Did You Retain More/better As A Relaxed Head As Opposed To Natural?
- Thread starter sharifeh
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Autumn~Tint~Of~Gold
Rocking the Casbah
I see what you did there 
maybe you should specify as a straight haired natural...
maybe you should specify as a straight haired natural...
11228
Well-Known Member
I retain the most as relaxed. My hair is at its healthiest the first 8 weeks after a retouch. It is simple for me. The easier I can manage my hair, the healthier I can maintain it.
I tried the "natural" route a couple of years ago. I turned to BKT by month 6 and totally discarded the idea before I made it one year. I hated everything about "natual" hair.
My hair became a chore to deal with instead of a day of pampering. I hated the nappy look when I've gone 3 weeks without straightening. And BKT is mad expensive and damaging due to the massive heat used to seal it in.
My hair broke off and looked unhealthy due to the tangles.
I conceded that relaxer is essential to my life.
I tried the "natural" route a couple of years ago. I turned to BKT by month 6 and totally discarded the idea before I made it one year. I hated everything about "natual" hair.
My hair became a chore to deal with instead of a day of pampering. I hated the nappy look when I've gone 3 weeks without straightening. And BKT is mad expensive and damaging due to the massive heat used to seal it in.
My hair broke off and looked unhealthy due to the tangles.
I conceded that relaxer is essential to my life.
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Nightingale
On the Grow and Keeping it Simple
I retain better as a natural compared to relaxed/texlaxed.
My texlaxed hair was weaker than my natural hair and because of inconsistent curl pattern, I had to manipulate it more to get a uniform look. I think that more manipulation + weakened strands led to less retention for me. Because I prefer textured hair styles, hated the relaxer process, and hated the newgrowth vs. texlaxed hair struggle, it made more sense to go natural than to remain texlaxed. I had a much easier time developing a routine for my natural hair, so I didn't have to troubleshoot it like I did my texlaxed hair.
If I was more committed to being texlaxed I believe I could have figured out how to retain more, but since I wasn't, I threw in the towel.
My texlaxed hair was weaker than my natural hair and because of inconsistent curl pattern, I had to manipulate it more to get a uniform look. I think that more manipulation + weakened strands led to less retention for me. Because I prefer textured hair styles, hated the relaxer process, and hated the newgrowth vs. texlaxed hair struggle, it made more sense to go natural than to remain texlaxed. I had a much easier time developing a routine for my natural hair, so I didn't have to troubleshoot it like I did my texlaxed hair.
If I was more committed to being texlaxed I believe I could have figured out how to retain more, but since I wasn't, I threw in the towel.
ItsMeLilLucky
NotLucky no mo' just blessed.
I was natural on an off for almost 10 years. My hair definitely grew faster and fuller as a natural, but it was a bit more maintenance. I didn't really retain as much as I could have because I, quite frankly, got tired and kinda stopped caring. I think I'll retain more as a relaxed haired person.
moneychaser
Well-Known Member
Relaxed!!! Due to the amount of manipulation it took for my natural hair to look polished.
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I dont care about my hair natural and it suffers. Its like the thought of the work it takes annoys me so bad that Id rather just not bother. The difference in my outlook really amazes me being that technically it is just hair. When I went unrelaxed (I never snipped off the straight hair but at that point I had too much unprocessed hair to call it transitioning) I was so impatient that I wouldnt even attempt to detangle my hair; Id snip out a tangle and KIM when ordinarily I would be about to shed tears if I need a half inch trim
I dont halfway enjoy hair stuff anyway so anything that will require more effort than I currently put in is a no go. Which is a shame because I actually hate the relaxer process. I will one day become a straight hair natural Im sure.
when ordinarily I would be about to shed tears if I need a half inch trim I dont halfway enjoy hair stuff anyway so anything that will require more effort than I currently put in is a no go. Which is a shame because I actually hate the relaxer process. I will one day become a straight hair natural Im sure.
ItsMeLilLucky
NotLucky no mo' just blessed.
Man you sounded JUST like me. The last two years of me being natural, I just did not care. My hair suffered greatly. I shaved part of my hair thinking that would kick me into gear, since I had less hair to take care of but naw. I eventually ended up relaxing because my natural hair wasn't too fond of heat. I wish I would have relaxed sooner so I could have retained some length, but a part of me felt like I was "selling out", and I still ended up cutting off a lot of hair.I dont care about my hair natural and it suffers. Its like the thought of the work it takes annoys me so bad that Id rather just not bother. The difference in my outlook really amazes me being that technically it is just hair. When I went unrelaxed (I never snipped off the straight hair but at that point I had too much unprocessed hair to call it transitioning) I was so impatient that I wouldnt even attempt to detangle my hair; Id snip out a tangle and KIM
I dont halfway enjoy hair stuff anyway so anything that will require more effort than I currently put in is a no go. Which is a shame because I actually hate the relaxer process. I will one day become a straight hair natural Im sure.
Saludable84
Better Late Than Ugly
Didn't make a difference for me.
Texlaxed I made it to waist length. I washed once a week and either did twist, which I pulled back, or rollerset and buns. I didn't do much to my hair.
Natural, I wash once a week and either do twist, pulled back (off my neck) or bun. I don't do much to my hair.
I know texture determines the experience, but either route, I couldn't and can't complain.
Texlaxed I made it to waist length. I washed once a week and either did twist, which I pulled back, or rollerset and buns. I didn't do much to my hair.
