Self relax ladies...

GodsPromises

GodsPromises

The Credit Countess
I have been trying to perfect self relaxing my hair for awhile now and I have questions.

No matter what I do I can't get my hair as straight as I would like. I believe that I don't put enough relaxer on my hair for fear of getting too much on the previous relaxed hair so my question is how much relaxer should I be using.

Also I know that to get straight hair you should smooth. What is the correct techinque on smoothing?

I am using ORS Lye relaxer which I love to death and I am determined to get this right. I was going to get a friend to do my hair but I am at the point that no one will do my hair better than me expect for braiding that is.

Any other tips would be appreciated. It has been almost 4 months without a relaxer and I just took my braids out. I have wearing a relaxer set style right now but my 20th high school reunion is next week and I have to look good.
 
If your hair isn't getting straight you are not probably using enough relaxer. I tend to be a bit stingy with the relaxer myself and I always get underprocessed when I don't put enough. Really slap it (neatly) on the newgrowth.

I section my hair into four sections and always rotate the sections. I apply the relaxer to my whole head and then start smoothing. I smooth with a popsicle sticj believe it or not. I find it smoothly pushed my hair down and my hair doesn't get caught in it like it can sometimes with the back of a comb. Make sure you smooth throughly even if you end up only having time to go through it once. I try to smooth twice, especially on my hard to process sections but if I do it right, once is usually enough. I use a mild relaxer which buys me a little time and I also mix a little oil into it as well to give me a couple of more processing mintues. It usually processes for a total of 20 minutes and I come about about 85-90% relaxed.
 
I agree with Gymfreak. You probably need to use more. I was asking someone's advice through PM recently and she she likes to use a lot of relaxer so the weight of the relaxer does most of the work(as opposed to smoothing).

My DH does my relaxers and the last one was the best one yet. He went through and smoothed 3x before washing out. The next time, I think we'll be more generous so we don't have to smooth as much(less manipulation).

HTH.:grin:
 
The smooth out part: i part my hair the same way I applied it and a comb thru the length of my new growth. I don't pull my hair w/ the comb and run the comb thru my new growth against my scalp: also u may need 2 apply more too.
 
Londondiva and Southerngirl have pretty good tips on self relaxing.
Are you putting relaxer on both the top and underside of your hair? I got that tip from Londondiva.
 
Here's what I do....it really works for me. (I am pretty generous with the amount of relaxer)
1. part hair in 4 sections
2. beginning at crown of first section I apply relaxer using a fine tooth/rat tail to section small areas
3. after all sections have been applied to I then apply to my hairline and kitchen (can't take the burn!)
4. I then go back and smooth each section, alternating between:
a.) combing with wide tooth comb &
b.)smoothing with back of rat tail comb
I use Soft N' Free...I know it must be old school but it is my favorite! (wondering if anyone else uses it!)
 
alexstin said:
I agree with Gymfreak. You probably need to use more. I was asking someone's advice through PM recently and she she likes to use a lot of relaxer so the weight of the relaxer does most of the work(as opposed to smoothing).

My DH does my relaxers and the last one was the best one yet. He went through and smoothed 3x before washing out. The next time, I think we'll be more generous so we don't have to smooth as much(less manipulation).

HTH.:grin:
Click to expand...

That is too cute.
 
When I first started self relaxing i was stingy with he relaxer because I wanted to make sure I had enough, now I buy two boxes of ORS and mix them and apply generously. I relax in sections so i can take my time and make sure each is relaxed before my time is up. It is so much easier working with 1/2 or 1/3 of my head for x number of minutes than it is trying to finish my entire head at once.
 
LadyR said:
I have been trying to perfect self relaxing my hair for awhile now and I have questions.

No matter what I do I can't get my hair as straight as I would like. I believe that I don't put enough relaxer on my hair for fear of getting too much on the previous relaxed hair so my question is how much relaxer should I be using.

Also I know that to get straight hair you should smooth. What is the correct techinque on smoothing?

I am using ORS Lye relaxer which I love to death and I am determined to get this right. I was going to get a friend to do my hair but I am at the point that no one will do my hair better than me expect for braiding that is.

Any other tips would be appreciated. It has been almost 4 months without a relaxer and I just took my braids out. I have wearing a relaxer set style right now but my 20th high school reunion is next week and I have to look good.
Click to expand...

