Conditioning Before Neutralizing

Julia

New Member
Has anyone had this done to thier hair? If so can you please post your experience with this?

This is where the conditioner is applied to your after just after the neutralizer is washed out. The conditioner is allowed to sit on the hair for a while (5 min. or so) and then the neutralizing shampoo is used.

The following is an excerpt taken from this link
www.ispcorp.com/.....Under the "hair care section" click onto the Etnic Hair Care Product Guide.

It reads...

All relaxer treatments, whether sodium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide, leave the hair in an alkaline state. To re-balance the hair to its natural pH level, acidic "normalizing" or "neutralizing" shampoos with a pH 4.5 - 5 are usually used after the creme relaxer is rinsed from the hair. It is important to note that the rinsing time of the relaxer has a very direct bearing on how well these products work. The more the hair is rinsed the more likely cuticle damage will occur. To prevent swelling of the hair, it is recommended that a conditioning neutralizer be used instead of a shampoo. These products are applied generously to the entire head and particularly to the new growth area, scalp, and hairline to completely neutralize the alkalinity from where it is most concentrated (new growth area) to where it is least concentrated (ends): just after the relaxer creme is rinsed out (usually 95 seconds of rinsing or 45-60 seconds for short hair). The low pH of the conditioning neutralizer (pH 3 - 3.5) will handle the excess alkali. The products should be combed through to keep the hair in a straight pattern and allowed to remain on the hair and scalp for at least 5 minutes, then rinsed and re-applied for another 3 minutes before rinsing again.
Shampooing is only offered as a service to remove/prevent the sulfury deposits in the hair. The hair and scalp should not be massaged, as the bonds may still be quite active and the scalp may be sore. It is also recommended to have very mild surfactants at this point, since both the hair and the scalp are chemically compromised. Using a conditioner instead of a shampoo and the elimination of extensive water rinsing is a new concept. Several new commercial products using this technology are being introduced to the market place.

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I am due for a touch up (last one was end of October) and I want to have this done but I wanted to know if anyone has experienced this and if they noticed a difference compared to just rinsing with the neutralizing shampoo.

Thanks
 

pebbles

New Member
Julia,

That's a very interesting post. I have heard of using a reconstructor after rinsing out a relaxer and before using a neutralizing shampoo. The Affirm relaxer system uses these steps in that order.

What I didn't know is that extensive rinsing of the relaxer causes more cuticle damage. /images/graemlins/confused.gif I've never heard of that. Maybe some of the other ladies know something more about this. I wonder why that would be true?

It does say at the end of the post that this is a new concept. Oh well, for now I think I will stick to what I've been doing. After I rinse out my relaxer, for a good 3-5 minutes to make sure my hair and scalp have no relaxer on them, I usually apply the neutralizing shampoo first because I am maniacal about bringing the ph of my hair down as fast as I can. After that, I always do a reconstructor for 15 minutes. And I follow that up with a moisturizing conditioner. This works well for me.

There probably are benefits to doing what the article says, but I'm too chicken to try that just yet. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

NAY007

New Member
last time when i got my hair relaxed with motions oil moisturzing i told the stylist to do it to my hair also. i brought my own stuff to the salon. so after rinsing the relaxer from my head she put in moisture silk protein conditioner (motions oil moisturizer line)and let it sit for a short time. she then rinsed it out and then used the neutralizing shampoo. my hair came out pretty good, but i have to add that i don't see no significant difference to when i was using my african pride at the house.
maybe in the long run.

nay
 

Ennyaa

Member
This is they way they do all relaxers at my current salon. I'd never had it done before I started going there and when I asked what she was doing she explained that after chemical application the pores?(cuticle) of the hairs were open and it was the best time to put in a conditioner. Made sense to me *shrug*. And now that I've been having that done I have to say I think I'd insist on it at any other salon. I can see a BIG difference in the portion of my hair that is relaxed/texturized since I started going there and the older ends.
 

LondonDiva

New Member
This is very interesting indeed. And kind of makes sense when you break it down like that. As long as i get all the relaxer out of my hair, I will try this after rinsing before neutralizing and see if I notice a difference in my hair.

Can you use any conditioner or does it have to be a specific type?
 

