Relaxed Hair Thread

Cheekychica

Well-Known Member
I'm struggling to try and figure out what products to use. I have a lot of products from being natural that I think would be too heavy with my relaxed hair.

I think I can still use Giovanni Direct Leave-in (and less too) but definitely no to the castor oil. I don't want to weigh my hair down.

What products do you ladies use?
 

Hyacinthe

New Member
afroette said:
Do y'all use a gel instead? My hair doesn't lie down flat with the new growth. Plus I'm battling underprocessed hair. I got helmet head.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

What I have found to be a tremendous help is to moisturize my NG with Scurl. I am looking for a more light moisturizer that does weigh my hair down cuz my hair is easily weighed down,but in the meantime S curl is my go to to tame new growth.
 

divachyk

Instagram: adaybyjay
I saw that but scare it won't work like that cork screw looking thing, my hair was too thin for it and fear it might be the same problem with that

@divachyk I have that same up-do clip but my buns looked nothing like your avatar.. clearly I need to practice, and possibly some more hair... :giggle:

Lilmama1011 and Raspberry, I used a couple updo clips to create this look.

 

miracles11

Member
I am so motivated to stay relaxed. Glad that others feel the same. You can grow your hair long even if it is relaxed. Make sure you spread the word, Relaxed is where it is at!



www.meetup.com/berelaxed-hairgroup
 

divachyk

Instagram: adaybyjay
afroette, I'd love to help you but I'm in Florida. My abilities increased the more I styled my hair. I think length matters to a certain degree but I wouldn't say it's the only factor. Keep trying, you'll get the hang of it. I started out by doing simple donut buns and adding flowers and other hair candy. Over time, I started pulling off other styles.
 

afroette

New Member
@afroette, I'd love to help you but I'm in Florida. My abilities increased the more I styled my hair. I think length matters to a certain degree but I wouldn't say it's the only factor. Keep trying, you'll get the hang of it. I started out by doing simple donut buns and adding flowers and other hair candy. Over time, I started pulling off other styles.

divachyk, Thank you for the advice. I do not exaggerate my inability to style hair. I can't get my ponytails centered even. And hmm, most of my family lives in Florida...:grin:
 

danysedai

Well-Known Member
I need your help ladies.

Last time I was relaxed straight was a year ago. All the relaxers I had after that left me VERY underprocessed. After a relaxer fiasco in January where a stylist just put the relaxer in and took it out, I decided to become a DIYer and although the results were smoother, I'm still quite underprocessed. 2 relaxers ago I did a corrective that helped but there are still sections in my hair that go ______~~~~~~~~~~_________ the curly section is the very underprocessed section.

Now, I don't know whether to up the strength of my relaxer (Affirm lye Mild) or change relaxers (I'm thinking Mizani lye). I know is the technique as my former hairdresser got my hair bone straight with this same relaxer but although I know my technique will improve with time, I don't want to risk having so many textures on my hair. My next relaxer is the end of this month, or beginning August if I can stretch that long. (I'm only at 6 weeks post)

The pros I find is that my hair looks and feels thicker which I love, so I don't think I'll go back to bone straight, I'm quite happy with how my hair looks and feels.

Here's a link to my blog here on LHCF about how I do my rollerset and end result.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/blog.php?b=27823

But I'm battling with several textures on my hair. I rollerset every weekend and the end result looks smooth all along the strand after I flat iron the newgrowth, I mean, the ~~~~~~ portions do not show at all. But I'm afraid all this will lead to breakage. I detangle throughly with a wide tooth comb in the shower, a medium comb and a fine tooth comb to smooth the hair when I rollerset and I never used to lose so much hair like I did yesterday when I almost couldn't get my comb through my NG.

What would you do?
 

LifeafterLHCF

New Member
Cheekychica As I was told in this thread from going natural to relaxed try the things you already have first and see how your hair feels. I did that instead of buying a whole new reggie. I most def have found it easy to know what products my hair likes and doesn't as a relaxed head..and your hair is so pretty.
 

Guinan

Re-Branding
I need your help ladies.

Last time I was relaxed straight was a year ago. All the relaxers I had after that left me VERY underprocessed. After a relaxer fiasco in January where a stylist just put the relaxer in and took it out, I decided to become a DIYer and although the results were smoother, I'm still quite underprocessed. 2 relaxers ago I did a corrective that helped but there are still sections in my hair that go ______~~~~~~~~~~_________ the curly section is the very underprocessed section.