Relaxer will always get on previously relaxed hair, not even pros can prevent that, IMHO. I was looking for a particular thread for you but can't find it. It talked about the idea of alternating fully processed hair with slightly underprocessed hair. So for instance, if your hair was fully processed (whatever that means for you) last time then this time you would underprocessed it a little, The theory behind this is that the hair that is overlapped will be protected from being fully processed a second time, if that makes sense. Let us know how it turns out for you :)
 
Also, as previously mentioned, please do make sure to look into LondonDiva's self-relaxing method because it also might be an issue of you not smoothing the hair enough.
 
Too make sure I don't get too much relaxer on the previously relaxed hair, I put a little condish on the already relaxed hair to protect it in case there is overlap and of course there will be some. Don't be to heavy with the condish because it WILL make parting within sections more difficult but I think this definitely works for me. You've probably already relaxed by now so can wait for you to tell us how it went!
 
Re: Self relax ladies... UPDATE

So I relaxed with ORS Lye and I guess less is better except when relaxing. I did add more relaxer to my hair this time however, I didn't base as I should had so by the time I started smoothing it started burning. I seemed straight and I tried to continue smoothing but it really was :burning:. I yanked off my clothes and jumped in the shower and started rinising rinising rinising. I was terrified that all my hair was going to fall out, but it didn't. So after rinising, I did a light protein, clafied, Porosity condioner and ORS Olive Oil Conditioner. My hair was straight and I was very surprised. Afterward I did a rolleset and did the saran wrap.

I must say that I am very happy with my hair. Even though I didn't smooth that much it still came out about 90% straight. The final test will be when I wash it this weekend. Usually the first week is my clue on how my hair came out.

It is a little flat but hopefully after my first wash it will be thicker. I know that HD states to clafify after 48 hours so probably tomorrow I will do a wash and clafity and henna.

Oh and I had very little breakage
 
Re: Self relax ladies... UPDATE

LadyR said:
So I relaxed with ORS Lye and I guess less is better except when relaxing. I did add more relaxer to my hair this time however, I didn't base as I should had so by the time I started smoothing it started burning. I seemed straight and I tried to continue smoothing but it really was :burning:. I yanked off my clothes and jumped in the shower and started rinising rinising rinising. I was terrified that all my hair was going to fall out, but it didn't. So after rinising, I did a light protein, clafied, Porosity condioner and ORS Olive Oil Conditioner. My hair was straight and I was very surprised. Afterward I did a rolleset and did the saran wrap.

I must say that I am very happy with my hair. Even though I didn't smooth that much it still came out about 90% straight. The final test will be when I wash it this weekend. Usually the first week is my clue on how my hair came out.

It is a little flat but hopefully after my first wash it will be thicker. I know that HD states to clafify after 48 hours so probably tomorrow I will do a wash and clafity and henna.

Oh and I had very little breakage
Click to expand...

Good for you!!:grin: Sorry about the burning I never burn and Im very grateful for that.
 
Re: Self relax ladies... UPDATE

LadyR said:
So I relaxed with ORS Lye and I guess less is better except when relaxing. I did add more relaxer to my hair this time however, I didn't base as I should had so by the time I started smoothing it started burning. I seemed straight and I tried to continue smoothing but it really was :burning:. I yanked off my clothes and jumped in the shower and started rinising rinising rinising. I was terrified that all my hair was going to fall out, but it didn't. So after rinising, I did a light protein, clafied, Porosity condioner and ORS Olive Oil Conditioner. My hair was straight and I was very surprised. Afterward I did a rolleset and did the saran wrap.

I must say that I am very happy with my hair. Even though I didn't smooth that much it still came out about 90% straight. The final test will be when I wash it this weekend. Usually the first week is my clue on how my hair came out.

It is a little flat but hopefully after my first wash it will be thicker. I know that HD states to clafify after 48 hours so probably tomorrow I will do a wash and clafity and henna.

Oh and I had very little breakage
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! I am a 4z and used to have good results with Barry Fletcher but it has not been working for me lately. I read good things about the ORS lye and am planning to try it in Sept. Did you use regular or extra strength?
 
I used regular strengh. Would be too scared to use super but I may try Mild next time to give me more time to smooth.
 
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