I've decided....I'm relaxing

[Ms_Twana]

Good luck, Ms Tawana! Can't wait to see pics! I know it's

Thank goodness you had the God given sense to go home and CARE for your hair without letting that stylist do any more flat ironing. Good for you. Many would not have had the guts.

I know. I sat there as long as I did cuz I was building the guts to say something. I didn't want to call her out. There was another stylist in there and clients and stuff. But I had had enough, and she was NOT about to ruin all the progress I had in 2.5 years.

Hey OP, I just had a thought. She doesn't sound like she was very caring of your strands. Did she neutralize your hair properly? Put the neutralizer in and leave it for a bit? There are some that do a couple of lathers and then leave the neutralizer in for 10 to 15 minutes before that final wash. The reason is that the neutralizer has to get down into the cuticle to stop the process.

If you haven't styled your hair, yet, you might want to re neutralize today. It may be over kill, but I would be a bit gungho about such things if someone were to relax my hair, now, after 14 years (me).

Good luck to you!

You know what, I'll do it when I get home. I'm at work already. Can I just get some from Sally's?? And my hair still smelled like relaxer when I got home, so you may be right. I think I still kind of smell it this morning too. OH MY GOODNESS. I may end up going natural again JUST cuz I don't want a stylist doing my hair!!! ..........

......okay, maybe not. I'll learn to self relax before I go that route again right now.

Ok so its morning OP! Where are the pictures?!?!?!

I'll work on it when I get home.

 

[sheba1]

I know. I sat there as long as I did cuz I was building the guts to say something. I didn't want to call her out. There was another stylist in there and clients and stuff. But I had had enough, and she was NOT about to ruin all the progress I had in 2.5 years.

Good for you, Ms Twana!! It's hard to confront people. If you think about it there's not a whole lot of instances when we have to tell another grown person, "no". It's really hard and YOU DID IT! For the good of your hair. You know there is not a single person on this board that would say you did wrong!

You know what, I'll do it when I get home. I'm at work already. Can I just get some from Sally's?? And my hair still smelled like relaxer when I got home, so you may be right. I think I still kind of smell it this morning too. OH MY GOODNESS. I may end up going natural again JUST cuz I don't want a stylist doing my hair!!! ..........

Defintely!! All you need is a "color alert" neutralizing shampoo. Give yourself a good lather and let it sit. My favorite relaxed head on youtube is BronzeG aka Chinablk. She says she does three lathers total when she relaxes. The first sits for 10 minutes, the second for 5 minutes. Here's a vid where she's talking about her self relax process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcn-wFBqMBo

And just because I know your original question had to do with making progress while relaxed, here's her progress vid. Talk about progress while relaxed... her hair is amazing but definitely didn't start that way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDB-_-qXzKE

......okay, maybe not. I'll learn to self relax before I go that route again right now.

I think that's a great idea! Self relaxing is so empowering and you are the person that cares most about your hair in the whole world. Why not be the one entrusted with such a process? Makes perfect since to me

 

[Ms_Twana]

Defintely!! All you need is a "color alert" neutralizing shampoo. Give yourself a good lather and let it sit. My favorite relaxed head on youtube is BronzeG aka Chinablk. She says she does three lathers total when she relaxes. The first sits for 10 minutes, the second for 5 minutes. Here's a vid where she's talking about her self relax process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcn-wFBqMBo

And just because I know your original question had to do with making progress while relaxed, here's her progress vid. Talk about progress while relaxed... her hair is amazing but definitely didn't start that way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDB-_-qXzKE

Thanks for these links, girl. I'm checking them out as soon as I get home.

 

[taz007]

Defintely!! All you need is a "color alert" neutralizing shampoo. Give yourself a good lather and let it sit. My favorite relaxed head on youtube is BronzeG aka Chinablk. She says she does three lathers total when she relaxes. The first sits for 10 minutes, the second for 5 minutes. Here's a vid where she's talking about her self relax process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcn-wFBqMBo

And just because I know your original question had to do with making progress while relaxed, here's her progress vid. Talk about progress while relaxed... her hair is amazing but definitely didn't start that way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDB-_-qXzKE

Sheba,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting these videos! WOW! I am so inspired!!!!!!!!!! Off to watch some more while I am under the steamer.

