Natural in SA. colored Girl with Kinky hair. Proudly me.
Natural 4c hair / Black hair/chemically treated/relaxed hair growth tips, how to care for 4c / black/chemically treated/relaxed hair and my very own hair journey (which you could learn from if you're still new)!
This site will allow you to learn from experiences and research regarding all black/chemically treated hair matters.
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How do I prepare my hair for my very first relaxer? What is a "virgin relaxer"? What do I need to do before getting a "virgin relaxer"?
A virgin relaxer is when your hair is 100% completely natural and you will be getting it relaxed or texlaxed for the first time. Basically your hair is a complete virgin to the relaxing process.
Do I need to visit a hair salon to relax my hair? Is it possible to relax my hair at home? How do I relax my own hair?
Anything is possible!!!! In this day and age with helpful tools like YOUTUBE nothing is impossible. DIY is a thing of the future (and present). There are tons of inspirational videos out there demonstrating how to relax your own hair - it definitely is possible. As with anything else, it will take some practice to perfect it but if you work hard at it, concentrate and make use of all sorts of tips, you will definitely have the hang of it in no time.
Tips for relaxing your own hair
Remember; relaxer contains strong chemicals that could burn you! Make sure that you have your scalp and edges well protected and more importantly KEEP YOUR EYES SAFE! Relaxer has the potential to make you go blind so be as safe as you possibly can.
For the first couple of times it may be a good idea to at least have a friend or family member with you to help out. The person can help you relax your hair (always easier with an extra pair of hands) be an extra pair of eyes especially in those hard to see places (maybe guiding you about areas you may have missed, making better paths etc) or just on standby should you need them to pass you anything, wipe a relaxer spill or motivate you.
Make sure that you have all your tools, products, towels and mirrors ready before you begin - the last thing you need is to be running around looking for something with a head full of relaxer or water dripping down your face.
Open your product jars (shampoo, lotion, Vaseline, oils etc) before hand in order to avoid fumbling. Also make sure to put them in a safe / good place in order to prevent knocking them over.
Relax your hair while it's dirty. The dirtier the better. Washing your hair before strips your scalp of oils that could help protect you during the chemical process. Be sure to avoid washing your hair at least 7 - 10 days before relaxing it. In addition to this, don't scratch your head AT ALL no matter how intense the itch may be for as long as possible before relaxing your hair and during the relaxing process. Scratching your head will lead to cuts or scratches that will burn badly when in contact with the relaxer. Trust me, it's best to avoid this at all costs.
How can I style my short relaxed hair? What are some good hairstyles for short relaxed hair? Are there any quick and easy hairstyles for short relaxed hair?
Short hair can be tons of fun. Often it's more of a - get up, quick brush or combing and off you go. Other times; depending on your hairs length (there are different definitions of'short hair') it might be a little more complicated. Attached to this post are two videos with great ideas for styling short hair. They should definitely help you out. I've also found a highly enlightening article by Lesley ( Fresh Lengths) with awesome short hairstyles. You can visit the link for the full article. I've posted some of the pics here. Enjoy!!!
Are there any girls with BSL (Bra Strap Length) relaxed hair? Are there any black or African girls with BSL (Bra Strap Length) hair? Are there any girls with BSL (Bra Strap Length) long black hair?
This is a inspirational post. It contains photo's and videos from girls who have reached BSL (Bra Strap Length) hair while on their hair journeys (many have gone past it).
This is meant to encourage and motivate you while on your journey - know that IT IS POSSIBLE to grow your relaxed hair as long as you want and to have it healthy and thriving.
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How do I handle my edges? My edges won't lie flat, what do I do? what are some good hair products for relaxed edges? How can I care for my edges?
Good looking edges contribute largely to the overall look of your hair. if you have sloppy or nasty looking edges this can put off your entire look.
There are numerous products that can be used to help your edges lie flat and to make them look good or shiny. it's important to be sure that you're using reputable products and not ones that will cause damage or breakage to your sensitive edges. The last thing you need is breakage in your nape area or along your edges.
This video will provide insight and product reviews on what works when it comes to having the perfect edges.
What does it mean to air dry my hair? How do you air dry relaxed hair? How can you air dry relaxed hair without frizz? Why should I air dry my relaxed hair?
One of the biggest damages to relaxed and natural hair is heat damage. If you're hair's been chemically treated, it's already more sensitive due to the chemicals in it, by mixing this with heat you're reducing the health of your hair drastically.
Air drying is a sure way to minimise heat use in your hair ultimately reducing the damage to it, reducing breakage and increasing the health of your hair.
The video below demonstrates how to air dry your relaxed hair and look good too.
How can I avoid breakage or damage to my relaxed hair? How can I stretch my relaxer? How can I limit chemicals on my relaxed hair? How can i soften my new growth?
Stretching your relaxer is one of the ways to help the health of your hair. Chemical processes, whether dying the hair, perming the hair, relaxing the hair or bleaching the hair all naturally result in pressure and unavoidable strain on the hair. This often leads to breakage or excessive shedding. Stretching is one of the major way of minimising this damage and maintaining the health of your hair resulting in positive hair growth and a reduction in hair loss and breakage.