Honi

There is no board.
I've read this somewhere too. I think it was in Essence Magazine or something. The suggestion was a little different. They said to use a PROTEIN conditioner after rinsing the relaxer out to give the hair that was processed strength. I dunno made sense to me. I'm going to try this hopefully tonite with the Aphogee 2 minute thingy when I beg my mother to touch me up...I have too much right now and I'm afraid I'll miss spots! LOL
 

Julia

New Member
I think I am going to try this. It makes sense to me. And because the neutralizing shampoo will be done immediately after I will have some extra insurance.

In order to do this, I will have to find a new hairdresser which I have been meaning to anyway since my last touch up. She acts like she knows everything. /images/graemlins/mad.gif I tried to tell her nicely the last time that I had a touch up that I no longer use products that contain mineral oil in my hair. Well she almost bit my head off saying that if I had been using them all of my life and they did not damage my hair it was not going to do any harm now etc. etc. Knowing the type of person that she is, I just grunted an sucked it in because I did not want to "get into it" with her, ESPECIALLY since she was handling my fragile, newly relaxed head of hair. I can just see the roof of that place exploding if I ask her to put the conditioner in my hair before she uses the neutralizing shampoo lol!

I recognize that it is time to move on and find a good hair dresser who is open to dialogue and who remembers at the end of the day that they do not know everything and that knowledge about hair care is increasing CONSTANTLY and that it is my hair and I have the final say on whatever is to be done with it!

Am I venting...? sorry I went off for a moment there... felt good though. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

So! I will be trying this and I will post results. I think that over time it will only build up the strength and internal moisture of my hair.
 

azul11

Well-Known Member
i agree. i had to find a new stylist to do my relaxer because my old one used no lye relaxers. after i read shamboosie i realized some of my hair problems were because of the no lye and i knew it would be a struggle to try to convince her of this so i went to a new stylist and the difference is immense. the part with the lye looks so shiny and feels soft while the no lye looks and feels dry. it takes a lot of moisture to get it to behave. so i believe that as long as you do your research and know what will benefit your hair if you stylist isnt willing to do this maybe its time to look elsewhere. jmho. God bless you all.
 

Ennyaa

Member
You know I'm not sure what kind she uses, but I'm gonna make it my bizness to find out the names of all the products because I'll be moving soon and I need to know. I DO know that it has to be a low PH conditioner though.
 

Paris Belle

Active Member
I used this method before and then the last time, she rinsed it then washed it then put the conditioner on. To be honest, I don't really see a difference in my hair. I used Motions regular lye oil rich relaxer, and followed that up with the oil rich neutralizing shampoo and then the oil rich protein conditioner. Maybe because the neutralizing shampoo had enough moisturizer in it..I don't know..

This particular conditioner is a neutralizing protein conditioner, so I think that it has to be specific like that in order for it to work (but I'm no expert).

Technically, you are supposed to use Motions that way, but this last time I got it relaxed, it was Christmas Eve and you know how packed the salon can get on holidays.

I didn't complain because there were too many people and I had to wait for a dryer anyway, so *shrug*. But I think that I should do it this way, I'll just make sure I get there early when I do a relaxer. Sorry this is so long.
 

ms_kenesha

New Member
My hairdresser at B Natural Salon does this because she uses Affirm and like others have said this is the way that Affirm is supposed to be applied. I think this has greatly helped my hair and reduced the breakage that I previously experienced with my relaxers.
 

rayne

Well-Known Member
I know I'm a little late with this one, but I wanted to reply anyway /images/graemlins/grin.gif I've been doing this for years and I think it has made a difference in my hair. My hair always came out soft after a touch-up (thanks to hours of conditioning), but I was able to tell the difference because after I rinsed the neutralizer from my hair (no pre-conditiong used) my hair always felt rough and stiff. But, when I started using the conditioner first, then the neutralizer, my hair would be really soft and pliable. I used to use a reconstructer but now I use Optimum Synthesis III (?) which is made specifically for that.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/product.asp?pf%5Fid=688596&dept%5Fid=1253
 

LondonDiva

New Member
I did it last night after my relaxer and I had nothing fancy on hand in terms of conditioner so I used Organics by Africa's Best leave in hair mayo mixed with elucence moisture balancing conditioner. I left it on for about 5minutes after I rinsed it out and put a shower cap on. I then shampooed with my neutralizer then conditioned again with Power Gro Silk Rinse and ORS Hair Mayo combined.

I liked the results. My hair felt MUCH more moisturised and didn't leave my hair feeling stripped, like when I use the neutralizer straight after rinsing.

This method is definitely a keeper for me. Thanks for the tip
 
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