ReesieCup
New Member
After thorough research I decided to try the One Week Straightener or OWS as I will refer to it, by Haime Munoz. I am in the process of growing out my relaxer and I have a solid 3 inches of new growth. I pretty much wear my hair in a bun because it started breaking at the relaxer/natural hair demarcation. This week even wearing a bun became a challenge because my 4a hair was getting caught in the brush and I had trouble combing it. So I decided to try the Haime Munoz product before texturizing my hair with a hydroxide product.
The OWS in neither a Thio or Hydroxide relaxer. It is based on low concentration of Ammonium Bisulfite a substance with the ability to temporarily straighten hair. It appears to work in a similar fashion to Terax Crema, a slightly alkaline conditioner which gently opens the cuticle to smooth the hair fiber. (Just a note: If you've ever used Terax Crema and been left with dry, rough hair, its quite possible that you didn't reseal the hair cuticle with a lower PH conditioner.) OWS opens the cuticle, which is then combed straight. Once the hair is "straightened" to your satisfaction, step 2 the sealer (lower PH) is applied and the "straightness" is locked in.
This product was not at all strong enough to make my 4a hair straight but it definately loosened the curl pattern...enough so to make a Dominican blow out or ceramic iron press last longer and look smoother. The hair smoothed out as if I had applied an S-curl. I think the OWS has great potential for transitioners who might want to occassionally wear the hair straight or curly without the committment or damage of a real relaxer. I am satisfied with the results and will continue to use this as my "texturizer" until I make the big chop and see what regimen is neccessary to maintain a curly style.
I will keep everyone updated on how long the smoothness lasts and how else it affects my hair.
The OWS in neither a Thio or Hydroxide relaxer. It is based on low concentration of Ammonium Bisulfite a substance with the ability to temporarily straighten hair. It appears to work in a similar fashion to Terax Crema, a slightly alkaline conditioner which gently opens the cuticle to smooth the hair fiber. (Just a note: If you've ever used Terax Crema and been left with dry, rough hair, its quite possible that you didn't reseal the hair cuticle with a lower PH conditioner.) OWS opens the cuticle, which is then combed straight. Once the hair is "straightened" to your satisfaction, step 2 the sealer (lower PH) is applied and the "straightness" is locked in.
This product was not at all strong enough to make my 4a hair straight but it definately loosened the curl pattern...enough so to make a Dominican blow out or ceramic iron press last longer and look smoother. The hair smoothed out as if I had applied an S-curl. I think the OWS has great potential for transitioners who might want to occassionally wear the hair straight or curly without the committment or damage of a real relaxer. I am satisfied with the results and will continue to use this as my "texturizer" until I make the big chop and see what regimen is neccessary to maintain a curly style.
I will keep everyone updated on how long the smoothness lasts and how else it affects my hair.
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