Relaxed Hair Thread

[Cattypus1]

It's always been my problem area but I thought I got a handle on it and it was getting better. I think when I started using castor oil on my scalp more often is when I saw a lot of hair coming out when I detangled. I think it's just too heavy for my scalp. Now I don't know what to do to recover from all the breakage

I was no-oil for as far back as I can remember. I had a significant setback last spring that I am still recovering from. I started reading about ceramides because I needed the strength without the dryness of hard protein. I've read that the strength benefits are comparable. I read on someone's blog about oils which might contain ceramides. I also read a review about Burt's Bees Baby Bee Oil which contains 5 oils in the group, two of them, grape seed and sunflower oil in the top 5 ingredients. I started using it in December...it's wonderful and I immediately noticed a change in my hair. I use it daily. What did you replace the castor oil with?

 

[mschristine]

Cattypus1 I use grapeseed oil to seal the length and ends I my hair and I started using jojoba oil on my scalp. When it gets use warmer I'll alternate between coconut oil and grapeseed to seal

 

[freckledface]

Who all is 13 weeks + post and what are you doing with your hair? I've prepped my hair to relax this weekend but I really wanna hold off if I can.

 

[Nightingale]

Who all is 13 weeks + post and what are you doing with your hair? I've prepped my hair to relax this weekend but I really wanna hold off if I can.

freckledface


I'm 15 weeks post and Rollerset using the ponytail method after week 12. This makes stretching easy for me. My last stretch was 5 months and this one will be around 6 months. My Sig pic is from week 13.

 

[Guinan]

Any of you ladies using curlformers? I just learned how to use them last week and I luv it! If any of you ladies are using curlformers, how often do you use them? I usually wash my hair 2x a week but I think since I'm using the curlformers, I adjust it to once a week.

 

[Britt]

I can't wait to get a touch up next week. That will make 5 months. This past Sunday was a longggg wash routine. I washed, dc w/ Emergencee, then f/u w/ Darcy Moisture Mask. Then I rollersetted my hair and I underestimated how much new growth I have and it makes rollersetting your own hair a little more tricky. I had no breakage though, my hair was well conditioned and pretty easy to comb.

After I took out the rollers hours later I flat ironed my hair in very small sections and only ran the flat iron through the roots and then I pin curled it. I felt like I was doing my hair all day... shoot, I was . Was doing it in between cooking and laundry. This summer I'm gong to get a half wig and rock out w/ that during my last month of stretching and I'll stretch for 16 weeks max.

 

[freckledface]

freckledface


I'm 15 weeks post and Rollerset using the ponytail method after week 12. This makes stretching easy for me. My last stretch was 5 months and this one will be around 6 months. My Sig pic is from week 13.

Thank you I'm gonna try that. Oh and your hair is beautiful! Do you self relax? If so how do you make sure you get all of your new growth? Sorry for all the questions but that's my next fear. With all this new growth I might miss some lol.

 

[gabulldawg]

I'm getting some "big girl" weave for the first time and I'm really excited!! I've decided to get some Sassy Mitchell exotic wave hair. I've heard that it blends pretty well with relaxed hair. I'm "investing" in some hair and plan to get a sew in this weekend or next weekend. I plan to leave it in at least a month to help me stretch. I'm hoping that since I'm getting good quality hair I will want to wear it for a while. I may also consider getting regular sew ins with the hair since it will last and I can reuse it. I'm looking forward to putting my hair up and playing in some long and luxurious hair. I wanted to get something super long, but I think I'll settle for 16" and 18".

 

[Jewell]

Who all is 13 weeks + post and what are you doing with your hair? I've prepped my hair to relax this weekend but I really wanna hold off if I can.

Im just washing once or twice a week, moisturizing n sealing, then wearing it in a bun. Im guessing Im about 18 weeks post. Supposed to be texlaxing in May at about 26 wks/6 months post. Might have to TU sooner though cuz this ng is thicker than i thought after todays wash.

 

[freckledface]

Jewell I'm 13 weeks post and a bun is my go to style. The prob is its so thick back there its hard to get it anything like smooth. My NG is very tight. I'm going to try stretching it tonight. Do you wet bun? How do you air dry?

Hats off to all you super stretchers!

 

[Nightingale]

Thank you I'm gonna try that. Oh and your hair is beautiful! Do you self relax? If so how do you make sure you get all of your new growth? Sorry for all the questions but that's my next fear. With all this new growth I might miss some lol.

Yes, I'm a self relaxer. When I touchup, I first coat my previously texlaxed with conditioner and oil, section by section, that way when I overlap a little I'm somewhat protected. This is the most important step for me.

