Relaxed Hair Thread

[sunnieb]

Relaxed Sunday at 17 weeks post. I think I'm deep in that awkward stage of getting to full APL. I can tell that I have more hair, but it doesn't feel longer. I know I have to be patient. My length is coming!

I used Soft & Beautiful no-lye. The box relaxers don't straighten like Design Essentials and I will have to accept that. I started in the back and there's still some slightly under processed areas. I good with it. I really don't want super straight hair anyway. Here are the pics:

Before relaxing


After relaxing and trim (the dent in my hair is from my daily bun)

 

[Plushottie]

If my hair looked like that I would be swing it all over the house it looks so lush. @sunnieb

 

[MzSwift]

@sunnieb


Shut the front door!!

Your before and afters are so amazing!! I would have sworn those were progress pics, months apart!! Talk about relaxer day surprise, that's fantastic!
Your hair looks so soft and shiny! KUTGW!!

 

[sunnieb]

If my hair looked like that I would be swing it all over the house it looks so lush. @sunnieb

Thank you! I swung a little today! Had to!

@sunnieb


Shut the front door!!

Your before and afters are so amazing!! I would have sworn those were progress pics, months apart!! Talk about relaxer day surprise, that's fantastic!
Your hair looks so soft and shiny! KUTGW!!

Thank you! I still do weekly honey dc's and that shine shows!

My non-black coworkers think I cut my hair all the time and it just magically grows back fast! I get compliments on my "haircut" then I pop on camera with my hair down and straight and blow their minds!

 

[sunnieb]

I was going through the pics on my phone looking for something and I came across a pic of my hair from March of 2018. I was shocked! I had to do a comparison to my latest pic:



I can't believe how far I've come. I remember taking the 2018 picture. I was still married. The house we lived in was so dark and depressing (like our "marriage"). I could never seem to get enough light in there to take good pics. I was stressed at work and at home - my hair really told the story.

Fast forward to 2024 and I'm happily divorced living life to the fullest! I'm happy, healthy, and stress-free. My hair shows it! Let my journey be a lesson to you ladies. Don't discount what stress does to your body. That idiot ex of mine was slowly killing me inside and out. My hair just said to heck with this and left the chat. It's been a long road to recover my health, spirit, and hair, but it's all been worth it.

Take care and happy hair growing!

 

[MzSwift]

@sunnieb

Sis, I remember when you posted your hair then and that's why your update last year, made my eyes water! You've shown the dedication and love to yourself through your hair and it's a joy to see! I'm so happy for you! I can't wait until you get back to BSL and then beyond! You got this!! <3

 

[sunnieb]

@MzSwift thank you so much! You have always been one of my biggest cheerleaders offering encouragement!

I hesitated posting the pics of my hairloss so many times! However, I was so moved by the positive reactions here, that I knew I had to share. I want other women to see that you can recover and take control of your life. A setback is truly setting you up for a comeback. And if I can do this at my age (51), you can too!

My recovery is about a lot more than hair, but like I said, the hair tells the story of what I was going through. Now, it tells the story of how happy and carefree I am!

 

[IDareT'sHair]

@sunnieb
......

 

[LushLox]

Well done Sunnie B

 

[starfish]

I’m going to start blow drying my hair after it air dries a little, what heat protectant are you ladies using?

 

[MzSwift]

I’m going to start blow drying my hair after it air dries a little, what heat protectant are you ladies using?

I still use old school IC Fantasia heat protector

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I've been spritzing with:
Apoghee Green Tea Keratin Restructurizer. I also have the Provitamin B one to use as a Spritz next. (Wanna use these up and evaluate)

 

[LushLox]

Just repurchased my Aveda Nutriplenish Leave In. I've not used a good cream leave in for quite sometime, I saw a good discount so I just snapped it up. I do need a conditioner also so I will have a look at what I can find. I have no desire now to buy up lots of products these days. I just repurchase things as I need them now and I am happier for it!

My hair has recovered from the little blip that I was experiencing at the end of last year, thankfully! I had lost some of my thickness, very likely due to my iron deficiency (wasn't really taking my supplements properly ) but that has cleared right back up now. Essentially I need to accept that I will be taking iron tablets long term, and that's it.

 

[Theresamonet]

I’m going to start blow drying my hair after it air dries a little, what heat protectant are you ladies using?

A lot of the products I use regularly act as heat protectants. This is my normal routine, rather I blow dry or air dry.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

@Theresamonet
....

 

[sunnieb]

@Theresamonet that Rusk Smoother is my Boo!

So glad it's still being made!

 

[demlew]

I’m going to start blow drying my hair after it air dries a little, what heat protectant are you ladies using?

I'm loving the new Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Amino Bonding Complex, so it's that or Olaplex #7 - whichever one I find first!

 

[LushLox]

I would err on the side of caution in using products which claim to have a multi number of uses. I use the Pureology Leave in as well, and it is very good as a leave in, but I will always use a dedicated heat protectant if I'm blow drying. I find that is quite important for me and my hair.

 

[Theresamonet]

I would err on the side of caution in using products which claim to have a multi number of uses. I use the Pureology Leave in as well, and it is very good as a leave in, but I will always use a dedicated heat protectant if I'm blow drying. I find that is quite important for me and my hair.

Have you had bad experiences using the Pureology as a heat protectant or is it just your fear?

There are certain ingredients that give a product the ability to protect against heat. If a product claims it’s a heat protectant, and those ingredients are listed, then I typically believe it.

However, I always layer. In the picture I posted above, the bonding oil is also a heat protectant. If I’m not using that, it would be another serum like Chi Silk Infusion.

