Relaxed Ladies who have figured it all out: Please post your reggie :)

If you think have figured it all out finally... Retention, protein/moisture balance, porosity, combating breakage etc... Please post your reggie, products etc

I know everyone is truly unique, but I think we (who are trying to figure it out) can learn based on your success.

I'm not posting my reggie cos even though some things are working really well for me, I'm still in the figuring out stages.

About your hair - Texture? Density? Strand size?

Do you stretch? Products that help you to stretch without damage?

Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen?

Products you can't live without?

How great is your retention?

I do feel that I have my hair figured out...it's just to invoke patience for the duration

About your hair - 4B, medium density and fine strands

Do you stretch? I go any where from 10 to 15 weeks. Co washing and DC'ing regularly helps w/ stretching

Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen?
I co wash 5 days of the week.
Do an oil rinse about twice a week
Poo wash once a week
Rest my hair on wednesdays (when I do my nails).
I steam in my DC twice a week
And will randomly dry DC (all DC's are Dry)- before my co wash in the week up to the 5 times a week. During stretch I am particular about applying DC's to my new growth (but I don't really change my products)
I bun most days otherwise wear it out and bun mid day

Products you can't live without?
Aubrey Conditioners (I use several of them)
Giovanni - SAS or 50:50 conditioner
Wheat germ oil - I use it with every steam and oil rinse

How great is your retention?
I retain pretty much all of my growth. Any breakage I experience is from: my glasses, my dd (pulling my hair out when I'm carrying her), the seam on my head wrap (I've since turned it inside out).
I only use a comb at about 7 weeks post otherwise I finger comb/detangle

Gotta run (I'm at work) but if I think of more I'll be back....

ETA:
It's almost been a year since my last trim
I rarely use heat

About your hair - Texture? Density? Strand size? My Hair is fine, not really dense at all, strand size: really thin

Do you stretch? Products that help you to stretch without damage? I stretch anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks. The one product that made all the difference in my last stretch was EVOO

Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen? I wash my hair twice a week. For the midweek wash, I do HOT with EVOO, wash hair once with ORS Creamy Aloe and once with Hair One Olive Oil. I let it air dry and do a braid out or twist out. For the weekend wash, I wash and deep condition with Creme of Nature Argan oil products, I air dry with flexi rods or rollerset.

Products you can't live without? EVOO, Hair One Olive Oil, cremaide oil mixture of grape seed oil, sunflower and castor

How great is your retention?

My retention has improved once I learned a few tips from the ladies here.

1. I moisturize and seal my ends and crown area every night.
2. The night before my wash days, I massage my scalp all over until it tingles, finger detangle my hair, apply my leave in conditioner and cremaide oil mixture, then I baggy my ends.
3. Wash day, I massage my scalp until it tingles before I start washing my hair.
   
4. Lastly, when I am finished washing my hair I lightly grease my scalp, do the LOC method and let my hair drip dry completely before I detangle it, unless I am roller setting my hair

Hi Great thread! My natural hair texture is 4a. I'm currently Texlaxed and MBL. I'll attach pictures later.

For me, the key to healthy relaxed hair is simple.

• I use lye relaxer
• I mix oil and conditioner with my relaxer to weaken it
• I only leave it in for 10 minutes
• I use Aphogee 2 step 1 week before relaxing
• I only relax once every 4 months

I only relax (texlax) to lightly loosen my texture and not to straighten my hair strands. Therefore, my hair is still very thick and I also care for my natural hair quite a bit since I only relax 3 times a year.

• Sunday is my hair day. I cowash, DC, & detangle once per week
• Most of the time I air dry my hair (once in a while I'll use a blow dryer once my hair is half air dried if I'm in a rush or to help create volume in a W&G)
• The only time I use shampoo is to wash out relaxer or aphogee
• I wear my hair in a bun, pinned up, or in a W&G most of the time
• I lightly moisturize and seal daily before bed. (I use various leav-in conditioners & seal my ends with castor oil)
• I only flat iron 3 times a year (2 length checks per year and Christmas)
• When it comes to cutting my ends, I don't believe in constantly cutting my hair. I only get a hair cut once a year. In the mean time, I S&D. Doing so allows me to retain most of my length and keep my ends healthy as well.

I think that's it. If I left anything out, please feel free to ask

ETA:

I added some pics below. The pics of me in the green shirt are from a length check that I did during the first week of September 2011. That night I slept in soft curlers & the pic of me in the black shirt shows the results the next day.
I haven't done a length check since then.