 

[sheba1]

You're so welcome, Ms Twana and Taz007 She is quite the inspiration to me, as well. You don't see so many fine haired relaxed ladies that have been able to nurture their hair back from the brink while remaining relaxed. I'm not even relaxed but she inspires me to get my natural hair to behave more like hers as my hair grows in health and length. I'm hoping bkt will get me there.

 

[Ms_Twana]

Okay, so I went and bought me some neutralizing shampoo. Let me just tell you that I was WAITING for those suds to turn pink, cuz it was gonna be ON!!! I stuck my hand out of the shower to get more light so I could make sure I saw what color the suds were. Low and behold the suds were.........
.
.
.
.
.
........WHITE!!!!! Man, she don't know how lucky she is.

My ends definitely feel more moisturized than before. I was reading some of the threads on corrective relaxers, and one of them talked about how to know if your hair is under processed. I think my ends and the middle of my hair was definitely under processed. In those sections my hair is really frizzy and harder to detangle. The top and front of my hair is about 95% straight. And it feels really smooth and soft. I can't stop rubbing my hair. Then the rest is about 80-85% straight. I don't know if it'll get better once it's more moisturized or not. It's really not that big of a deal right now, because I'll be keeping my ends in a baggy with a fake bun on top of it. But, when I decide to straight it, I'm worried that it won't turn out good.

 

[Ms_Twana]

Oh, and I'm about to upload pictures now.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Okay, sorry ladies, but you're gonna have to wait a while for the pictures. I just got a new computer, and until right this second, I never realized it DOESN'T HAVE AN SD SLOT!!!! What computers don't come with SD slots anymore???

My other computer, that DOES have one, isn't connecting to the internet right now. I'm not certain what's going on with my home network.

SORRY!!!!!

I am SO embarrased. I never knew my puter had an sd slot until you asked this question. I just looked right now for the 1st time, and I have one there This is wonderful because I can't find the cord to my digi camera. THANK YOU!!!!

 

[Ms_Twana]

Okay here they are FINALLY!!! I tried a million times to resize the first and last ones. I have NO IDEA why they are coming out so big. Sorry.

Here's when I first got home. This is after her blow drying and flat ironing the back section.

This is with DPR-11 slather in my hair. YAY...I can detangle in TWO sections instead of SIX now.

This is the next morning after I washed the conditioner out.

Here is a back view of my hair. You can definitely see where it got really straight and not really straight. That back section is what I was thinking is under processed.

In a ponytail, preparing for baggy and bun. I LOVE that I still have texture in my ponytail. Absolutely LOVE IT!!

And here is me in my bun. This will be my signature style for the next two weeks or so. I'm gonna have to figure something else out though. I have too much hair to fit in the bun. So today I was walking around and the left side of my bun had come up, exposing my baggy. I didn't notice until I got home.

 

[taz007]

Wow!!!! Just Beautiful :wow:

 

[Ms_Twana]

I am SO embarrased. I never knew my puter had an sd slot until you asked this question. I just looked right now for the 1st time, and I have one there This is wonderful because I can't find the cord to my digi camera. THANK YOU!!!!

Girl, I loved my SD card slot. I used it to transfer pictures and music. Now I'll have to use cords cuz I'd be darn if I go out to buy a media slot for the computer.

 

[exubah]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

 

[Skiggle]

Okay here they are FINALLY!!! I tried a million times to resize the first and last ones. I have NO IDEA why they are coming out so big. Sorry.

Here's when I first got home. This is after her blow drying and flat ironing the back section.

This is with DPR-11 slather in my hair. YAY...I can detangle in TWO sections instead of SIX now.

This is the next morning after I washed the conditioner out.

Here is a back view of my hair. You can definitely see where it got really straight and not really straight. That back section is what I was thinking is under processed.

In a ponytail, preparing for baggy and bun. I LOVE that I still have texture in my ponytail. Absolutely LOVE IT!!

And here is me in my bun. This will be my signature style for the next two weeks or so. I'm gonna have to figure something else out though. I have too much hair to fit in the bun. So today I was walking around and the left side of my bun had come up, exposing my baggy. I didn't notice until I got home.

FINALLY!
*LOL*
It looks GREAT!


​

 

[Ms_Twana]

FINALLY!

*LOL*
It looks GREAT!​

​

I know right!!!!

 

[sheba1]

Truly Gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing.

 

[Skiggle]

Bump...bump...

 

[Ms_Twana]

So, I have a couple of questions.

