Relaxed ladies .. do you self-relax or go to the salon?

[levette]

For the ladies who relax I was curious to see if the majority of you self-relax or go to the salon to get your hair relaxed. I'm leaning towards beginning to self-relax versus relying on the salon every 3 to 4 months. Sometimes it seems that a lot of the ladies who have long relaxed hair (shoulder length and longer) are doing their relaxers at home. I just think that hair stylist are too scissor happy and do the bare minimum to your hair but want to charge too much.

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

Self relax

 

[greenandchic]

Self
......

 

[Pennefeather]

Salon, but planning to self relax next month. First time in over fifteen years

 

[sunnieb]

Self relaxer

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[irisak]

Self relaxer

 

[Beamodel]

Self relax

 

[beloved1bx]

I go to a stylist

 

[Theresamonet]

Self relax

 

[Saludable84]

Selfie here!

 

[KERC1974]

Salon

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[nymane]

I go to the Salon, but I control as much as the process as I can.

I time my stylist and have her wash it out as soon as I'm ready.

I carry my own DC and leave in conditioner & I don't allow her to use any direct heat on my hair.

My stylist is cool with all of my "demands" which is why I continue to go to her, and she does a really good job overall.

I had a terrible experience self-relaxing years ago. However, I really wish that I could do it, but I'm so inexperienced and nervous that the risk of damage makes me apprehensive to attempt it again.

Also, I recently started trimming with every relaxer (to slowly get rid of some thin/damaged ends) and my stylist is so good at taking off a Small amount that I love getting trims now. She is not scissor happy at all...so i continue to trim every 3 months and I'm still retain a lot of length.

 

[divachyk]

I voted but thought I put in text....salon relaxed.

 

[GettingKinky]

I go to the salon. I time my stylist so that I get fairly consistent texlax results. I'd like to do it myself, but I'm afraid I'd mess it up.

 

[Fotchygirl]

I was going to the salon but due to losing too much hair there I will be self-relaxing from December. I have watched too many YT videos and have gained confidence.

 

[Lami]

I relax at a salon and the experience is pretty much perfect (although my stylist doesn't get what texlaxing is so I'm going to have to slowly ease her into it). After years of fear, itching, burning and scabs from afro-caribbean salons that would literally shut down a month after I found them, I found a high end multicultural salon. I've never felt scared of getting my hair relaxed there, just the effect on my wallet. I'm only a student but I'm spending £85 on relaxing hair every 3.5-5 months. No wonder I stretch so much these days.

I'd like to self-relax as it would drastically cut my costs but I am waaay too worried about messing up.

 

[LaurenMechelle]

Self relax here!

 

[Babysaffy]

Self relax in sections

 

[levette]

I plan to look at some youtube videos and re-read some suggestions on self-relaxing so I can relax my hair this September (hopefully)

 

[kikisf]

self-relax

I used to go to a salon faithfully but this forum taught me how to do it myself. Last 2 times I went to a salon I was over processed so no more salon relaxers for me. Unless my old hairstylist comes out of retirement!

 

[Jewell]

Self relaxer for last 10+ years (except the two times I was natural, of course). I got sick of paying $55+ tip in SC for a relaxer when I always came out under processed on 1/4th of my head and the stylists were too lazy to properly deep condition afterwards. They'd literally slap a conditioner on for a few mins, rub it through, and rinse. Naw, honey, you gotsta put protein back into the strand, preferably using 20-45 mins of heat. If the stylists didn't do it, my mom did and she would over process me. So I could never win for losing. My hair was incredibly thin at some points years ago.

Went natural the first time in 2008 and when I did resume mildly relaxing or texlaxing, I vowed to never let anybody else in my head...except for maybe African braiders but even still I'm very paranoid. Hair has a spiritual element. You can't let any and everybody up in your hair!! I keep tryna tell my Sisters this!

ETA- Yep, OP the stylists as well as my own mother were VERY scissor happy. I could never grow my hair past MBL when I was going to them. Then, as soon as it would grow to MBL, they would encourage me to trim and then take off 2-4" instead of the 1/2" I might've actually needed. And back then, I coveted blunt ends, so I would let them cut eventhough there was no damage. I'm so glad I know better.

 

[Jewell]

I was going to the salon but due to losing too much hair there I will be self-relaxing from December. I have watched too many YT videos and have gained confidence.

Fotchygirl

Good for you!! I always encourage people to DIY wherever they can in their lifestyle. No one will care for your hair and body like you will. I actually read a cosmetology textbook my mom had from school (she never finished cuz I think Chris Logan schools got shut down). I read up on pH balancing, properly sectioning hair, and other stuff. I read the book cover to cover , because I was DONE with people messing in my head and frucking it up, I tell you! I carefully prepped my scalp and hair, and I was FINE. No burns, no over processing, no breakage.

I actually texlaxed on purpose the first time to be extra cautious, but I had won my freedom. Long as I have my supplies, I can do permanent color, rollersets, henna, relaxers, etc all by myself. I learned all these things from simply reading. This was before the plethora of YT vids to teach Sisters about hair care (10-12 years ago). So you have more of an advantage than I did! I have a feeling you'll do great.

 

[Fotchygirl]

Fotchygirl

Good for you!! I always encourage people to DIY wherever they can in their lifestyle. No one will care for your hair and body like you will. I actually read a cosmetology textbook my mom had from school (she never finished cuz I think Chris Logan schools got shut down). I read up on pH balancing, properly sectioning hair, and other stuff. I read the book cover to cover , because I was DONE with people messing in my head and frucking it up, I tell you! I carefully prepped my scalp and hair, and I was FINE. No burns, no over processing, no breakage.

I actually texlaxed on purpose the first time to be extra cautious, but I had won my freedom. Long as I have my supplies, I can do permanent color, rollersets, henna, relaxers, etc all by myself. I learned all these things from simply reading. This was before the plethora of YT vids to teach Sisters about hair care (10-12 years ago). So you have more of an advantage than I did! I have a feeling you'll do great.

Thanks Jewell for words of encouragement. This site has taught me a lot of things about hair care and people around me have started noticing and asking a lot of questions. I had such nice growth until I went to my stylist for a relaxer, she really abused my hair. No more. I have already taken Beamodel's advice and have been practicing with a conditioner to relax. I'm getting pretty good at it.

 

[tenderheaded]

Self relaxer here. My last salon relaxer was in 2005. She did a good job but got MAD when I wouldn't let her trim. She started combing so rough she was combing my shoulders!

 

[marta9227]

Have been self relaxing for close to 20 years. Don't trust anyone else in my head and stylists are particularly scissor happy at relaxer time lol.

 

[Lilmama1011]

Self relax

 

[lina]

I jiust self relaxed yesterday for the first time. It was a good experience. No burns or scabs. I will perfect the process as I continue to self relax.