Relaxed to Natural to Relaxed again..who's done it?

[tammiematthews]

Okay so I've been natural for 1yr and 6 months. A few weeks back, I got really bored with it and I called my self relaxing my hair with ORS lye. I left it on for what had to be about 15-20 minutes ( i rinsed because it was burning). What I got was some of the most gorgeous curls I had ever seen. Although it wasn't totally straight, that was fine, i had more curl definition. I can say that I am texlaxed, but now I think that I'm ready to relax again.

Any naturals out there who've been relaxed, gone on your "natural hair journey" and now you're back and deciding to relax again??

Holla back! I need to hear from you

 

[tammiematthews]

bumpxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Bint Yusef]

Same thing happened to me with Phyto Index I, intended to relax had been natural for 7 years ended up texlaxed.

The thing with Phyto is it has actuall worn off after a month, and my hair is back to its old ways.

Considering relaxing, but Im really not sure if my hair can thrive relaxed.

 

[CAPlush]

I've done it, twice. I will probably go natural again in the future Being natural taught me about many of the mistakes I was making with my relaxed hair (overprocessing, using the wrong combs/brushes etc.), and this time around, being relaxed has taught me about many of the mistakes I made with my natural hair (too much heat, not using oils, not deep conditioning). Whatever you decide to do, take your lessons with you, and do not revert to your old bad habits.

I will be growing out my relaxed hair to BSL before I consider going natural again, and if I do go natural again I won't be BC'ing.

 

[ichephren]

I used to be relaxed, then went natural for about 5yrs I think and am now texlaxed to relaxed, I never know what to call it. I was about to start the same thread yesterday. Although I enjoy my hair now, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to have really long natural hair like Babyblue or Nay. But then reality stares me in the face...I'm too lazy for all that and I like to wear my hair straight sometimes(and since I'm going to need a job in the legal field, probably more often than not in the future) and I don't wanna deal with hair reverting in the summer. I like the option of going to regular salons for haircuts and going to dominicans fro blowouts. Even though I hate rollersetting, pressing hair is an even worse nightmare. Life is just easier with relaxed hair, there I said it! But I'm lazy as hell, so...Those are my reasons now, they may change in the future as I do love my natural texture.

 

[tammiematthews]

Thanks ladies for responding.
CAPlush--ITA, there are lessons to be learned either relaxed or natural. I think when I go back this time, I will attempt to reach BSL before I go back natural, if I go back. I will not BC the next time either. I believe my hair can thrive relaxed, if I'm diligent.

OnAHairQuest-why do you say that your hair wont thrive relaxed? what happened?

 

[vslady]

I have as well. I was natural for ten years ('97 - '07) and just went back to relaxing at the beginning of this year. My natural hair thrived and I learned a lot about hair care but am just wanting a different look for now. I'm gone the Dominican Salon route but believe I'll go natural again in a few years.

IMHO --It's really about healthy hair for me rather than just natural vs relaxed (although I would not let my dauughter relax her hair if I had one so I guess I do have a preference and consciousness around the issue).

 

[tammiematthews]

ichephren-I love my natural texture as well. I never knew my hair was curly and it certainly is thicker. I'm afraid of losing the thickness, when/if I relax. But I think that stretching relaxers will certainly help retain the thickness. I also miss my ponytails.

 

[Bint Yusef]

I feel like the messup with Phyto bought me more time to think about it.

My relaxed prior to going natural was a mess! But I also realize how I abused it and didnt take care of it at all. So I feel like I have all the skills and tools to have a good looking head of relaxed hair.

BUT!

The one thing I remember from my relaxed days was my hair being some what resistant. I only used No-Lye when we did my hair at home, the few times I had a salon relaxer , I dont know what they put on it. There was this patch at my crown that would never get straight.
But its all somewhat a haze since its been so long and I wasnt really hair conscious then.

Im thinking I will get braids for the summer and then see how I feel after that. Im not trying to ruin 7 years of progress. I much rather be natural than have a head of messed up relaxed hair.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I've done it 7Xs. For me relaxing bone strait is not so healthy for my hair, but for some dumb reason, I keep doing it. I won't be doing it anymore, though.

 

[metro_qt]

I did it. I went from relaxed back in 2001 to natural in 2002 and stayed natural until 2005... then i texturized until 2006. Let that grow out (call it an extexded stretch)

and now... as of 2 weeks ago, i'm fully relaxed (not texurized) again. so i've come full circle.

I'm loving the ease of my relaxed hair. for me, natural and texturized hair is great, but as my hair grew longer-brastrap etc, i was losing chunks and chunks every time i washed. My hair was always so tangled, and matted, -but I made it look cute, lol... I loved my wash n goes, etc. but after my setback in june 2006 where i lost 3 huge clumps of hair, down to the roots, and ended up with 3 bald patches, I decided that I would be relaxing after I grew my hair back....

