Relaxed/texlaxed ladies and COMBING

[bb09]

<Deleted>

The stylist's piece of advice was comb daily, or my hair will tighten up. Is there truth to that?

Do you guys always moisturise before combing, or always comb before moisturising? What kind of moisturisers do you use? Nothing moisturises my NG.. except maybe a tight scarf..

What do you do with your new growth especially before a relaxer? I was trying to comb tip to root, but the stylist(s) seemed to want to get the new growth itself straight to 'prevent breakage'?

 

[Nonie]

Nothing moisturises my NG.. except maybe a tight scarf.

How does that work? Are you equating smooth/straight hair with being moisturized?

When I was relaxed (and don't take this as gospel coz I obviously knew little about hair back then) but I always combed my hair. I used to part a small section, apply Paltas to my growth and comb through with a fine tooth comb. I never knew people left their growth untouched until I joined the forum and talked to a friend who never washed her own hair. She literally didn't touch her new growth until she went to her hairdresser and let her touch it.

Have you tried "the juice"? I know a number of relaxed ladies say it softens their new growth. I believe them coz it really moisturizes my natural hair.

 

[Solitude]

The stylist should have gently detangled your hair, including your roots, before applying the relaxer. Your roots might slightly revert due to the wetness of the relaxer, but the stylist should apply the relaxer, without combing, and it will start to process & soften your curl pattern. I've heard conflicting things about whether or not a stylist should comb the relaxer through; it can actually cause breakage because the hair is so fragile and weak during the actual relaxing process.

In the past, my stylist always gently combed through my new growth to straighten it, but it never hurt. Now that I self relax, I smooth the relaxer with the back of the comb; I get texlaxed results, but I don't have to rip through my hair.

Do you guys always moisturise before combing, or always comb before moisturising?

What kind of moisturisers do you use? Nothing moisturises my NG.. except maybe a tight scarf.

I use all kinds of moisturizers, but two that I like a lot when stretching are Elasta QP mango butter and Long Term Relationship. For sprays, I like Cathy Howse's dew and Hairvedas's Hydrasilica. All four of these soften my hair well. I flat iron or blow dry my hair straight a few days before a relaxer to make my hair easier to comb through on relaxer day. If I don't it will be very tangled and it could be extremely difficult to part through.

What do you do with your new growth especially before a relaxer? I was trying to comb tip to root, but both people who did my hair seemed to want to get the new growth itself straight to prevent breakage..

I don't put any product in my hair, except for Vaseline or some other protective base on my scalp and ends. The Vaseline also makes my hair easier to part.

You should NOT get your hair done by a stylist who does not use a wide tooth comb to detange your hair from the tips to the roots.

Here are the links to Taz's relaxer day routine - it's very detailed, with pics:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/ha...how-i-relax-my-hair-***very-pic-heavy***.html

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/ha...92-how-i-relax-my-hair-part-2-***pics***.html

Also, you do NOT have to comb your hair every day. But, you should keep your new growth moisturized, and all your hair for that matter, well moisturized. If you go a few days without combing, be sure to detangle your hair gently. This is why I like to use spray moisturizers sometimes.

If you keep going to the salon to get your hair relaxed, detangle it yourself first before you go, being careful not to scratch or aggravate your scalp.

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

The stylist's piece of advice was comb daily, or my hair will tighten up. Is there truth to that?
I'm relaxed and I do not comb my hair daily. If my hair is out and down then I finger comb my hair. If my hair is in a bun, I do not comb my hair. When I comb I always use a wide tooth come, unless I'm rollersetting then I use a rattail comb.

Do you guys always moisturise before combing, or always comb before moisturising? What kind of moisturisers do you use? Nothing moisturises my NG.. except maybe a tight scarf..

I stretch for 12 to 16 weeks at a time and if my NG is dry/unmmangeable, I will typically deep condition it. My absolute favorite DC for my NG is Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose. I apply it to my towel dried hair as though I was applying a relaxer (parting the hair and applying directly to the NG). I deep condition it for 20 to 30 minutes and if my NG is really dry then I use heat if not I cover it with a plastic cap and just wrap my hair in a towel.

What do you do with your new growth especially before a relaxer? I was trying to comb tip to root, but both people who did my hair seemed to want to get the new growth itself straight to prevent breakage..[/QUOTE]

The wash that I do before my relaxer I use a clarifying shampoo, I do a protein treatment and follow it up with a moisturizing DC. I try to limit the product that apply to my NG. The more NG you have the more delicate you have to be with your hair to limit breakage.

