Back with a quick Relaxer Update while dealing with my Over-processed #relaxedhair!! 

Hey hun!!

It’s RELAXER DAY!! I’m taking you through my realistic step-by-step Relaxer Day routine but at night - with timestamps. I know, like who does a relaxer at night? LOL…Me!! It happens but honestly it’s so relaxing because I don’t get any interruptions - so it works. My over-processed hair is starting to improve and this routine has been so great for my relaxed hair. I’m very happy with the progress I’ve been making so far. There’s still a lot of work to be done but we are definitely heading in the right direction. 

Happy 2025, Hairlista!! 

 

IT'S OFFICIALLY HERE!!
My relaxer day routine, in detail, is LIVE on my Youtube Channel. 
You have no idea how excited I am. This video has been highly requested over the years. I know I've explained my relaxer routine and products, but there's nothing like actually SHOWING you guys  e x a c t l y  what I do. I've been self-relaxing for the past 10 years. I swear by all of the methods, products and techniques I share in this video.
You will see my entire relaxer touch-up process from start to finish - minus my trim. I don't self-trim, I go to my stylist for that. 
In my video, I demonstrate how to achieve and maintain healthy relaxed hair while relaxing at home. I also share tips for taking care of your relaxed hair to prevent over-processing, overlap, relaxer run-off etc. so that it can grow long, thick, and healthy!

Blog Post Mentioned: 
 Lye vs. No Lye - http://bit.ly/lyenolye 
♥Products Mentioned: 

 Roux Porosity Control - https://amzn.to/351j1K7 DAX Pomade Vegetable Oil Hair Grease - https://amzn.to/3lToxoC ORS Olive Oil Relaxer - Normal Strength Lye - https://amzn.to/3dtximo ORS Olive Oil Neutralizing Shampoo - https://amzn.to/33Zn8He Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 - https://amzn.to/3lQlDRD Creme of Nature Plex Breakage Defense Bond Mender - https://amzn.to/3dtt7XX As I Am Long & Luxe Strengthening Shampoo - https://amzn.to/319kvka Joico Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm - https://amzn.to/31dBFxf Tressemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protectant - https://amzn.to/37gr34B Organix Argan Oil Serum - https://amzn.to/350o6SR 

♥Tools Used: 

Sprush Tool Applicator - https://amzn.to/34ZFBCI 

Magic Star Jumbo Rake Wide Tooth Comb - https://amzn.to/2SUJCCZ 

Hair Steamer (alternative) - https://amzn.to/341TIIn 

Sedu Flat Iron - https://amzn.to/3lV3Jxj 

 Check it out below!!

Don't forget to Like, Comment and Subscribe!!

Hey guys! My relaxer update video just dropped. In this video, I share with you my relaxer update (relaxed at 12 weeks post relaxer), flat iron process, and chat with you guys about the wave of naturals going back to relaxed hair! YASSSS...we are going to discuss this. 

Be sure to leave a comment on the video and let me know your thoughts on this topic. Do you predict more naturals will be relaxing their hair in 2020? I’ve been noticing it a lot lately so let’s talk about it! Hope you enjoy!!

Oh, and don't forget to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE :) Thank you for watching.

Products Mentioned:

ORS Olive Oil Relaxer - https://amzn.to/2ujlG2P

ORS Olive Oil Neutralizing Shampoo - https://amzn.to/2tx6sHB

Olaplex Treatment No. 3

Creme of Nature Breakage Defense Bond Mender

Keracare 1st Lather Shampoo - https://amzn.to/2RuVytP

Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo - https://amzn.to/2NB7wRF

Joico Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm - https://amzn.to/376VTK0

Tresseme Keratin Smooth Flat Iron Heat Protection Spray - https://amzn.to/379gEoj

Creme of Nature Argan Oil Buttermilk Hair Milk - https://amzn.to/2NHkm0z

Tools used:

Wide tooth comb - https://amzn.to/2NqP659

Flat Iron - Sedu Revolution 

Xoxo

Happy Relaxer Day!

Don't you just love when this day rolls around? I love when relaxer day comes because #1, it resets my relaxer stretch and #2 it gives me a fresh start with no new growth to "baby" for several weeks. LOL. So, I ended my relaxer stretch at 12 weeks post and I got a trim! Can you believe its been 5 months since my hair cut? Time really does fly.
Today, I wanted to share with you 'Why I Don't Relax Bone Straight' and the benefits of not doing so.  I get comments/questions/messages from people who think I'm texlaxed because of the fullness of my hair - but I'm not. Again, just to clarify, I'm relaxed but not entirely bone-straight. Relaxed hair does N O T and should not be 100% bone-straight!

You see, I believe relaxed hair should be relaxed at 85-90% leaving some room for texture to remain in the strands. The whole point of relaxing is to relax the curl pattern so that it's straight but not to the point where the hair is stick thin, lifeless, limp and over-processed.

In fact, back when I first began my healthy hair journey, I noticed that many of the ladies who I admired had thick, long, healthy relaxed hair and they all had ONE of many things in common...they relaxed their hair leaving a tad bit of texture behind!!! To be clear, they were not texlaxed, but they had just enough wave/texture so that it wasn't super 100% straight. You get me? This was a HUGE game changer for me and the turning point in achieving healthier relaxed hair. Since that tip was shared with me, I never looked back!

