Relaxer Update!

My 25 weeks of new growth stretched
I relaxed my hair after a 25-week stretch!! New personal record for me! It was never a goal for me to go six months without relaxing, it just kind of happened. I didn't want to relax at the usual 12 weeks post because of my plan to install box braids. Once they were out, I wanted to wait awhile before relaxing then things were going well and it took me a little while to decide what to do next. And there you have it... an unintentional six month stretch was completed. 

I have been having a really hard time finding my beloved Elasta QP Soy Oyl Ultra-Hydration Relaxer Kit in stores. For some reason, I didn't even think to search for it online until all was said and done. Probably because the thought of going from easily grabbing one for $6 at my beauty supply to doubling that price for shipping is annoying to me. My goal was to just use a kit that has worked well for me in the past, but I somehow failed at that. I guess that's what happens when your tired and last minute shopping. I ended up getting Dark & Lovely Healthy Gloss 5 Shea Moisture Relaxer Kit. I have used this on my cousin's hair in the past and liked the way it processed, but never on my own. 


One of the main reasons I did not want to try a brand new relaxer was because I knew that I would have no real way of knowing how quickly it would (or wouldn't) process. After pairing that with the fact that I had just henna-ed my hair and was unsure of how the two would work out together, I realized I was getting into some risky behavior this relaxer day. 


{1} I sectioned into 4 & detangled my hair, applying my triple threat layer of protection to the length of my hair along the way. I used Aubrey Organics GPB conditioner, grapeseed oil, followed by good ole Vaseline. 


{2} Based my scalp, edges and ears with Vaseline. 


{3} Mixed the activator and relaxer cream thoroughly, then added about 1/4 cup of grapeseed oil. (This is my normal routine and I figured I'd rather end up with very under-processed hair than hair that processed more than I wanted.) 


{4} Applied the relaxer to my inches of new growth only. It took 15 minutes start-to-finish, no smoothing. 


{5} Rinsed the relaxer out and applied my protein treatment. This kit actually comes with a mid-step protein treatment called Silk Keratin Serum, which is one thing I liked about it in the past. I applied that first and then added my Umberto Repair Treatment Masque. I let this sit for about 10 minutes under a plastic cap. 


{6} Rinsed and neutralized using the shampoo that came in the kit. I lathered three times and let it sit a little bit, just to be safe. The pictures below are my hair when I rinsed it out. Quite under-processed. I think this is the most under-processed my hair has been before, but I like it. 





{7} Deep conditioned using Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose and Aubrey Organics Island Naturals Replenishing conditioners (first use) under a plastic cap for about an hour. I picked this up intending to re-up on Honeysuckle Rose, the two bottles look almost identical. After looking at the ingredients, I decided I'd still try it even though it wasn't what I wanted to buy originally. 


{8} Rinsed and sprayed my ACV rinse all over my hair and scalp. Let it sit for a couple minutes then rinsed with cold water. 


{9} Soaked up the excess water with a towel. I let my hair air dry somewhat even though I was planning to rollerset. I just don't like to detangle my hair when it's too wet. I applied my leave-ins: Elasta QP H2 and Aphogee Green Tea & Keratin Restructurizer. 

{10} Wet my hair again and flexi-rod set it, using purple and grey. I also added a little Organix Macademia Oil in this step. I love flexi-rods, yet this was my first time using them on wet hair. Had some issues getting them tight at my roots, but went for it anyway. 


{11} Sat under my bonnet dryer for... not long enough! My hair felt dry, but once I started taking them out, I realized my roots weren't. Oh well! Another learning experience. My little sister helped me save the style even with those thick roots :) I thought the curls were so pretty. I'll be attempting another set so I can try to get better. 




Overall, I was very pleased with the way this relaxer day went and happy with my decision to relax. So funny I got a fresh relaxer and people were complimenting my "natural" hair style. I cannot decide if I want to continue using the same relaxer kit this way to get the same results. I also am not sure if my very underprocessed hair is due to the relaxer being weaker than my previous kit, the fresh henna treatment in my hair, or a combination of both. I'm sure I have plenty of months to decide how I'll go about this next time. 

6 comments:

  1. You retained alot of texture and your curls came out pretty. Awesome relaxer day results!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Tomes! More texture than planned, but it's working out well :)

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  2. Your curls are sooo pretty. You definitely should do flexi-rod sets more often. You'll know in a few weeks if this relaxer kit will become your new staple. So far so good right?

    KLP | SavingOurStrands

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    Replies
    1. Yes, so far so good! I think I might start trying to master the art of rollersetting. Thanks KLP!!

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  3. Great relaxer results! I had a similar encounter when I changed from my regular relaxer, 'the natural look after a fresh relaxer'. See how you manage with the different texture! Your flexi-rod came out really well too!

    ReplyDelete
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