Relaxer Tips and Talk

For those who are not ready to go natural, here's some helpful relaxer tips and talk:

1) For those who have long length, make sure that the relaxer residue gets shampooed out of the ends as well as the roots.  Many times, I have focussed mainly on making sure the roots are free of relaxer residue.  I am thinking that since I only put the relaxer application at the new growth at the roots, I should not need to focus on the ends of the hair.  However, to the contrary, we do need to focus on the ends because they are getting hit with all the runoff water from the relaxer.  Those long ends will also soak up the relaxer water in the shampoo bowl as we thoroughly rinse, rinse, rinse.  Just make sure that you work neutralizing shampoo vigorously through the hair ends with each lathering; otherwise, if relaxer get trapped in the hair ends, then it will begin "creeping oxidation."  The client will experience split ends, frizziness, breakage, and some hardness in the ends.  How to correct this?  At home, client can use a lot of moisturizer to keep the pH from elevating until  she can make it into the salon for a deep cleansing shampoo in order to clarify the residue out of the ends.  After clarifying the ends, then another neutralizing shampoo lather can be used through the ends for pH balancing.

2)  Keep some NuExpressions Super 10 in 1 Conditioner on hand.  I believe it is the only conditioner on the market with a color indicator in it to identify relaxer residue and begin to neutralize it.  At the nape, sometimes I am uncertain if I see suds or diluted residue, I spread some of this 10 in 1 in that area, and if it turns HOT pink, then I need to rinse and shampoo again. So at any time, you question anything potentially relaxer related, just squirt the NuExpressions 10 in 1 and the truth will be revealed.  Clear or White means that no relaxer is present.  Again, Pink means relaxer is present.  Many neutralizing shampoos have color indicators which is good, but what if you have white lather after testing an area - with the conditioner you can leave it on and add their main conditioner to the rest of the head without having to worry about rinsing shampoo out.  The 10 in 1 conditioner saves time when everything is all clear.

3) Breakage points are at every turn in your natural curl pattern.  The less natural curl that you have, then the less break points and the least amount of relaxer penetration points.  The more curl to the hair, then the more breakage points to be concerned about.  In addition, even after the relaxer seeks out all the di-sulfide bonds and smooths them out, as one of my clients pointed out, the breakage points are hidden because they are relaxed straight, but they are still there.  This particular client never cuts her hair.  Two years without a haircut so far, but with swimming and her active lifestyle, her length seems to just maintain a medium below shoulder length.  She still gets relaxer touch-ups every three months, but she realizes that it seems that her length stays close to stagnant.  Actually, this reminds me that I need to ask her to come in for a protein treatment a week before her relaxer service.  I only would see her when she calls for her chemical appointment.  I need to push to get more people either doing their own protein treatment at home every couple of months or they should come into the salon for the treatment. The protein treatments will reinforce the integrity of the strands to prepare them for a chemical service.

MicroLocks: My 13 Month Check-in

I am past my 13th month now.  I decided to call my former Sisterlocks . . . Microlocks.  I have found that by week 6, my roots start looking unruly and apparently, by other's facial expressions, past due for re-twisting.  Luckily, that means about an inch in new length for my micro-locks every six weeks.  My locks in the back of my head have gained enough length that I can now "whip it" around.  Can we say movement?  LOL!

 I have also received comments/questions wondering if I have extensions attached to my hair.  Nope - It's all just my hair!  No tools.  Just raw honey, jojoba oil, and my finger twisting.  No conditioning either.  Conditioners are mainly for damaged hair, but I did try an apple cider vinegar rinse.  Note for the future: vinegar burns when it runs into your eye, but no lost of eyesight so far. Smile.

I decided on the vinegar after reading one of my old blog posts reciting a regimen that another women recommended.  My blog is a great reference for me as well.

In this picture, I started re-twisting my front locks versus starting in the back which is how I have done in the past.  Since my front locks are smaller and more tedious, I decided to start with them for re-tightening.  I am happy that I did.  I was able to get my retightening session down to 3.5 hours using the honey versus the 5 hours the last go around. Yes!

You probably noticed that my front locks look more scalpy than my back.  I definitely encourage anyone who feels too scalpy, to allow their locks to get a little past due and ask the technician to not overtighten.

I am still a little sticky from the honey, but I really feel that the healing properties of the honey outweigh its messiness.

Also, as far as maintenance goes, another regimen that someone shared with them is tightening every 2 weeks.  One 2 week period is self tightening, and the other 2 week period is tightened by the loctician.  Of course, she had larger locks than mine, but they were not huge.  I assume 1 hour to 1.5 hours self-retightening.  I too am about ready for a loctician.  I am feeling a bit lazy, and I know my lock behavior now enough to instruct the loctician not to double up the locks.

Well, I am six months Sisterlocks free.  I am happy that only 25% of my head has the small Sisterlocks in it.  I have repeatedly heard stories of the really small Sisterlocks shedding or breaking.  Knowing now that the normal shedding hair drops down into the locks to form a dreadlock, extremely small locks could become weak from the weight of the shedded hair.  Even my size locks require keeping the new growth connected to the lock to support the lock's weight and updo styling.  The less stress on the locks, the less thinning. Head bands cause stress if worn for more than a couple of days.  I am learning as I have tried some tricks to hide my new growth until I had time to retighten.

Well, more and more clients are seeing how my locks will continue to lay as they get longer.  More people are excited about the idea of locks.  Thank God that I am a year ahead now.  By next year, this timeframe, I should really be on cloud 9.  Until next month's check-in . . .

Figure Eight Hair Lacer Set on Relaxed Hair

 Hair by Benita Blocker.  This is  a figure eight (8) Lacer Set on Relaxed Hair.  We just completed the VitalePro High Comfort Relaxer.

I used Nairobi Setting Lotion and Foam for the setting agent.  I used mini-bobby pins and end papers to hold the hair around the hair lacer loops.

I placed the lacers in a brick lay pattern in order to finger through them and hide all the partings.  I finger teased the front hair at the roots to give the client a bob look.

Those with locs can also achieve this pattern.  It looks like a zig zag when unwrapped from the lacers.

Hair can also be elongated into a wave pattern by blow drying and finger stretching the zig zag set.

Hair by Benita Blocker.

Haircuts: Bold and Beautiful

I pulled this page from one of my Modern Salon hair professional magazines.  It caught my attention because this haircut is both bold and beautiful depending on whose side you are on.  The shaved panel which ends around the ear area on the one side also brings attention to her arm tattoo.

I also think the conservative side looks great without any highlighting or color change.  I love the dress.  This look is not for everyone, but there has been a trend lately for a shaven panel amongst artists.

Identifying Expired Bonding Glue

Upon removing the seal from a new bottle of bonding glue, I noticed the glue inside to be thick and slightly clumpy.  It was hard to spread.  It seemed to still have some adhesive ability, but the adhesive hold was not to full capacity.   You will not be able to determine the product's freshness until you open it and squeeze it out.  I suggest having extra bottles purchased at different times on hand for any hair bonding services.

Non-expired bonding glue should be more liquid and easy to spread around with the tip of the applicator.