicated than it really is, so don't feel overwhelmed & discouraged.
1) 1 wk prior to relaxing, I do the following a pre-treat with Alberto VO5 hot oil (moisturizing) treatment, or African Royale Hot 6 Oil, use a moisturizing shampoo (Motions Lavish or Creme Of Nature for dry/brittle hair), deep condition under a hooded dryer with a moisturizing conditioner (Motions Moisture Plus), followed by a leave in conditioner (Motions) & oil (Hot 6 Oil). I prefer to do a "braid out" in attempts to retain as much moisture as possible leading up to the touch up, but often times, I end up roller setting under a hooded dryer on warm. (My braid outs take 27 hrs to dryer sometimes I just don't have the time to wait & it's too cold here in Cleveland, Ohio, to go out with damp hair!!)
2) Do not irritate the scalp for 2 days prior to the touch up. 3 days if u can help it. Finger combing is perfect. Definitely no regular comb, hair pins, etc.
3) Definitely read your instructions!!! If it says "keep the relaxer on for 5 minutes" then stick to it! Some like to "base the scalp" and/or hair line with Vaseline or base the already relaxed hair with conditioner. I tried both methods with my No-Lyes, and well, I was not happy with the results. My new growth did not get as "straight" as I'm used to. I really didn't see any difference with the already relaxed hair but I guess it was protected with the conditioner, it didn't hurt it so Oh, it may be a good ideal to line the outer rim of your ears with Vaseline just in case if some of the relaxer was to touch it you won't have a burned/scared ear, ouch!!!
4) Finger part the hair into 2 sections across the top. (Parting in quadrants is also fine. More about this later). The part should be sectioned by using the "top of your ears" as a guide. This leaves most of the "crown area" in the back half. If you're like me, the "crown area" has the most new growth. So I like to make sure that this area is accessible & gets the first application. Never apply the relaxer to the "hairline" first this area is more sensitive, may "burn" quicker, and is usually more delicate & thinner. You definitely don't want to have a "harsh" relaxer on this delicate area of your head during the entire relaxing process. If there's another part of your hair that has more new growth than the crown area, then by all means, start with that section first. This way the "most coarse/most new growth" part of your hair will have the relaxer on it the longest.
5) Once your hair is sectioned in half, you're ready to apply the relaxer. Apply the relaxer to the "new growth" only. (((If possible, try not to get the relaxer on the scalp or the already relaxed hair. In my experiences, it's nearly impossible to avoid the scalp, especially when you begin to "smooth" in the relaxer. The worst that will happen is you may get an "irritated scalp", yes, "burning" but it's not instant it's progressive (varies each person), so, you'll have time to quickly apply the relaxer all over before the scalp really "heat's up". It's also sometimes impossible to avoid overlapping. That's primarily why I like No-Lyes If I overlap, I don't lose hair, so it's no big deal!! But still try not to.))) Some people like to section the hair in 4's. This is fine if you're new to relaxing. Actually it's ideal for beginners. I used to "split in 4's", but then I found that one quarter of my hair was "straighter" than the next qtr, etc. Keeping in mind that the section of hair that u start with will have the relaxer on the longest & if u work slow, then this first section will be more "relaxed" than the rest.
6) Again, I start by applying the relaxer to the back top half (crown area). I first apply it to the middle, then the sides. I have no technique to this I just literary slap it on, & sort of' lightly smooth it down with my fingers as I go along. (FYI, I primarily use my bare hands; sometimes plastic or rubber gloves). Working from the crown area downward (to the neck), I'll lift up about an inch of hair (horizontally still), apply more relaxer, & so on until I've reached the "kitchen area". I'll secure the back half with a very loosely secured clip.
7) Next, I work with the front half. Again, using the same method an inch at a time, but working from the crown area to the front of your forehead. Secure with a loosely applied clip.
8) Now I'll quickly apply the relaxer to my hair line, all around.
9) Now is the time for the very quick "smoothing" process. Time is of the essence, because you're into the home stretch, yet you still have to be conscience of the time limits per the instructions.
10) Unclip the back section & literary "smooth" down the hair, with your fingers (or brush if u prefer). Do this quickly yet methodically, making sure to "smooth" evenly. Try to have an idea of how much new growth you've gained & smooth down to that the point where your new growth meets your already relaxed hair. It's best if you don't "overlap" the touch-up with the already relaxed hair. Again, in my experience with No-Lye, even if it's "overlapped" a tad bit, or mistakenly, I didn't lose any sleep or any hairs!!!
11) Unclip the front section & "smooth" as well.
12) That's it, you're done! Proceed to rinse out the relaxer. I take this step very, very, very, very seriously. If there's any relaxer still in your hair after u rinse, your hair will fall out!!! Not to scare u, but to catch your attention. It's very, very important that u take your time & section your hair in tiny sections to make sure that every bit of the relaxer is rinsed out. I notice that NO LYE relaxers have a "slip" feel to them when wet & still on the hair. Keep rinsing until the hair feels sort of' "squeaky". For me, this is my indication that the relaxer is out. Again, rinse in very small sections at a time, so that u can "feel" your hair texture to determine if the relaxer has been properly rinsed out. I spend about 30 min just rinsing!
13) Well, it's really easy from here on out. Basically you have to shampoo / neutralize (to bring your hair back to it proper ph level), condition/reconstruct (to bring needed moisture back into your hair), & use a leave in conditioner (for moisture) & some oil (to lock in the moisture). I've found over the years that many people have different regimes for this step. I advise u to follow the instructions on your relaxer for this one at least until you are comfortable changing this step to suit your hair needs.
14) Finally, you're ready to style. Whether it's roller setting, braid out, etc, just make sure that u pamper your hair handle very carefully while wet & dry. Your hair has just undergone a major chemical treatment & is very delicate & weak (from the chemicals). If the harsh chemicals in the relaxer did not "break" your hair, it'll be really sad if you ended up breaking hairs yourself because you weren't being "gentle" enough with it.
15) Ok, almost finished!!! I usually like to shampoo & deep condition 3 days after my touch up. Just try to make sure that u get this step in within a wk (which is really too long). Your hair most definitely needs the moisture boost from the deep conditioning. If u want to really give it a "moisture boost" following the relaxer, then do a pre treatment, "conditioner wash", deep condition, and a braid out. Moisture, moisture, moisture your hair will love u for it!!! (Please note some people give their hair a protein treatment before or after relaxing. It really depends on your particular hair needs. My hair is always in need of moisture after relaxing).
I know this is sooooo drawn out, but I wanted to make sure that I covered the essentials. It seems like a lot, but really it isn't or maybe it's just second nature to me because I've been applying my own relaxers for so long now. But I truly hope that some of this information will help u.
Definitely if you don't have very much experience applying your own relaxer, I strongly recommend practicing & or refining your technique by using the crème conditioner. Please keep me informed. If u have any questions, please let me know. Also, if you have some ideas to add, please let me know. I'm always looking to build upon & refine my own skills.
God Bless,
Peachtree
