Here are my 6 things to consider before you embrace the Relaxer life again!!
- Bye Bye Big hair, Hello thinner hair!
The big fluffy voluminous hair you have just begun to get used to as a natural, will be literally gone in …60 seconds once you apply the relaxer TO YOUR NOW VIRGIN STRANDS.
Relaxers are created to straighten strands, so the body and volume you have become used to will disappear once your hair has been chemically straightened. Are you ready to lose that Big hair/don’t care vibe you had going on?
- Is your hair healthy enough to be relaxed right now?
Just because your hair is natural and you have not relaxed it for maybe 3 years, does not mean your hair is automatically super healthy! Prior to relaxing make a proper health assessment of your hair, so you avoid breakage and avoidable hair-loss once you relax it. I would suggest 3 weeks prior to relaxing you commit to a weekly protein treatment to strengthen strands.
If your hair is thinning or breaking in its natural state, then do not relax it until it appears to be sufficiently improved heath-wise.
- Do not relax your hair simply because you think it means an easier life!
Believe it or not, relaxed hair actually requires more maintenance I believe to stay healthy than natural hair, why you ask? Simply put relaxers weaken your hair by up-to 70%.
In order to prevent breakage on your relaxed strands it’s essential to have a regular routine of weekly or fortnightly protein treatments to enable your hair to withstand daily manipulation. Natural hair is 10x stronger than chemically processed hair. Ensure you are ready to commit to a process of haircare that will give your relaxed hair life. Deep conditioning Steam treatments will also greatly benefit.
- A RELAXER IS FOR LIFE- well- not literally, but it is a permanent treatment!
Never ever relax your hair on a whim, or just for a wedding because you’re a bridesmaid and the hairdresser wants your hair to be uniform with the rest of the group!!
Please remember and be warned…Once you apply a relaxer to your hair it's permanent! It will not revert with water! The only way to get rid of relaxed hair is to transition- and regrow your natural hair and cut-off the relaxed strands!
- A texturiser is not a safer form of relaxer- that’s a myth!
Many women have been told or believe that a texturiser is less damaging than a regular relaxer, this is not the case! A texturiser is just as strong as a regular relaxer, however it’s the application that leads to a different result.
When a relaxer is applied it’s smoothed onto the strands to straighten them, a texturiser is not smoothed or combed through the hair in the same way, hence the texture being left in the hair, however it is just as damaging!
- Natural hair products on relaxed hair- does it work?
Do you have to say goodbye to your beloved shea-butter mix now you have relaxed your hair?
In short it really depends on the products you use. Relaxed hair will not react in the same way your natural hair did to your DIY shea-butter mix. Your relaxed hair may become more porous than your natural hair. Your relaxed hair may react better to products your natural hair did not like!
Bearing this in mind you will need to have a period of trial and error in regards to products. However on a very basic level, your relaxed hair will need a good-leave in product and a good detangler, a good deep conditioner and shampoo. Check out our Shampoo and conditioner duo and Triple M leave in conditioner, all three products are perfect for relaxed hair offering nourishment and hydration naturally.
So if you are considering relaxing after a period of being wearing your hair in its natural state, please do consider the above and treat your new relaxed hair journey just like you did your naturaI journey and you should have no problems along the way!
Sal
Founder, formulator, Hairducation Expert