With the newgrowth, I analyze my fastest going area (crown) and use that growth as my indicator. If its about 3 inches, for example, I'll apply the relaxer to 3 inches of growth all over.

This method isn't perfect, but its been working well for me.

 

[SuchaLady]

Try a upart gabulldawg! You won't have to repeatedly pay for installs and you can take better care of your hair. Great hair choice too by the way. My pockets aren't grown enough for that yet lol. I've been eyeing it. Expensive hair is the bomb though.

I'm with you too Brittster. I'm never stretching pass 16 weeks/4 months again. It really hasn't no benefits unless your hair is damaged in my opinion.

 

[Britt]

Try a upart @gabulldawg! You won't have to repeatedly pay for installs and you can take better care of your hair. Great hair choice too by the way. My pockets aren't grown enough for that yet lol. I've been eyeing it. Expensive hair is the bomb though.

I'm with you too @Brittster. I'm never stretching pass 16 weeks/4 months again. It really hasn't no benefits unless your hair is damaged in my opinion.

Ohhh yeah, wayy too much work with my hair type. I don't have the patience or interest in doing so. So long as I have a skilled stylist to do my touch ups w/o overlapping I should be fine.

 

[freckledface]

Ponytail rollerset was a success!!!

 

[Saludable84]

I'm thinking about changing my relaxer, I just don't know which one and I'm a little scared to change it too.

Excuse the typos but i'm on my iPod touch

What are you using? I used mizani butter blends lye and I shed too much. I'm using ORS lye and little shedding. I tried the linange lye on my cousin and it came out great.

Sent from my Gramatically Incorrect iPhone

 

[swite]

I've decided to start transitioning!

Its really because of my health. I want to work out without worrying about sweating out my hair.

Im already 10 weeks into my stretch sovBulletin I figure I have a head start.

 

[Supergirl]

Y'all, I think we're in the minority now. And I was reading in a thread how Reneice and other stylists are "getting away from" doing relaxers. Why is that?

Since joining this board, I've always felt the pressure, so-to-speak, to go natural, but also made a firm decision that I would not go natural because of the everyone's doing it type of pressure. I decided I would only do it if for some reason I wanted to. Now when I'm feeling lazy and not wanting to self relax, I have moments of I wish I was natural, then I remember that my hair would demand much more attention more often than a Saturday afternoon of self relaxing calls for. I like my straight hair. Someone might say, well you can have straight hair without relaxing. That's true, but in between the straight hair, I still have to navigate natural hair and that's not something I desire to do.

So I'm happily hanging on to my relaxed hair!

 

[mochalocks]

What are you using? I used mizani butter blends lye and I shed too much. I'm using ORS lye and little shedding. I tried the linange lye on my cousin and it came out great.

Sent from my Gramatically Incorrect iPhone

I use Optimum. It looks good the week of the relaxer, but once the second week comes my hair looks dull.

Excuse the typos but i'm on my iPod touch

 

[mschristine]

Trying to tame my roots for a few more days before I relax on Sunday. Can't keep walking around looking like a bush woman. Soaked my hair in grapeseed and castor oil for a hour or two and then cowashing with suave naturals tropical coconut

 

[Babygrowth]

I think my NG grows in faster and thicker when I make sure to eat eggs everyday and exercise at last 3x a week! Its good but at the same time I can't wait until this stretch is over!

 

[MissyB]

I got a (self-relaxed box) touch up on 2/22/13... Today makes me a week and 5 days post. I used a clarifying shampoo and then Aphogee's 2 minute keratin treatment (for protein) on Monday 3/4/13.

I'm trying to build a regimen, I want to start alternating weekly on either Sun or Mondays between bioinfusion dc (for moisture) and the 2 min reconstructor (as a protein conditioner). Is it too early to do this? Will I be washing the aphogee out if I dc a week later? I'm using NTM/Motions Leave In [depending on how I'm feeling] and Grapeseed oil to M&S.

Any input would be helpful. Thanks.

I'm currently NL, trying to get to SL by June/July.

 

[danysedai]

Y'all, I think we're in the minority now. And I was reading in a thread how Reneice and other stylists are "getting away from" doing relaxers. Why is that?

Since joining this board, I've always felt the pressure, so-to-speak, to go natural, but also made a firm decision that I would not go natural because of the everyone's doing it type of pressure. I decided I would only do it if for some reason I wanted to. Now when I'm feeling lazy and not wanting to self relax, I have moments of I wish I was natural, then I remember that my hair would demand much more attention more often than a Saturday afternoon of self relaxing calls for. I like my straight hair. Someone might say, well you can have straight hair without relaxing. That's true, but in between the straight hair, I still have to navigate natural hair and that's not something I desire to do.