The pic of me in the plaid coat is my hair in a wash & go. That picture is from October 2011.

My hair has probably grown about 3 inches since these pictures were taken. I also just got my annual hair cut last month. About an inch was taken off. I'll probably do another length check soon, in April or May.

At everyone else reading this thread... Please feel free to tag anyone you know with fabulous relaxed hair... sunnieb this is where you come in... lol... I'm newly relaxed so most of my buddies are natural...

I think I've gotten everything down pat. I've got some updated pictures I need to post, so I'll come back and add to this one.

1. I relax about every 3 to 3.5 months. We use Elucence brand, the mildest one. I used to use Affirm Dry and Itchy/sensitive scalp. My last relaxer was with that, since I couldn't get my normal hair dresser.

2. I have learned to keep it very simple. I have two main shampoos: my clarifier (can be cheap, and I apply it diluted so I can get scalp really clean) and Keracare's hydrating detangling shampoo. That's it. EtA: I shampoo once a week. First lather with a clarifier to remove the Lok&Blok, because I find that the Hydrating shampoo doesn't do a great job of that, and don't want to waste expensive shampoo trying to get it off.

3. I use only three conditioners, in rotation: Keracare Humecto, Aphogee 2 min keratin treatment, and ORS Replenishing conditioner (same as replenishing pak). All of these allow me to detagle easily. I try to deep condition w/ lots of time or heat every other week.

4. I airdry 90% of the time, usually in a ponytail braided. Then I let it loose to finish drying.

5. Other products: Lok&Blok, Proclaim ARgan oil treatment, and a dominican leave in such as Star Lacio Lacio, I have a similar one now from Silicone Mix.

That's about it. If I ever begin working out again (hopefully soon), the regimen will change, because I can't stand sweat in my hair. It's bad because I find the less I mess with it the more retention I have.

I think my hair had the most retention when it was BKT'd, because it was so straight all of the time. I really think this is the key to MY hair growth - keeping it straight, since I insist on combing/messing with it.

ETA: here are some very recent pics I took after I flat ironed. I'd say I was about 10 weeks post relaxer here. I'm not sure why they are sideways, sorry. Also please overlook the crotch shot. We were being silly.

Products I can't live without, is the Sabino Lok & Blok. I used to use Moisture block, either will do. Because of this stuff I can sort of pose my hair straight, and brush it out straight with no dryer, as it dries. I use my denman or bean looking detangler brush, can't recall it's name right now.

Common pple... only 5 pple have nailed down their reggies?

About your hair - Texture? Uhmm 4 something or other. Density? *shrugs* Strand size? *double shrugs* Just know I have a lot of hair for the fullness look. Not sure if the strands itself are thick but they are in fact tough.

Do you stretch? Yes, if going 16 weeks is considered stretching. Not sure if that is considered 'normal' relaxer time.

Products that help you to stretch without damage? I have yet to figure this out. I just know for CERTAIN that more I leave my hair alone through the stretch the better I am at doing little to no damage. I do however notice that when I'm getting closer to relaxer time, I discontinue use of shampoos and only co wash. That helps a GREAT deal.

Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen? I wash my scalp every week. I deep condition for no more than 2 hours and after air drying, it goes up in a bun or under a wig until the following week.

Products you can't live without? Nouveau & Elasta QP Mango and Olive Butter.

How great is your retention? Freaking awesome.
__________________

judy4all I added some pics for you

@winterinatl I'm mad you named that first picture crotch hair2012.


I'm headed the other way to natural. I never did much to my relaxed hair in these recent years.

@judy4all I'm a subscriber on youtube and watched your relaxing video. Best wishes!

CandiceC said:

winterinatl I'm mad you named that first picture crotch hair2012.


I'm headed the other way to natural. I never did much to my relaxed hair in these recent years.

@judy4all I'm a subscriber on youtube and watched your relaxing video. Best wishes!

Click to expand...

You know that is what I named it on my computer, I didn't realize you all would see that tag until it was too late. Oh well. At least I have a long crotch hair picture!

Paging divachyk....former LHCF FOTM.....

Thanks for the mention!

Gotta go out for now, but I'll be back!

sunnieb, you're far too kind.

