I found this info about certain relaxers! :-(

Jubilee

Member
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The session started with our relaxer pH balance assignment. The pH balance determines how harsh the chemical is. Research has shown that the lower the pH, the less damaging the product is to your hair. Water has a pH of 7. Anything less than 7 is considered acidic. The lower this number gets the greater the acidity. Any pH greater than 7 is considered alkaline. The higher the number gets the greater the alkalinity.

A one point difference in pH’s could have a significant impact on your hair A product with a pH of 13 is 10 times more alkaline than a product with a pH of 12. This same product would be 100 times more alkaline than a product with a pH of 11. The pH levels even tend to vary among the same products from batch to batch. A relaxer that worked great for you the last time you touched up, may cause more damage to your hair the next time you use it. It’s worth noting that the pH balance of Liquid Drano is 13.3.

The information gathered came from September 1999 edition of Consumer Reports and is not reported in any particular order. Its corresponding pH balance follows the product name/description.

1. TCB Bone Strait No-Lye Relaxer contains lithium hydroxide: 12.8
2. Revlon Realistic Extra Conditioning Crème Relaxer System contains sodium hydroxide: 13.2
3. Gentle Treatment No-lye Conditioning Crème Relaxer contains lithium hydroxide, guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide: 13.0
4. Soft and Beautiful No-lye Conditioning Relaxer Regular contains guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide: 13.1
5. Curl Free Natural Curl Relaxer contains ammonium bisulfite: 7.6
6. Dark & Lovely No-lye Conditioning Relaxer System contains guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide: 13.0
7. Revlon Crème of Nature No-lye Crème Relaxer System contains guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide: 13.1
8. African Pride Miracle Deep Conditioning No-lye Relaxer System contains guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide: 13.3
9. Soft Sheen Alternatives No-lye Relaxer System contains guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide: 13.3
10. Optimum Care No-Lye Relaxer guanidine contains guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide: 13.2
11. Rusk Radical Anti-curl Original Formula 1 contains Ammonium thioglycolate: 9.1
12. Revlon Realistic Crème Relaxer System 1 contains sodium hydroxide: 13.3


The following relaxer pHs were taken from, "Don't Go Shopping for Hair Care Products Without Me" by Paula Begoun.

13. At One with Nature Botanical Strongends Sensitive Scalp Relaxer, Regular w/ Herbs and Moisturizers: 14
14. Dark & Lovely Beautiful Beginnings No-mistake No-lye Children's Relaxer System Regular: 13
15. Dark & Lovely Plus Ultra-Deep Conditioning No-Lye Relaxer System: 12
16. Luster's Pink Conditioning Super No-lye Crème Relaxer: 14
17. Raveen No-Lye Conditioning Crème Relaxer with Multiple Conditioners: 14
18. Revlon Crème of Nature No-Lye Crème Relaxer System: 13
19. Revlon Fabulaxer Multiple Conditioning No-lye Relaxer Kit: 13
20. Soft & Beautiful Just for Me No-Lye Conditioning Crème Relaxer, Children's Formula: 14
21. Soft & Beautiful Super No-lye Conditioning
Relaxer: 14
22. TCB Naturals No-Lye Relaxer, Regular with Olive Oil, Aloe and Henna: 14

The manufacturers provided the following relaxer pH’s:

23. Dark & Lovely Beautiful Beginnings Relaxer for Fine Hair: 10.25
24. Phytospecific Index 1 Relaxer for Fine Hair: 9-12
25. Phytospecific Index 2 Relaxer for Coarse Hair: 9-12
26. Lady Velvet Lye Relaxer: 10-13

NOTE: One of the chemists for the Lady Velvet Lye Relaxer indicated that after attending a conference in England for relaxers that no one should use a relaxer with a pH balance of 12.5 or greater.


A major problem encountered as we followed up on this assignment was that pH balances were not indicated on the relaxers. You had to go to other sources to find this information. Some product manufacturers were not willing to freely part with this information. In another case, a member was transferred throughout the company in an effort to locate someone who even knew the pH balance of their product. Finally, the member was directed to their personal hairdresser who forgot the pH balance of the product. This point is being made because it appears that possibly the manufacturers do not feel that this information is relevant enough to include in their packaging.

As consumers, don’t we have the right to know? Unless we can force the FDA to require manufacturers to label their products with this information, we will never know what we are getting unless we do our own research. We need to initiate a letter writing campaign to our congressperson and the FDA to request that they add a requirement to their cosmetic labeling guidelines to include the pH balances on relaxers.