I hope that helps.

 

[bb09]

How does that work? Are you equating smooth/straight hair with being moisturized?

When I was relaxed (and don't take this as gospel coz I obviously knew little about hair back then) but I always combed my hair. I used to part a small section, apply Paltas to my growth and comb through with a fine tooth comb. I never knew people left their growth untouched until I joined the forum and talked to a friend who never washed her own hair. She literally didn't touch her new growth until she went to her hairdresser and let her touch it.

Have you tried "the juice"? I know a number of relaxed ladies say it softens their new growth. I believe them coz it really moisturizes my natural hair.

I tried Wave Nouveau in 07. It made my hair initially moisturised, but eventually it felt I had to use more and more.. handfulls, and it wasn't even mine lol. I'm not sure if I needed to clarify, looking back, or if I didn't apply it well enough. I used it when I was maybe 7 or 8 months post, but probably missed the inside of my hair.

What I mean is when I scarf my hair down, it's the only time it feels sleek, and the outside atleast is not tangled. But if I Didn't scarf it down though, my hair would be bigger and drier.. Sleek doesn't equal moisturised?

 

[Nonie]

I tried Wave Nouveau in 07. It made my hair initially moisturised, but eventually it felt I had to use more and more.. handfulls, and it wasn't even mine lol. I'm not sure if I needed to clarify, looking back, or if I didn't apply it well enough. I used it when I was maybe 7 or 8 months post, but probably missed the inside of my hair.

What I mean is when I scarf my hair down, it's the only time it feels sleek, and the outside atleast is not tangled. But if I Didn't scarf it down though, my hair would be bigger and drier.. Sleek doesn't equal moisturised?

OK, I follow now. @ the bold, no, sleek just means smooth/shiny/glossy. For a good example, think of a Barbie doll's hair or those very shiny wigs. The "hair" may be as dry as a bone but it still looks sleek. Hair could be moisturized and not look sleek at all. An example is my 4B hair. Because of the coils, it doesn't reflect light even when moisturized so it doesn't shine when in its shrunken state:

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But when it's straighten, it becomes sleek because it is smooth and it also reflects light better because of the absence of bends. Even in this photo below where it was straightened with no product whatsoever (DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME), it has a sheen and therefore is sleek even if not moisturized:

Were you using a gel or the spray Wave Nouveau? I find gels do little for my hair. Also I believe you get better results if you baggy. I think people also seem to have better success with one jheri juice over others. So maybe you need to try a few more to find the ONE.

If the juice doesn't work for you, then try a moisturizer that keeps hair feeling moist. I find Shea butter or any butter for that matter and creams leave my hair feeling so dry later. Initially all's hunky dory, but later I wind up with a brush for hair. If you know a product that your hair loves, just part a small section, apply to the growth and comb through that small section and so on till all your hair is covered. As long as you're working on small areas at a time, you are able to be more careful/thorough and gentle. Do not be heavy handed with product as that can cause matting too.

Another thing to try is to do the combing when washing and with hair full of conditioner, and do this at least once a week, again working on narrow sections at a time. It could be that your growth will do well being moisturized by just your sebum frin bagging and just conditioning during your wash. I am able to do this with my natural hair because I baggy. If you baggied at night, I think you'd find sebum would keep your growth somewhat moisturized and soft. It works for me with my entire length of natural hair. And the only time you'd see me combing my entire length of hair is when it has product that provides slip like conditioner or S Curl.
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[mstk]

The stylist's piece of advice was comb daily, or my hair will tighten up. Is there truth to that?

I comb my hair weekly at most. I did this when I was relaxed, and continue to do it now that I'm texlaxed (if anything I comb more now because I rarely skip wash day).

Do you guys always moisturise before combing, or always comb before moisturising? What kind of moisturisers do you use? Nothing moisturises my NG.. except maybe a tight scarf..

I always moisturize (to dampness, but not sopping wet), then finger detangle, then comb. At the moment I'm using a spray bottle mix of Giovanni Direct Leave-In, distilled water, and castor oil - the mix is mostly water.

What do you do with your new growth especially before a relaxer? I was trying to comb tip to root, but both people who did my hair seemed to want to get the new growth itself straight to prevent breakage..

I do the same thing I would do every week, but as I get closer to a relaxer I may take even more care than I normally do since I have multiple textures in my hair and as well my new growth tangles very easily.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your stylist.

 

[bb09]

Nonie, thanks so much. The thanks isn't working!
I didn't realise sleek doesn't equal moisturised, and how many years has it been!

