Why do you relax?

[prospurr4]

I relax/texlax so that I can enjoy the length of my hair, without spending hours stretching it out with heat, only for it to revert before I even leave the house.

Also, I refuse to spend more than an hour or so (per week) on "doing my hair" period, unless it's a touchup/DC, which I do 4 times a year. I co-wash weekly, rollerset, airdry/bonnet dry, and I'm done. I rather spend my time doing other stuff...

 

[prospurr4]

Does this mean I hate myself?

 

[Dak]

I don't relax, but have a BKT on my hair. While the treatment takes a while, it frees me up tremendously so I don't have to spend a lot of time on my hair each day.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

Thanks for answering either way so have you not experienced the same dryness with relaxed hair? If you can find a way to keep your natural hair moisturizer would you stay natural?

Your Welcome!!

Yes, if I could have kept my natural hair, soft & moisturized all day long without having to carry a waterbottle to spritz every other hour to keep it soft and not dry, I would have. But shea butter and all that did not work and it was becoming expensive trying all these products, and was giving me the blues, so when I texturized with Mizani Butter Blends, I was so happy, my hair is curly and soft all day long. See, I am a lazy hair person, I am not into different styles, I just like for my hair to be pulled back or worn out. But for now texturizing is easy for me and takes less than 5 minutes.

 

[ladylina]

I relax because like other people have stated is i dont have alot of time on my heads to deal with my nature hair, maybe when I get older I will try it and if I dont like it then I just relax again.

 

[Toy]

because it is more convenient for me time and energy-wise to be relaxed.

Exactly.....

 

[nappystorm]

I got a relaxer when I was nine. My hair was long and thick and I was "tender headed". Just for Me had just come out and I wanted to look like the pretty girls on TV and the relaxed girls in my neighborhood. I think my mother agreed because she was tired of the pulling, tugging, and fighting we would do. I kept it about 13 years.

 

[UniquelyDivine]

I got a relaxer when I was nine. My hair was long and thick and I was "tender headed". Just for Me had just come out and I wanted to look like the pretty girls on TV and the relaxed girls in my neighborhood. I think my mother agreed because she was tired of the pulling, tugging, and fighting we would do. I kept it about 13 years.

That's exactly why my mother relaxed my hair as well, if she even looked at my head I burst into tears, I only wanted her to use the brush, I had a stash of combs hidden behind the couch..lol I remember the day that pulled it out and found a mini bss behind it! I can't blame my mom for that, it was a heavy weight title fight every time :swordfigh:swordfigh:swordfigh:swordfigh

 

[havilland]

i prefer the ease of care with relaxed hair. if my hair wasnt so fragile, i would go back to being bone.laxed. i workout alot and liked the ease of a straight slick bun.

i am now texlaxed and it's good because my hair is stronger, but i still miss straight hair everytime i workout. i wear my hair up alot and i prefer a straight bun to a wavy one....just a personal preference.

 

[Sha76]

I relaxed because of how long it took to wash my hair and single strand knots were driving me crazy

 

[SweetTea]

I'm currently texlaxed and plan to continue. For me it's the best of both worlds. I still get shrinkage, but straightening is easier. Also my natural hair is very thick/heavy. I like to wear my hair up 99% of the time, but wearing my natural hair up gave me a lot of headaches.

 

[Minty]

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=352193&highlight=relaxed+why

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=390028&highlight=relaxed+why


http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=338667&highlight=relaxed+why

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=477048&highlight=relax+feel

 

[aa9746]

I don't relax, but have a BKT on my hair. While the treatment takes a while, it frees me up tremendously so I don't have to spend a lot of time on my hair each day.

Does bkt keep hair from reverting?

 

[UniquelyDivine]

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=352193&highlight=relaxed+why

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=390028&highlight=relaxed+why


http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=338667&highlight=relaxed+why

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=477048&highlight=relax+feel

Thanks for finding them, I didn't see any of those when I did my search, I am on my phone so that could be why... Doesn't really matter either way though IMO because based on the # of responses in here I'm not the only one who missed seeing those threads.

