RELAXED/TEXLAXED: Hair Care Challenges You Face?
- Thread starter loolalooh
- Start date
newbeginnings2010
Well-Known Member
Balancing maintaining length and shampooing. I'm not proud of it, but the way I finally passed the APL line and got to BSB was with shampooing once every 4 weeks.
My scalp doesn't itch and my hair doesn't stink because I only use light serum to "moisturize" (not really moisture, I know), but this is the first time I've ever been FULL BSB and only and inch or two away from BSL. I know it's the low manipulation that's really to thank for the growth, but washing every week after 8 weeks post relaxer only leads to severe breakage for me (I stretch to 16-20 weeks at a time).
My scalp doesn't itch and my hair doesn't stink because I only use light serum to "moisturize" (not really moisture, I know), but this is the first time I've ever been FULL BSB and only and inch or two away from BSL. I know it's the low manipulation that's really to thank for the growth, but washing every week after 8 weeks post relaxer only leads to severe breakage for me (I stretch to 16-20 weeks at a time).
Onhergrind09
Well-Known Member
My biggest hurdle is recognizing where the line is between the necessary manipulation that it takes to care for my hair versus manipulating it too much so that I get unnecessary breakage.
Mische
Well-Known Member
I'd say minimizing detangling breakage on wet hair. The obvious answer would be to just detangle strictly on dry hair, but sometimes I need to do some wet detangling to set certain styles. I'm constantly working on breaking less hairs during the process. I've been doing a lot better the last few weeks, so there's hope!
Evolving78
Well-Known Member
figuring out how to properly moisturize my hair. nothing seems to work or i haven't found the right product yet. i just realized that i will be detangling my hair dry with oil for now on as well. i had the same issues with dryness when i was natural.
i am just trying to figure out how to grow my hair relaxed/natural on my own. but i think i just need to let a professional handle this or get me on the right track.
i am just trying to figure out how to grow my hair relaxed/natural on my own. but i think i just need to let a professional handle this or get me on the right track.
Aireen
Well-Known Member
- Breakage when blow-drying and I love blow-drying. D; (I guess I can just stop washing my hair when I'm in a rush and take the time to separate and section my hair to dry it.)
- Severe knotting when stretching. (I realized that I have to use really moisturizing conditioners with tons of slip and have my hair properly detangled before washing. I'm planning to cling to Tresemme and Aussie.)
- Nape and edges but I give up on that, God will have to lay hands or something.
erplexed
- Severe knotting when stretching. (I realized that I have to use really moisturizing conditioners with tons of slip and have my hair properly detangled before washing. I'm planning to cling to Tresemme and Aussie.)
- Nape and edges but I give up on that, God will have to lay hands or something.
erplexed
Last edited:
IDareT'sHair
PJ Rehabilitation Center
Could not successfully Self-Relax, felt like I was doing more harm than good.erplexed
Retaining Length
erplexedRetaining Length
ReignLocks
New Member
sunnieb
Well-Known Member
I had to let go of alot of myths about relaxed hair - no more monthly touch ups, becoming a total diy'er, etc.
Protein/moisture balance - my hair leans towards needing way more moisture than protein. I can get away with doing light protein treatments bi-weekly now.
Learning how to care for my hair when I hit 8-9 weeks post - cowashing has helped tremendously!
I was lucky that I found the right products early in my hair journey because I was able to find relaxed ladies with hair textures similar to mine and tried what they used.
Heat - I initially didn't plan to become heat-free, but my hair thrives so well without it that I don't miss it. I'm proud to show off my newgrowth as it comes in because I know how to take care of it. Newgrowth is not the enemy!
Over-processing - one of the main reasons I started self-relaxing is that every salon I went to made my hair appear thin. Now, I don't have that wet seal look with a fresh relaxer.
Sent from my Comet using LHCF
Protein/moisture balance - my hair leans towards needing way more moisture than protein. I can get away with doing light protein treatments bi-weekly now.
Learning how to care for my hair when I hit 8-9 weeks post - cowashing has helped tremendously!
I was lucky that I found the right products early in my hair journey because I was able to find relaxed ladies with hair textures similar to mine and tried what they used.
Heat - I initially didn't plan to become heat-free, but my hair thrives so well without it that I don't miss it. I'm proud to show off my newgrowth as it comes in because I know how to take care of it. Newgrowth is not the enemy!
Over-processing - one of the main reasons I started self-relaxing is that every salon I went to made my hair appear thin. Now, I don't have that wet seal look with a fresh relaxer.
Sent from my Comet using LHCF
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TresLeches
New Member
A current challenge of mine is that I have very short hair, like pixie short and it's very diffcult finding styles to do WITHOUT heat and still have my hair look nice! Its annoying, because I want to grow my hair but I dont think frequent heat is going to be any good for my growth.
I am also trying to figure out the protein to moisture balance for my hair, thats a big challenge...
I am also trying to figure out the protein to moisture balance for my hair, thats a big challenge...
Aggie
Well-Known Member
I am texlaxed and straggly ends seem to be my issue when I don't protective style my hair. I want to look cute and leave my hair out everyday but my poor fine ends suffer something fierce from the elements. Not only that, I get split ends so easily too so I really have to keep them moisturized and sealed.
My texlaxed hair is too tight so I am thinking about adding less oil and grease to my next relaxer to straighten my hair just a tad bit or use a texturizer - not sure which yet. As a result of the tight texlaxed hair, I am concerned about ssks too and that's the main reason for making my hair a little straigher. I have to admit though, I really love my hair texlaxed.