While things go right for me most of the time, there are those times when I have breakage and hair frustrations like everyone else. I even drop PMs to folks and ask questions for wisdom and input. I really don't feel that I have a perfect regi but here's what was posted in my FOTM:

Relaxer
-Design Essentials Regular
-Relaxer done in salon by board certified stylist
-Hair relaxed straight with slight texture – not bone straight or texlaxed
-Stretch relaxer at least 10 wks:
*Lightly flat iron ng only 1 wk prior to TU to remove all shed hairs
*Sprtiz ng with water the night before TU to ensure hair experiences reversion

Regimen
-Shampoo/DC with steam at least 1x wkly
-Co-wash 2-3x wkly for moisture while stretching (7 wks post and beyond)
-Protein reconstructor as needed – typically 2x mthly for protein/moisture balance
-Never use hard core protein; my hair protein overloads with such products
-Moisturize daily / Seal as needed:
*Moisturize with moisture based product 99% of the time
*Moisturize with protein based product if experiencing breakage

Styling
-Wash day: air dry or rollerset
-Protective style 95% of the time – primarily buns
-Indirect heat (hooded dryer) used to achieve heat styled hair
-Direct heat reserved for special occasions only (max: 2-3x yr)

Other
-Use Sprite Water Filter – purchased from Lowe’s
-Shampoo in the shower, never in the sink
-Use seamless combs purchased from hotcombs.net
-Scalp massage for 2 minutes 2-3x wkly
-Baggy ends nightly
-Growth aides not actively used:
*Tried products marketed for growth in the beginning of my HHJ with no result

Combing
-Lightly comb hair beneath line of demarcation 2-3x wkly to minimize tangling:
*Ng not touched when lightly combing throughout the wk
*Ng combed/detangled on wash day only

Detangling
-Pre-wash: detangle with hair slathered in oil of choice
-Post-wash/air dry: detangle when hair is 95% dry
-Post-wash/rollerset: detangle while wet to rollerset

2) Do you take any supplements? If so, what are they?

-Multi-vitamin – doctor prescribed
-Spring Valley Calcium – purchased from Walmart; 600 mg
-GNC generic Triple Strength Fish Oil – purchased from GNC; 900 mg
-Garden of Greens Acai Blast (antioxidant) – purchased from GNC; 300 mg

3) Currently, how long is your hair and what is your hair type?
Height: 5’10.5”
Start: APL
Current: Full BSL/BSB
Goal: Full MBL

4) What are the things that you feel have helped you the most in achieving and maintaining your hair length?

-Information shared on LHCF – thank you ladies!
-Using products and techniques that work for my hair and avoiding bandwagons
-Avoiding frequent use of direct heat
-Keeping hair protected and balanced
-Understanding my hair is not a candidate for long term stretching
-Better product selection and hair care technique:
*Using quality products made a significant difference in my hair’s overall health
*Minimizing the use of -cone based products
-Co-washing for added moisture while stretching
-DC with steam to infuse moisture into my low porosity hair

LHCF Blog: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/blog.php?u=201322
Product favorites, progress pics and style photos located in LHCF blog

I'm a busy mom, teacher, business owner, and doctoral student so my regimen is about convenience.

I shampoo and condition once every 1-2 weeks. Sometimes I skip the shampoo and just rinse and go straight to my conditioner.

When I use shampoo, I use Go Moist Shampoo from the Silk Dreams line. If I need to clarify, it's usually with Redken Cleansing Cream.

I usually condition with Shea What! If not that, then Vanilla Silk Cream for intense moisture. For protein, I use either Ultra Sheen Duo Tex (major, hard core protein) or Mocha Silk Infusio (mild to moderate protein). My leave-in is either Mocha Silk Hair Milk or a little Vanilla Silk.

Between wash days, I'm usually good with just some jojoba oil or Nourish oil applied every other night or so. When I need (or just want) an extra touch of moisture, I use a creamy moisturizer.

I stretch relaxers 16-20ish weeks. I stretched once for almost a year to avoid relaxing during pregnancy. It was tough stretching that long! I am a self relaxer and a self-trimmer. My philosophy is to trim as needed, but I love fresh clean ends so I usually end up trimming with each relaxer.

Because of super-low heat use, protective styling, and keeping my hair moisturized my retention is excellent.

I keep heat off my hair for the most part. I may use heat every other month or so. I'm mostly an air dryer. I do an occasional rollerset or blow out. Sometimes, especially during Winter months, I dry my hair by sitting with it hanging loose under a hooded dryer.