Now, I don't know whether to up the strength of my relaxer (Affirm lye Mild) or change relaxers (I'm thinking Mizani lye). I know is the technique as my former hairdresser got my hair bone straight with this same relaxer but although I know my technique will improve with time, I don't want to risk having so many textures on my hair. My next relaxer is the end of this month, or beginning August if I can stretch that long. (I'm only at 6 weeks post)

The pros I find is that my hair looks and feels thicker which I love, so I don't think I'll go back to bone straight, I'm quite happy with how my hair looks and feels.

Here's a link to my blog here on LHCF about how I do my rollerset and end result.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/blog.php?b=27823

But I'm battling with several textures on my hair. I rollerset every weekend and the end result looks smooth all along the strand after I flat iron the newgrowth, I mean, the ~~~~~~ portions do not show at all. But I'm afraid all this will lead to breakage. I detangle throughly with a wide tooth comb in the shower, a medium comb and a fine tooth comb to smooth the hair when I rollerset and I never used to lose so much hair like I did yesterday when I almost couldn't get my comb through my NG.

What would you do?

Sorry, I don't have much advice. I just wanted to say how gorgeous your ponytail is:yep:.

For me, I use Mizani Butter Blends & I luv it. It gets my hair straight but now too straight. What technique are you using. I am considering relaxing my own hair too and I found that Ms.Kibbi's technique was pretty good and also shorty2sweet59. They both have youtube videos up on how to self-relax.

Good Luck!
 

danysedai

Well-Known Member
Thanks pelohello!

Is Mizani BB lye or no lye? I always forget...I think it's lye?
I watched several videos on youtube, MsKibibi was one of them. My hair is very resistant and I usually go for more than the time recommended :/ but it still does not process. Actually we do it betwwn DH and I. We divide the hair into 6 quadrants, start in the middle, go to next section in the back, go back to the top middle, smooth, smooth, smooth, leave for a few minutes, wash, reconstructor, neutralize and then do the 2 front sections.

I was reading sunnieb fotki and I'll copy her method of pre-dividing sections into plaits.

Sooo...anybody else? go for a medium relaxer or change altogether?
 

divachyk

Instagram: adaybyjay
afroette, I live in NWFL. Where does your family live? I don't try to get my ponies centered / even. I find when I attempt perfection, it never happens. Instead, I just let my hair do what it wants and my styles come out far better. For example, I can't get my pony sleek for nothing when I'm desiring the sleek look. However, when it doesn't matter, my pony is super duper sleek. Such as life. So now, I just roll with it and make it work.

danysedai, I have dealt with multiple textures from being under processed and it's not fun. I was unskilled and not well prepared to manage it and experienced breakage continuously. I don't trust my DIY corrective skills so I'd having a professional even out my textures and then resume self-relaxing from there.
 

afroette

New Member
divachyk, all over of Florida but there are a critical masses in Gainesville and Dade-Broward areas. I am working on styling. I used to not try at all. Just got through looking at some pictures and was shaking my head. I am worried about looking professional and polished when I start my new job in a few months.
 

danysedai

Well-Known Member
Thanks divachyk, I know, it's quite hard to have all those different textures.
Unfortunately, I haven't met a professional stylist in my city who is good at relaxing.
The relaxer disaster I had in January was with a professional stylist, who, although very good at cutting my hair, I feel she's been taught in a white beauty school and doesn't really have experience with relaxers, she basically put it in and smoothed it a little bit and took it out. The other kitchen stylist I went to, my hair was still underprocessed.
I still don't know what to do...
 

Angelinhell

New Member
Ok ladies, one more question(maybe) I've decided on the design essentials relaxer. I plan on getting the relaxer and matching neutralizer(I always have to match those two products at least, I'm very paranoid:look:). Do you
think I should get the DE 6 in 1 reconstructor or Joico k-pak reconstructor to use for midstep protein? I have used the Joico before and loved it, I'm leaning towards it because it has human hair keratin. I've never tried the DE reconstructor.
 

Lilmama1011

Well-Known Member
Angelinhell said:
Ok ladies, one more question(maybe) I've decided on the design essentials relaxer. I plan on getting the relaxer and matching neutralizer(I always have to match those two products at least, I'm very paranoid:look:). Do you
think I should get the DE 6 in 1 reconstructor or Joico k-pak reconstructor to use for midstep protein? I have used the Joico before and loved it, I'm leaning towards it because it has human hair keratin. I've never tried the DE reconstructor.