I know my hair now so I don't have too many challenges in figuring out if it needs protein or moisture anymore but in the beginning of my hair journey, this was a major challenge for me.
Also, cone laden products were killing my hair for a while and I did not know that in order to remove the constant build up, that I had to clarify more often (something I was not doing at all), so I lost a lot of hair a while back.
I am not afraid to clarify/shampoo my hair regularly anymore. I am just careful not to use sulfate shampoos. Even my clarifying shampoo is sulfate-free now. The only thing left for me to do now is chamge my sulfate neutralizing poo to sulfate-free - something I will do pretty soon.
Mind you, my hair does love a little bit of cone and acts better when I use them, but just not too much for too long without clarifying. I think these are/were my main challenges as a texlaxed head.
My texlaxed hair is too tight so I am thinking about adding less oil and grease to my next relaxer to straighten my hair just a tad bit or use a texturizer - not sure which yet. As a result of the tight texlaxed hair, I am concerned about ssks too and that's the main reason for making my hair a little straigher. I have to admit though, I really love my hair texlaxed.
I know my hair now so I don't have too many challenges in figuring out if it needs protein or moisture anymore but in the beginning of my hair journey, this was a major challenge for me.
Also, cone laden products were killing my hair for a while and I did not know that in order to remove the constant build up, that I had to clarify more often (something I was not doing at all), so I lost a lot of hair a while back.
I am not afraid to clarify/shampoo my hair regularly anymore. I am just careful not to use sulfate shampoos. Even my clarifying shampoo is sulfate-free now. The only thing left for me to do now is chamge my sulfate neutralizing poo to sulfate-free - something I will do pretty soon.
Mind you, my hair does love a little bit of cone and acts better when I use them, but just not too much for too long without clarifying. I think these are/were my main challenges as a texlaxed head.
xu93texas
Well-Known Member
My current challenges pertain to "stretching and protective styling". I'm NL at the moment and I've spent a lot of money trying to protect my ends so I can retain length. I'm so ready to be at least full SL so I can start wearing buns 90% of the time.
In regards to stretching, I'm still trying to get a feel for the appropriate time for me to stretch. Last year my stretches averaged 12-14 weeks at a time. This year I wanted to try to relax every 4 months. We'll see... Currently, I'm 10 wks post and I'm already seeing some minor breakage.
In regards to stretching, I'm still trying to get a feel for the appropriate time for me to stretch. Last year my stretches averaged 12-14 weeks at a time. This year I wanted to try to relax every 4 months. We'll see... Currently, I'm 10 wks post and I'm already seeing some minor breakage.
Chaosbutterfly
Transition Over
Dry and splitting ends is number one.
Number two is adding and/or maintaining the thickness of the hair.
And then the process of touching up is stressful for me.
My salon is really far from my house and very busy, so if I don't want to spend an entire day there, I have to go super early. Then when she's doing it, I have to watch carefully to be sure that she isn't overlapping or smoothing too much or smoothing too little and did she wash it out enough and blah blah blah. I just always have to be on high alert because relaxer is such a tricky thing and it's so easy to make an irreversible mistake with it. The stress would be even worse if I were a self-relaxer.
Number two is adding and/or maintaining the thickness of the hair.
And then the process of touching up is stressful for me.
My salon is really far from my house and very busy, so if I don't want to spend an entire day there, I have to go super early. Then when she's doing it, I have to watch carefully to be sure that she isn't overlapping or smoothing too much or smoothing too little and did she wash it out enough and blah blah blah. I just always have to be on high alert because relaxer is such a tricky thing and it's so easy to make an irreversible mistake with it. The stress would be even worse if I were a self-relaxer.
I have every issue that has been listed.
-Breakage. I have breakage along my edges, and at the ends.
-My hair is very fine and oil doesn't seem to do anything but weigh my hair down and make it look greasy.
-Moisture/protein balance
-Making my ends nice and thick and even.
-Retaining length
-Breakage. I have breakage along my edges, and at the ends.
-My hair is very fine and oil doesn't seem to do anything but weigh my hair down and make it look greasy.
-Moisture/protein balance
-Making my ends nice and thick and even.
-Retaining length
SuchMagnificent
Taking a Break from Posting
Shedding
Heat free curles that last
Properly moisturized new growth
See through ends after a certain length
Being a DIY relaxed head is extremely tough..
Heat free curles that last
Properly moisturized new growth
See through ends after a certain length
Being a DIY relaxed head is extremely tough..
1.) Keeping my new growth moisturized along the edges to get rid of breakage at the line of demarcation.
2.) Learning how to self-relax without underprocessing, or getting the hang of stretching without extreme breakage. As an out-of-state college student, only one person has ever relaxed my hair and this person lives in my home state. Coordinating relaxer days with major school breaks isn't always possible, so I've been forced to find another solution.
3.) Getting the hang of moisture/protein balance.
4.) Keeping my ends moisturized and getting rid of split ends.
5.) Learning how to air-dry without dryness/breakage.
2.) Learning how to self-relax without underprocessing, or getting the hang of stretching without extreme breakage. As an out-of-state college student, only one person has ever relaxed my hair and this person lives in my home state. Coordinating relaxer days with major school breaks isn't always possible, so I've been forced to find another solution.
3.) Getting the hang of moisture/protein balance.
4.) Keeping my ends moisturized and getting rid of split ends.
5.) Learning how to air-dry without dryness/breakage.
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