If you are ready to come out of the relaxer or the thio based body wave (Wave Nouveau, etc), then Avlon's Texture Release system may be perfect for you!
In my opinion, it is a "cousin" to the "Diva Smooth" process (separate blog article) and healthier than those keratin smoothing treatments.
It is a temporary curl elongation. It is a hair filler that is heat activated and offers you wash n`go styling or just frizz-free straightness for up to about 10 weeks depending on the hair type. My salon (Applebaum Salon) now offers this service. The pictures in this article are from my training class.
Avlon's Texture Release system is a Nano Technology. There is NO formaldehyde NOR any type of aldehyde deriative. There are no fumes as you flat iron. It has NOT been tested on children. So this system like any other hair chemical is for those past puberty.
The two models have been shampooed and dried. Their hair texture is VERY SOFT. Their curl pattern is a Type 4, but they do NOT have resistant hair.
Color correction or any color services should be done a week after this Texture Release service to avoid fading your color or removing the color. The lotion should not be applied to the scalp but if the scalp comes in contact with the product then it is not life threatening.
The blow dry service is what starts the activation of this system. The client has to be blown dry first then they can be re-wet for a wash and go styling or "hot ironed" for straighter results.
When re-wetting the blown dry hair, allow the curl memory to come back. It may take a little longer to curl up, but it will start to wave in about five or 10 minutes.
There is a Curl, Shape and Shine Cream for "wash and go" styling which was used section by section to crunch this model for final styling.
The other longer haired model at the beginning of this article was flat ironed at 400 degrees with 2 to 3 passes of the flat iron.
I am really excited about this product. It is double the price of the relaxer service, but it qualifies as a healthier version of the smoothing treatments on the market.
I will try to post more feedback from my own clients as I get more people on the system.
\
For this Invisible braid styling, I used Janet New Yaky Straight Hair. You must leave some your relaxed/texturized hairline out. A hairstylist such as myself will have to perform the haircut. Braiders just put the hair in.
You can see the braids at the roots. Your hair gets blended in! I do suggest that you get your hair shampooed, treated/conditioned, blow-dried, and flat ironed/straightened before getting any invisible braid service. Why? When your hair is not flat ironed/straightened, it looks thicker and is essentially less condensed. The braider seems to pickup less of your hair as she is braiding and more of the extension hair. The extra weight of the extension hair on the less condensed strands of your own individual hair can cause breakage. You will be able to feel the heaviness from day one. If it is heavy from the first day, then you need to get them removed within a month. That seems like a expensive hairdo right? Yes. So I strongly suggest straightening your hair first to condense the strands so that more of your hair is in each individual plait. The hair should not feel heavy if less of the extension hair is attached to your own hair.
For this invisible braid styling, I used Boyhme Remi 20 inch Natural Wave hair (around $100 per pack) on top and front. I used Enstyle French Refined Wet and Wavy in the back. Yes. I was trying to save some money . .
My hair is not fully relaxed; I keep it texturized because I want to maintain the strength of the hair. The braiding process can be stressful to already weak hair. Invisible braids is not suggested for completely natural hair either. Because your hair is partly loose and mixed in . . . you do not want to have different textures showing up within your hair style. You can see the braids at the roots. I still recommend flat ironing/straightening the hair first before getting "wet and wavy" hair extensions as well. You may be asking why straighten hair if you are planning to re-wet it anyway? Again, you want more of your "condensed" hair to go into each individual braid in order to support the weight of the hair extensions. Once you wet the style, your straight hair will definitely blend in. Invisible braids are great to allow the hairline to rest. Just twist set the front hairline into the wet and wavy hair; then just watch it grow. You can keep it moisturized and oiled with VO5 conditioning hairdress and Carefree Curl instant Moisturizer. (See my separate article on "containing curly hair") These simple "old school" products seem to not weigh the hair down and seem to nourish the hair while sporting the braided extension style.
The invisible braids look like strand to strand, but there is no adhesive nor glue involved. My braider that I use charges around $150 Labor only and takes about six hours on average. I have to cut and thin out the final hairstyle for my individual, personalized look.
