How do I use a Reconstructor after a relaxer???

[janiebaby]

Hi, I'm a newbie. I've seen many different things about using a reconstructor after a relaxer before neutralizing while some prefer to wait two weeks before/after a relaxer. I have Joico KPak and used it once last week after a shampoo and before a deep conditioner and I noticed a little less breakage but not a significant change. My hair is breaking off pretty badly and I would like to try Joico again because it was expensive and I don't feel like trying anything else. Would it be possible to use it before a neutralizer? Or should I use it after neutralizing? Or should I wait a week or two after I relax?

 

[nicki6]

I use my reconstructor (Affirm 5-1) immediately after I rinse out the creme relaxer. Afterward, I wash with the neutralizer and condition.

I was very leery of doing this at first, but now I won't do it any other way because I realize that my hair is stronger when I do this sequence

It is my understanding that the reconstructor aids in restoring your hair's Ph balance also:wink2:

 

[Amour]

I use my reconstructor (Affirm 5-1) immediately after I rinse out the creme relaxer. Afterward, I wash with the neutralizer and condition.

I was very leery of doing this at first, but now I won't do it any other way because I realize that my hair is stronger when I do this sequence

It is my understanding that the reconstructor aids in restoring your hair's Ph balance also:wink2:

your hair is lovely, it looks so healthy

 

[lana]

But the thing I don't understand is...when you just rinse the relaxer with water...then apply a reconstructor...isn't the relaxer still processing on your hair?

See, I'm texlaxed and when I say I put that relaxer in and take it out in 5 minutes flat I mean it. I don't want that relaxer processing my hair longer than 5 minutes. In this way I avoid burning, relaxing straight, and overprocessing.

My goal is to keep my textured curly hair...I am scared of straightening it like a regular relaxer.

Now my issue is that my neutralizing shampoo seems to really make my hair hard and dry. I neutralize more than once until the pink is out. So three times shampooing with a neutralizing conditioner seems to be too harsh on my hair! Help!

 

[lana]

bump...can anyone answer my question? Pretty please

 

[tapioca_pudding]

Lana - This is my opinion and my findings; I may be wrong but its all I know. I honestly think that after you rinse the relaxer from your hair, the relaxer is still processing but I dont think its processing as fast, so to speak. When I leave my Aphogee 2 Min in after rinsing my relaxer, I dont notice that my hair is ne 'straighter' than usual.

Nowas far as the neutralizing poo drying your hair out, you may want to follow up w/ a moisturizing poo. Then make sure to DC really well afterwards since your hair turns out dry.

HTH! Hopefully someone else will chime in..

 

[lana]

Since I'm going for a texlaxed look I'm just scared to overprocess my hair. So far my curl pattern is pretty uniform. So I don't want to have my roots too straight. You know what I'll do?
1. Mix Neutralizing Shampoo w/Reconstructor
2. Shampoo w/ Neutralizing shampoo followed
3. Moisturizing conditioner, then a deep condition.

I don't think I can go wrong with that mix. Do you?

Anyways it looks like I'm going to make it to 12 weeks after all. I'm not texlaxing this week as planned.

 

[Arcadian]

Since I'm going for a texlaxed look I'm just scared to overprocess my hair. So far my curl pattern is pretty uniform. So I don't want to have my roots too straight. You know what I'll do?
1. Mix Neutralizing Shampoo w/Reconstructor
2. Shampoo w/ Neutralizing shampoo followed
3. Moisturizing conditioner, then a deep condition.

I don't think I can go wrong with that mix. Do you?

Anyways it looks like I'm going to make it to 12 weeks after all. I'm not texlaxing this week as planned.

There's tons of options on how to do it, for some, it works best after the relaxer is rinsed. If you really want to stop the relaxer processing and then use the reconstructor prior to washing, use an acifiying con OR use an ACV/water mix directly after the relaxer is rinsed out. Using something thats acidifying like the two I mentioned brings your PH levels down so that the relaxer is no longer processing.

Using a moisterizing con and a deep con one after the other cancel each other out. IMO the deep con will work best after relaxing.