OMGosh, flash back!

I remember, prior to my hair journey, when my hairdresser used to apply each and every one of my relaxers from root to tip and make me sit in the relaxer like a deep conditioner until my hair and ends were SUPER straight. I cringe just thinking about it - such a HOT MESS! Of course, my hair was thin, lifeless, constantly breaking and excessively dry!! I thought it was normal for relaxed hair to have those characteristics. I didn't know any better :(



But as the saying goes "when you know better, you do better" - so let's fast forward.

Now that I self-relax (with the help of my sister) I control what relaxer strength I use, how long I leave my relaxer on for, how often I smooth/comb my new growth, my neutralizing process, how I protect my previously relaxed hair etc. which all play a key role in how straight my relaxed hair will become while preserving the texture and health in my hair.

Top 5 Contributors as to Why My Relaxed Hair Isn't Bone Straight:

1. Using a Lye relaxer - Lye relaxers provide a low degree of hair bond breakage that preserves the natural strength and elasticity in the hair. Lye relaxers tend to me more harsh on the scalp than on the hair. Less bond breakage = more structure, fullness and strength remaining in the strands.

2. Using a normal strength relaxer - Normal strength relaxers tend to process the hair slower but perfect enough to achieve my desired straightness. I don't recommend extra stretch relaxers as they are formulated to process the hair quickly increasing the chances of over-processing the hair.

3. Limited smoothing and combing of my new growth - I smooth twice in the front, smooth 3x's in the back & comb twice in the back to ensure my hair gets straight enough and not over-processed. This gives me approximately 85-90% straightness.

4. Not leaving the relaxer on for over 25 mins - I finish my relaxer process usually at the 22-23 minute mark. I don't like to leave my relaxer on longer than that out of fear of it being "too straight". This amount of processing time is perfect for me as I'm able to apply the relaxer all over, smooth, and comb with no fuss.

5. Neutralizing in 3 phases - Taking my time to neutralize my roots for a total of 20 mins ensures all of the relaxer is out of my hair and it's no longer processing my roots. During this process I also notice that the texture of my roots begin to re-appear.



As you see in the picture above, there's a slight wave/texture remaining in my roots post relaxer day. To some, this may be horrific and an alarming state of panic because the "relaxer didn't take"; however, this makes me happy to know that there's texture remaining in my strands. Once you're over-processed, there's no turning back from that!

View this post on Instagram

Relaxer stretch reset to 0 weeks post! Fresh relaxer💁🏾‍♀️💕 P.s. it’s been 5 months since my hair cut💇🏾‍♀️ ▫️ #relaxer #relaxerupdate #relaxerday #relaxedhair #relaxedhairgrows #naturalhair #naturalhairrocks #relaxedhairstyles #teamrelaxed #relaxedhaircommunity #relaxedhaircare #relaxedhairjourney #trimmedends #healthyhairjourney #longhair

A post shared by Sunshyne☀️ (@hairlicious) on Sep 25, 2019 at 8:08am PDT

Hey loves,

I recently relaxed my hair and I wanted to share several details regarding my relaxer day routine as I've received many questions as to what steps I take, products I use etc. I ended my relaxer stretch at 11 weeks post relaxer. I relaxed with ORS Olive Oil Relaxer in normal strength. I typically leave my relaxers on for 20-23 minutes but I always set my timer to 25 minutes. This is my 1st relaxer since I got my hair cut (a couple months back) and I feel as though my hair has grown quite a bit. Also, I did a small trim just for maintenance purposes.

In the video below, I go into detail as to how I prevent relaxer run-off and over processed ends, why I love using protein on relaxer day and the bond rebuilding products I use to strengthen my relaxed hair.

Enjoy!!

After stretching my relaxer for a total of 14 weeks, your girl is happily relaxed and loving it! Yes, you read that right - 14 weeks! I normally don't stretch this long, but I did for two(2) reasons:

REASON #1: I was participating in the Castor Oil Challenge from October 14, 2018 - January 14, 2019; therefore, I wanted to maximize on all of my growth achieved during the challenge and relax once the challenge was over.

REASON #2: I had a pretty bad cold towards the end of January 2019 and relaxing my hair was on the back burner. I had a fever, cough, runny & stuffy nose, aches etc.  I had zero energy for anything, much less my hair.

As soon as I got over my cold and finally able to breathe, I ran to the beauty supply store, stocked up on a few relaxer day items (gloves, hair grease, neutralizing shampoo etc.) and relaxed!! As always, I used the ORS Olive Oil relaxer in Normal Strength - Lye version.


First things first, the #HairliciousCastorOilChallenge really gave my hair life! No seriously. After applying JBCO for 3 months straight, my new growth was so incredibly thick, healthy and well nourished. My scalp was happy and so was my hair. I kind of miss playing with my new growth and feeling my roots throughout the day *sigh*.


