Sunday, May 11, 2014

Relaxers: Neutralizing Steps Explained


Folks, please use your head when it comes to neutralizing a relaxer.  Answer these questions.

1. When you base the scalp before applying the relaxer, what is that product made of?
2. What ingredients are in the relaxers that make them slick the hair down?

And the answers are: OIL.

Now, does oil and water mixed?   And the answer is NO.

So what would make you think that you can rinse all traces of the relaxer out of the hair without shampooing?  All of the oils will not rinse out without some heavy duty water pressure. Every salon does NOT have "fire hydrant" steady water pressure. So do not count on all traces of relaxer to rinse away without shampooing.

So with that said, disregard Affirm's recommendation to condition the hair before shampooing the hair.  This pre-conditioning has caused hair thinning in some clients.  Once they come to me, and I start shampooing before conditioning, then their hair begins to fill back in.

Of course, someone is thinking -"but Affirm says to condition while the cuticles are still open."

Listen.  What is the pH of water?  7.0  Right? 

As long as the hair is wet, trust me the conditioner will condition just fine right after shampooing three times.  Truth be told, the relaxers are so high on the pH scale that the cuticles will take about three days to calm down anyway.  The neutralizing process is designed to start to close the cuticle, but if you air dry, you will probably notice that the cuticles look frizzy because they don't actually close without some product help or some heat help - so ease your mind.  Shampoo all the bad stuff out before you condition.  Please.

And by all means, use the designated conditioner that goes with the relaxer system.  Too many people are adding too much extra protein during the relaxer process.  If your cuticles are open, then the hair shaft is going to absorb too much protein and prevent your cuticle from sealing back down.  This creates more frizz and more damage.

I have seen a lot of incorrect relaxing tips floating on forums and message boards. These tips were scary because the people giving them sounded like experts.  Be careful what you read when it comes to chemicals.

If my tips listed in this article does not make sense to you, then do not follow my tips, but do inform me if you have questions.

8 comments:

  1. Wow, great tips!! I'm sure this will be helpful to many.

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  2. Love your blog and articles, but in my case doing the reconstructor step before neutralizing has worked for my hair, I noticed a difference between the time when I did not do it and when I started using it. I've been using Affirm relaxer for about 7 years now and my hair is thick. I understand that you said "for some clients", just offering a different experience.

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    1. Thanks danysedai for sharing your success with the Affirm relaxer. I have patronized some hair salons where the water pressure comes out like a fire hose at the shampoo bowl. This type of water pressure may be enough to thoroughly get the relaxer rinsed out properly. Also, your curl pattern and frequency of relaxers may also be important variables in your success. I would love to know more about your hair and your hairstylist's application process and water pressure. It could be helpful to others who have uncertainty as to which neutralizing order works best for them. Thanks again for your support and feedback!

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  3. Benita I can relate to this i self relax as I was not seeing much result from seeing a stylist. I use the mid protein step & have frizzy texlaxed hair(term used on hair boards) Thought that was what I wanted to achive thicker hair instead my hair was frizzy, required more heat to get it free and got breakage. I have since gotten those areas corrected somewhat, but not straight a 100% as the stylist didn't want to cause overprocessing. I plan to continue self relaxing but eliminate that step, what I used was aphoghee 2 minute reconstructor mixed with roux porosity control. What I plan to do moving forward is to relax in 2 half to have better control, but what do i do when i have finished relaxing the first half, do i neutralize then move on or i can apply roux porosity to that (compared to french stabilizer perm) then when i am finished with the next half neutralize my entire head and proceed with deep conditioning

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    1. As a hair professional, I can only advise that any product with a low pH such as the French Stabilizer will potentially seal unwanted chemicals into the hair. Also, any pure protein applied on the same day as a relaxer will over absorb into the hair shaft because the cuticle is too far open and it will potentially prevent the cuticle from smoothing back down. Relaxing to separate halves would be hard for anyone. I can not advise a safe way to do so. Also, I do not know the pH of Roux porosity control. I would trust a rinse out followed by NuExpressions Super 10 in 1. Best wishes.

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  4. The ph of roux porosity conditioner is 4.5. My understanding from what you said is that you would use the NuExpression after you have rinsed the relaxer and after that then you would neutralise (explaining what i understand to ensure that is what was meant) I don't have NuExpressions readily available to me I am in the Caribbean. I tried applying the relaxer to my entire head at once and was leaft with under processed section so I am thinking doing it it halves gives me better control without rushing in the specified time. How soon after relaxing would you introduce protein to the hair as on relaxer day is a no no. I put a link to the roux below.

    http://www.amazon.com/Roux-Porosity-Control-Corrector-Conditioner/dp/B0002030QO

    Thanks alot for your response

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    1. Mzddann: In theory, I would not attempt to neutralize until both halves are complete. Between the rinse water at pH7 and allowing the roux porosity control conditioner to stabilize the first half until you work the second half. Then rinse total head and shampoo to neutralize the whole head. I believe that the Roux Porosity Control can be used in lieu of the NuExpressions product. In regards to protein treatment, it should be done a week prior to relaxer touch-up, but if that doesn't happen wait a week or two to complete the protein treatment.

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