Hi people! This is my first post since the new year!!! I was out of town and not able to blog at all!! Anyways, I’m back home and I’m ready to return to the blogging world. My first gist of the year is that I wanted to step into 2013 with freshly relaxed hair so I self-relaxed my hair on the 30th of December, 2012!!! Although I have self-relaxed twice in the past (about 4 years ago), this is the first time I have self-relaxed my hair since I started taking better care of my hair.
In preparing for my relaxer day, I clarified my hair and followed up with a protein treatment 3 days before: I didn’t feel like using Aphogee 2-step protein treatment so I used Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner.
On the d-day, I first sectioned my hair into 4 and then divided each section further into smaller sections. I pinned each small section.
For my relaxer, I felt like trying out something new so I bought Creme of Nature Argan Oil Relaxer. I was scared that I wasn’t going to have enough time to smoothen my hair so I added 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the entire tub of the relaxer and activator.
I tried to apply the relaxer with the back of a rattail comb but it wasn’t working for me so I decided to use my fingers. I then realized that the smaller sections I had earlier done were slowing me down because I had to keep removing each pin. I could only do the two back sections in 20 minutes before my scalp started burning. So I ran to the bathroom to rinse off the relaxer. This is where the drama began!
Although I had covered the front sections with 2 shower caps, this section got wet because I was leaning forward to rinse out the relaxer! Duh I know!! So, now I was left with a wet unrelaxed front section!! I decided to blow dry this section with cool air. When it was dry, I based my scalp with oil and proceeded to apply the relaxer. I was done within 20 minutes and I went back to the bathroom to rinse off the rest of the relaxer.
After rinsing, I applied Avlon Fiberguard Sustenance Fortifying Treatment to my hair and left it in for 5 minutes.
Next, I neutralized the relaxer with the neutralizing shampoo that came with with the relaxer kit.
Afterward, I shampooed my hair again with Organic Root Stimulator Aloe Shampoo to remove any calcium deposits from the relaxer.
My next step was to deep condition: for this I used Tropic Isle Living Conditioner and left it in my hair overnight.
When I rinsed off the conditioner in the morning, my hair felt really healthy and strong. However, I didn’t feel that it made it much easier to comb my hair. So I applied VO5 Balancing conditioner with raspberry to my hair for a few minutes.
For my leave-ins, I first applied the Tropic Isle Living Conditioner I used above. Although it is not a leave-in conditioner, I used it this way because I liked the ingredient list but this turned out to be a bad idea because it made my hair brittle. I sprayed Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Castor Oil Leave-in Conditioner in an attempt to soften my hair and also Jamaican Black Castor Oil Serum with Argan oil. I use this leave-in conditioner on my daughter’s natural hair and it gives her hair much slip. However, on my hair, it didn’t help my hair feel any better. I can’t also say much about the serum because I did not like how the conditioner made my hair feel dry.
All-in-all, my hair did relax quite well and it is straighter than I have gotten in the last few relaxers I’ve done. The right hair line is smoother than the left side however. These are my results:
Will I self-relax again? Maybe because I experienced minimal breakage. Maybe not because the drama was just too much!! LOL.
Have you ever self-relaxed? What experiences did you have the first time you self-relaxed? Did you keep doing it till you got better? Or have you given up?
- Back to the basics: Knowing your relaxers
- Back to the basics: ‘Safely’ using Chemical relaxers
- Wash day: counting down to my relaxer touchup!
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Food for thought! I should seriously start considering self relaxing. Just moved to a new town, I’ m to retouch my hair by the end of the week and I’ m yet to find a good stylist here.
I hope you find a good stylist if not brace up and give it a try. You might want to do the front first though in case you want to do a half n’ half method
i self-relaxed for the first time on tuesday,only a few salons were open.others were still on holidayand i couldnt stretch further . i pictured myself explaining to a stylist ”dont comb through, please smoothing and application musn’t exceed 20 mins, noo dont scrub my hair like that …..”e.t.c. i decided to save my strength and give it a try. While basing my scalp,i mistakingly got vaseline on my new growth.(i’ld use an applicator bottle next time)while rinsing out the back,i got my front hair soaking wet too …lol.. In the end….hello texlaxed hair! For me,self-relaxing is here to stay.
My dear… I don’t feel too bad knowing that someone else got their front hair wet;)
I’m still contemplating whether I want to self-relax again: it did give me some sense of fulfilment though.
I self relaxed early this month and it was really interesting.I had texlaxed and underprocessed hair in some parts, no burns. I might do a corrective session in 6 weeks time or I’l just “bone” it and stay my normal stretch. It’l definately be better in my next attempt. Self relaxing is here to stay baby!!
Congrats to you on ‘self-relaxing’!! Well, let’s see how it goes with the stretching. I don’t plan to stretch more than 8 weeks because I want to a corrective and I want my hair to stay sleek this time.
Hi, Doc.just came across your post on self relaxing that is great and wonderful I started self relaxing back in Nigeria it always with drama you know but at the end you get what you want.Am so happy for you your hair is so beautiful.As I came to Australia I have to figure out how to manage my hair you know the other time I told you I had weavon on and this thing almost distroyed my hair when I removed the weavon half of my hair was out.but thank God for your blog I had to trim my shoulder length hair to ear length na wo o! thank God for that video on how to trim I did it but another thing that worries me is like my hair does not grow I have been able to buy most of that product you recommended and was able to buy Jamaican black castol oil from eBay just order for a hood dryer too don’t know if I can use it though saw you hair on Christmas was great so I decided to do the same could you please do a video on how to roller set and what kind of roller do I need to buy,see Doc since I came to this country have been wearing wig for the pass 6months now salon are so expensive so am just doing my hair based on what I learn from you.cheers.
Thanks for all your compliments Joyce. I’m glad my trimming video helped you. I’m not a perfect roller set but I will work on a video cos u asked.
Glad u were able to get the products. Look for some supplement containing MSM: that can hel with the slow growth you’re experiencing. Take care Joyce and lots of love, hugs and kisses from Naija, the motherland. Mwah
I really enjoyed this post and the comments. Una get mind. No self relaxing yet for me o! I hv a good stylist for relaxing.una well done.
LOL. Was fun trying it out myself!! I’ve also enjoyed all the comments!!
Thanks Doc. You are a darling.
Thank u! <3