Other relaxer information:

There are several types of relaxer chemicals: 1. ammonium bisulfite and ammonium thioglycolate 2. calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate, and 3. sodium hydroxide (lye). The most damaging chemicals tend to be calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate and sodium hydroxide. Most "no-lye" relaxers are based on the calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate chemicals. Ammonium bisulfite and ammonium thioglycolate are the least damaging of the chemicals and are normally used as texturizers because they do not get the hair as straight.

Note: A texturizer should never be done on previously relaxed hair because it will eventually disintegrate the relaxed portion of the hair.

When relaxing your hair it is important to read the product directions to determine how long a specific relaxer should be left in. For fine or previously damaged hair the time should be no longer than 13 minutes, for medium-strength or slightly damaged hair the time should be no longer than 15 minutes, and for coarse, resistant or minimally damaged hair the time should be no longer than 20 minutes. These are just guidelines and would vary of course depending on the texture and condition of your hair.

The importance of a neutralizer cannot be stressed enough. It is needed to stop the processing of the relaxer. It should be left in the hair for a minimum of 5 minutes. It takes at least that long for the active ingredients of the neutralizer to penetrate all three layers of the hair shaft and bring the pH of the hair down to normal. If the neutralizing shampoo is rinsed from the hair too soon, the neutralizing action may stop while the pH of the relaxer is still in a high alkaline state. This can cause breakage and shedding because some of the relaxer’s active ingredients are still in the inner-hair causing rapid deterioration. If your hair was in good condition prior to relaxing, and then starts to break or shed after the relaxer treatment, this is probably due to improper neutralizing.

Before using any chemical process, please remember that your hair needs to be in the best possible condition. Relaxing damaged hair will only compound your problems. Since relaxing is very hard on the hair, the importance of proper care and appropriate follow-up treatment cannot be stressed enough.

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The info was taken from: http://www.geocities.com/blackhairsupergrowout/subclubs/rchat3.htm
 

caress

Active Member
Makes me miss BlackHairSuperGrowOut (BHSGO). I only wish I had found out about it sooner and been apaert of the Relaxed Hair subclub.
 

Jubilee

Member
I didn't know that the ph levels were so high.
I miss BlackHairSuperGrowOut too.
 

beana3

Active Member
wow, how anyone ever used a phytospecific relaxer??? I have never heard of lady velvet....

Are all the Ph levels the same for each strength within a brand?? for example, does revlon realistic mild have the same ph as RR regular?
 

Jubilee

Member
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Are all the Ph levels the same for each strength within a brand?? for example, does revlon realistic mild have the same ph as RR regular?

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I don't really know. I was wondering the same....
 

Allandra

Well-Known Member
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caress said:
Makes me miss BlackHairSuperGrowOut (BHSGO). I only wish I had found out about it sooner and been apaert of the Relaxed Hair subclub.

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Same here. This was a great club.
 

SingingStar12

Active Member
Wow... I didn't realize that some of the relaxers I used had such high PH levels.
That was really informative. Thanks for posting.
 

kenyana

New Member
Jubilee said:
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The information gathered came from September 1999 edition of Consumer Reports

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...kinda outdated dontcha think??? I use the new D & L REGULAR and the formulation (with quadro-conditioning/ blue kit)seems to have changed. It relaxes my hair much better than the old one (green kit) and seems to be less caustic
 

SilkyandSmooth

New Member
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Jubilee said:
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It’s worth noting that the pH balance of Liquid Drano is 13.3.



19. Revlon Fabulaxer Multiple Conditioning No-lye Relaxer Kit: 13


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Whoa! I am so glad I recently decided to stop relaxing. I knew I was putting chemicals in my hair every 10 weeks, but seeing this info takes it to a whole other level. To actually know that the Fabulaxer I've been putting in my hair for the past ten years is almost as stong as Liquid Drano is absolutely mind blowing.
 

ChasingBliss

Well-Known Member
WOW! Every relaxer named there that I have ever used had a pH of 13 and over. Cream of Nature, Optimum no lye and Soft & Beautiful. Dayum, why does it have to be so high, is it really necessary to create the product like that?
 

nbcgurl22

New Member
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Chichi said:
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Salsybabe said:
Makes me glad I stopped relaxing period.

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Ditto



Chichi


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Me three!!!!!
 

laketta

New Member
The children's relaxer (that is marketed to be a light version of a relaxer)

20. Soft & Beautiful Just for Me No-Lye Conditioning Crème Relaxer, Children's Formula: 14


had the highest PH!!! Oh my god. I will never relax my baby's hair
 

Daughter

UK Blak
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nbcgurl22 said:
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Chichi said:
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Salsybabe said:
Makes me glad I stopped relaxing period.

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Ditto



Chichi


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Me three!!!!!


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Me four!
 

lthomas1

Hair Power!
This why you should stretch out those touch up as much as possible. I am stretching out my next touch up for six months.
 
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