Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can't "Silken"?

[Tracy]

Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

I had a conversation today with TiTi from Curve salon. She was nice enough, and seemed to be quite willing to spend however long discussing options with me (which was nice of her...) but I got the distinct impression that they have a problem servicing relaxed hair.

See - my Mom is natural and she wants a silkener (she thinks. I keep telling her no but the B/A's have her going...). With the amount of curl that people seemed to have retained doing the method they offer there, the silkener, I thought *I* might also want to transition out of what I've always considered to be a texturizer into what I now consider to be much closer to a texturizer now that I've seen pics (I hope I'm still making sense here).....

But she said they don't "silken" relaxed hair....Why's that? says I...figuring perhaps they were using the chemical that Rusk Anti Curl uses...maybe it wasn't compatible with Sodium Hydroxide (lye) based relaxers and that was why....I made it clear that I wanted to transition from the relaxer to the silkener and gradually cut the ends off. She confirmed that the chemical they use IS Sodium Hydroxide, but it's "different" and they won't do it, even to the new growth of relaxed hair....

So I'm a little lost - but now I'm obsessed with the idea of having hair that is texturized "better" so that I retain more curl....

So here's my question...do you guys think this is a marketing ploy? I mean her explanation just didn't make sense to me given what I know about chemicals and hair thus far (which is more than a little) and I understand the technique is different, but I'm not sure I understand why they can't just do the technique on my new growth - unless they just refuse to do relaxed hair.

She already suggested (horrors) that I CUT OFF MY HAIR to a TWA and then get the silkener....

Now I have no problems with TWA's (they are lovely!) but I just spent 3 years growing my hair out and if it's the same chemical that I'm gonna put RIGHT back in my hair, "technique" notwithstanding...then aren't I cutting off perfectly good hair that I could KEEP while I move slowly and gradually into the silkener, but for, what is sounding to me suspiciously like relaxer discrimination?????

Am I missing something?

The bottom line is it sounds like her options for me are 1. not to give me the service (for no good reason that can see) or 2. cut off all my hair so she can give me the service...

Not good options! My problem is the motivation seems fishy and I wonder about it.....wanted some feedback....

 

[Supergirl]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

It sounds like it is the same as a relaxer. They probably don't leave it on as long or there's some neutralizing ingredient in the mix to keep it from going "all the way."

 

[inthepink]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

I think you should listen to her. Some stylists won't tell you the dangers simply b/c they want your money. I would be a little cautious about putting one type of chemical on top of another. (I had relaxer breakage just from switching brands so I know it can happen.)

 

[free2bme]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

I spoke to Titi about a year ago ans had the same questions that were never really clarified. I also find their prices a bit prohibitive. In my personal opinion it's all a marketing ploy. I know u like motions relaxer have u considered just leaving the relaxer on for a shorter period of time with less smoothing to get the desired look u want?

 

[Nyambura]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

I would personally be wary of going to have a chemical service done by someone who expressed reservations about doing it on my hair. I think your questions are valid. Maybe most of the people who've tried to transition the way you want to haven't known as much about hair care as you do and wound up sacrificing the relaxed hair due to lack of knowledge about how to handle the two textures. Perhaps she would change her mind if she actually saw your hair (I love your curly pix).

 

[aqualung]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Lucky New Yorkers have all the salon options! I was curious and called the salon when I was natural.

Back in March, on a post about "Tracee Ellis Ross's Hair Regime," someone mentioned that the Silkener process involves Affirm Fiberguard that's not left in long enough to straighten all the curl out.

I suspect that whether the technique after the Affirm treatment involves scrunching your hair and putting you under a dome dryer or something more complex, they prolly can't put natural looking curl back into hair that's relaxed TOO straight. That limitation forces TiTi to refuse already relaxed potential clients.

Anyway, Curve's Silkener sounds like an expensive habit that you're past considering if you've got 3 years' worth of hair already.

