Relaxed hair that ALWAYS looks beautiful

[LocksOfLuV]

Can't wait for my hair to do this. I guess I'll have to cut back on some products. Either that or not use them so generously. My hair does do this when I have nothing in it, but at the same time it's really dry because I don't add anything. As soon as I do, no more swang for me . How does your moms hair stay moisturized?

Have you tried Dove's moisture mist? It is SUPER light. I angle the bottle about 6 inches away from my head and spray about 4 sprays all over my head. I wrap my hair up for the night and I wake to swanging LOVABLE hair.

 

[InnerSoul]

A lot of ladies here also use no-lye relaxers, with shiny, healthy-looking hair. I believe relaxer results depend on the individual's hair.

IMO, consistancy is one of the keys--sticking with a regimen that works brings predictable, great results.

ITA!! I am a no-lye user as well and my hair looks shiny(especially with rollerset styles!) My twist outs are not as shiny b/c it makes my hair highly textured...I also use oils to bring out the shine!
No-lye seems to get a bad rep.. but I maintain my moisture always ..my hair loves conditioner washes and I use a moisturizing deep conditioner. I clarify often to keep the shine in my hair and that way there is no reason to worry about calcium build up.

 

[sylver2]

A lot of ladies here also use no-lye relaxers, with shiny, healthy-looking hair. I believe relaxer results depend on the individual's hair.

IMO, consistancy is one of the keys--sticking with a regimen that works brings predictable, great results.

iTA!!
I use optimum no lye

 

[senimoni]

For me Newgrowth is the biggest threat to swingin hair...I mean..the ends may swing but the ng is still a helmet....lol. Rollersets by far give me the most bounce and swing...but moreso like others have said (for me) its about not weighing the hair down with product.

 

[SvelteVelvet]

no it doesn't look greasy, hangs flat or don't budge in the wind.
I do apply a lot of leave ins though and serum and oil on top of that. it has helped with no frizz and keeps it looking healthy and smooth. It still blows in the wind, but I am not fond of that light bounce u get from rollersets anyway. What works for me may not work for others. I'm just sayin what I do.

Ok , well that's what I was referring to when I said weighed-down, not completely product-free, but not weighed down either. I believe that light bounce, shine, healthy yet feathery look on relaxed hair and how that is acheived is what the OP was describing in this particular thread, I could be wrong but that's what I gathered from her description.

 

[hottestdiva19]

Have you tried Dove's moisture mist? It is SUPER light. I angle the bottle about 6 inches away from my head and spray about 4 sprays all over my head. I wrap my hair up for the night and I wake to swanging LOVABLE hair.

Locks you always have such good advice!!!! lol I have the mist but I haven't tried it When my hair is worn down. I think next time I wear it down im going to try using it how you described. Thanx!

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Locks you always have such good advice!!!! lol I have the mist but I haven't tried it When my hair is worn down. I think next time I wear it down im going to try using it how you described. Thanx!

No prob and good luck. Us 4bs can have swanging hurr too!

 

[glamazon386]

Can't wait for my hair to do this. I guess I'll have to cut back on some products. Either that or not use them so generously. My hair does do this when I have nothing in it, but at the same time it's really dry because I don't add anything. As soon as I do, no more swang for me . How does your moms hair stay moisturized?

To be honest she doesn't do anything to it. As long as she wraps it at night she's good. She uses the KeraCare grease on her scalp and that's it. She goes to the salon to get it washed every 2-3 weeks. And gets a relaxer and trim every 8 weeks. Her hair dresser combs her hair straight down and let's it dry like that under the dryer. Then she flat irons it.

I think less is more when it comes to the products. When I got my hair flat ironed in february he didn't use any product on it. He sprayed some heat glide on it while it was wet. Let it sit for a few mins and then blowdried with the paddle brush. Then he curled it with the flat iron. He did spray some Mizani oil sheen on each section after flat ironing but that was the only product he used. My hair had never felt so light but full and bouncy at the same time in my life. It even blew in the wind. I'm getting it done again next monday. I can't wait.