 

[sareca]

I've only relaxed my hair 5-6X in my life. Each time I relaxed completely virgin hair. Nov 2005 was my first touch-up ever. My pattern was to relax my natural hair, let the relaxer grow out completely, cut off the ends, leave it natural a while (year or so) then relax it all again.

This time around I'm texturized and planning to stay that way for a while, but I have no issues with moving between relaxed and natural whenever I feel like it. My current schedule is relax/texlax once a year.

 

[prettypuff1]

I did it. i went natural in June 2005 and then June 06, I was relaxed again.. I wish i woulda stayed natural....

 

[seraphinelle]

I was relaxed forever, then went natural, and relaxed once, and I haven't relaxed since then...

so i don't know what i'm doing

 

[vivadiva85]

I did!

My last relaxer before I went natural was in late Feb '05, and I relaxed again Nov '06.

I just got tired of it and wanted to do something different. When I went natural I was one of a few on my campus with natural hair. But when school started Fall '06, errbody and their momma was wearing their natural hair. Like I say, I'm a rebel without a cause I had to do the opposite of what the masses were doing. And I wanted length, not shrinkage.

I do miss it though.I think once I reach my relaxed length goals, I'll go natural again. I mean a few years after that. I am enjoying my relaxed hair.

 

[ichephren]

I did!

My last relaxer before I went natural was in late Feb '05, and I relaxed again Nov '06.

I just got tired of it and wanted to do something different. When I went natural I was one of a few on my campus with natural hair. But when school started Fall '06, errbody and their momma was wearing their natural hair. Like I say, I'm a rebel without a cause I had to do the opposite of what the masses were doing. And I wanted length, not shrinkage.

I do miss it though.I think once I reach my relaxed length goals, I'll go natural again. I mean a few years after that. I am enjoying my relaxed hair.

ITA. After a while, natural hair got boring to me, and I suspect that after a while, the relaxer will get boring as well. I also got spolied by the long haired ladies of LHCF and my natural shrinkage got to be really annoying(I have like 75% shrinkage).

 

[Sha76]

I was relaxed for majority of my life, then natural from 2001-2004, relaxed for one year, natural for one year, and now relaxed again.

I mainly got bored with being natural. The only thing taht annoyed me was the underprocessed ends that I was left with with each initial relaxer.(I think the the stylist keep thinking that my ends would be the most porous part or something)

 

[Artemis]

I've done it, twice. I will probably go natural again in the future Being natural taught me about many of the mistakes I was making with my relaxed hair (overprocessing, using the wrong combs/brushes etc.), and this time around, being relaxed has taught me about many of the mistakes I made with my natural hair (too much heat, not using oils, not deep conditioning). Whatever you decide to do, take your lessons with you, and do not revert to your old bad habits.

I will be growing out my relaxed hair to BSL before I consider going natural again, and if I do go natural again I won't be BC'ing.

Same here

I went natural the 1st time junior yr of high school (transitioned), then relaxed, then in senior yr (2001) instead of getting my touch up at 8 wks I BC'd, and was natural until right after college graduation (2005). I think I will go natural again after I meet my relaxed hair goal, but I will prolly do locs...My hair has taught me so much over the years .

 

[blue_flower]

Natural
Texturized
Relaxed
Natural
Texturized
Relaxed. . .and now I'm supposed to be transitioning- no big chop. I really don't know what I want to do with me hair. Each time I do something with my hair, I say to myself, "Okay, I know what to do *this time* to make it work." But something ends up not working.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

I've done it, I think alot of us have, I've done it probaly 5x's Relax/Natural, I think it is Normal but in that Time I learned that having Natural Hair is the way to go for me, Because I am so Lazy, I hate doing anything to my hair, all I wanted was to wash,detangle & go, so far so good, In the past if I tried to relax, my edges would fall out and the hair in my crown area would go Bald as soon as I stop relaxing my hair grew in Lovely so I figured it must be telling me something LOL!!! So the last time I Listened.

 

[DragonPearl]

What a coincidence. I've had a dream last week that my hair was texturized/textlaxed. It didn't feel weird at all, it felt like something fun to have for a change of pace. :scratchch After 7 years of being natural, what's gotten into me?

 

[Bint Yusef]

What a coincidence. I've had a dream last week that my hair was texturized/textlaxed. It didn't feel weird at all, it felt like something fun to have for a change of pace. :scratchch After 7 years of being natural, what's gotten into me?

Its the seven year itch.

I have it too.

I actually have everything I need to relax my hair, but Im skurred!erplexed

 

[aliceo]

I've done it I was relaxed for a few years and then went natural. After 5 years I decided to tex-lax. I'm am now very happy with it!

