Relaxed Bone Straight, No Direct Heat, AND Stretch Relaxers??? Let's Talk....

[sunnieb]

I'm 14 weeks and 2 days post today. I'm trying to get to 16 weeks post for the first time ever. I'm having one of those days.

I'm tired of not being able to comb my hair. I miss my scalp. I hate that I can't get lazy and not do anything to my hair because it'll become a tangled, matted mess.

Anyhoo, I wanted to see if there are any other relaxer stretchers who don't use direct heat to stretch. What do you do? Techniques? Tips? What detangler do you use? How long do you stretch?

I know cowashing every other day is a must for me. I need to cowash tonight, but I'm feeling lazy.

The scarf method helps to keep my edges in check, but they roll up anyway and I don't care.

Mane 'n Tail Detangler is my BFF.

Did I mention that I miss my scalp?

 

[napbella]

I cry. But really I have to man up and be extra patient and be consistent with moisturizing at least 2x daily. Scurl quickly becomes my baby daddy after the 8wks post point. I usually try to make it to 12-16wks post, but I had to give in earlier this yr at 8wks post, my hair was acting the fool so I TU'd. In the shower I'm very very gentle, I use my Wen/VS/PC religiously.

 

[IMFOCSD]

Hello!

When I stretched for six months I cowashed often and just smoothed my hair into a bun with my hands, slicked my hair with aloe vera gel and took a small tooth comb to gently smooth my ponytail. I never comb my newgrowth & the tension from the ponytail stretches my newgrowth...especially as it dries.

The longer I stretch my hair the less I can do to it lol.

 

[sunnieb]

I cry. But really I have to man up and be extra patient and be consistent with moisturizing at least 2x daily. Scurl quickly becomes my baby daddy after the 8wks post point. I usually try to make it to 12-16wks post, but I had to give in earlier this yr at 8wks post, my hair was acting the fool so I TU'd. In the shower I'm very very gentle, I use my Wen/VS/PC religiously.

napbella - @ the bolded! Yes, I need to be patient. Matter of fact, I'm about to go do some yoga and face the beast that is my hair with WEN in hand!

Hello!

When I stretched for six months I cowashed often and just smoothed my hair into a bun with my hands, slicked my hair with aloe vera gel and took a small tooth comb to gently smooth my ponytail. I never comb my newgrowth & the tension from the ponytail stretches my newgrowth...especially as it dries.

The longer I stretch my hair the less I can do to it lol.

IMFOCSD - Yes! Cowashing is a must! I have to loosen up this newgrowth some kind of way!

I still haven't tried aloe vera gel. I need to look into that.

 

[janeemat]

Everything you just described in this post, I promised myself that I will NEVER endure again. I'm going to tell you like you told me a few weeks back..."girl relax your hair"....lol. But serioulsy, my last stretch, past about 15 weeks absolutely nothing worked. But silly me tortured myself and I think went to 18 wks. And believe me I paid for it. I lost soooo much hair until I panicked. That's why I just back off the board for awhile to re-assess things. Since my relaxer June 30th I have been in a nurturing mode. The longest that I have stretched is 23 weeks but none of them has been very successful. My hair thrives relaxing between 11-13 wks so that's what it will be. Sorry to be a debbie downer

 

[bklynbornNbred]

I stretch using noheat looks like bantu knots or braid outs but cowashing is a no no (for me) if I want to avoid tangling. I don't know how ya'll do it with two textures. For me its about low maintenance - washing once a week - especially towards the end of a stretch.

 

[sunnieb]

janeemat - Yep, I remember telling you that - and I meant it! I know you are much happier.

The thing is, my hair is doing fine. I'm not shedding or losing hair. Once I cowash and detangle, I'm good. I just don't like that I can't be lazy.

I miss that fresh relaxer feel......hmmmm....no newgrowth.....maybe I cowash, maybe I don't......running my fingers through my hair.....combing from root to tip with nary a tangle.....ahhhhh....I miss the bliss of being freshly relaxed...

 

[sunnieb]

bklynbornNbred - I thought about washing once a week during a stretch. My hair was NOT havin' it!

 

[c*c*chic*]

I don't use heat and when it gets late in my stretch I do lots of Bunning and more cowashing at night.

 

[janeemat]

@janeemat - Yep, I remember telling you that - and I meant it! I know you are much happier.