In those pictures, your hair Does look moisturised though. I was just thinking, smoothing down my already dry hair won't then equal moisture. It's the same hair! I'm silly for that. But baggying for me =vivid dreams, and not nice ones either. I can't be too hot when I'm sleeping.

Moisture-wise, if I spray the ends, they will revert back to texlaxed. It'll start to tangle /i'll get SSK's. But if I leave it (and right now it's snowing), I'll get split ends. Quickly OT, but how do you moisturise /maintain straightened hair, atleast for a bit.

 

[Nonie]

Moisture-wise, if I spray the ends, they will revert back to texlaxed. It'll start to tangle /i'll get SSK's. But if I leave it (and right now it's snowing), I'll get split ends. Quickly OT, but how do you moisturise /maintain straightened hair, atleast for a bit.

A lot of naturals, once they straighten their hair and want to wear it straight for a while, will use coconut oil to moisturize because it isn't "water-based" so doesn't cause reversion. Maybe there is a product, even if not coconut oil, that will work the same for you.

 

[imaccami]

I comb my hair daily, but I don't do it because otherwise my hair will tighten up, I do it to prevent tangling.

Was your hair dreadlocked?

You can comb your hair before a relaxer, I don't see how that's going to make it straight to prevent breakage. So, I don't really follow their thought process.

 

[bb09]

Solitude, I never thought about it like that!! But true, the relaxer will loosen the curl pattern. So you shouldn’t have to force it straight! Next time, I’ll let it sit a bit longer (I’m guessing the relaxer was in my hair for <18 minutes), but just not comb it that aggressively. There was breakage on the floor /my chair /my arms. And my hair didn’t even come out fully straight after all that!

I Really wish I could blowdry my hair, or I had someone here doing my hair. I’m done with growing it out really, but I’d like to atleast style and enjoy it now.

Is the LTR a conditioner? I’ve found using them neat –I have the HH and the orange one.. make my hair crunchy. But at the same time, diluted conditioner evaporates! I don’t know why anything can’t Stay in my hair.

 

[bb09]

I comb my hair daily, but I don't do it because otherwise my hair will tighten up, I do it to prevent tangling.

Was your hair dreadlocked?

You can comb your hair before a relaxer, I don't see how that's going to make it straight to prevent breakage. So, I don't really follow their thought process.

I think he meant comb it daily, maybe to keep the new growth less tight? He kept saying less tight.

I didn’t see how making it straight via combing prevented breakage either. He was just saying he had to do it before the relaxer. If you saw the hair on the floor, on my arms, and the chair..

And to answer your question, my hair's texlaxed. It's just dense, so he was probably being funny, but I wasn't in the mood after that combing..

 

[bb09]

I don't put any product in my hair, except for Vaseline or some other protective base on my scalp and ends. The Vaseline also makes my hair easier to part. -Solitude
How do you manage that? Do you always do that before a relaxer?

 

[bb09]

Inthemix08, thank you ! I've been fingercombing, but I don't think it's enough anymore.
I've got to start deep conditioning more, but nothing Leaves my hair moisturised

 

[imaccami]

I think he meant comb it daily, maybe to keep the new growth less tight? He kept saying less tight.

I didn’t see how making it straight via combing prevented breakage either. He was just saying he had to do it before the relaxer. If you saw the hair on the floor, on my arms, and the chair..

And to answer your question, my hair's texlaxed. It's just dense, so he was probably being funny, but I wasn't in the mood after that combing..

Maybe he meant detangled and stretched? If that's what he meant, I agree with him. Your hair should be detangled before you apply the relaxer, but that doesn't mean that he had to be so rough. He should have detangled without causing you so much pain and breakage.

 

[bb09]

mstk, thank you. First and probably last time I'll go to that place.

 

[bb09]

Maybe he meant detangled and stretched? If that's what he meant, I agree with him. Your hair should be detangled before you apply the relaxer, but that doesn't mean that he had to be so rough. He should have detangled without causing you so much pain and breakage.

I agree. Some of the pieces were literally the length of my relaxed hair minus the new growth. I'm definitely taking heed to all this advice, esp sectioning it off first, and combing through. I'll start doing that once I wash this hair out.

 

[bb09]

deleted.........

 

[sunnieb]

I gently comb my relaxed hair every. single. day. I leave my dry newgrowth alone though.

 

[divachyk]

I comb my relaxed hair ~3x weekly and leave the ng alone. I sometimes comb before or after moisturizing. Just depends on the state of my hair and whether it is requires detangling first .

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