Stretching - broadening the space between your relaxers - can be extremely hard when you're trying to cope with and manage your new growth. It's often the strain and hard work of maintaining and blending the new growth that leads to pressure to get another relaxer as soon as you can.
The video above demonstrates how to soften the new growth in order to stretch your relaxer longer. If you can get this right, you should be one step closer to that beautiful long AND healthy hair you desire :)
How do I wrap my relaxed hair? What should I do to my relaxed hair before bed? How should my relaxed hair be under my scarf?
Relaxed hair, like all hair in general, needs to be handled carefully and gently in order to avoid damage.
Why wrap my hair?
hen we sleep, tossing and turning in bed as well as the material of our linen could impact the condition and health of our hair. By wrapping your hair at night and keeping it neatly tucked away under a silk scarf, you are aiding in preventing unnecessarily damage to your hair.
Another awesome use for wrapping the hair is to straighten it naturally without damaging it with heat unnecessarily. Wrapping your hair allows for a straighter look and hairstyle when the wrap comes out. You can wet wrap your hair allowing it to dry straighter, dry wrap it when straight to prevent frizz or curling or roller wrap your hair allowing for a lot of body and a straighter look (these will be explained in other posts).
This video will clearly demonstrate in detail and explain how to wrap your hair :)
Is it possible to transition from relaxed hair to natural without the big chop? How do I transition to natural hair without the big chop? Is it possible to avoid the big chop while transitioning? Can I go back to natural hair from relaxed hair without cutting my relaxed hair off?
As an African or African American lady one of our major concerns is retaining length and growing our hair beautifully. Due to the texture of our hair this can sometimes be an extremely hard task. When it comes to making the decision of going from relaxed or chemically treated hair to fully natural hair you may find yourself facing the idea of the gruesome big chop.
The video below gives you tips and advice in helping you to transition to natural hair without having to cut off your valued length. Hope it helps!
How can I get my relaxed hair thicker? What are some tips for thicker relaxed hair? My relaxed hair is so thin and frail - how can I make it any thicker?
Thickness is beauty when it comes to relaxed hair. Thick hair looks and feels healthier, has more body and feels more natural. When it comes to thickening up your relaxed hair there are a few tips to keep in mind. With my hair journey I focused on the following points:
Don't thin your hair out too much when relaxing it. This will make it more natural and allow it to be healthier.
Use tons of Castor oil!!!! This is the trick of the trade when it comes to hair thickening products. Castor oil is a natural oil so you don't need to worry about any unnecessary products or chemicals going into your hair. It also retails moisture so it's important to moisturise or spritz your hair with eater before massaging some Castor oil into your scalp or applying it to your hair.
Don't use heat tools accessibly. Hot irons, curling irons and blow dryers if used too much dry out and thin out your hair. You need to use them in moderation AND with a good heat protector in order to protect your hair. By going for heat free hair styles and air drying your hair, you can help your hair thicken and become healthier due to less heat damage and breakage.
This video includes some awesome tips with regard to thickening your relaxed hair. Enjoy!
There is nothing more painful then feeling discouraged by the amounts of hair you may be loosing or noticing in the comb during your hair journey. Some shedding is normal but excessive breakage is a definite 'no-no' if you're trying to move forward and retain some length.
It is important to look after and care for your hair all through the year but perhaps the most crucial time of the year for your hair is definitely Winter.
Winter seems to bring along with the holiday cheer and excitement, breakage, shedding and dried out hair. The air in winter is not the same as that in summer or spring - notice how the leaves and trees grow in the warm months and die in the cold ones.
The attached video includes a few tips and great advice on how to avoid and prevent breakage to your hair.
How do I soften new growth? What would make it easier to stretch my relaxer? Why should I stretch my relaxer? What is stretching your relaxer?
Stretching your relaxer is a process of putting off relaxing your new growth. There are many advantages to this; the most important being the fact that it limits breakage. The longer you take before doing touch ups with your relaxer the better this is because the longer you wait, the longer the new growth is and the easier it becomes to relax this hair without accidentally getting relaxer on previously relaxed hair.
The chemicals in relaxers are also strong so the less frequently you get them in your hair the better.
It can be hard stretching a relaxer due to the fact that as the new growth grows it becomes harder to manage your hair. Finding a way of managing your new growth will not only make your hair a lot healthier it will also aid the stretching process helping you stretch your relaxers further and thus allowing you healthier hair with less breakage.
The following Video by Megz shows you some quick tips on softening that new growth. Enjoy!
How do I relax my hair? Is it okay to relax my own hair? Is it safe to relax my hair myself? What do I do on the day of my relaxer? What do I do before relaxing my hair?
My favourite relaxed head is Megz. She has a Youtube Channel and has been on her healthy hair journey for many years. SHE'S A PRO!!!! I love watching her Youtube videos and find them highly enlightening and informative.
The following video is filled with tips and advice on what to do on the day of your relaxer. It's important to watch this video in order to make sure that you're as clued up as possible before relaxing your hair in order to avoid damaging your hair. The slightest mistakes like over processing, over lapping or combing your hair while relaxing can lead to damaged hair and breakage.
A virgin relaxer is when your hair is 100% completely natural and you will be getting it relaxed or texlaxed for the first time. Basically your hair is a complete virgin to the relaxing process.