I wear protective styles, usually a bun, now out of habit more than anything. I feel like I'm in a bun rut, but it keeps my retention rate nice.

CandiceC .... Niceee @ being a subscriber.... You going natural huh? Transitioning? Big Chop??

winterinatl lololol @ crotch hair..... Now, I can't look at that picture right no more... lol

Thanks ladies.. Keep em' coming...

I think I've figured out what my hair wants and needs. I'm still open to learning new things, but my basic regimen has not changed since I started. It's all about moisture, moisture, moisture, light protein, and more moisture!

About your hair - Texture? Density? Strand size?
Coarse, thick, dry

Do you stretch? Products that help you to stretch without damage?
Thanks to LHCF, I went from relaxing every 4 weeks to every 15 weeks. I self-relax with Design Essentials Sensitive Scalp.

The one product that helps me stretch is Mane 'n Tail Detangler. Since cowash/wash every other day, this stuff is essential for me to detangle after washing.


Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen?
Deep condition 1x a week alternating between Nexxus Humectress and Motions CPR.

Cowash 3x weekly alternating Garnier Triple Moisture, HE Touchably Smooth, and HE LTR.

Moisturize 2x daily with ORS Carrot Oil and Neutrogena Triple Moisture.

No direct heat ever.

Self-trim with every relaxer.

I used to bun daily for maximum retention. Now, that I'm BSL, I want to show off my length! I mostly wear half up/half down styles or fluffy ponytails. I still bun on occasion, but not like I used to. I keep my ends super duper ally uper moist. If I notice any breakage, I'd go back to bunning until it stops. I just pay close attention to my hair.

Products you can't live without? ORS Carrot Oil and my NTM.

How great is your retention? I'm happy with my retention. I've gone from this:



To this:


So I'm good!

Bumping..... more.... hehehe....

SmileyNY said:

Hi Great thread! My natural hair texture is 4a. I'm currently Texlaxed and MBL. I'll attach pictures later.

For me, the key to healthy relaxed hair is simple.

• I use lye relaxer
• I mix oil and conditioner with my relaxer to weaken it
• I only leave it in for 10 minutes
• I use Aphogee 2 step 1 week before relaxing
• I only relax once every 4 months

I only relax (texlax) to lightly loosen my texture and not to straighten my hair strands. Therefore, my hair is still very thick and I also care for my natural hair quite a bit since I only relax 3 times a year.

• Sunday is my hair day. I cowash, DC, & detangle once per week
• Most of the time I air dry my hair (once in a while I'll use a blow dryer once my hair is half air dried if I'm in a rush or to help create volume in a W&G)
• The only time I use shampoo is to wash out relaxer or aphogee
• I wear my hair in a bun, pinned up, or in a W&G most of the time
• I lightly moisturize and seal daily before bed. (I use various leav-in conditioners & seal my ends with castor oil)
• I only flat iron 3 times a year (2 length checks per year and Christmas)
• When it comes to cutting my ends, I don't believe in constantly cutting my hair. I only get a hair cut once a year. In the mean time, I S&D. Doing so allows me to retain most of my length and keep my ends healthy as well.

I think that's it. If I left anything out, please feel free to ask

ETA:

I added some pics below. The pics of me in the green shirt are from a length check that I did during the first week of September 2011. That night I slept in soft curlers & the pic of me in the black shirt shows the results the next day.
I haven't done a length check since then.

The pic of me in the plaid coat is my hair in a wash & go. That picture is from October 2011.

My hair has probably grown about 3 inches since these pictures were taken. I also just got my annual hair cut last month. About an inch was taken off. I'll probably do another length check soon, in April or May.

Click to expand...

SmileyNY you're clearly doing something right. i think your hair looks amazing!

SmileyNY What do you cowash with? How do yyou co-wash exclusively while avoiding build-up for 4 months?

About your hair - Texture? Density? Strand size?

Natural texture is 4a/b, medium density, no clue on strand size.

Do you stretch? Products that help you to stretch without damage?

I stretch anywhere from 10-20 week. Deep conditioning and flat ironing keeps my hair from tangling. Air drying ain't it for me anymore.

Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen?

Shampoo: Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo
Deep Conditioner: Keracare Humecto
Towel Dry
Heat protection: Fantasia IC Heat Protection Spray (pink bottle)
Serum: One N Only Argan Oil
Blow dry and flat iron.

I do this regimen every 10 -14 days. I don't really moisturize and seal. But on the rare occasion my ends need a pick-me-up, I just add a teeeny bit of serum to them.