 

[TayMac]

I've been relaxed since I was in the 3rd grade (8 or 9yo) and just haven't had the urge to go natural.

 

[Minty]

Thanks for finding them, I didn't see any of those when I did my search, I am on my phone so that could be why... Doesn't really matter either way though IMO because based on the # of responses in here I'm not the only one who missed seeing those threads.

My searching for these posts was for the benefit of all.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I relaxed cuz I was tired of single strand knots while I was natural.

The reason I may go back to being natural is that I hate being on a relaxer schedule.


Damned if I do. Damned if I don't.

 

[Dak]

Does bkt keep hair from reverting?

Yes, it binds a keratin coating to the hair shaft. Eventually,(3 to 6 months, depending on the shampoos you use) it washes out. It doesn't take the curl completely out of my hair, (though some will, I've read) just relaxes it a bit, so I have less shrinkage.

I might as well tell you now, before someone else does. Many of the BKTs have formaldehyde in them. Just like fingernail polish and a whole lot of other things in our world. There's some controversy on this board over it's usage. I make a point not to do the treatment indoors, I always use my deck so I'm in fresh air.

 

[keelioness]

Thanks for finding them, I didn't see any of those when I did my search, I am on my phone so that could be why... Doesn't really matter either way though IMO because based on the # of responses in here I'm not the only one who missed seeing those threads.

I agree OP..There's nothing wrong with having more than one "SPIN" on a topic.. you get fresh views and ideas from people who may not have posted previously. .. Isn't the point of a HAIR FORUM to discuss hair?! What's the big deal if the questions are a little redundant?

 

[SimJam]

I really don't know. My mother got sick of doing my hair (and my crying, smacking me with the comb, me fidgeting constantly, etc.) so she wanted it relaxed and I've been getting it done ever since. Eventually, I want to go natural but not right now. I'll stick with what I know.

yup, my situation was similar though I wanted to get my hair relaxed loooong before that but my mom said not until u turn 12 .... lol like whats so special abt 12.

me @ abt 10

BTW thats my hair goal now, I want those big "dodo" plaits back

That's kind of how I feel, I really don't why I am, I've been natural but didn't know what I was doing so I couldn't enjoy it. So relaxed hair was easier for me, I'll try it again someday though.

Ive been natural 2 times in the last 11 years, both times I lasted abt 2 years. I really wish I had found hair boards back then b/c maybe my hair fought me so much




All in all. I think relaxed hair (in whatever form) is easier to manage and by easier I mean in terms of how long it takes to do just abt ANYTHING, wash, comb, style etc.

 

[UrbainChic]

I relax/texlax so that I can enjoy the length of my hair, without spending hours stretching it out with heat, only for it to revert before I even leave the house.

Also, I refuse to spend more than an hour or so (per week) on "doing my hair" period, unless it's a touchup/DC, which I do 4 times a year. I co-wash weekly, rollerset, airdry/bonnet dry, and I'm done. I rather spend my time doing other stuff...

I think its funny that both the "why i relax" and "why i am natural" threads have mostly the same reasons. The way you described your hair routine and requirements sounds like why i went natural, just swap a few words! Everyone's hair is different, but in the end I guess we all want the same kind of freedom from our hair.

I think a lot of times in the Natural v Relaxed discussions, people forget exactly HOW DIFFERENT all of our heads actually are, and how differently they can all behave. ( ie. reversion, time needed to straighten/ level of straigtness, time needed to wash) as well as if we prefer to wear our hair straight or curly.

 

[Blessedmocha]

You ladies are seriously inspiring me to return to texlaxin.. I am 8 months into my transition, and i cant deal with the time consuming ritual of washing/straigthening etc..

I want to experience long hair swinging behind my back (for once in my life),
I dont have time for all this 2 hour straightening, then reverting in 15 min business.
I feel like transitioning when i get older, maybe in my 40's or 50's,
Right now in my youth, I love the look of straight carefree hair..

Im thinking that as I have only stretched for 8 months,. I would not really regret it if i texlaxed.. I mean, When I get pregnant, I'll have 9 mnths to regain this and may possibly start my transition again during that time...

