Switching from Phyto Index II to Linange/MBB relaxer ?

[Alamanda22]

Hi Ladies ! I need your help and knowledge !

I've been passively following the forum since 3 years but I decided to actively get on a healthy hear journey since, well...a few days

My hair is between neck length and shoulder length. It is a mix of 4A tight coils in the back, slightly loser curls in the middle and a few 4B s-patterned strands in the front.
Within the last 5 years i have been through it all: relaxed, texlaxed, texturized, natural 2 times. I figured out that I like my texlaxed/texturize look the most compared to my natural hair, for versatility and manageability reasons. Also, I prefer hair with volume and texlax/texturizing is good for that purpose compared to bone straight hair.

Wash and goes is my favorite style especially for summer, but I wear my hair in buns most of the time. I wouldn't be against a few roller sets from time to time, if I only knew how to do it properly. I also never apply direct heat to my hair.

Now here comes my hair dilemma: I don't know which relaxer to choose. I am almost 5 months post and I need to decide soon.

In my entire relaxed+ texlaxed+ texturized life, I used different relaxers.

No-lye: ors,soft and beautiful, gentle treatment, dark and lovely, just for me regular, just for me texture softener, phyto index I , phyto index II

Lye: ors, s-curl, revlon

My hair is now texlaxed with Phyto Index II (applied on natural hair) since december 2011.
I already used phyto when I was bone straight relaxed and I absolutely loved the results. My hair was really shiny and kept a lot of volume. I personally thought it was the best no-lye for my hair.
Now that I am texlaxed with it, I like the curl/wave definition it gives to my hair. But here comes the downside, my hair seems to feel dry on the long run even if i deep condition and chelate it with ORS aloe shampoo.

When i compare it to the few lye relaxers i used, my hair was retaining moisture way better with lye BUT the curls/wave where not as well defined as it is with Phyto. AND contrary to many reviews I read on the forum, my hair has less volume with a LYE and gets bone straight more easily with a lye. I also think it just break downs more easily and faster with the lye, leaving me with a "silkier" but also limper look. As a consequence, my wash and goes look fuller and more natural with the phyto but straighter looks, or even bantu knots, look better with the lye because the hair is not stiff and has more movement compared to Phyto especially now as my hair is still short and not "weighted down" by the length .

I would like to know, with all I just said:
Should I stick to Phyto and try to incorporate more quality moisturizing conditioners/ leave-in or I don't know what in my regimen to prevent dryness and keep the volume and wave definition Phyto gives me ?

or

should I switch to lye, find the right relaxer and texlaxing method that will help me to achieve the right level of wave definition and volume ? And if so, which to choose ? I may be interested in trying Linange Texturizer/Relaxer, or MBB from what I read on the forum.


I hope all I explained makes some kind of sense and sorry for that looong post ! TIA

ps: i tried to include a picture of my hair but it doesn't work, will try later

 

[sweetnlow06]

I do see your point. I was in love with Pyto II and did not think I would use another relaxer. The only problem I had with it, which really was a big problem, was the dryness. No matter what I did I could not get past the dryness. I switched to MBB about 2 months ago and so far I think this is the one. My hair is turning out texlaxed with it but that is ok. I definitely have some texture left in my hair. I haven't much breakage at all. I didn't want to speak to soon but right now I have no complaints. I plan to stick with this one.

 

[sweetnlow06]

You have been a member since 2009 and not one post until now? How did you do that?

 

[Alamanda22]

You have been a member since 2009 and not one post until now? How did you do that?

Tkanks for your answer ! I like to see that you have been loving Phyto as well, yet facing the same dryness issues and made the switch to MBB. Do you see a big difference between the two textures? Did it change your protein/moisture balance? Yes I have been a member since 2009 and came rarely on the forum. I just paid my 1st contribution to be active on the forum a few days ago, when I decided that it was about time to start a HHJ and be consistent with it

 

[Misseyl]

I don't have any suggestions but I just want to add that I'm in love with Phytorelaxer Index II and I find my hair gets difficult only when I leave the creamy reconstructor on too long. I would love to switch to a cheaper relaxer but I have been using Phyto relaxer since 2004 or something and I've never experienced any burning, nothing whatsoever and that's why I would not consider using another relaxer.

 

[Honi]

Ive used Phyto index 2 for a long time. I never had the dryness so many experienced and i do know that feeling you are talking about. With others there was a chalky like residue. My hair wasnt dry until i used their reconstructor but once i omitted it i was fine. Hopefully some other members will chime in that made the switch to guide u into something comparable.

 

[chrstndiva]

I have been using Phyto II since 2008. I'm not sure the ORS Aloe Shampoo is a good chelating shampoo. I did not get good results with it (my hair looked a little dull). I now use the Kenra Clarifying shampoo (1x month) which specifically says on the label that it is a chelating formula and my hair retains moisture much better.

Also, I don't use the Phyto milky reconstructor. It's horrible.

 

[Alamanda22]

Thanks for your replies !

I am definitely going to try another chelating shampoo such as Kenra.
I did not use the milky reconstructor , bc I remembered how bad it was on my hair back in the days when I relaxed bone straight with phyto.

But one thing I now think about is that I may be facing hard water issues.
I remember having similar problems in my relaxed days while living in Europe and the water was extremely hard. I started using distilled water for 2 months and my hair was the best it has ever been. I should try this as well.

I think i'll stick to phyto for my next touch up anymway bc i already have a new box at home. I'll do the touch up this saturday or next week. I'll show you the results. Here is a pic of my hair maybe 60% dry, around xmas 2011 when i texlaxed.

 

[sweetnlow06]

I can't tell the difference in the textures because the part of my hair that had the Phyto also had a Keratin Treatment. I thought I was going to transition with the Keratin Treatment but it thinned my hair out. I only had it one time. It is just starting to thicken up again. I do like the fullness I am having now though since using MBB. Also, I didn't use the milky reconstructor either when I was using the Phyto. It seems hard to overprocess with the MBB and I leave it in about 20 minutes.

 

[sweetnlow06]

Oh, BTW. I definitely don't have the problem with dryness anymore. I was hearing about how some of the ladies on the board switched to a lye relaxer and stopped having problems with dryness. I was questioning that, but now I can say they were right becuase before I used the Phyto II years ago I was using another no lye and I had a lot of dryness then too.