Natural, I wash once a week and either do twist, pulled back (off my neck) or bun. I don't do much to my hair.
I know texture determines the experience, but either route, I couldn't and can't complain.
MizzBFly
Well-Known Member
Once I knew what I was doing my relaxed hair grew to MBL but I despise the relaxer process and refused to pay almost $100 for someone else to do it.
Love my relaxed hair, fullness texture and versatility. I either wash every week or 2 wks when I don't feel like it.
- I'll pay a pro for a silk press when I'm certainl ready though.
Love my relaxed hair, fullness texture and versatility. I either wash every week or 2 wks when I don't feel like it.
- I'll pay a pro for a silk press when I'm certainl ready though.
TwistedRoots
Back2Life Back2ReLaxer!
I definitely retained more hair relaxed...I think it's mostly dealing with adjusting to the natural hair process. I had 20+ years to figure out my relaxed hair, so it makes sense. I'm finally at the point that I think I know what NOT to do to my natural hair. Hopefully by the EOY I'll see a difference, as it will have been the longest length I've retained natural.
shasha8685
Well-Known Member
I retain more either way. Relaxed or natural my hair likes being left alone and I retain the most when I do that.
quirkydimples
Well-Known Member
My hair is fine and the manipulation required when it was natural was a no no. I retain more when I'm relaxed.
charmtreese
Well-Known Member
As a natural retention is way easier, and pretty much just basic. When relaxed I had to really take precautionary measures to ensure that I wasn't going to mess up my fine 4b hair. I felt that my regimen had to be on-point at ALL times and any slip up might cause a set back. Honestly, my relaxed hair kind of held me hostage, I was constantly trying to make it happy, but it was a temperamental *****!
flyygirlll2
Lioness mane
I think it's about the same. I was close to WL when relaxed and close to MBL now as a natural. The major difference is that I have to deal with ssk's/tangles as a natural which I hate but despite that, my hair thrives when l leave it alone and do the minimal. I didn't do much to my hair when I was relaxed either.
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
I see what you did there
maybe you should specify as a straight haired natural...
haha
very good point and very true- that's the key- if i didnt use heat as a natural im sure i would be singing a different song- but my goal is to wear straight hair lol
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
good point. i think i retained better relaxed because I hardly ever touched heat while as a straight hair natural I use heat all the time
as a child my hair was super long but i never used heat...hmmm
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
hmm we have a lot of similarities, i liked how simple my relaxed hair was because i didn't do much to it
the one thing i hated was new growth and the actual relaxer process...
bkt was sort of a disaster for me too- it's like a relaxer that 3x the price
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
yeah all the straightening I have to do is killing my hair and I'm entering another running season with high goals and hopes and plans of 40-60 miles per week and keeping my natural hair straight is an exercise in futility
as for considering non-straight styles, well, it's not that I dont like them I do like them, it's just that it's more work
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
I feel you, as much I'm missing my relaxed hair now i will say that protein moisture balance thing drove me up the wall and i never paid attention to it which was also a problem.
the troubleshooting sucked! I also threw in the towel but I think that was the wrong decision
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
I dont care about my hair natural and it suffers. Its like the thought of the work it takes annoys me so bad that Id rather just not bother. The difference in my outlook really amazes me being that technically it is just hair. When I went unrelaxed (I never snipped off the straight hair but at that point I had too much unprocessed hair to call it transitioning) I was so impatient that I wouldnt even attempt to detangle my hair; Id snip out a tangle and KIM
I dont halfway enjoy hair stuff anyway so anything that will require more effort than I currently put in is a no go. Which is a shame because I actually hate the relaxer process. I will one day become a straight hair natural Im sure.
i feel you
straight hair natural life isnt all bad but it gets bad during running season
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
yeah i get what you mean about the hostage thing, relaxed hair is both simpler and more complicated lol, because your hair is treated with a chemical process it's very high maintenance but on a day to day it takes less time to do...
i need to see a therapist or a psychiatrist about this guys
I know it's just hair but...it's also not, we're on a forum dedicated to it 
Thump
Scorpio Queen
is anyone on here a therapist?
i want to relax again but I feel ashamed that i failed as a straight hair natural
Sis, do what you think is best for you, your hair and your lifestyle. There is no shame in doing that.
GeorginaSparks
Well-Known Member
ohhh. i was considering doing this as i just trimmed from BSL to APL yesterday. ill be following this post because i need to figure out how to retain my progress as a natural.is anyone on here a therapist?
i want to relax again but I feel ashamed that i failed as a straight hair natural
sharifeh
Well-Known Member
don't be discouraged- so many people are very successful at the straight haired natural thing,
check out posts by @Prettymetty in the straight hair natural thread
i love being a straight hair natural but I also love cardio and I don't love extensions or wigs so all of that combined....not a great outcome for me, also my individual strands are not thick, they are not really fine but they are not thick either
it seems like the people who are successful at it , can straighten their hair themselves, get professional blowouts maybe once a month and they also combine straightening with hiding their hair etc... they can make blowouts last for 2 weeks or more....
I do know a unicorn that can straighten weekly and retain and maintain really long hair but...
Curls&Justice417
Well-Known Member
Natural. But when I was relaxed I had no clue about hair care. Damage never really occurred me. I was having my sister relax root to tip, flat ironing my hair while damp, raking a paddle brush through dry, tangled hair... I don't know how the hell my hair managed to stay at APL. A dry ugly APL, mind you, but still lmao
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