Did Silk Elements Lye Relaxer All by Myself!!!!

Radianthealth

Well-Known Member
I have been trying to figure out what type of relaxer I would use since I made the decision to stop going to my hair stylist. I felt that she was not concerned with the health of my hair and she didn't do the necessary things like avoiding heat, using a timer for relaxer application, using proper products with the relaxer. Anyway...I digress. I was going to purchase a Mizani relaxer online but it was expensive so I researched and saw that Silk Elements got good reviews. I purchased the regular lye relaxer, the neutralizing shampoo, the hair mayonaise, and moisturizing conditioner (From Sally's). All of this came up to less than a third of what my stylist charges and what Mizani costs over the internet.

Here is what I did

1. I applied a mixture of olive oil and castor oil to my pre-relaxed strands to act as a barrier.

2. I applied petroleum jelly to my scalp to avoid burns

3. I added about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the Silk Elements relaxer and applied starting in the crown of my head because this is the most coarse area of my head. My old stylist used to start at the nape of my neck despite the fact that this is the straightest part of my head and needs very little relaxing :mad: .

4. It took about 5 minutes to apply to the middle of my head, then I began to apply to my edges. I smoothed through for about 5 more minutes and let the relaxer sit for an additonal 5 minutes...So the relaxer was in my hair for 15 minutes (I used the stop watch on my cell phone to time everything).

5. I rinsed the relaxer from my hair and applied the hair mayonaise prior to the neutralizing shampoo. I read on a couple of hair boards that this is the best time to do a protien treatment to restore some of the protien that was broken down during the relaxer and add strength to your hair while the cuticle is still open. (I hope I got this right:look: )

6. I let the hair mayonaise sit for about 5 minutes. Then rinsed it out and used the neutralizing shampoo. I used the neutralizing shampoo twice, the first time I let it sit for about a minute. The total relaxer time including the mayonaise protien treatment was 20 minutes.

7. I mixed the Silk Elements moisturizing conditioner with the ORS conditioner pack, applied to my hair and sat under my heating cap for about 45 minutes.

8. I rinsed out the conditioner and applied Silk Elements moisturizer.

I am very happy with my results. Here are some of the benefits:

A. Silk Elements was economical. It cost 1/3 of what Mizani costs online and 1/3 of what my old hair stylist used to charge me.

B. Silk Elements did not have any smell. My husband (Who is clueless about hair) didn't even know that I was relaxing. I think he thought I was just doing something else weird to my hair... he just looks at me for a couple seconds with a puzzled look on his face... then he goes and watches ESPN :lol:

C. I didn't feel any burning. The Mizani that my stylist used to apply burned because I think she left it in too long. It seems like she would only rinse when I told her it was burning, and sometimes even if it was burning she would make me wait a couple minutes before rinsing:mad:. The last and final staw was when she did my last relaxer she had the nerve to use a tingling peppermint conditioner after neutralizing...WTF!!! My head was burning soo bad...common sense would tell someone not to use a tingling peppermint shampoo on someone that just got a relaxer:mad: :mad: :mad: I decided I am not giving her anymore of my money and now I can do my own hair on my own schedule at a fraction of the cost.... How EMPOWERING:D

Here are some of my concerns:

A. I am pretty sure that I overlapped onto some of my pre-relaxed hair. It was really hard not to, I know that my stylist used to overlap all the time. In the smoothing process some of the relaxed hair gets matted down with the virgin hair so hopefully my olive castor oil barrier helped me out.

B. I got a good ammount of shedding (I think because they were long strands). I will continue to treat my hair "like silk" and start using garlic oil mixed in with my conditioner to minimize the breakage.

In conclusion I am very happy because my 12 week stretch resulted in about 2 inches of newgrowth. I was 8-9 inches in May now I am 10-11 inches. I should be full shoulder length or beyond by December. This is the longest my hair has EVER been.

Thank you to everyone for all of your advice and God Bless.
 

Kimberly

New Member
This sounds really good. I'm very happy for you. I have got to use Silk Elements for my next relaxer and I'm going to use some of your tips when I do.
 

RabiaElaine

New Member
Congrats Trimbride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to be trying my first relaxer in a few weeks. I need to figure out my schedule for that actually. I also need to decided which affirm strength I want to use. Once I do my own relaxer I will have completely eliminated hairstylists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D :D :D

Anyway your description was very helpful, I'm going to save this info!
 

