I have come to the decision...

[Crystalicequeen123]

Ladies...I think I have come to the decision that I will be switching back to Design Essentials Mild Low-Lye relaxer with Shea Butter. This was the relaxer brand my OLD stylist had me using, and I liked it! My hair is 4a/b fine, so this relaxer kept my hair feeling thicker.

But my NEW stylist has had me on Affirm mild and although I LOVE the "silky" feel of Affirm, I've come to the conclusion that Affirm is NOTfor me. My new stylist swears by it, so I tried it because of her, but aside from my touch-up days, I'm not liking how limp my hair feels after "touch-up day" (if that makes any sense to anyone).

My hair is already fine, and I've noticed in the past 9 months of using Affirm (3 applications) that my hair has thinned considerably. It's not as thick as it used to be when I had the DE mild relaxer in my hair. And with DE mild with Shea butter, my scalp NEVER itched/burned during application. But Affirm will burn my scalp no matter if I've washed my hair 3 days before, or a week before my touch-up.

What do you all thinK?? Is it too early to tell what effects Affirm is having on my hair? Is it bad for me to switch relaxers so soon again? Anyone else have this problem with Affirm? If so...when/if you switched relaxers, did you notice a difference?

PS-I just wanted to add that I'm 100% positive that my stylist uses the COMPLETE relaxing conditioning Affirm system, so I don't think the problem is with that.

All I know is that my hair feels very thin, life-less, and limp these days.

 

[Jbirds1]

At the end of the day you know your hair the best. If you think that there is a diffrence between the two I think you should switch back! Hope it works out for you!

 

[blackhair]

You should go back to the relaxer that works best for you. You know better your hair than your stylist. That is your hair she should be willing to switch to whatever relaxer you WANT. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Thanks. Yes, I do believe that I know my hair best, and I think it's better that I switch back to DE. My stylist swears that DE is NOT as good as Affirm , but I just want to switch back and see for myself, because I recall my hair being much thicker with Design Essentials. Even after just two applications!

She kept saying: "Well, that relaxer is more like a texturizer". I really don't care. Why do people always assume you want your hair to be as STRAIGHT as can be?? I don't have to have bone straight hair. In fact, I prefer thicker hair. Not bone-straight. Some people were blessed with hair that can be relaxed bone straight, and still maintain thickness and body. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people.

 

[Starian]

Yeah, switch back. I'm an Affirm advocate because it's the only relaxer that has straightened my hair bone straight, but I suppose everything doesn't work for everybody. I also have almost unmanagably thick hair, so I welcomed the bone straightness that came with Affirm. Maybe Affirm doesn't work as well for folks with finer hair...I dunno.

Good luck with your switch. The DE sounds good.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Yeah, switch back. I'm an Affirm advocate because it's the only relaxer that has straightened my hair bone straight, but I suppose everything doesn't work for everybody. I also have almost unmanagably thick hair, so I welcomed the bone straightness that came with Affirm. Maybe Affirm doesn't work as well for folks with finer hair...I dunno.

Good luck with your switch. The DE sounds good.

Thanks for your advice Starian! Yeah, I think I'm going to definitely go back to Design Essentials mild with Shea butter. I think my hair liked that relaxer. Plus, my hair was THICKER!

I'm not saying Affirm isn't good for some people though. Because I believe some ladies on the board have had good experiences with Affirm. But for ME, even Affirm mild is too harsh on my fine, fragile type 4a/b hair. I think I'll go back to a more gentle relaxer. My hair may not come out bone straight, but I think at least my hair will be healthier and thicker.

Affirm is thinning my hair. I didn't notice it before because I guess I still had remnants of the DE relaxer in my hair. But now, I'm noticing the thinning. I can't afford anymore thinning! My hair is already fine to begin with.

 

[KiniKakes]

Switching back sounds like a good idea. You know whats best for your hair, you know? Like yourself, my hair is really fine textured, and I use a mild, no-lye relaxer to try to salvage as much body and fullness as possible. If you found this in the original relaxer, I'd go back to that.

 

[Blackbird77]

Crystalicequeen,

I think your hair looks great. I Maxiglided my hair this weekend and it was long but thin-looking. I have fine hair, too and it's no fun. I ain't gon lie - I am very envious of all the women with thick hair on this board. I was thinking that going natural was going to give me thick hair. Boy was I wrong. I've got the length but no thickness. I know that if my hair was thicker, my length would look fabulous. Just wanted you to know I share your pain.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Crystalicequeen,

I think your hair looks great. I Maxiglided my hair this weekend and it was long but thin-looking. I have fine hair, too and it's no fun. I ain't gon lie - I am very envious of all the women with thick hair on this board. I was thinking that going natural was going to give me thick hair. Boy was I wrong. I've got the length but no thickness. I know that if my hair was thicker, my length would look fabulous. Just wanted you to know I share your pain.

Awww...thanks Blackbird!

I feel much better to know that I'm not the only one. I just have to face the facts! I have fine hair. Even without a relaxer my hair would be pretty fine. Fine hair tends to run in my family.

I just have to find which products work for ME. And that includes a relaxer. I know my stylist MEANT well with trying to push the affirm relaxer on me, but after 3 applications, I realize (yet again) that this relaxer just isn't for me, and that my hair was doing better (I believe) and was thicker with the Design Essentials brand. SO, sometimes you just have to do what's best for YOUR hair, and not anyone else's.

 

[peacelove]

As someone who swore by Affirm Regular and then used mild, I can say that even at mild, Affirm is stronger than some of the other milder formulation relaxers like Vital and Designer Touch. I was happy with affirm, but after using Designer Touch I think there are other relaxers out there that may do a better job of leaving your hair with more body and wave pattern.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

As someone who swore by Affirm Regular and then used mild, I can say that even at mild, Affirm is stronger than some of the other milder formulation relaxers like Vital and Designer Touch. I was happy with affirm, but after using Designer Touch I think there are other relaxers out there that may do a better job of leaving your hair with more body and wave pattern.

THANK you! I knew I wasn't going crazy! I knew the moment my stylist put the affirm mild in my hair that even the mild relaxer was a stronger relaxer than the DE mild. My hair NEVER burned/itched with the Design Essentials Lo-Lye relaxer with shea butter. But my hair burned/itched with the Affirm mild relaxer. Even if I hadn't washed my hair in 4 days my hair STILL itched.

 

[SandySea]

Do what's best for your hair. No matter how highly recommended a product, regimen, etc is, if it's not working for you or harming your hair then don't use it. I have fine hair also, and a lot of things the other members do to their hair would leave me bald-headed, like constant CW's and air-drying. If I were you, I'd give my hair a rest from relaxing for a while and fortify my hair using good protein conditioners (eg. Aphogee, CPR, ORS hair mayo). Then I would switch back to the product that was good for my hair. Good luck!!