Name of Post:  Do you relax your own hair?

Post started:  UmSumayyah  1/18/2003  

Okay ladies, this is going to be long but I hope it helps someone out there. I relaxed my own hair last Friday with great success.  I have never done this before because I was too scared and this board empowered me to try.  Thank you all so much! I would like to particularly thank “MyHairSos” and “AshaSlim” for their invaluable tips and suggestions in prior posts in this thread.  I also read up on relaxer application – there is a wealth of information online and I highly recommend the following website: www.angelfire.com/journal...laxer.html which provided me with some great insight.  So after getting some education, I took a little bit away from each and felt ready to do this by myself.  My most important sources were:   “MyHairSos”, “AshaSlim” suggestions in this thread and the website referenced above --- those three provided me with enough basic information and tips on application to help me get ready. I have 4b hair and it had been 12-1/2 weeks since last touchup. I did my last wash 5 days before (on Sunday evening) by doing a hot oil, shampoo with nexus therappe and a deep condition with nexxus keraphix. Then I roller set using infusium 23 and coconut/jojoba/castor/rosemary and air dried. On Friday, I was ready to retouch -- Here is how I did it:

 1.  Prayers to God for guidance and direction as I embarked on this new challenge.

2.  I decided not to base my scalp with any kind of oil at all. After reading up on the chemistry of relaxers I found that the base cream or petroleum jelly serves as a barrier to the relaxer and prevents the chemicals from working immediately on the hair because the relaxer has to spend time first breaking down the barrier cream before it can start to work on the hair. Well, I figure if I base my scalp, a lot of that grease/base would get on my new growth, I couldn’t find any way to put the base on my scalp without getting it on my new growth, so I decided not to base, but to work really fast so that the relaxer would not be in touch with my scalp for very long. As I decided this well before hand, I was very careful since the last wash NOT to touch, wet, scratch or disturb my scalp in any way during the 5 days before retouching.

3.  I used aloe vera gel to based my hairline in front, my ears sides and nape, being careful not to get gel on hair to be relaxed, just on skin in the immediate area and the “baby hair” around hairline.

4.  Next, I put hair into 12 sections and used metal clips – same ones I use to roller set – to hold each section at the point of new growth.

5.  I applied and saturated Le Kair Cholesterol to the already relaxed (old growth) portion of section (part above metal clip) I tried not to get the Cholesterol on the new growth because I wanted the relaxed to get right in there and start softening those kinks as soon as possible. One important thing I learned from the above-recommended website is that relaxers will not straighten hair. It will merely soften it for straightening. You (or your stylist) are the straightener by working the product in the hair, gently smoothing, stretching and pulling hair so that it is stays straight once it is neutralized.

6.  I was now ready for the REAL work – I checked the time before applying relaxer – I used Motions lye regular and time specified for my hair type is 18-22 minutes so I figured I had 20 minutes to get it in there right.

7.  I applied relaxer cream to the outer part of each of the sections (part below metal clips) with gloved fingers being careful to avoid relaxer touching the scalp. After applying cream to all 12 sections.  Go back to first section and remove clip. 

8.  Using small teeth rattail comb (the same one I use to gently pull and stretch new growth when roller setting), begin to pull the relaxer through that section, adding more cream as needed and being careful NOT to overlap onto the previously relaxed hair. Then moved to the next section until all sections had been “pulled out” with the relaxer cream. I must admit here that I did get some overlapping – it seems impossible NOT to overlap a little bit! But, I did have the Cholesterol on there as a barrier to prevent the relaxer from immediately penetrating that part of the hair, so, I didn’t sweat it too much and just did the best I could and worked really fast.

9.  After getting all sections worked in, I still had 10 minutes to go and there was no stinging or burning yet. So, I gently smooth, pulled and stretched the various sections for the rest of the time: I smooth 12 sections into 4 sections and then 4 sections into 2 and then 2 sections into one big section in middle of head, always being careful NOT to overlap.

10.  When 20 minutes was up, I went to the sink and using very warm (not hot) water, I rinsed hair until water ran clear and all relaxer was out, being careful to keep hair in a straight direction and NOT rubbing scalp too vigorously (you don’t want to rub the chemical into your scalp, especially since pores are wide open by both the warm water and the chemical!). Basically, GENTLE handling from here on out.

11.  After water runs clear, I applied motions neutralizing conditioner (yes, a conditioner, NOT shampoo – shampoo comes later!). I got some great insight regarding neutralizing and why a lot of the newer relaxer systems are including a neutralizing conditioner immediately after rinsing out relaxer and before shampooing. Here is where hair chemistry is important: Hair normal ph should be about 5. When a relaxer is applied, it raises hair ph to anywhere from 12-14 (this is necessary in order to the chemical to penetrate, but once that is done, the goal is to get that ph back down as fast, and gently as possible). Thus, the neutralizing conditioner has a very low ph (about 3 or 4) and it begins the neutralizing process immediately upon application; it also begins to condition hair when it is at its most fragile. PLEASE read that website for this information as it was an eye opener for me. Anyway, following directions, I left conditioner on for 15 minutes (during this time, I cleaned up all the relaxer cream from my sink, comb, clips, etc. by using the neutralizing shampoo to get all the relaxer stuff off the sink surface and hair care tools). After 15 minutes, I rinsed hair really good with cool, tepid water -- this helps to close pores on scalp and the hair cuticles which are both wide open after the relaxer - and the cool water helps to seal in the conditioner.

12.  After rinsing out neutralizing conditioner, I shampoo once using motions neutralizing shampoo, and a second time using nexxus therappe shampoo.

13.  After final shampoo with nexxus therappe, I toweled dried and applied Joico Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner, covered with plastic cap and left on for about 1 hour 30 minutes (I just did not want to use heat and I had time to lounge around). If no time, I think sitting under hooded dryer on medium setting for at least half hour would be the faster alternative.

14.  After deep conditioner, I got in shower and rinse out conditioner with cool/cold water, followed by a vinegar rinse (1/4 cup apple cider vinegar in large bottle of cold water) – I got the vinegar rinse idea from the web site.

15.  After rinsing out vinegar with cold water, toweled dried and applied infusium 23 all over, followed by this mixture: Aubrey hair repair cream with little daps of jojoba oil, castor oil, d-panthenol, rosemary oil, (all of which can be found at health food stores). I then roller set and air dried.

16.  Saturday morning, I am completely impressed with my tresses (yes, tresses!) I remove the wrap and put in about 5 large magnetic rollers on dry hair and leave in for about two hours as I get some housework and cooking done.

17.   When I removed the rollers Saturday afternoon, bounce, shine, volume.  I am NEVER going back to a stylist for this service again. Usually, I have to wait until the first wash after a retouch in order to really see the volume because while it gets straight, all the body is gone until I wash and set it.

PRODUCTS USED

1. Motions Oil Moisturizer Relaxer 15oz jar - $5.99 -- I used about one-third (1/3) of the jar and expect to get two more touchups with it.

2. Motions Oil Moisturizer Silk Protein Conditioner 15oz jar - $5.99 (this is the neutralizing conditioner) -- I used about the same one-third (1/3) of the jar and expect two more touchups with it -- I will NOT be using this for regular maintenance conditioning, only for touchups but I understand it can be used as part of a regular regimen.

3. Motions Oil Moisturier Moisture Creme Neutralizing Shampoo 32oz bottle - very large bottle and apparently they don't come any smaller -- I used about one-fourth (1/4) maybe less, and expect at least another 4 to 5 or more touchups from this purchase.