 

[LushLox]

Have you had bad experiences using the Pureology as a heat protectant or is it just your fear?

There are certain ingredients that give a product the ability to protect against heat. If a product claims it’s a heat protectant, and those ingredients are listed, then I typically believe it.

However, I always layer. In the picture I posted above, the bonding oil is also a heat protectant. If I’m not using that, it would be another serum like Chi Silk Infusion.

I guess it's me being overly cautious. I like products that do specific and dedicated jobs especially when I am going in with two forms of heat eg blowdryer and irons.

I love Pureology and haven't had any problems with the leave in, but I only use it as a leave in and then a separate heat protectant on top. I guess it's just habit for me now and I'm reluctant to break it.

 

[Evolving78]

Can I kick it in here with ya’ll? lol Baby I’m back!! lol I had to do it! I want to wear my hair straight 24/7 and being in the bathroom 10-14 hours on my only day off is not the business. I relaxed my hair yesterday and boy did I miss that washing, detangling, styling experience! The only thing now is wrapping my hair up at night. It is short (I cut so much off that it is ear/neck length), so wrapping is a challenge. I was going to sleep pretty, but I didn’t want to dry my hair out, since I sleep with the heat on..

I love Design Essentials Honey Crème Moisturizing masque and I used Olaplex 3. I’m too scared to use 6. I plan to wash every 5 days, and go to the salon once a month and get my touch ups done at the salon. I gotta budget for that.

 

[Plushottie]

You welcome in here @Evolving78! Passes some relax hair goodie basket down.

 

[MzSwift]

Can I kick it in here with ya’ll? lol Baby I’m back!! lol I had to do it! I want to wear my hair straight 24/7 and being in the bathroom 10-14 hours on my only day off is not the business. I relaxed my hair yesterday and boy did I miss that washing, detangling, styling experience! The only thing now is wrapping my hair up at night. It is short (I cut so much off that it is ear/neck length), so wrapping is a challenge. I was going to sleep pretty, but I didn’t want to dry my hair out, since I sleep with the heat on..

I love Design Essentials Honey Crème Moisturizing masque and I used Olaplex 3. I’m too scared to use 6. I plan to wash every 5 days, and go to the salon once a month and get my touch ups done at the salon. I gotta budget for that.

WHOOHOOO!!! The band is back together!!

Welcome back home, Sis!! LOL You're starting off where I did, EL/SL.
Sounds like a good plan! Just tell your stylist not to get too happy w them scissors or they will get a visitor.

Better yet, go to Super Cuts after you get your hair straightened and let them do the trim/dust because, from what I've seen, they will do exactly what you tell them.

 

[Evolving78]

WHOOHOOO!!! The band is back together!!

Welcome back home, Sis!! LOL You're starting off where I did, EL/SL.
Sounds like a good plan! Just tell your stylist not to get too happy w them scissors or they will get a visitor.

Better yet, go to Super Cuts after you get your hair straightened and let them do the trim/dust because, from what I've seen, they will do exactly what you tell them.

Thank you! lol you know I met my old stylist at a place like Super Cuts. I go back to her when I need some act right! lol what’s so interesting is my hair yesterday looked like it did when she did it 20 plus years ago! She really put me on the right path to healthy haircare. I have another stylist that gets me back right, but she will talk about me! lol I don’t need the lecture or the mouth!

 

[Theresamonet]

Can I kick it in here with ya’ll? lol Baby I’m back!! lol I had to do it! I want to wear my hair straight 24/7 and being in the bathroom 10-14 hours on my only day off is not the business. I relaxed my hair yesterday and boy did I miss that washing, detangling, styling experience! The only thing now is wrapping my hair up at night. It is short (I cut so much off that it is ear/neck length), so wrapping is a challenge. I was going to sleep pretty, but I didn’t want to dry my hair out, since I sleep with the heat on..

I love Design Essentials Honey Crème Moisturizing masque and I used Olaplex 3. I’m too scared to use 6. I plan to wash every 5 days, and go to the salon once a month and get my touch ups done at the salon. I gotta budget for that.

Welcome back!

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I'm trying to hold out these 90+ days to relax my hair. Ain't nothing like a fresh relaxer when you have TONS of newgrowth

I really just think I'm bored and tired of this cold weather. And I'm tired of these crochet braids. I really just need to go sit down somewhere.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I think the real reason I stretch so long is cause 1. I'm lazy 2. I like to wet my hair too much when it's hot and I feel like my relaxed hair can't stand up to that level of abuse.
3. I need room for error

 

[sunnieb]

@Evolving78


We're always ready to welcome one of our own back to this side!

 

[LushLox]

Can I kick it in here with ya’ll? lol Baby I’m back!! lol I had to do it! I want to wear my hair straight 24/7 and being in the bathroom 10-14 hours on my only day off is not the business. I relaxed my hair yesterday and boy did I miss that washing, detangling, styling experience! The only thing now is wrapping my hair up at night. It is short (I cut so much off that it is ear/neck length), so wrapping is a challenge. I was going to sleep pretty, but I didn’t want to dry my hair out, since I sleep with the heat on..

I love Design Essentials Honey Crème Moisturizing masque and I used Olaplex 3. I’m too scared to use 6. I plan to wash every 5 days, and go to the salon once a month and get my touch ups done at the salon. I gotta budget for that.

Welcome back, we have missed you!

 

[MzSwift]

This refresh of my cornrows is harder than usual. I think I'm going to keep my original relaxer schedule and relax sometime this month. Might be my last set of cornrows and then I'll wear it in big loose braids until my relaxer, to rest my scalp.