 

[blackmaven]

Sorry to highkjack the thread but I have the opposite problem. After I get a perm my hair is ALWAYS super limp. It takes about the next wash or so for me to get any real swing to my hair. I use the Affirm sensitive scalp relaxer. Can somebody shine some light on this? Thanks.

My hair was relaxed last Wednesday by hairdresser with Affirm sensitive relaxer it was super straight no bounce or nothing. I washed it by Sunday airdried it flat iron now the bounce is back not sure what happened.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

My hair was relaxed last Wednesday by hairdresser with Affirm sensitive relaxer it was super straight no bounce or nothing. I washed it by Sunday airdried it flat iron now the bounce is back not sure what happened.

Girls, a lot of women on this board say that Affirm thins out the hair and makes it super limp.

I would stay away from Affirm or process with a shorter time. I have read too many bad htings about affirm.

 

[glamazon386]

Girls, a lot of women on this board say that Affirm thins out the hair and makes it super limp.

I would stay away from Affirm or process with a shorter time. I have read too many bad htings about affirm.

It did that to my hair. I switched to Mizani for about a year and a half and my hair was much better. I could also wash and go.

 

[Isis]

This is a good thread. I always wanted my 4b relaxed hair to swang. It just stays stiff in the wind! . Is it even possible for a 4b? It's so hard to find stuff that doesn't weigh my hair down because it's thin. I wanna hear more coments!

It's very possible! My 4b hair always swangs, I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[senimoni]

I use Affirm...I love it...but I don't process fully either, and I make sure they use all of the steps to the system.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

A lot of the ladies with bouncy swangin' hair, do NOT use grease. When I wear my hair down, grease does not go anywhere near my hair.

Also, more washing and moisture. Washing every two weeks, decrease my swang, and increases me grease levels. . I have to wash atleast once a week.

Also, using a light moisturizer, and sealing with minimal (some ladies don't use oil, I don't most of the time when I wear my hair down) oil.

I agree. I haven't used grease in well over 6 years. I poo/DC weekly, and I don't moisturize daily, only as needed. Also, I go easy with Giovanni Direct (no cones) after my wash. I'll add a little coconut oil over that, and that's it. Airdrying seems to help with this too. I know folks feel they need heat in order to have the "swang" but that healthy look comes from hair that IS healthy, not dry.

My hair is texlaxed so there is always some texture to my hair, but it's healthy and tamed.

 

[trulyurangel82]

When I wear my hair in protective styles I use more oils and BT (growth aide) so I dont have to worry about bounce and movement lol.

When I did get movement it was because of roller sets and flat ironing. I agree with the ladies saying to not use too much product. Less is better for movement. A little bit of serum before flat ironing is good.
Then during the week every other day use a light oil like coconut oil, etc.
NO grease.

 

[trulyurangel82]

For me Newgrowth is the biggest threat to swingin hair...I mean..the ends may swing but the ng is still a helmet....lol. Rollersets by far give me the most bounce and swing...but moreso like others have said (for me) its about not weighing the hair down with product.

lol helmet. thats a great description.

 

[trulyurangel82]

This is a good thread. I always wanted my 4b relaxed hair to swang. It just stays stiff in the wind! . Is it even possible for a 4b? It's so hard to find stuff that doesn't weigh my hair down because it's thin. I wanna hear more coments!

I had the same problem. My hair is very fine also. what worked for me was using less product. Like I would only put a dime amount of serum before flat ironing and a dime amount or a little more leave in after deep conditioning.

A rollet set and then flat ironing gave it more bounce.
If I blow dryed (which I dont do anymore) and flat ironed there wasnt that much bounce.

 

[patient1]

I have to say, when my hair was relaxed, it was pretty much always on point. I self-relaxed once I hit my teens, I was an outrageous abuser of gold n hot (my thigh bears the scar!).

I enjoyed deep conditioning and all that stuff back then. I would do henna treatments with this black powdered stuff (this was a looooong time ago, I'm sure it was the bad stuff). I'd oil or grease my scalp,but I never used heavy styling products.