Get what you know works and love!
 

divachyk

Instagram: adaybyjay
danysedai, maybe you can check out stylists that are in a 40 mile radius. I'd be willing to drive an hour one way if that's what it took for the comfort of knowing my hair will get corrected properly. Perhaps asking folk what stylist they go to will help -- coworkers, church members, friends, random folk you see on the street.

afroette, I'm Northwest nearby Tallahassee. You will look great at your new job. Have you been able to pull off a donut bun?

Angelinhell, I agree you should use what you know works. Relaxer TU is not the time to be testing out new things.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
Thanks divachyk, I know, it's quite hard to have all those different textures.
Unfortunately, I haven't met a professional stylist in my city who is good at relaxing.
The relaxer disaster I had in January was with a professional stylist, who, although very good at cutting my hair, I feel she's been taught in a white beauty school and doesn't really have experience with relaxers, she basically put it in and smoothed it a little bit and took it out. The other kitchen stylist I went to, my hair was still underprocessed.
I still don't know what to do...

danysedai
if you have someone helping you, i would up to medium strength. it will help process quicker. you have to go over the extended time because you are using mild. mild will only process so much. do you feel you will need a corrective again?

also what do you do before your touchup? do you base your scalp? what are you using to base with? i would switch bases as well and make sure that you are only basing your scalp and not your hair. do you put oil or something on your hair before hand? make sure you stay away from the new growth, and clarify a couple of days and use minimal product before your touch up? does your relaxer system tell you to use a reconstructor after the rinse out process? if no, then stop doing that too. use a reconstructor after you neutralize.
 

KhandiB

Well-Known Member
Hey Ladies...So I was inspired to flat iron last night..real late may I say :look:

and This is how it turned out, I am almost 8 weeks post and pretty dern happy at how it turned out!!





I cant explain how bad I want to measure, I have a month to go .. *sigh*
 

Cattypus1

All loced up...
danysedai said:
Thanks pelohello!

Is Mizani BB lye or no lye? I always forget...I think it's lye?
I watched several videos on youtube, MsKibibi was one of them. My hair is very resistant and I usually go for more than the time recommended :/ but it still does not process. Actually we do it betwwn DH and I. We divide the hair into 6 quadrants, start in the middle, go to next section in the back, go back to the top middle, smooth, smooth, smooth, leave for a few minutes, wash, reconstructor, neutralize and then do the 2 front sections.

I was reading sunnieb fotki and I'll copy her method of pre-dividing sections into plaits.

Sooo...anybody else? go for a medium relaxer or change altogether?

Rule of thumb--if you have to mix it, it's no-lye. No-lye is supposed to be easier on the scalp but harder on the hair because of the buildup. No-lye is supposed to get hair straighter but I prefer lye relaxers so I'm going to the lye version for my next TU at the end of July. Are you sure its not processed, maybe your hair is actually over processed.
 

danysedai

Well-Known Member
shortdub78, I think I could try that, upping to a medium, I'm a bit scared because I used to use the medium strength affirm before meeting my (now deceased) stylist and it burned. That is why I was thinking of trying other relaxer (Mizani lye) but I'm not sure yet.

I wash the week before and do a protein treatment. But I don't clarify a few days before, so I could try that. I use the Affirm Gentle Assurance scalp protector to base my scalp when I relax. I do not use oils that much, but I use ORS smooth and hold pudding to put my hair in a bun the week before I relax so maybe clarifying would help. I use Affirm so I do use a reconstructor before I neutralize so I could also try your suggestion of neutralize first, reconstruct second.

Cattypus1
thanks for reminding me about lye no lye.
I odn't think my hair is overprocessed.It is very underprocessed meaning most of the kinks are still there. Click on the picture to see. Do you see that little curl on my nape? those are all over now on my newgrowth.
IMG_1585.jpg
 
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KhandiB

Well-Known Member
divachyk - Thank you.

Something I realized last night ..
All I did was Wash, DC for 30 min, used a heat protectant and blowdried on warm, used a lil bit of serum and that is how it turned out, I need to chill and start Keeping in Simple again!

and I LURVE your bun!!
 

sckri23

New Member
KhandiB said:
Hey Ladies...So I was inspired to flat iron last night..real late may I say :look:

and This is how it turned out, I am almost 8 weeks post and pretty dern happy at how it turned out!!

I cant explain how bad I want to measure, I have a month to go .. *sigh*

At 6wks I can only get results like that from my steam straightener. Flat irons dont like me for some reason but its ok.
 
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