Is it ME or is my hair just plain STRANGE?

[bigfrogyrl]

Two days ago, I tried to relax my hair so it would blend a little better to match my weave and to make it a bit easier to comb as well. I used Motions medium strength relaxer, and I SWEAR my hair will NOT take a perm. Please don't shoot me, but I left the relaxer on my hair to process for nearly 40 minutes. I processed the hair by smoothing, etc, as per the directions, but when I rinsed my hair, only the edges were straight. The rest of my hair looked as though it had not been relaxed, it was UNDERPROCESSED after 40 minutes. The last time I had a perm, I used Revlon Realistic, but it left my hair feeling a bit funny. It also did not relax my hair at all.

I went several possibilities. My pH levels seem to be fine (I know this can affect teh out come of the relaxer), I purposely left my hair unwashed a week prior to the treatment because I wanted the strand strength to break down a bit so it could be straightened better. The relaxer was fresh, so there was nothing wrong with the strength, even still I don't think I should have left it on quite so long.

So now, what do I do? Please note that I am not experiencing any breakage whatsoever, which also worries me a bit.

 

[GoingBack]

Hmm...I don't know about this one. Perhaps one of the other ladies can give you their input.

 

[Allandra]

Maybe your hair is resistant to the strength of relaxer that you used. It's good that you're not experiencing any breakage.

 

[CurlyCrly]

Your hair sounds resistant. Mine is too. I use Revlon realistic too. Some people say that it is a strong relaxer, but I was using Regular for 25-30 minutes to texturize for a while. I am now using a Revlon Super to texturize and my hair is still curly/wavy. I think it's a good thing because I don't want straight hair.
I've re-relaxed before my "due" time and gone over previously relaxed hair to the ends without a problem. I did do a strand test beforehand to make sure that it would not get too straight.

 

[PretteePlease]

i had that happen at Aveda once they put on a Motions regular strength perm and nothing happened. I wasn't on any meds or anything that might effect the perm and she timed it right so I was just confused. It happened about a year before that at JCPenny but I don't remember what kind of perm that was. The funny thing is Mizani fine always worked wonders on me so it wasn't a texture thing or a perm strength thing.

 

[blackhair]

I used motions mild weeks ago and it did NOTHING to my hair. Well I left it only 15 minutes but still... It did not take. It might be the relaxer. That was the first time I used MILD strenght relaxer. I guess my hair need the regular or super..

 

[inthepink]

I remember getting a revlon relaxer as a pre-teen and coming out of the salon as if I didn't get my hair relaxed.

Have you ever used a relaxer that did work for your hair? If you have, stick to that relaxer and don't switch around. Your hair will thank you for it and it will cause less frustration!

I recommend Vitale Sensitive Scalp - though, I have no idea of lye or no-lye.

 

[UmSumayyah]

My hair laughs at lye relaxers. I've tried Motions, Elucence, Bantu, and Textures and Tones. The only thing that works for me is no-lye. Currently using Mizani's Senstivie Scalp.

 

[bigfrogyrl]

Thank you so much for your responses, ladies.

I remember about 3 years ago I had a Motions Relaxer in my hair and it took. When I was younger, I used to get the Revlon Realistic Relaxer for my hair. About 6 months ago, I tried it again and experienced minor breakage I was a little uncomfortable with, yet my hair wasn't straight.

I have always been apprehensive about using anything stronger than regular on my hair because of my hair type. To describe it, it tends to be soft and I always characterized the individual strands as being fine (but apparently not), but the hair on my head is really thick.

When I was using no-lye relaxers, I hadn't quite gotten the hang of how to care for my hair properly, so even then, I was unclear about which relaxer straightened my hair well without breakage.

I will look into the Mizani and the Vitale relaxers. Thank you again for all of your suggestions!

 

[sbg4evr]

Your problem is one of the reasons I do not relax my hair. My hair is resistant to relaxers. It does not matter what brand or strength. You are not the only one, there are many others that experience the same thing.

 

[Gaea]

It could be the motions relaxer. Many people complained that it doesn't get their hair staright.

I also have resistant hair. The stinking thig gets left on for 30 minuets and still it doesn't get straight.

The only relaxer that worked on my was some no lye relaxer-It must be like the SUPEREST relaxer- that my old hairdresser left on for 40 minutes while my scap burned off in the process.... the result was burned scalp and I just don't like no lye relaxers because they leave my hair looking dry and yucky.

P.S I know there is no such thing as superest, I just made it up

 

[felicia]

my hair doesnt take motions relaxer. it just loosened the curl, didn't straighten at all.

 

[Karonica]

Motions perm is the devil! Blast YOU and your protein conditioner too!

 

[Leslie_C]

lol @ karonica...Ive found the same thing. To me, the motions relaxer, even in mild, is just too strong, yet it doesnt seem to "take"...beats me! but I hate it because I used to use it and I just recently started getting salon perms the past two times I permed. The first time she said my hair was underprocessed and needed to apply perm to those parts...but it STILL is underprocessed!

The last time she just did my new growth. Now my hair is really straight at the roots and then gets wavy/crinkly about midway down the shaft. Im afraid to try another corrective relaxer, but at the same time Im worried Ill have problems with the two textures. Im damned if I do and damned if I dont!!

 

[mspretty]

Back in my relaxer days no relaxer would work in my hair also, because my hair was extremely curly. SO whenever I got a relaxer I would have to work it throughout my hair from root to tip like I was applying moisturizer or something, it was the only way it would work, but I did get some breakage from it though-at the time I thought it was worth it.