You may also want to consider adding that reconstructor to your deep con. I do that alot(works well for me this way)

So your steps may look something like this:

1. Rinse relaxer out
2. ACV/water rinse OR Acidifying con (3-5 minutes)
THEN
3. Shampoo w/ Neutralizing shampoo followed by
4. Reconstructor(or add enough to the deep condition to where it becomes one step)
5. then a deep condition.

HTH

-A

 

[sareca]

I use my reconstructor (Affirm 5-1) immediately after I rinse out the creme relaxer. Afterward, I wash with the neutralizer and condition.

I was very leery of doing this at first, but now I won't do it any other way because I realize that my hair is stronger when I do this sequence

It is my understanding that the reconstructor aids in restoring your hair's Ph balance also:wink2:

ITA (except I use Affirm's Fiberguard). I will never skip this step again.

 

[Sistaslick]

ITA (except I use Affirm's Fiberguard). I will never skip this step again.

Me either! I use Aphogee 2 Minute Keratin Reconstructor to do mine, and there is definitely a difference.

Lana, I feel you on the neutralizing shampoo. That stuff is awful, and a I neutralize for at least a good 30-45 minutes. No 1, 2, 3 rinse over here. I find that the reconstructor before the neutralizer helps lessen the beating my hair takes from that stipping neutralizer too. I really think that it is important that the hair be strengthened at that critical stage.

But the thing I don't understand is...when you just rinse the relaxer with water...then apply a reconstructor...isn't the relaxer still processing on your hair?

The relaxer chemical is only able to process at certain pHs. When you start lowering the pH, the relaxer isn't able to react. Neutralizing shampoos do not react with the relaxer chemical in any specific way, they simply lower the pH enough for the relaxer to stop working... and aid in physically "washing" the relaxer away just as any lathering product would. Neutralizing shampoos are really just low pH clarifying shampoos. You get a neutralizing effect by doing those steps you mentioned above in your quote: rinsing with water . . . applying a reconstructor . . . and then finishing it off with a neutralizer because those steps are progressively making the pH incompatible with the relaxing process.

That is why some people are actually able to not use neutralizer at all and still come out fine. (I don't recommend that though )

Now on a side note, the camp that suggests waiting 2 weeks before using protein after a relaxer bases this theory on the idea that protein reverts or restores the relaxed curl pattern to the hair. So technically, if you use that logic, then a protein reconstructor after your neutralizer would actually help you preserve your curl pattern and work against straightness. I'm not with that camp though.

 

[Miss_Jetsetter]

Looking BEAUTIFUL in the siggy pics, sista! So good to 'see' you again

 

[Sistaslick]

awww Why thank ya, Miss Jet!

 

[lana]

Sistaslick, you know you're my dream head of hair right? Thank you for responding to my post. I feel like a celebrity responded. I'm not kidding.

Anyways my texlaxer turned out great. I did use a reconstructor and ACV rinse before my neutralizing shampoo.

Now the ACV rinse stang a little bit for like a second, not sure why, open pores maybe? Then I rinsed it right out. I had no scalp irritation or damage. My curls stayed put but they were a little more loose than I planned. I think it's because my application time was ten minute this time instead of five. I was trying hard not to overlap.

Anyways things turned out well, I have wash n go hair or silky straight hair at the snap of a finger.

Thank you guys for all of your great advice. Divas!

 

[RabiaElaine]

I use my reconstructor (Affirm 5-1) immediately after I rinse out the creme relaxer. Afterward, I wash with the neutralizer and condition.

I was very leery of doing this at first, but now I won't do it any other way because I realize that my hair is stronger when I do this sequence

It is my understanding that the reconstructor aids in restoring your hair's Ph balance also:wink2:

Me too! This

 

[RabiaElaine]

I use my reconstructor (Affirm 5-1) immediately after I rinse out the creme relaxer. Afterward, I wash with the neutralizer and condition.

I was very leery of doing this at first, but now I won't do it any other way because I realize that my hair is stronger when I do this sequence

It is my understanding that the reconstructor aids in restoring your hair's Ph balance also:wink2:

Me too! This is exactly what I do.