I wear my hair down, in updos, goddess braid variations, etc. I don't intentionally protective style, I just enjoy my hair however I feel for the day.

I wrap, pincurl, or dry flexirod my hair at night and sleep in a scarf and/or satin pillowcase.

Products you can't live without?

Everything I just mentioned up there. ^^^

How great is your retention?

I retain what I grow just fine. I do get professoinal trims as needed of no more than .5 inch 1-2 times this past year. My growth rate is a bit slower than average. It takes me about 10 weeks for an inch of new growth.

About your hair - Texture? Density? Strand size?
4a/b fine to medium density with fine strands

Do you stretch? Products that help you to stretch without damage?
Unintentionally I'm in week 18 not sure when I'll relax aside from mild shedding hair's doing good.

Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen?

Once a week : Prepoo with megatek and oil for a min 1 hour wash and dc for 15 mins with aveda dr intensive or matrix biolage, apply kc knot today while damp and air dry. I then use Giovanni direct leave in a lil with jbco and flatiron sometimes. Or just style in bantus.

Before or after a chemical treatment (relaxer or colour)
Aphogee 2 step with matrix biolage afterwards as needed.

Products you can't live without?
Didn't realise how much I depended on kinky curly knot today for detangling. Aveda dr intensive is my holy grail.

Nioxin 2 caps also helped. Made me hairy everywhere though.

How great is your retention?
Currently still BSL after a half inch trim. My hair's done very well since my relaxer after 4 years natural.

I'm hoping for full bsl approaching Mbl this year.

hothair said:

Once a week : Prepoo with megatek and oil for a min 1 hour wash and dc for 15 mins with aveda dr intensive or matrix biolage, apply kc knot today while damp and air dry. I then use Giovanni direct leave in a lil with jbco and flatiron sometimes. Or just style in bantus.

Click to expand...

That is an interesting pre-poo with Megatek and oil. I will have to try that. I bought a bottle and it is collecting dust. I cannot seem to find any use for it and decided to try it as some kind of conditioning treatment but havent gotten around to it. Maybe that and coconut oil. hmmmm

alive said:

@SmileyNY you're clearly doing something right. i think your hair looks amazing!

Click to expand...

Thank you so much! That means a lot because my hair hasn't always been healthy. It was a totally different head of hair 3 years ago.

judy4all said:

@SmileyNY What do you cowash with? How do yyou co-wash exclusively while avoiding build-up for 4 months?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure how it works for everyone else... but I'm able to get my hair clean using conditioner. I use mostly suave naturals and thouroughly rinse before DCing. Sometimes I use VO5 clarifying conditioner, but only when I have edge control or pomade buildup on my edges.

Shampoo dries my hair way too much. It's not healty for me. Whenever I do shampoo, I DC under a plastic cap & hooded dryer. My hair loves cowashing, so I stick to it. I'm happy with the results so far.

bumping.............................................

I like this thread! Adding it to our Relaxed Sticky thread!

I got tagged but I'm natural

bump, I'm surprised that there aren't more responses

About your hair - Texture? Density? Strand size? I have medium density, medium/fine strands of hair. I'm a type 4. I started at SL. Now I'm BSL.

Do you stretch? Products that help you to stretch without damage? Yes, I stretch between 12 and 16 weeks. To prevent damage I: (1) only comb/detangle my NG on wash days; (2) I'm really gentle with my hair; (3) I moisturize my NG; and (4) DC weekly.

Please what is your cleansing, conditioning and styling regimen?
Once a week, I wash my hair, deep condition for at least 30 minutes (no heat) and apply a protein leave-in (Aphogee green tea and keratin, Elasta QP Design Silk, or Potion 9)
Most weeks, I either airdry or rollerset.
Most days I'm wearing a bun.
I try to moisturize and seal my hair midweek.
I do blow dry and flat iron but try not to do it more than once a month.
I self-trim my hair once a year.
I do a protein treatment once a month.

Products you can't live without? Aphogee 2 minute reconstructor and Nexxus Humectress.

How great is your retention? I'm still working on retention. I consistently get at least 6 inches of growth every year but my ends are typically thin by December and require a 2 inch trim/cut to thicken my ends. This year I'm focusing on my ends and aiming for MBL.

I can't wait to be able to post here.... I think I have it, but I need retention for proof

Hey Mische ... Don't you belong here?