1. Does that back part look under processed?
2. Is under processed a bad thing if you're intentionally texlaxed?
3. Will my hair look a mess when I do rollersets and twist outs because of the different textures?

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

Very Pretty!

 

[Morenita]

Looking good Twana I am glad that you went with the texlaxed option. It's like the best of both worlds if you have difficult to manage hair I wash my hair in two sections, probably could not stand it if I had to do it in six like you did!

 

[dany06]

Ms_Twana I would suggest you try a BKT even if you do relax. It would probably work better and last longer if you do. Do realize if you are to try a Brazilian Keratin treatment you may not be able to use your old products. I've found that alot of products geared towards naturals have sodium in them. If you dont mind changing products then you shouldn't have any problems.

If you do decide to use a BKT please try the real products before even thinking about that Ulta product. You can get the same amount of the real stuff for around that same price give or take a few dollars.

I tried to relax my hair using Silk Elements mild lye relaxer and it didn't do much of anything. So if you do use Silk Elements you might want to use the regular or even the super strength if they have that. I had a test section that I used Phyto Index 1 on and it felt dried out. I didn't even use the milky reconstructor because other said it aided in making the hair hard. I deep conditioned daily for about a week and there was no real sign of improvement. So I cant recommend this product. I only used a very small section for this. It did get my hair straighter and didn't burn though.

I relaxed a portion of my head because my hair is too short for my liking and my natural curls are too fickle when it comes to blending with a weave. I also like straight hair styles and want them to last without worry about having to use the dreaded blowdrier again. Before the BKT me and the blowdrier were enemies.

I will one day go natural again but it will be after a very very long transition. I refuse to ever start over with a centimeter of hair again. I will probably officially go natural when I become pregnant with my first child. That will give me sometime to get in touch with my hair before the baby pops out. I want to be a role model for my child when it comes to his or her hair. I want to know how to take care of mine as well as my child's. I think that many people put relaxers in their kids' hair because they dont have the time, patience, knowledge and/or products to get their children's natural hair to its full potential. Right now I dont have the time nor patience to deal with my natural hair. I was at one point still looking for the products to use since I put Bigen in my hair.

 

[Ms_Twana]

Just wanted to check in and let you ladies know how I've been doing. I posted this in another thread the other day:

Okay, can I just say that I am SOOOO HAPPY that I made the decision to texlax. I have co-washed everyday since Thursday, and the entire process took no more than 30 minutes. I co-wash, detangle, do a twistie bun (either baggied or not baggied), then throw on a turbie until I'm ready. I just can't believe it. No more blocking 3 hours to wash, detangle, and style my hair.

I guess I'd be finished in the same amount of time if I were relaxed bone straight too; since I'm just doing buns. But, if I wanted to do a curly ponytail, I couldn't do it bone straight, and I can do it now. I can't do a W&G because the relaxer straighted out my curls on top so much that it would look a mess, but at least I still have some texture!!! After reading more texlaxed threads, I realized the top and front of my hair is so much straighter than the rest because she was really smoothing those sections out. The other ladies that texlax said they don't really smooth the hair out much. But...on the other hand, my hair looks sleek and smooth while it's pulled back. Don't let me rub some coconut oil on my hair...BLING CITY!!!

YAY!!!

 

[Violets-are-blue]

Yay. Glad you're enjoying it I'm a lifelong natural debating going this route for college...I can't see myself being able to devote Saturday afternoon to my hair when I can be studying or hanging with friends.

Your hair looks very very pretty. Enjoy it!!

 

[warenas1978]

Your hair looks really beautiful. I have been natural for 6 years, and I want to texlax too. I'm going to do it myself because I don't trust stylist. I figure I can't do worse than what they would do. You have some great questions that I wanted to know but I have a couple.

How long was the relaxer left in your hair?
Was it done in sections?

Thanks

 

[Ms_Twana]

Your hair looks really beautiful. I have been natural for 6 years, and I want to texlax too. I'm going to do it myself because I don't trust stylist. I figure I can't do worse than what they would do. You have some great questions that I wanted to know but I have a couple.

How long was the relaxer left in your hair?
Was it done in sections?

Thanks

Thanks Warenas. Umm....I would say the relaxer was in for about 20 minutes. She did it in sections, but I didn't detangle first, so it was hard for her to make sections. So, my sections basically ended up being top and back. And you can tell from the picture in my siggy which one she straighted the most.