Did you know...?
If one in five people switched from liquid to solid shampoo, about 22 million plastic bottles would be saved from the landfill. (Source: Lush)
Anyway, it just occurred to me that having a relaxer doesn't really fall into my mission to be more natural. I mean, why would someone in search of natural hair care products willingly get their hair chemically processed every two months? And will using natural products in between salon visits really account for anything?
I know what you're thinking...why not just go natural, right? I've "gone natural" twice in my life (once in 2003 and again in 2006), and I don't think the third time will be the charm. When I had natural hair, it was cute in the beginning, but then I didn't know what to do with, and I couldn't afford to have someone else take care of my natural locks. Thinking back, it actually seems more time consuming to have natural hair, and time is something I simply don't have as a busy single mom.
My hair throughout the years (Spring 2004, Jan. 2007, Jan. 2010)
Having relaxed hair definitely fits my lifestyle better, and I enjoy how I look and feel more confident with longer, straight hair. (Spare me the social commentary, please. It is what it is.)
I suppose my dilemma is more about the scientific side of hair care. Will using natural hair care products be beneficial for my hair while I continue to get relaxers? Are there relaxers or relaxer-type products on the market made from natural ingredients? What are the best natural hair care options for Black hair, especially relaxed hair?
Please leave your thoughts and suggestions! I'm sure your comments will be helpful to many Black women out there!
I'm currently natural myself, haven't used relaxer for well over a year and a half. I had my hair cut super short right after that. It's hard to maintain it, simply because I'm really lazy about it. I just don't want to put in a lot of time and effort, so I either wear braids or I have my drive-by stylist come to my home and wash, deep condition, and flat iron me out every 2 weeks (she's not licensed but she does hair like a dream and it only takes her an hour or so and she costs me a mere $30). I'm tempted to go back to relaxer's with the summer right around the corner and pool season looming, simply because I like my hair straight or relaxed curly with the wet set look.
ReplyDeleteI used to use Oraganic Root Stimulator Olive Oil no-lye relaxer. It was by far the relaxer that made my hair silky, smooth, didn't dry out my hair and it came in a mild-sensitive scalp formula. Really, I think most people don't realize that a relaxer is NOT FOR STRAIGHTENING the hair...it's for breaking the disulfide bonds within your hair follicles that make your natural curls looser. It's not meant to get your hair bone straight; a flat iron or pressing comb (or if your hair is not too thick a good bristled brush with a blow dryer) is the best way to do that. Anything not used in moderation can be damaging, the same is probably true for relaxing the hair, applying heat to the hair, coloring the hair, etc.
I would think that since the hair is chemically treated, unless natural products were specifically created with that type of hair in mind, the benefits of using such things would be diluted. It's kind of like using oil-based make-up on a person who has either combination skin or oily skin. One might not make much of a difference and you may find some minor benefits or none at all, while the other may make it worse.
Great points, Dems! Now I'm not sure what to do...I really want to use natural products, but I'm not willing to give up my relaxer. I also don't have the money to get my hair pressed every two weeks for $35 (which is what my hairdreser charges), and I know I wouldn't be able to do it myself.
ReplyDeleteBut you are right when you say the benefits of natural products could be diluted on chemically-treated hair. Oh, what to do, what to do...
What about the BodipHier hair relaxer and the product line to go along with it? It's supposed to be a natural product. If the reviews are from real people, then it may actually work fairly well if you're willing to do a minor bit of flat ironing or blow drying, or you like the wet-set/texturized look that I tend to prefer (I'm a wash and go type person). Take a look at the FAQ page to see a list of ingredients, it says it's supposed to get virgin or coarse hair 85% straight, normal hair 90% straight.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.freshlookhair.com/