 

[amoor]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

There was a lady on naturally curly that had a silener applied about a year ago. She decided that it was too pricey and went to a friend to have her hair done. She stated that her friend used the same products as Curve Salon which was Affirm Relaxer with fiberguard.

 

[NubianAngel]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

From reading their website, they help transition ppl with relaxers into silkeners. Maybe she misunderstood you and thought that you wanted to go straight from straight to texturized ends, which you can't do?

The only other thing I can think of is maybe she is wearly of the overlap and doesnt want to silken your new growth and leave the relaxed ends?

If you really want a silkener maybe you can let your hair grow for a few months so that you can have enough for her to work with with minimal overlap, and the transition to texturized wont be so drastic.

 

[Tracy]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Just to clarify for everyone, I was crystal clear....and she understood my request...and she still refused.

I said I wanted to transition out of the relaxer by having them silken my new growth ONLY every 3 months or so as I clipped of my relaxed ends...that's almost verbatim what I said. I repeated myself several times...she said she wouldn't do it unless I grew my realxer out for 4-6 months at which point she'd cut off all of my realxed hair and apply the silkener....

I can totally understand them refusing to silken already relaxed hair, but that's not what I ask her to do, you know? I asked her for a touch up using their silkening technique....

Oh well - if it really IS Fiberguard maybe I'll just try that one and get someone I trust to apply it no smoothing to my new gorwth and hope for the best. I just wanted an honest to goodness texturizer, you know?

Nyambura - my sentiments exactly (sometimes I swear we are twins of some kind

) - now that she sounded all sketchy about it it's ruined. I can never go there...I'll be afraid that they'll jack my hair up just to be "right".....

 

[sassygirl125]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

I don't understand why they can't Silken just the new growth either. I got the following from jazma.com re: the Wash & Wear Relaxer. They use sodium hydroxide so I assume it's similar to a Silkener...

[ QUOTE ]
Can all my hair be processed with the Wash & Wear Relaxer right away?

The answer to this question is perhaps. By that we mean, if your hair is natural with no other chemicals processes done to it, the answer is probably yes. The process can be done on all lengths of hair, although it truly looks its best on longer lengths or hair where gravity pulls the hair in a downward direction, adding to a corkscrew, ringlet or crimped looking style. But there is no reason you can't start out short and grow into a longer length. However, if you have hair that has been previously relaxed and all of the natural texture has been taken to "bone straight", there is nothing that any chemical or any other process can do to put back the elasticity and natural curl into your hair once it's been removed by taking it "bone straight". The new growth can be processed Wash & Wear and you would continue to wear your hair in straight styles as usual. The Wash & Wear Relaxer look will not really be possible until all of the hair you are wearing is processed Wash & Wear, or else you would have the old relaxer at the ends straight and the base curly when you tried. The total conversion process may take many months or even a year or two depending on the final length you want in your hair. However you would not notice that much of a change or difference than what you may have previously been doing, as you will be receiving sets or blow-drys and your every day look will remain the same. By slowly trimming off the old "bone straight" hair we will eventually have all of your hair in the Wash & Wear Relaxer. In the meantime during the conversion process, you will notice quite a difference in the feel, texture and overall condition of the hair that has been processed with the Wash & Wear Relaxer.

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[miss_brown]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Does anyone know the exact process of their "silkening"? If they use Affirm Fiberguard, it can't be that much different than a regular texturizer, right?

No smoothing, probably 5-10 total processing time (done in sections).... what else?

Tracy, you could probably do this at home yourself. It's not black magic for God's sake, they're just trying to make it seem like it is.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Yeah, that's what I wanted to know, what is the exact process? I was hoping that I could get my hair more "silkened" than actually relaxed. I miss my curls already and I haven't even got my relaxer in the mail!

 

[Karonica]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Tracy, to be honest, I think her explanation makes no sense at all. To tell you the truth, maybe they don't have expertise when it comes to dealing with relaxed hair at all and she didn't want to come out and say so directly. It just wouldn't make sense for you to cut off your hair to start over with a silkener process that can be done at home, at that! How much does she charge for it?

