LOVING MY RELAXED HAIR™ PRESENTS: Lawrene Griffith

Sunday, August 16, 2015



Introduce yourself! what's your name? where are you from? 

My name is Lawrene Griffith. I am from the beautiful island of Grenada in the Caribbean.

How would you describe your hair? What's your hair type?

My hair has a life of its own. It does what it wants and I don’t fight with it. My hair type is 4b

When did you start your relaxed hair journey? What is your hair regimen? Share a few of your "go-to" hair products. 

First Relaxer 2013
I started my relaxed hair journey in June 2013.

I detangle, moisturize and seal every day mostly. I would skip a day here and there if my hair feels like it doesn’t need it. I moisturize with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner (slightly diluted with water) and seal with coconut oil.

I never sleep without covering my hair or on a satin pillow case.

I oil and massage my scalp with a mixture of coconut oil, peppermint oil, a little castor oil and a drop or two of tea tree oil. I do this twice a week.

.I co-wash based on how my hair feels and my activities. I’m currently in the gym so I co-wash once a week.

I wash with a sulfate free shampoo (currently Renpure Originals Moisture Rich Argon Oil Shampoo) and deep condition weekly. I deep condition with a concoction of products. I use a mixture of Loreal Paris Evercreme Conditioner, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner, Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream, Coconut Oil and Glycerin. I know it sounds weird but I’ve tried other actual deep conditioners and they don’t leave my hair feeling the same way my concoction does.

I clarify once a month using Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Shampoo.

Since I relaxed my hair in 2013 I’ve only done 3 protein treatments. I don’t feel like my hair needs it very often. This is probably because the Cantu that I deep condition with has protein in it.

I relax every 12 to 16 weeks.

I trim every relaxer and dust for split ends between trims every other week.

Some go to products: Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, Eco-styler Olive Oil Gel, Water, Coconut oil.


What #1 hair tip you would pass on to other relaxed haired ladies who are starting their hair journey?

Moisturize!

Nowadays it's becoming more uncommon to see relaxed hair or products geared towards relaxed hair. Do you feel the pressure to go natural? Why or why not? What are your thoughts on the natural hair movement?


Natural Hair
Before I relaxed in 2013 I was natural my entire life. I don’t feel pressured to go natural. I’ve found that products geared towards natural hair are even better for relaxed hair (the good ones) because they are more moisturizing. I believe in healthy hair. People labour under the mistaken belief that natural hair is healthier than relaxed hair. If you don’t care for natural hair, it will be unhealthy just as if you’re relaxed and don’t take care of your hair. The bottom line is maintenance. Whether you’re relaxed or natural, you have to take care of your hair. Having been natural for 24 years, I’ve experienced both worlds and know for sure that the bottom line is indeed maintenance. I can speak to the natural hair movement based on my country. I find that it is more of a trend than a movement. Naturals are slowly returning to relaxing mostly because they had no idea how much work natural hair requires. When I was natural, it would take me two (2), yes two days to wash, dry and style my hair. I wore it mostly in small braids/plaits as we call it in Grenada or twists. I would keep them for a month, washing in between. I literally had to dedicate an entire weekend every month to my hair. 

Why do you choose to remain relaxed while many are transitioning back to their natural hair?

I have only been relaxed for two (2) years. When it was time for me to start law school, I knew that it wasn’t practical to keep my hair natural. My hair was super thick and long so box braids were not an option when I considered the weight of it, the time it would take to get it done and the cost. On the few occasions I went to a hairdresser (other than my aunt) to get my hair done, I was charged twice the normal fee. Also, there was no way I would be able to dedicate an entire weekend to my hair on top of the work I had to do.

I plan to remain relaxed for a while. I don’t see myself being relaxed for the rest of my life though. I’m enjoying my relaxed hair. The best thing about it is that I can wash it a lot more and I can actually air dry. Air drying was not an option when I was natural. It took a few days before my hair was completely dry.

I choose to be relaxed because it is better suited to my lifestyle. I am an attorney in waiting. I will be called to the bar in October of this year. I was fortunate enough to get a job right out of school. Work is very demanding and will become even more demanding after I get called.

I’m also at the stage in my life where I’m trying to get out more and do new things. I was tired of planning my life around my hair. My hair was one of the main reasons I didn’t go to the beach (Grenada has lots of beaches). It was always a chore to wash it and get it in an acceptable condition for school or work the next day (if I went on Sunday). While most people showered and went to bed from the beach, I would be up for hours dealing with my hair. Now that I’m relaxed, my hair takes up a lot less of my time.

What do you absolutely love about your relaxed tresses? And why?

I absolutely love the manageability of my relaxed hair. I love that because I spend less time doing my hair. After all, time is a precious commodity. The less time I spend on my hair, the more time I have to do other things, like sleeping for an extra half hour on mornings ☺




Let's Be Friends!!

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16 comments

  1. Her hair is gorgeous and so thick.

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  2. Very pretty, that is some healthy relaxed hai

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  3. Gorgeous hair, I wish she had given the readers more styling tips like "don't use heat with relaxed hair just as you are told not to with natural hair." Also types of protective care she uses like daily buns or French braid, etc.

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    1. Hi lady aradia. Thank you. I don't use direct heat on my hair. The only time heat is used on my hair is when I relax. I usually get a roller set then. In terms of styling, I don't wear traditional buns. The hair that is exposed in the centre of the bun tends to dry out, making it more prone to breakage which leads to thin spots. I braid my hair and then wrap it around into a bun, ensuring that the end of the braid is tucked under. How I style depends on how many weeks post I am. As I get closer to my relaxer date, I style my hair less often. I would wear two dutch braids and wrap the ends in some sort of interesting way.

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  4. That's my Cuz :-)! I'm so impressed with her journey; look at that length in just 2 years! She does a great job at maintaining her hair and keeping it healthy. Definitely an inspiration for both worlds. Also, shout outs to Aunty G from Gees Beauty Salon in Grenada, who has always taught us the importance of caring for our hair and the way hair enhances ones beauty. Great article! !

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  5. Beautiful!

    Seems like all hairlistas are into law.

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  6. I can totally relate, I've also been natural all my life I have 4c hair and its always been from neck to shoulder length. I recently relaxed/texlaxed my hair this year. I have a 4yr old with type 3c 4a hair and I was struggling to keep up with her hair because its not the same as mines. Im used to dealing with thick kinky hair ! Now that im relaxed / texlaxed I've been able to adapt to this new curl pattern and finally understand more about my daughters, both of our hair has been thriving!

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