2018 - Hair Relaxers Still Work!

Hair by Benita Blocker

My client has been relaxed for years.  Roller sets keep it healthy.

Hair by Benita Blocker

My client has been relaxed for years.  Purple Flexi- rod sets keep it healthy.

Hair by Benita Blocker

My client has been relaxed for years.  Flat Wrap keeps it healthy.

Many women continued with their relaxer services in spite of the natural hair movement.  The key was staying away from the hot irons and flat irons.  So if you are natural, then those hot irons and flat irons can eventually lead to breakage and shedding.  The key is less heat with or without the chemical.  It is that simple.

Wet Set Experiment: Perm Rod versus Rollers

Pictured from left to right:  red Magnetic roller, red Hard Mesh roller,  pink Perm Rod.  I used pics to secure the mesh roller in place as well as to prevent the perm rod from flipping over.  All three rollers/rods are the same size barrel diameter.

Looking closer at the perm rod, doesn't it look solid and heavy? 

Well, to my surprise, it is not!  It is light in weight and hollow.  Wow!  I did not see that coming!

Well, it gave me another idea.  Why not drop some hair down the barrel and see what type of curl forms?  I used a multi-purpose clip to suspend the large perm rod vertically.  That proves that the rod is lightweight.

 The results were interesting and cute.  I used the Vitale Pro 3 in 1 Design Lotion for the vertical perm rod set.

 I poured this Design Lotion into a spray bottle to dispense it on the hair for the vertical curl.  It delivers a firm hold.

 As for the perm rod versus rollers, I found that the harder and the thicker the plastic, the firmer the set regardless of the setting lotion.  I actually used the NEW! Lotta body Olive oil "ready to use" setting lotion for the three top rod and rollers.

It delivers a softer set than the original Lottabody "Ready to Use" formula. The drying time is all about the same.  I had to dry the mannequin head in an awkward position, so I can not confirm that all three rods and rollers got the same consistent dryer heat.  I will update the drying time information in the future as I experiment with the large perm rods more.

But  without a doubt, the cheaper and the thinner the plastic of the roller, the less firm the set will be.  So I do trust the Diane brand for rods and rollers.

Hair Lacers set on Relaxed hair

 My client has relaxed hair that reaches about bra strap length.  She is on the Paul Mitchell relaxer system about every 3 months.  She wanted a spiral look.  I decided to offer her the hair lacers set because the flexi-rods are too bulky.  I can wrap the hair around the lacers, and bobby pin the ends onto the lacers.  The hair lacers fit nicely under the platform dryer as well. I also used a lot of setting lotion and foam to coat her hair to protect against the spongy material of the lacers.  I did not see any more strands of hair than what the flexi-rods collect so the lacers seem to be safe for all hair types.  Dreadlocks, natural hair, or relaxed hair are all welcomed.

With the high humidity that we have been having, my client decided to leave the spiral curls in tact to pull apart later in the week.  Removal of the hair lacers once the hair is dry is easier when implementing the technique that I was taught in my Mizani natural hair class last month.  Hair by Benita Blocker.

April 2015 Update:  My same client repeated this look again and allowed me to pull them apart.  Here's the finished look using Nairobi Foam to wet set it.

Hair by Benita Blocker

My client keeps her hair layered.