I remember my hair being thick, sheeny, and bouncy. Then again, I could just be revising history.

p1

 

[SleekandBouncy]

I have 4b relaxed hair and I have swing. Many black women have stiff relaxed hair, I think it comes from being raised to believe our hair needs to be "controlled" so heavy grease is used. Grease will make it stiff and stay in one direction rather than moving and swinging when you move.
Here's what I do that contributes to swing:

• No grease! I apply a moisturizing cream to my ends every 2-3 days. If necessary I'll apply it to my roots. I don't use products that are basically scented vaseline, I look for moisturizing and conditioning ingredients.
• I rollerset. Major factor IMO.
• I don't use heavy products if they are very greasy. I'll use heavy conditioners as long as they don't leave my hair feeling heavy.
• Dominican rollersets (with only the roots blown out) always helps.
• Keep your hair moisturized. The more moisturizing your hair product the less grease you'll have to use. If your hair is dry it will take the moisture from the air and it will cause the cuticle to swell and frizz.
• My after wash routine consists of a leave in and MAYBE a light serum, that's it. A day or so later I'll moisturize my ends and seal them with Tigi's ego boost which seals the cuticle to prevent breakage, but doesn't weight hair down.

 

[Artemis]

I had the same problem. My hair is very fine also. what worked for me was using less product. Like I would only put a dime amount of serum before flat ironing and a dime amount or a little more leave in after deep conditioning.

A rollet set and then flat ironing gave it more bounce.
If I blow dryed (which I dont do anymore) and flat ironed there wasnt that much bounce.

ITA with above. Rollersets+flat iron=swang

 

[RubyWoo]

So is one of the other keys to having swinging, bouncy hair is to clarify?

I noticed that after washing and rollersetting my hair yesterday that it lacked the usual bounce and high shine it usually has. It was so dull lookingerplexed. It almost seems like my leave-in isn't working like it used to. I also use tons of cones and don't clarify (the most or closest thing I use is ORS creamy aloe shampoo--it's a neutralizing poo); could the lack of using a clarifying shampoo be the problem?

 

[2cute2B4gotten]

A lot of ladies here also use no-lye relaxers, with shiny, healthy-looking hair. I believe relaxer results depend on the individual's hair.

IMO, consistancy is one of the keys--sticking with a regimen that works brings predictable, great results.

I use no lye, and my hair has never been this shiny...and I don't use any products other than a setting lotion for my rollersets.

Lye relaxers had my hair super dull...

 

[He_Leads_I_follow]

I don't apply anything after a relaxer except sheen spray the day of and that's it.

 

[NeeSee]

So is one of the other keys to having swinging, bouncy hair is to clarify?

I noticed that after washing and rollersetting my hair yesterday that it lacked the usual bounce and high shine it usually has. It was so dull lookingerplexed. It almost seems like my leave-in isn't working like it used to. I also use tons of cones and don't clarify (the most or closest thing I use is ORS creamy aloe shampoo--it's a neutralizing poo); could the lack of using a clarifying shampoo be the problem?

It might be. It won't hurt to give it a try.

 

[brenda55]

Hi Ladies
I finally found a hair regime that works and is growing my hair out. My edges around the side and front are thin. Any suggestions on hair products or technique's? I would like to wear my hair back in a pony tail one day.

B

 

[carcajada]

Hi Ladies
I finally found a hair regime that works and is growing my hair out. My edges around the side and front are thin. Any suggestions on hair products or technique's? I would like to wear my hair back in a pony tail one day.

B

If you wrap your hair, make sure the wrap is on your skin and not your hairline. My edges are thin due to them not getting circulation because the wrap is tied around my hairline everynight. What about a topical growth aid applied only to your edges and front until they catch up with the rest of your hair's thickness? If you use heat or a hooded dryer, you may want to put a band over your edges while the rest of your hair dries so that they won't get exposed to as much heat and dry out or break off. uhhh....I'll keep thinking of things I was doing before I got too lazy

 

[RubyWoo]

It might be. It won't hurt to give it a try.

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. After looking more into clarifying I now believe that is what my problem is and I now realize how important clarifying really is. Anyhow, thank you for responding.

 

[Spring]

Bumping for inspiration....

(where are most of these lovely ladies....)

 

[sunnieb]

This is a great thread!