Catina72

New Member
Congratulations!! I just purchased the Silk Elements regular at Sally's. I am on my 11th week post relaxer, was gonna try to wait one more week but:mad: :eek: no way!! My best friend said the new growth when pulled back is BEHIND my ears so I'm excited about trying this relaxer for the 1st time too:grin: !!
 

Radianthealth

Well-Known Member
Good Luck Ladies!!!

It is very empowering and cost effective to go Stylist Free. Many Stylist are just that... "Stylist" they do not know how to care for the health of your hair, many that I have encountered are misinformed and the ones that I know seem to have been the girls that didn't perform too well in high school so they wen't into cosmetology. I am not saying this to be offensive, this just seems to be the case for the ones I have encountered in the places I have lived. I think once you go to larger cities the dynamics change.

Anyway, I figured with all the crap my stylist has done to my hair I can actually do bad all by myself. In my case I feel that I have done better.

The information that I have found on hair boards helped me to grow the longest hair I have ever had in my life..no stylist has ever done that;)
 
Congrats, I'm glad this went well for you. I have about 2 and 1/2 weeks for my next touchup and its killing me! Can't wait to jump on the Silk Elements bandwagon!
 

LovelyLionessa

Active Member
trimbride said:
Good Luck Ladies!!!

It is very empowering and cost effective to go Stylist Free. Many Stylist are just that... "Stylist" they do not know how to care for the health of your hair, many that I have encountered are misinformed and the ones that I know seem to have been the girls that didn't perform too well in high school so they wen't into cosmetology. I am not saying this to be offensive, this just seems to be the case for the ones I have encountered in the places I have lived. I think once you go to larger cities the dynamics change.

Anyway, I figured with all the crap my stylist has done to my hair I can actually do bad all by myself. In my case I feel that I have done better.

The information that I have found on hair boards helped me to grow the longest hair I have ever had in my life..no stylist has ever done that;)


ITA Trimbride. :yep:

Congratulations on joining the Silk Elements club and taking control of your hair journey girl! :bdance:
 

Tee

Active Member
I read your post and was just all smile for you. That is awesome! Congrats. I have about 2-3 weeks and I will be on the Silk Elements bandwagon also. I will keep you all posted!!

*and thing about silk elements I hurry up and click click click to read*:cool:
 

Arcadian

New Member
Hey congrats!

I also shed when i relax, but I think its because I manipulate like crazy too. I really don't sweat it it continues to shed like that.

-A
 

czyfaith77

Well-Known Member
Catina72 said:
Congratulations!! I just purchased the Silk Elements regular at Sally's. I am on my 11th week post relaxer, was gonna try to wait one more week but:mad: :eek: no way!! My best friend said the new growth when pulled back is BEHIND my ears so I'm excited about trying this relaxer for the 1st time too:grin: !!

Catina, I use Silk ELements too. This is the relaxer I wias telling I use even with my hair color (of coarse I do them separately). I use the one for coarse hair. I bought the 4lb bucket for like 14 -15 dollars a few months ago.
 

Catina72

New Member
czyfaith77 said:
Catina, I use Silk ELements too. This is the relaxer I wias telling I use even with my hair color (of coarse I do them separately). I use the one for coarse hair. I bought the 4lb bucket for like 14 -15 dollars a few months ago.

Hey girlie:wave: I will definately let you know how I like it, I bought the regular Silk Elements lye in the small jar, 3.99. I'm getting my relaxer TONIGHT:grin: .
 

DDTexlaxed

TRANSITION OVER! 11-22-14
TrimBride, congrats!:D Your hair looks great! Is silk elements a lye or no lye relaxer? Lye never relaxes me strait. I am looking to learn all I can as a begin my newly relaxed journey.
 

tenderheaded

Well-Known Member
Yet another satisfied Silk Elements Club member:grin: Now you know why they can't keep it on the shelves at Sally's. And the hair mayo is wonderful too - so is the cholesterol.

And you can't beat the price!

Congrats!!!!
 

Radianthealth

Well-Known Member
At first my hair felt too straight but now that a day or two has gone by, it still has a slight wave to it, which is great...I was trying to texlax. I think I relaxed 80-90% which is what I will continue to do.

I struggled because I was getting a Mizani from my hair stylist and I wanted to start self relaxing. I did my researching and found some Mizani online but it was too expensive and I couldn't see myself going through all the trouble to purchase online everytime. I did my research on the hair boards and decided to use Silk Elements because I believe that the Lye relaxer may be more beneficial for your hair.

This relaxer was great because it came with instructions which you don't expect with a Lye relaxer even though I used the information from the hairboards when I did my actual relaxer.
 
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