The thing is, my hair is doing fine. I'm not shedding or losing hair. Once I cowash and detangle, I'm good. I just don't like that I can't be lazy.

I miss that fresh relaxer feel......hmmmm....no newgrowth.....maybe I cowash, maybe I don't......running my fingers through my hair.....combing from root to tip with nary a tangle.....ahhhhh....I miss the bliss of being freshly relaxed...

Yep coming up on 6 wks and no hair drama for me!

 

[lilpooky]

I bun and use the scarf method to lay down my edges...but since I'm nearly 8 weeks post (as of tomorrow) my edges laugh back at me. So I break out the ecostyler gel and use either a tooth brush or boar bristle brush to lay them down.
I'm terrible when it comes to combing my hair--especially my new growth even though the tangling hasn't gotten that bad. I will stop doing it though 'cause I know all that manipulation isn't good for anyone's hair.

 

[sunnieb]

For the bunners, do you try to beat your edges into submission??? I know you can use a scarf and some gel, but my edges are so resistant! I just let them do what they do.

 

[sunnieb]

Yep coming up on 6 wks and no hair drama for me!

I hatchu!!!!

 

[lilpooky]

For the bunners, do you try to beat your edges into submission??? I know you can use a scarf and some gel, but my edges are so resistant! I just let them do what they do.

It depends. Sometimes I don't worry about my edges not being slicked down. I only use gel when I want to have a more polished look for church, but for the most part it isn't the end of the world if my edges don't lay down.

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

You co-wash every other day?! Oh lawwd!!! You are so goooood! I cannot do that. Work! work! work!

Does deep conditioning help your new growth? The longer I stretch the longer my deep conditioner must stay on to keep it soft. When I air dry with no product, it's easier for me to detangle through the NG. If I use leave in after 12 weeks of NG, I'm asking for trouble so I just air dry with no product and it's easier to slide the comb through afterwards.

 

[sunnieb]

pre_medicalrulz - yes ma'am! I'm sitting here right now procrastinating my scheduled cowash!

I'm about to get on it though.

You airdry without product????!!!!

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

LOL!!! Yes, I only air dry without product when I'm deep into my NG. My hair sticks together something bad with product and I have too much NG to try to detangle it while wet. It works for me though. Because once its air dried after a long deep condition, its soft and fluffy and you can get the comb through within seconds. I put product on after I detangle but never before.
sunnieb

 

[IMFOCSD]

For the bunners, do you try to beat your edges into submission??? I know you can use a scarf and some gel, but my edges are so resistant! I just let them do what they do.

When im in the mood to bun and i am atleast 10 weeks post, i just use (aloe vera) gel on my edges after i spray my scurl & i dont tie it down...i jus let it dry as the day goes on...i also only cowash maybe once a week...too much manipulation & tangles

When im wearing wigs consistently(which is my thing) then i dont worry about my edges lol.

 

[EbonyCPrincess]

I don't use direct heat often (twice this year so far) and relax bone straight...but I only stretch to 12 weeks max. If I ever go longer, it is DEFINITELY unintentional. Beyond that (especially if my hair is loose, not in weave) and my hair begins to break.

 

[Onhergrind09]

I relax bone straight, no heat (cause frankly that's usually more effort than I'm willing to put forth and I don't trust a salon with my NG), and I stretch my relaxers usually comfortably around 12 weeks but my last stretch which was my longest ever was 16 weeks. My saving grace during a stretch is detangling on dry hair before hand, keeping my hair in sections while it's wet and waiting until it is 90% dry before giving it one final detangle. I CANNOT not detangle my hair no matter how deep in my stretch I am. Not detangling means breakage central when I finally go to relax. One of my saving grace's has been my Hercules Sagemann comb. I've yet to find a conditioner/detangler whose virtues I would extoll during a stretch but I am actively looking for one. Today I purchased Cowboy Magic so we'll see how that goes on my next DC day.

 

[cutiepiebabygirl]

I am 11 weeks post, stretching for 14 and I've leared to detangle my hair in the shower with lots of condish. After I finish, if I'm wearing a bun, I comb my hair in that directoin the shower.

I use a large rake seamless comb to detangle and smooth. When I get out, I slather Aussie Moist as my leave in, then Wave Nouveau, and I seal with GVP Super Skinny Serum...apply gel to edges if needed, and apply scarf.