So I'm happily hanging on to my relaxed hair!

I'm still relaxed (leaning towards textlaxed now) and I sometimes I see the (unnecessary) comments but I remind myself to be glad that there are more options now for black women everywhere and being in the minority is ok with me because
a) it's easy to forget that LHCF is not the whole real world, although I sometimes wish every black girl would be born with a LHCF membership,

b)I can show that relaxed hair does not=damaged,brittle,limp,chewed ends hair,

c)by default then, pretty healthy hair does not always mean natural hair,

d)I'm glad that natural hair is becoming the standard because as a community throughout the world our hair has been reviled, seen as ugly, non professional and a million other ignorant opinions, and not only by white people, when people ask me about my hair, I also mention natural hair and that it is another option they might consider,

e)having relaxed hair does not always mean having a slave mentality, conforming to white society's standards, most of the times, especially for the relaxed members on this board, it comes down to preference (yes, even after self-examining ourselves and not finding ourselves wanting) and lifestyle. For example, someone on this thread wants to transition to natural because she wants to work out more and that works for her, whereas I work out too 3 to 4 times a week and maintain my relaxed hair with loose buns, flexirods and the occasional cowashing.

f) does not mean that we have never ever seen our natural hair before. I was natural in my last years of high school all through university, loved it, been there, then decided to relax. End of story,nothing deep about it,

g) by staying here and actively posting and participating in the discussion, we show that only ignorant people who happen to have relaxed hair bash their natural hair sisters (and viceversa), and we also encourage those naturals who decide to relax that they can achieve beautiful hair with healthy hair practices. I remember being incensed watching "Good Hair" (which I feel Chris Rock didn't go deep, preferring to talk about hair shows and not more about good hair/bad hair mentality) because the relaxer I choose to use clearly states the % of sodium hydroxide on the tub, but of course it is more shocking to show pure lye melting a coke can and having people at home gasp and think omg these black women are melting their hair! By encouraging conversation about relaxers we can recommend good products and the use of milder strengths.

Like you, I don't like doing things because everyone is doing it. If I ever go natural, and yes, I've contemplated it and still am, then it will be for me, and I will never forget, like some do when they voice those extreme opinions, that I was also relaxed once. There will always be extremist who even bash those naturals who like straight hair and heat train, if you notice Reniece (who is not heat trained) prefers to wear her hair straight and very politely stated on her fotki that that is her preference.

I am still one of those who wants a relaxed forum, not because I encourage division, as I admire, comment and thank beautiful lush natural hair threads, but for ease of site navigation instead of reading this entire 182 page thread. But well, I don't think it's going to happen, so I find myself more and more on Hairlista for example .

And on that note, off to keep on reading my MsKibibi's book, The 5 Hair Archetypes on my tablet.

 

[caliscurls]

danysedai very thoughtfully worded (and I'm sure much needed for anyone feeling the pressure to conform either way)

 

[LovelyBwonderful]

do any of your air dry?

I'm trying to figure out my regimen and want to start air drying first
then either rollerset or flat iron my air dryed hair in order to cut out the step of blow drying
and I don't have a hooded dryer so doing rollersets on freshly washed wet hair is a no no for me

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

do any of your air dry?

I'm trying to figure out my regimen and want to start air drying first
then either rollerset or flat iron my air dryed hair in order to cut out the step of blow drying
and I don't have a hooded dryer so doing rollersets on freshly washed wet hair is a no no for me

Meeeeee!!!!! *raises hand*

 

[LovelyBwonderful]

Meeeeee!!!!! *raises hand*

great!
tell me about your process / products please
especially how do you detangle

 

[naija24]

I just got my hair texturized, by accident, but I really like it!!

How often should I get touchups, since it's not like a regular relaxer and my curls are still there for the most part, just really really loose?

I kind of like having the best of both worlds and look forward to wash and goes and flat ironing without a lot of pain or heat.

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

great!
tell me about your process / products please
especially how do you detangle

Tough question for me cause my regi is sooooo simple & laid back. No magic tricks here. Lol

I detangle in sections once my hair becomes 95% dry. I cannot use leave-ins until after I detangle cause my hair strands hold on to each other & makes detangling a hot mess. I lose more hair that way. For me anyway. I currently only use Nexxus wash products.

 

[SuchaLady]

I will be back to harass you pre_medicalrulz have some questions I've been meaning to ask you. Lmbo

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

I will be back to harass you pre_medicalrulz have some questions I've been meaning to ask you. Lmbo

BOL!!!! Aiight