Getting ready to relax my natural hair, advice?

[jessicarabbit]

hi everyone!
ive been natural fior about 16 months, i bc'd and i am now about 2 inches past SL. I just feel like relaxed hair will be much easier for me to maintain and reach my long term goal of WL, and being a full time student, new mom, and part time worker, i just dont want to sacrife days out of the week to detangle my super thick hair.
anywho here are my questions
1, how should i prepare my hair for the first relaxer
2. i plan on using organic root stilmulator olive oil relaxer, i used this before i went natural, is this a good one?
3. is cowashing daily too much?
4. i use growth aids (sulfur and mn), how long before and after relaxing should i use them?
5. how do i ensure my hair gets straight from the first perm?
6. reggies? can i still take care of my hair as if it is natural? (as far as products are concerned. i only use natural products and aphogee.)

thank you all so much in advance for your answers
disclaimer...please dont try to talk me out of relaxing, ive already decided

 

[tolly]

I think you should stop the sulphur scalp oil a week before relaxing, so your scalp doesn't burn. Sorry I can't help with regimen, I just had my virgin relaxer (after 20months natural) and don't know much about relaxed hair
good luck

 

[jessicarabbit]

How where your results when u relaxed?

 

[Lilmama1011]

How where your results when u relaxed?

I think that you should get your virgin relaxer done professionally first so that all you have to do is worry about new growth and that way the relaxer wont be under processed because you are afraid to over process it, I don't have a regimen tho for getting ready before sorry....

 

[Foxglove]

I agree, I would get the virgin relaxer done by a professional then if you want to, do the touchups yourself

 

[DDTexlaxed]

The sulfur mix will def make your scalp sensitive. It may also make your hair more relaxer resistant. When I used MTG in the past, that is what happened with me. Enjoy your new journey.

 

[Fyne]

1, how should i prepare my hair for the first relaxer
2. i plan on using organic root stilmulator olive oil relaxer, i used this before i went natural, is this a good one?
3. is cowashing daily too much?
4. i use growth aids (sulfur and mn), how long before and after relaxing should i use them?
5. how do i ensure my hair gets straight from the first perm?
6. reggies? can i still take care of my hair as if it is natural? (as far as products are concerned. i only use natural products and aphogee.)

Hi,

1. Have a read through this thread http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=582451&highlight=preparing+for+a+relaxer

I relax at a salon, so the week before, I clarify, do a strong protein treatment, and use protein leave-ins.

Starting a few nights before relaxer day, I thoroughly oil my scalp with castor oil every night before bed.

On the night before, I carefully detangle my new growth, make sure it's all laying down in one direction, and remove all the sheds so that in the morning, my new growth is still detangled and not too hard for my stylist to manage.

I personally do this too except I do it 10 days before and my mum relaxes instead of a salon visit.

2. I use ORS olive oil no-lye also IMHO it is a good relaxer. It can be drying in the long run on heads that are prone to dryness (Me!), but on the plus I have never had a chemical burn using this relaxer, its great for my sensitive scalp.

3. I would drop down to 1-2x cowash and 1x dc weekly and increase as needed

4. Stop growth aids least 7 days prior and give your scalp a rest for the same after.

5. I strongly agree with getting your virgin hair relaxed professionally, as you have mentioned your hair is thick. Then collect tips and try out retouching next time.

If your adamant about relaxing your hair yourself please gather as much info as possible before:

Try watching tutorials on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...310l4311l0l8205l4l3l0l0l0l0l248l356l2.0.1l3l0

And these threads about relaxing natural hair:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=37297
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=555513
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=490634
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=152339

And the relaxed hair thread:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=524429

6. You may have to be prepared to alter your regimen and you may not have to, everybody's hair reacts differently. I would stick with your products for now and adjust as need be. Just keep an eye on moisture/protein balance and keep it simple.

 

[alive]

hi everyone!
ive been natural fior about 16 months, i bc'd and i am now about 2 inches past SL. I just feel like relaxed hair will be much easier for me to maintain and reach my long term goal of WL, and being a full time student, new mom, and part time worker, i just dont want to sacrife days out of the week to detangle my super thick hair.
anywho here are my questions
1, how should i prepare my hair for the first relaxer
2. i plan on using organic root stilmulator olive oil relaxer, i used this before i went natural, is this a good one?
3. is cowashing daily too much?
4. i use growth aids (sulfur and mn), how long before and after relaxing should i use them?
5. how do i ensure my hair gets straight from the first perm?
6. reggies? can i still take care of my hair as if it is natural? (as far as products are concerned. i only use natural products and aphogee.)

thank you all so much in advance for your answers
disclaimer...please dont try to talk me out of relaxing, ive already decided

I promise I'm not trying to talk you out of it but why did you go natural? I've gone through this before and when I got to the salon, the lady refused to give me a relaxer she talked me into flatironing my hair instead. This was two years ago and I'm SO thankful! Now if I want ease of manageability, I just get it straightened or get extensions.

 

[Kiowa]

I promise I'm not trying to talk you out of it but why did you go natural? I've gone through this before and when I got to the salon, the lady refused to give me a relaxer she talked me into flatironing my hair instead. This was two years ago and I'm SO thankful! Now if I want ease of manageability, I just get it straightened or get extensions.

A co-worker just talked me into this, I swore up and down she was relaxed, she said she's just natural and flat-iron..and gave me her stylist to boot I was headed for a relaxer, but going to try this first..

 

[jessicarabbit]

honestly, i went natural because i went to this whole "sticking it to the masses" phase. But now, i hate to say but now im over it lol. im always changing my hair so who knows what ill do next. im not a fan of wearing weaves, and flat ironing is too much upkeep. i like to moisturize and seal my hair daily and flat ironing does not go well with that.

 

[tolly]

ETA I only had 6inches of medium density hair to relax so it was relatively easy for me to keep to maximal time for application and smoothing. If your hair is much more than that either do the half method by tackling only half of your head at a time or just go to a professional.
I did my virgin relaxer myself. It came out fine, bonelaxed expect for the bottom one inch which is textleaxed. I don't mind it because the differnce is minimal and I can smooth the relaxer to that part at my touch up
i didn't have option of professional work because every salon here uses fine tooth comb for relaxer applications and the entire application and wash routine just isn't in line with what I have learnt on hair forums ( i live in a small town in africa).
i read through relaxer threads here for guidance, I think you should search through them and then ask specific question if you have reservations.
I don't regret relaxing I had the option to relax or cut my hair again and picked one. I have no doubt I will go natural again in future but not any time soon.
I hope some old relaxed heads come here with suggestions. Good luck.

 

[Dove56]

honestly, i went natural because i went to this whole "sticking it to the masses" phase. But now, i hate to say but now im over it lol. im always changing my hair so who knows what ill do next. im not a fan of wearing weaves, and flat ironing is too much upkeep. i like to moisturize and seal my hair daily and flat ironing does not go well with that.

I would say to try a keratin treatment or that John Frieda 3-day straight...its the bomb...BUT since you didn't ask about that lol...

I would say to go to a professional. I relaxed years ago after being natural for 9 years and I did it myself and I needed FOUR, yes FOUR relaxers to get my hair straight!! I'm a 3b/c with medium strand density hair that's very strong. My stylist told me the reason my hair didn't break down was because it was natural, healthy and very strong so, yeah, I say go the professional route.