 

[dillard]

yup, was relaxed growing up, then natural for 5 years, now i'm newly relaxed again. i have moments when i need a change, and the easiest thing to change is my hair.

i too learned a lot from my natural journey, not only about hair, but it actually gave me a type of self-awareness that i wouldn't have otherwise gained. It gave me confidence in who and what i am, my true beauty. It was deep And even now that I'm relaxed, those lessons have stayed with me.

Now, I see it as a challenge to take care of my relaxed hair. I'm having fun with it, but I have a feeling I will be natural again, and most likely I will BC and start from scratch!

 

[misspriss]

I have!

Natural
Relaxed (in Jr. High)
Natural (in College-3 years)
Texturized (9 mo. ago)

I get bored way too easily I don't think I'll ever relax bone-straight again, but I'm chemically processed, so I'd consider that "relaxed". Once it got passed a certain length, I couldn't do natural; my hair got way too big for my liking. The mild relaxing gives me a lot of flexibility and my hair is still thriving, so I think I'll stick with this for a while. Now if I could only leave the color alone...

 

[Energist]

I've done it! I went natural back in 97' loved it! I had no idea what my hair was going to look like when I went for the big chop back then, but was happy with the texture. I stayed natural for 7 years until it just got to much for me. I was living in NY at the time and wasn't aware of natural hair care salons like "Khemet Kinks" so I'd go to regular Black hair salons if I wanted twists or a press and would get some major attitude from the stylists. They wanted for me to relax my hair, because they knew it was going to be work! My hair grew to where when I stretched or pressed it was close to mid back in my last days of being natural and it would take the stylists like 2 hrs or more to work in my hair. Just an unpleasant experience for me, and I didn't know what to do anymore at that point.

So I was in a beauty supply shop one day looking for some new products for my hair and saw this Black woman with the most beautiful, shiny, healthy, bouncy head of hair and approached her. First time I heard of Dominican's and their miraculous wonders, so I went to the salon that very same day which was down the block from the beauty supply store. They relaxed my hair and it was very damaged and thin, because I used to pull knots out of my hair and not take care of it the way I should while it was natural, so I just asked for them to chop it all off and start from scratch... haven't turned back yet. I'm happily relaxed now that I know how to properly take care of relaxed hair!

Back in the day when I was relaxed, I only knew of Black hair stylists who seemed to do more damage to my hair than anything (burned scalps, too much heat, expensive styles etc...) Also how can I pass up a weekly wash and set for $15 from the Dominicans?? It was a real treat going to them, and they massage your scalp and do everything that takes care of your hair and makes it healthy! It felt like spa treatment...lol Now that I'm in Oklahoma I do my own hair. I've taken what they've taught me and am able to get close to the same results and my hair is still healthy and growing

 

[rcknrobin]

I've also been natural for about a year and half now and now i'm bored. i've already made an appt for a Phyto Relaxer consult for next month. i'm excited and honestly, i'll prob go the natural route again in the future...but i will grow my hair out for more than 6 mos this time around

 

[CurleeDST]

It's all good. Do you.

I used to be relaxed, then went natural for about 5yrs I think and am now texlaxed to relaxed, I never know what to call it. I was about to start the same thread yesterday. Although I enjoy my hair now, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to have really long natural hair like Babyblue or Nay. But then reality stares me in the face...I'm too lazy for all that and I like to wear my hair straight sometimes(and since I'm going to need a job in the legal field, probably more often than not in the future) and I don't wanna deal with hair reverting in the summer. I like the option of going to regular salons for haircuts and going to dominicans fro blowouts. Even though I hate rollersetting, pressing hair is an even worse nightmare. Life is just easier with relaxed hair, there I said it! But I'm lazy as hell, so...Those are my reasons now, they may change in the future as I do love my natural texture.

 

[CurleeDST]

I relaxed back in the summer of 2006 with Phyto. I preferred a stronger relaxer for my 3c/4a hair. The phyto made it feel dry after only 3 short weeks.

I've also been natural for about a year and half now and now i'm bored. i've already made an appt for a Phyto Relaxer consult for next month. i'm excited and honestly, i'll prob go the natural route again in the future...but i will grow my hair out for more than 6 mos this time around

 

[Puddles]

[SIZE=+1]I've done it. But I always go back to texturizing. I work out 6 days a week and I already have hot flashes.(flashing since the age of 30.)
I've always been a sweater. My daughter and son are the same way. So when I went back to natural.......it was a waste of time when I would straighten my hair. 30min. later....it was no longer straight. I would sweat it out.
I love wearing my hair straight. And texturizing gives me that option of wearing it curly or straight.[/SIZE]