 

[Anavrin]

I'm 14 weeks and 2 days post today. I'm trying to get to 16 weeks post for the first time ever. I'm having one of those days.

I'm tired of not being able to comb my hair. I miss my scalp. I hate that I can't get lazy and not do anything to my hair because it'll become a tangled, matted mess.

Hey SunnieB!

I know this may not help, but your one of my inspirations and its comforting to know that im not the only one who has trouble and this is normal.

I put mayo or yogurt in my hair beginning at 12wks post to loosen the curl pattern, then I comb it out. Im sure you could do the same thing with some kind of hair pudding.

I also do the same thing as you and the other ladies and use a scarf or headband to lay down the edges.

 

[Lilmama1011]

I just do flexi rod sets and curl formers and let it air dry but when I sleep when a bonnet on my curls get crushed and I feel the need to comb it out after two days and boy do I regret it because now you got to deal with the new growth, so I promise myself to deal with the flat curls or lay on face at night to keep the curls because the only way I can comb is if it's wet

 

[Fyne]

*Waves* Serial strectcher over here!

• Relax x2 a year
• Wash x1, cowash 1-2x week & after 8-10 weeks i wash like this: Mskibibi's washing hair in braids
• Alternate between air drying, rollersetting and bunning
• Steam with every deep condition x1 weekly
• Its hard to style with shrinkage so I flexirod/rollerset weekly deep in a stretch then finger style or bun after.

Hope this helps

 

[sunnieb]

pre_medicalrulz - forgot to answer your question! Yes, deep conditioning helps. Doesnt matter if it's protein dc or moisturizing dc, my newgrowth feels like butta afterwards.

Onhergrind09 - ya know one of the main reasons I started out not using heat was that I just didn't feel like being bothered? I even had a Chi flat iron all picked out. However, the more I thought about the effort required for me to do a good flat iron job at home..... I keep my dry hair detangled constantly.

cutiepiebabygirl - rinsing condish out in the shower with a head full of newgrowth feels sooooo good! I used WEN Fig last night and my hair loved it. I'm very heavy-handed with my cowash conditioners. No quarter-sized amount here!

Anavrin - you are a big help! You reminded me to continue looking for a silk headband. I haven't been able to find one made of 100% silk.

Lilmama1011 - don't ya hate when you crush your curls??? Have you tried the "pineapple" method mentioned here? I'll see if I can bump a thread for you.

Fyne - thanks for the tips and the link! You relax 2x a year?? Girrrrlllll.......

 

[tenderheaded]

I'm at 15 weeks with 8 more to go. Wen has been a godsend. I wear a braided bun, spray the Wen Replenishing Mist, then smooth castor oil/grapseed mx or pure argan oil on my hair. I only comb my VERY tight hair once a week while wet and it's been wonderful. I always pre-poo with a hair mayo or ORS with heat. Then Wen 613 or Winter Vanilla.

 

[sunnieb]

tenderheaded - Wow! You are on a super stretch!

I'm about to break down and look up the cost of a big bottle of the WEN Fig. If I buy it, I will lock that sucka up and won't allow myself to use it until I'm at least 13 weeks post.

 

[20perlz]

I was just thinking all of this earlier today. I am coming off of my first (and last) weave. The girl who took it down butchered my hair which has been stuck at SL for the past year anyway. And now has a mild Edward Scissorhands vibe when uncurled.

And now I'm just 6 weeks post, have been cowashing every other night and I miss my fresh perm. Or maybe I just want to cut it. The Halle Berry cut is screaming for a re-do!!!!

UUGGHHH!

 

[Lymegreen]

I don't wear my hair out during that time of a relaxer stretch. I don't even comb my hair unless it's in the shower under running water with conditioner.

I finger detangle to prep for wash days and bun. I use Afroveda Shea Amla for my entire head (new growth only) and my normal relaxed hair care products for the rest of my hair. This with the scarf method keeps my natural hair looking very tame.

 

[sunnieb]

20perlz - sorry to hear you got butchered! I hate that! It'll be fine though. Continue to care for and baby your hair and you'll see results!

Lymegreen - combing is a no-go! That's why I always say that I "fluff" my hair with my wide-toothed comb.