trying to nail down the post C&G regime - really long

newflowers

New Member
Hello ladies.

I would like to thank you all for the great things I have learned here. I am still C&G and my growth and retention of length has been phenomenol. I have been trying to plan a regime for relaxing and hair care post C&G. Trying to narrow the new products I've read about and balance that with my favs has been an interesting exercise. I would greatly appreciate it comments, suggestions, and advice about my plan to date. Since I use Sunday afternoons as my pamper me day, I can take as much time as I want.

In the past, I had a serious problem using protein. I would not use it, or use it with the extra moisture afterward and, of course, experience breakage. I now know better. Part of my plan is to use protein weekly and follow with a deep moisturizing conditioner, probably under the hood dryer. I read I can cover well, heat for 30 minutes, reapply, and heat for another 30 minutes.

Let me do this in order:

1. relax - the week before, no washing. this is always so hard for me. Is it okay if I don't wash for maybe threeish days?

2. I really like the idea of using silk protein to coat the hair and have indeed purchased a bottle of Chi Silk Infusion for this purpose. I am considering adding a smidge of silk amino acids to this. Would that be overkill? Right now, my hair is in really good condition and by the time I relax, all of the previous relaxer will have been cut off. Me with all new growth - I haven't had all natural hair since I was a little girl. If my hair is all natural with no need to worry about overlapping, do I need to coat my hair in this manner, or is that something I should do when I have a touch about a few months later? I have used Index I in the past and can get my hair straight in 20ish minutes. If I coat my hair, should I consider Index II - something a little stronger?

3. Basing the scalp is something I have a question about. I never do this and am wondering if I should for protection. I have learned my lesson and am using Phtyo Relaxer forevermore and that has never burned my scalp.
Should I base my scalp and hairline for protection regardless of what relaxer I use?

4. So now to the relaxing part. In the past, after I applied the relaxer, I used a fine tooth comb to smooth and have gotten great results. I have since learned this is a big no-no. I am not sure how to go about the smoothing part if I don't use the comb. I know that many have said they use their fingers. How do you do this? I almost understand how this would work when all of my hair needs to be relaxed, but what about when I am relaxing only new growth? I have always done the traditional four sections, but can see that making smaller sections would be easier and possibly faster as well. opinions?

5. Rinsing. Thank you Arcadian for your tip and further information about using an ACV rinse after the realxer and before the neutralizer. I will definitely do this. i'm looking forward to seeing those super white suds.

6. Here is where I have questions based upon what I have learned at LHCF. Some ladies reconstruct at this point and some neutralize. I can see the advantages of both - open cuticles, proteins inside to strengthen after relaxing and getting that relaxer out of the hair immediately. Opinions and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

7. I have read so many good things about Porosity Control or Nexus Ensure as an acidifying conditioner. I think I may go with the Nexxus as I do not like the scent of PC, but really, after the relaxer and the vinegar, will the scent even matter? How do you suggest I go about this part? I can ACV rinse, neutralize, reconstruct, and then PC. Will the reconstructor work better after the PC? I can ACV rinse, reconstruct, neutralize, and then PC? Suggestions, opinions, advice?

8. The next steps... In the past, I have always used Phytoneutre and then a deep moisturizing conditioner which I left on for a couple of hours while I be-bop around. I think I would rather do the deep moisture step under the hair dryer. I;ve always used the other shampoo because I like the way it makes my scalp feel and I lov ethe smell. It completely gets rid of the relaxer smell. But in light of my learning and using new and better ways, what do you suggest? I use the Phytojoba hair mask - I love this stuff. Should I deep condition as usual and THEN use PC or use PC before? So many rave about the improved results of conditioners after the PC step, I would certainly like to give it a try. I also have the Ojon Restorative Treatment which I love and could use at this point as well. So I guess the questionis what do you do after the neutralizing step, why do you do it that way, and what are the results?

My main goal is continued healthy hair that will acquire length. I have gone from neck to shoulder to neck to shoulder for years - I'm moving on now. Obviously while part of what I've done in the past works, there are better ways because I have not gone past shoulder length before breaking and going back.

I'm still trying to work out what to do for care after the relaxer, but if I can get this part down, I can continue to work on it and then write another long email asking your advice again:lol: . Of course, you should feel free to make any comments about that now if you'd like.

I have:
Phytoneutre, phytojoba, and ojon ultra hydrating shampoos - I love all three of these.

Phytojoba mask, phytosesame, ojon ultra hydrating moisture conditioner - again - I love these.

Aphogee Green tea and keratin reconstrutor and phyto7 I have for leave-ins. I plan to try ojon revitalizing mist.

Right now for protein, I have J/A/S/O/N Damage control and ApHogee reconstructor. I would like to try the Redken deep fuel, Redken Extreme, Aveda Damage Remedy. I am also consiering the idea of creating one using a base of pure aloe and then mix in silk, wheat, marine, cottonsead, and soy quat as a preshampoo protein treatment and then proceed to wash and moisture condition. I'm not sure - it sounds like such a great idea to me, but I have a reservation about the mesurements. I know I need to use a protein followed by moisture, but I'mnot really sure which one. Icon and ApHogee both have the heavy protein that gets under with heat and then rinsed. I understand how to use the protein step, but am not sure about which products I will buy. Aveda looks good and smells havenly. Fekkai is supposed to be really good. Redken is a very good products as is Nexxus. I'm not sure.

Thanks - any thoughts, opinions, advice would be greatly welcome. I may even have to go back to the drawing board for all or part - and that's okay too - figuring it out now is the purpose of this post.
 
Top