This transition process is limiting my styling options, looks and ease; and life's too short for all this ish..

Hair grows, so right now, im going to enjoy my BSL/MBL length in a texlaxed state..

ETA: The only thing I am going to miss is playing with my new growth curls. However, I can still get this back in 6months! So no probs there.

 

[MissMusic]

I think its funny that both the "why i relax" and "why i am natural" threads have mostly the same reasons. The way you described your hair routine and requirements sounds like why i went natural, just swap a few words! Everyone's hair is different, but in the end I guess we all want the same kind of freedom from our hair.

I think a lot of times in the Natural v Relaxed discussions, people forget exactly HOW DIFFERENT all of our heads actually are, and how differently they can all behave. ( ie. reversion, time needed to straighten/ level of straigtness, time needed to wash) as well as if we prefer to wear our hair straight or curly.

Yea, I hear you. That is why I often get annoyed at those discussions and so I just do not comment because people seem to only see things from their point of view and apply their hair experiences to every other relaxed or natural head out their. My natural hair was just as easy as my relaxed hair because I knew how to take care of it. In my not so humble opinion, being relaxed, bkt'd or natural is all just a style preference.

 

[UniquelyDivine]

You ladies are seriously inspiring me to return to texlaxin.. I am 8 months into my transition, and i cant deal with the time consuming ritual of washing/straigthening etc..

I want to experience long hair swinging behind my back (for once in my life),
I dont have time for all this 2 hour straightening, then reverting in 15 min business.
I feel like transitioning when i get older, maybe in my 40's or 50's,
Right now in my youth, I love the look of straight carefree hair..

Im thinking that as I have only stretched for 8 months,. I would not really regret it if i texlaxed.. I mean, When I get pregnant, I'll have 9 mnths to regain this and may possibly start my transition again during that time...

This transition process is limiting my styling options, looks and ease; and life's too short for all this ish..

Hair grows, so right now, im going to enjoy my BSL/MBL length in a texlaxed state..

ETA: The only thing I am going to miss is playing with my new growth curls. However, I can still get this back in 6months! So no probs there.

That's exactly what I was thinking, I decided that I will not be putting relaxers in my hair when I get preggo so for me that it the perfect time to try going natural again..hopefully it'll work out now that I have the proper information.

 

[HappilyLiberal]

I did it b/c I was tired of busting brand new hair bands trying to get a ponytail.

As a compromise for DH I was either going to cut off about 6 inches or I was going to relax. He didnt want me to cut it so I relaxed it. Does this mean I hate myself?

No... it just means you'll do anything to keep a man...

 

[Amber_moon]

you know what? nvm.

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

No... it just means you'll do anything to keep a man...

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

Being natural interfered with my profession (people could not see around my hair) and I just like the ease of relaxed hair.

Disclaimer - Sorry, I'm not a relaxed head but I just wanted to sneak in. Hope that's okay.

To the point, it's unfortunate that interfered with your professional life. Did you feel "forced" to change your hair or are you comfortable with your decision? I'm just curious.

 

[MissMusic]

Disclaimer - Sorry, I'm not a relaxed head but I just wanted to sneak in. Hope that's okay.

To the point, it's unfortunate that interfered with your professional life. Did you feel "forced" to change your hair or are you comfortable with your decision? I'm just curious.

Relaxed or natural, everyone is welcome in every thread on long hair care forum (one of the reason's I like it so much).

I did not feel forced at all to relaxed, I just play in orchestra's and band's and I just got tired of people telling me that they could not see around my hair and me not being able to do anything about it except never wear my hair out (which is what I enjoyed most). Most of the people around me loved my natural hair, all of the styles I did, and were more curious than anything else.

I am very comfortable with my decision because I can still wear my hair in textured styles, I can actually wear it straight (which was impossible as a type 4 natural in humid Florida w/o risk of heat damage) and I just enjoy my hair in general.

 

[maxineshaw]

Force of habit really. I liked the ease of styling-I was a serious bun girl.


I'm natural now, but I enjoy my hair in both states. I just have fun with the process of taking care of it, period. Deep conditioning, different products, etc.