Soft Sheen Carson Advanced Relaxer System Review

 I had a reader to inquire about one of my previous blog articles regarding the Keratin Whipped Creme relaxer by Soft Sheen Carson.  I decided to test this relaxer trial size on some Type 4 hair samples.  The "afro" hair sample is in the picture above with the trial size relaxer system that I obtained from a hair show.

The relaxer was very creamy, and I had to be heavy handed to get all the curls saturated with the relaxer.

 I had to work the relaxer with my fingers (body heat), and I also used a comb.  Then I let it sit for another 8 minutes.

Upon neutralizing, conditioning before shampooing, some of my hair sample became undone and washed into the shampoo bowl.  Overall, I love the softness and straightness of the final results of this relaxer system on the remainder of the hair sample that remained in place.  This SmartLye relaxer system is not an aggressive straightener.  Total straighening time including application was probably 12 minutes.

I have no idea if someone with a sensitive scalp will be able to tolerate it, but if their hair is resistant, I do not think that this relaxer is a good fit.  You would have to work it through to get it straightened.

As far as the rinsing out of the relaxer, it did NOT rinse out easily.  I had to really manipulate the hair sample to release the relaxer from around it.  So obviously, there are a lot of conditioners in this relaxer system which like to cling.

Overall, if someone was using this relaxer system for home use, it may be perfect because of the conditioning aspect of it, and it's not overly aggressive, but seems to have to the ability to straighten hair even resistant hair with a little extra "elbow grease."  If you are sensitive scalp and have resistant hair, I would NOT go with this one.

Also, the trial relaxer product that I used to test with was probably over two years old but not expired.  Usually, three years is the standard shelf life for relaxers.

My yarn unit is a success!

Compliments after compliments . . . are constantly coming to me on my yarn unit.  I love it. People are always trying to figure it out - Yarn braids??? No.  There's no long-term attachment.

It's not for everyone, but even a Senior Manager at Soft Sheen Carson talked with me about the unit at the Bronner Brothers hair show.  I will keep you posted on new developments.

Also, I met with a veteran loctician in my local area.  She helped me understand more about locked hair.  She and some of her clients in her salon were amazed at my yarn headpiece as well.  I had a full audience when it was time to put my unit back on at the end of my consultation with her.  I felt really proud.  It was not awkward because my locks are still doing fine and are still growing nicely.  I left her salon armed with few changes for my daily maintenance plan as well as a plan to have two different locking methods performed.  Twisting in the front and interlocking in the back.  I will keep you posted when I make that transition.

But who said "long hair" isn't sexy?   They were wrong! LOL! Even "long haired yarn" can bring sexy back!

Wave Nouveau Coiffure Remix Rings

Do these retexturizing rods look familiar?  If you remember my previous article about Mizani Lacers, then they are the same thing.  I found these at the 2013 mid-Winter Bronner Brothers International Hair show.

The Wave Nouveau Coiffure Remix Rings come in at least three different colors.  Each package is 24 count, but the price points are about half of the Mizani Lacers price.   The two other colors that are not pictured represent size medium and size small rings.  The green ones pictured are labelled "large."

Soft Sheen Carson is the brand.  Mizani and Soft Sheen Carson are all under the L'Oreal umbrella as their parent company.

What about the Wave Nouveau?

As you may guess, there are a lot of people transitioning out of chemicals and transitioning into chemicals. So what about the Wave Nouveau by Soft Sheen Carson? It is a "thio" soft curl procedure that is not compatible with relaxer services. One would have to choose between one or the other. So if you have virgin hair, then you could 1) lock it 2) relax it 3) "soft curl" process it or 4) continue the natural journey.

I decided to revisit the thought of a Wave Nouveau because I remember how beautiful another friend-girl hair was with the Wave Nouveau. It was long, wavy, and thick looking. I called her up to talk to her about when she used to have the Wave Nouveau, and I realized that her curl pattern is looser than mine. She is wearing her hair natural now and loves the low maintenance of it.

I even went to our local beauty supply store (Sally's Beauty Supply) and checked out the Wave Nouveau line. It had the typical 3 piece "soft curl" components: 1) thio relaxer 2) processing lotion and 3) neutralizing lotion. All the "soft curls" name their components different names such as "shape release" or "re-arranger."

I read reviews on the Wave Nouveau product. I think that for the kinkier hair people; the "shape releaser" may cause scalp sensitivity and may take longer to soften coarser hair. Therefore by the time you complete the whole Wave Nouveau process, kinkier hair will have processed much longer than someone with a type 3 curl pattern. So type 4 curl patterns may find their hair to be prone to dryness, frizz, and tangling.

Oh well, scratch that option for type 4 overcurly hair! It was just a thought . . .

Product Corner: Optimum Smart Lye Relaxer

Johnny Wright introduced the new Soft Sheen Carson Keratin Whipped Creme Relaxer at the August 2011 Bronner Brothers Hair Show. They gave us sample sizes to try out. Anyone interested? Call me!
Celebrity hairstylist Johnny Wright says that Michelle Obama did well with this relaxer. The hair still felt strong after the relaxer. The model on stage had received this new "Smart Lye" relaxer as well. It has a patent pending formula. I have searched on the Internet for more information on "Smart Lye" but I keep seeing the exact same wording. 25% less sodium hydroxide. I have no idea what is supplementing this relaxer formula. I am a little skeptical of it. I did not see the ideal shine in the model's hair. It looked "mousy gray." Also, her hair texture looked like the typical Type 3 curl pattern that facilitators usually use to demonstrate their relaxers. When will they start using Type 4 curl patterns as models? Type 4 curl patterns are what "real Black hairstylists" have to deal with in the "real World."

Interesting enough, the new Keratin Whipped Creme relaxer comes in a "cool pouch" instead of a plastic tub. In my opinion, "Smart Lye" means be smart about choosing your relaxer.

August 2011 Hair Show: Johnny Wright

I just came back from the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show full of new tricks!

The Soft Sheen Carson presentation was lead by Celebrity Hair Artist Johnny Wright. He is most known as First Lady Michelle Obama's hair stylist. He introduced Housewives of Atlanta reality tv show star Cynthia Bailey. Photography by Benita Blocker.

He showed us how to do Michelle Obama's updo as well as his celebrity toolkit for editorial photo shoots. Guess what was in his toolkit? Two different partial wigs in two different colors. They were "clip-in" units. I had to laugh because if you don't have time to start with a shampoo service on a model . . . it is better to commercially integrate a hairpiece to make the model look voluminous!

This is the first of a series of articles surrounding this hair show. So stay tuned for feather extensions, new Geodesic cutting, Soft Sheen Carson's new smart lye relaxer system and more!