Also, I wanted to say that in December I was going to have my new growth texturized, and the stylist had no problem with it whatsoever. My hair is relaxed, but I was bored and ready to try something new, so she was going to just texturize the new growth, plain and simple. I only changed my mind then because I was never sure what I wanted to do in the first place.

 

[sweetcocoa]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

[ QUOTE ]
It sounds like it is the same as a relaxer. They probably don't leave it on as long or there's some neutralizing ingredient in the mix to keep it from going "all the way."

[/ QUOTE ]

Basically that's what it is...it relaxes the curl and smooths the frizz. If you have a relaxer, to me it would just 'relax' it more...no curls....
If she said no relaxed heads then be thankful they are being honest...Face it they could of said okay...but then you'd have paid for something that wasn't designed for relaxed hair...and you'd edn up with the results you didn't want...That is too an expensive process to take a chance on...
Edited to say that even if you only do the new growth there is always going to be a little even minimal overlap of the 2 processes...you might end up with breakage...is that worth it? I would transition till I got to chin length...then chop it before I'd get an additional chemical in my hair...

 

[anikalia]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

[ QUOTE ]
The only other thing I can think of is maybe she is wearly of the overlap and doesnt want to silken your new growth and leave the relaxed ends?


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this. I think anyone trying to repeatedly texturize new growth on relaxed hair will have spotty results at best. The results won't be accurate because the straight hair is covering and weighing the new texture down, preventing accuracy. Plus when someone goes in to touch up the new growth of your silkened hair (3 textures now on your head), you're bound to have some breakage and definitely overlap. Since you don't want a TWA, I suggest transitioning for a long period of time, then cut all relaxed hair off and texturize.

 

[Zoe]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

I would follow her advice...Wouldn't it look funny with 2 different textures in your hair

Your new growth has a silkener but your ends have perm still on it

It probably doesn't take well with permed hair so she would rather do virgin hair..

I think you read too much into what she was saying..IMO

 

[myco]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Tracy,

If your mom is still going to have the silkening process done on her hair, I would just go and see what the process actually involves. That way you can see exactly what she meant if there really is some mysterious process that does not work well with a traditional relaxer. If there isn't anything different, at least you'll be better informed to do the process on yourself.


Edited to say that I just looked at the website and in the before and after section, this is what they have printed by one ladies pictures:
"Client transitioning from relaxed to Silkened or Natural texture. We gave her a "Kinky Deep Wave Set" to camouflage her new growth."

After
Client tried a new" Twist-Out" set and added some golden highlights."

Is that just a style or is it a chemical process?

 

[ladybug]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

[ QUOTE ]
I would follow her advice...Wouldn't it look funny with 2 different textures in your hair

Your new growth has a silkener but your ends have perm still on it

It probably doesn't take well with permed hair so she would rather do virgin hair..

I think you read too much into what she was saying..IMO

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you ZOE..i think the hair would start to break because its two chemical products perm and texturizer at the same time...plus I know someone who goes to curve salon and their hair is great they transitioned and I honestly feel like the ppl at curve actually know what they are doing when it comes to texturizing/silkening..i went there myself and they were very infomrative and honest...IMO i agree with the hair dresser at curve when she said she wouldnt/couldnt do that to your hair i think in the end she prob knew already the damage that that would result in...is like its either a texturizer or a perm...not both at the same time...

 

[Karonica]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Oooh, I just read that on the site and it makes no sense whatsoever.

In the second picture, it is obvious that she's had a twist-out because I can see where her hair was parted for the twists. I'm thinking she may just be transitioning from permed to natural, because it looks as if her roots are completely natural.

 

[Tracy]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

Well thanks for the responses guys....

I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Jaquai]

Re: Curve Salon...Relaxed Heads Can\'t \"Silken\"?

to me it meant that she is still relaxed and growing it out and when grown out she will either silken or wear natural. also the kinky twist set is just a style. i think they twist it, then set on rollers.