Participating in the Ultimate Level (applying Castor oil to your scalp 2-3x/week and using 1 tsp in my deep conditioners) made me and my hair fall in love with Jamaican Black Castor Oil all over again. I feel a difference in the texture, fullness, length and health of my hair, especially after my postpartum shedding. The Castor Oil Challenge was a success and JBCO will continue to be a part of my hair regimen (wash day only), moving forward.

A trim was definitely in order! My ends are blunt girl!!!! My stylist did something a little different from the norm. I didn't ask for a "blunt trim" but whatever....it is what it is. As long as the dead old ends are gone I'm okay with that LOL. But as for my personal preference, I'd much rather a U-shape.  Overall, I'm very happy with how my ends look and feel.


Now, on to the new product I used on relaxer day....Olaplex No.3!! Yes, that's right.  What better time to use a bond rebuilder than on relaxer day when the disulfide bonds are broken down to create new straighter bonds!! Ha!

Luckily, I was able to get one (1) more application from the 1st bottle I purchased - making that a total of 3 uses from the bottle. I saved a tad bit just so I could use it on relaxer day to wrap up my full review of the Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector. Boy, was my hair in for a treat!

So, I relaxed like normal (application and smoothing 20-23 mins), then I neutralized. Right after neutralizing, I towel dried my wet hair for a bit and then I applied Olaplex No. 3 all throughout my hair, in sections, focusing more so on my roots (since it was just relaxed). I applied my plastic shower cap and left it on my strands for about 10-15 mins (no heat).

As I was rinsing out my hair, I immediately noticed a difference. Typically after a relaxer, your cuticles still remain raised/open due to the high pH of the relaxer. This will make your hair feel a little rough, tangly and slightly dry. It's not until the deep conditioning phase that you notice the pH level of your hair goes down and you'll notice smoother hair as a result. Right after using Olaplex No.3, my cuticles were left smooth, flat, strong and any tangles; that I did have, quickly melted away with little manipulation. I literally had an "ah ha!" moment in the shower LOL. After rinsing out Olaplex No. 3, I proceeded with my sulfate free shampoo and deep conditioned as normal.

My freshly relaxed hair behaved so well and remained smooth, strong yet soft even after flat ironing. I would definitely use Olaplex No. 3 again on relaxer day to build back up the broken disulfide bonds that were broken down during the relaxing process! Olaplex on relaxer day was definitely a treat that I'm anxious to experience again.

So to wrap things up, I'm happy with my relaxer! My hair has definitely bounced back from my postpartum shedding and thinning. I feel as though the Castor Oil Challenge improved the overall health of my hair and I'm super excited that Olaplex was a hit during my relaxer process. Next time around I'm only stretching my relaxer to 12 weeks maximum - nothing more! :)

...and of course, a couple updated hair pictures too! Thanks for watching xoxo!!

1. I use a clarifying shampoo to rid my hair and scalp of any build up. This allows my new growth to accept the relaxer better.
2. I follow up with a medium protein reconstructor/treatment for 20 minutes using heat.
3. I follow up with a  moisturizing deep conditioner to soften and moisturize my strands.
4. I apply my leave-in and air dry.

1. I apply Roux Porosity Control to my entire head, neglecting my new growth, focusing on coating my previously relaxed strands. The Porosity control is pH balanced (pH 4.5); therefore, when in contact with the relaxer, has I'm rinsing it out, it will begin to neutralize the relaxer for me preventing overlap and over-processed hair. In essence, the relaxer will stop working as it touches my ends. Not to mention, because it has so much slip, it helps to detangle my hair. 
2. I apply the coconut oil over the porosity control, again avoiding my new growth, to aid in separating any knots/tangles in my hair, but to also protect my hair from relaxer run-off. The coconut oil gives my hair a quick treatment prior to neutralizing. 
3. Jamaican Black Castor Oil is applied to my forehead, temples, ears and the skin around my nape for protection. It works like a charm = no burns!
4. As "ol skool" as DAX is, its a gem! I use this grease a final step to coat my previously relaxed hair. Because it's petroleum based, the relaxer stands no chance in penetrating through the grease during the relaxer rinse out step. DAX creates a barrier, between my strands and the relaxer, and that is why it will forever be a part of my relaxer prep regimen (the neutralizing shampoo removes all traces of the petrolatum). 

1. After 25 minutes on the clock, I rinse out my relaxer and follow up with my neutralizing shampoo. I rinse the relaxer out thoroughly and do a quick shampoo to stop the relaxer from processing further. I then lather up again and this time I let the shampoo sit on my hair (just like conditioner) for a total of 5 mins. I do this twice and then follow up with a 10 minute session (i.e. the shampoo sits on my hair for 5 mins, 5 mins and then 10 mins). 
2. I then follow up with my sulfate free shampoo to restore extra softeness and slip to my hair.

1. I go back to my regular routine of using a light protein reconstructor on dry hair with coconut oil for 15-20mins with heat. 
2. Follow up with a sulfate free shampoo. 
3. Deep condition with a moisturizing deep conditioner, plus oils, for 30 mins. 
4. Apply my leave-in and air dry! 

All done!!

What is your relaxer day process like? What tips and tricks do you use to prep for your relaxer? or for the day of your relaxer?