What is texlaxed?

[MissFallon]

What does it mean to texlax your hair? How do you go about doing this, and what does it look like???

 

[Isis]

This term "texlaxed" seemed to have evolved on LHCF in recent months (or the past year?). I went ahead and added it to my signature.

For me, it's basically relaxing the new growth in 1/2 the recommended time, which is 10 minutes. Some relax even less time than that. The result is that my kinks are loosened but not straightened, leaving texture in my hair. My hair is also a lot stronger.

 

[Sistaslick]

Isis explained it well! My hair is much stronger too. I texlax mine with a mild relaxer mixed with an oil.

Here is a pic of mine. Not the best, but close enough I'm about 6 or 7 weeks post relaxer in these pics, and you can barely tell where the newgrowth ends and where the texlaxed begins. The difference is probably more of a difference in touch/feeling. My newgrowth is coarser than my texlaxed length. My hair has lots of texture left behind except on the last 3 or so inches-- which were relaxed bone straight from my I don't care about hair care days. I do plan to go natural once I've reached and maintained my hair goal for awhile, and texlaxing is definitely prepping me up for it.

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[DDTexlaxed]

My texlaxed hair was a disaster for me. If I ever put chemicals in my hair ever again, it will be a mild texturizer, just to tame the curls a bit.

 

[carpediem628]

Isis explained it well! My hair is much stronger too. I texlax mine with a mild relaxer mixed with an oil.

Sistaslick,

Are you saying you actually pour an oil into the relaxer before relaxing? What kind of oil? I'm about to relax my hair and I want to try it. I never liked bone straight hair. In the past, my hair was extremely healthy and now I realize why. Whenever I'd put my relaxers in, I could not stand to keep it in for too long and always washed it out too soon. Since I've been leaving my relaxers in longer, my hair is super straight (yuck!) and thinning.

 

[Sistaslick]

Sistaslick,

Are you saying you actually pour an oil into the relaxer before relaxing? What kind of oil? I'm about to relax my hair and I want to try it. I never liked bone straight hair. In the past, my hair was extremely healthy and now I realize why. Whenever I'd put my relaxers in, I could not stand to keep it in for too long and always washed it out too soon. Since I've been leaving my relaxers in longer, my hair is super straight (yuck!) and thinning.

Yep! In fact, there was a good thread started about this a couple of days ago. Seems like quite a people do this. I usually add about 1/4 cup of almond oil to my relaxer (mini tub) prior to using it. Any oil will do, though. I've even heard of some adding conditioner to the relaxer, but oil seems to work well for me. The oil will slow down the action of the relaxer and make it a little less harsh on your hair.

 

[RabiaElaine]

Hi a transitioning texlaxer here

I'm basically 70% relaxed. It basically stretches out my natural curl/kink but it still has a lot of texture. If you were to see my hair when I wash it you might think it's natural (about 3 inches from the roots, the rest is bone straight). But with the correct products and style my hair looks relaxed with texture and thickness.

It takes A LOT of patience, and getting used to (at least for me) but it's one of the best thing i did for my hair. When my hair is bone straight it's very thin, now that it's texlaxed it's 2 times as thick or more. I can't wait until i'm 100% texlaxed, my hair is going to look so thick and full .

Oh yeah, an added bonus is that it's easier to deal with your new growth as it comes in because it's not drastically different from your texlaxed hair. I'm 4 weeks post right now and it doesn't feel much different in terms of handling my hair than it did at 1 week post, not because there isn't new growth (there definitely is), it's just not as noticeable.

 

[Kenedie]

As you begin the texlaxing, would you begin to trim away the relaxed hair?

 

[Sistaslick]

Yes, if you continue to texlax, your super straight relaxed ends will eventually be trimmed away. I currently have about 3 or so inches of those ends left. They will NOT be missed.

 

[jackie1277]

how long do the rest of you relax for? Is 10 minutes what the rest of you guys do also? I'm curious. I use Phytorelaxer and stopped at 18 mins (max I think was 25 min) but i think shorter amount of time.

 

[mblake8]

I am really thinking about doing this but my hair is apl length and i just dont want to start all over again. What about breakage? Can in gradually trim off the bone straight edges? I am about to do my first self relaxer today or tommorrow! Pray for me.