What is Difference Between Relaxed and Texlaxed Hair?

Texlaxed Hair

 In the comments to my last hair post, some asked what the difference was between relaxed and texlaxed hair. I had read about texlaxing on a few blogs, and seen some videos of people who had texlaxed their hair, but I still had to ask my stylist exactly what she meant when she brought it up as an option.

Basically, she said, it was the same as relaxing, you use the same chemicals to straighten the texture of the hair. However, in texlaxing,

1. the relaxer is diluted with natural oils and conditioners,
2. it is applied strand by strand like usual, but kind of combed into the hair
3. it is not allowed to stay on long enough to completely stretch out the hair.

The result is that some of your hair is texturized, some of it is relaxed, some may even remain completely unstraightened depending on the texture of your natural hair. Below is what my hair looks like after I shampooed off the flat-ironing. I'll be sharing more posts of how I try to keep my hair healthy as time goes on.

The Hair Wars - Team Natural or Team Relaxed

So I made a huge decision about my hair recently. I've never been a natural hair nazi, but I did have an aha moment about natural hair that made me keep mine for so long. I don't know if I've said it before but when I first cut my hair, it was because of a hair accident, and the plan was to switch back to relaxed as it grew. After about 6 months, I texturized it as a first step. It still had curls but not as tight as usual.

While in that state, we went to see my brother in law and his family. His two years old daughter who had natural hair was so excited to see my hair, and followed me around everywhere, and each time I carried her, her hands went to my hair, touching it and then hers, or just rubbing it in a soothing way.

It was such an eye-opener for me on how having an adult woman with natural hair around them would definitely affect a young girl, and how they viewed themselves, and their hair. That was also the time around when we had just started trying to concieve and I was like, if I'm going to have a daughter who will come into this world with tight curls on her head, then mine had to be the same way. When we got back from the trip, I gradually trimmed my hair till the texturized part was gone.

Natural Indian or Peruvian Hair Extensions Vs Synthetic?

Before I go on, let me state categorically that I do NOT believe in possessed hair extensions, natural or synthetic. Even before natural Indian hair extensions became popular in the Nigerian market, such stories as the one below have always made the rounds in Christian and secular circles. I guess they are meant to discourage those who some pastor or spiritual types think want to look "better than God made them". It may also be a way of staking authority over women's bodies, minds and actions.

A contact on Facebook tagged me in the above ad for their hair extension business, and before long, they had to qualify it with this quote. - "Mide's Mane is not Brazilian/Indian/Peruvian. It is luxury virgin hair designed specifically under the brand name." I'm guessing they got some questions and negative comments on their initial pictures. If you haven't heard or read about how this distinction between natural and synthetic extensions might be necessary, and why synthetic may be preferable, read Rachel Edjeren's story.

I think it's good that Rachel followed her spirit, but trying to cause mass hysteria, or foisting her fears and insecurities on others is another thing altogether. I wear my hair unrelaxed but that does not rule out using extensions, and even then, I will not try to use my own justifications for cutting my hair to shoe horn or scare other women into doing the same.

What do you guys think?

Finding Styles for Mid-Length Natural Hair

Before I did the big chop to my hair, there was no transition, or any epiphany or decision to go natural. I consider myself lucky with regards to my hair, which I think I get from my mum, who has long and abundant healthy hair even now in her sixties. My hair is usually full and dark, the edges don't fall off easily, and it can grow.

As some of you have experienced yourselves, or may have guessed, it has not been easy for me to maintain my hair, and have it growing and healthy at an optimal level. And this is beyond that the hair is relaxed or in it's natural curly state. As a Nigerian who grew up in Nigeria, I am used to handing my hair over to salon stylists, and barely adding enough daily hair cream to get by. I'm now learning how to do it myself.

Let me not lie though, I still go to the salon regularly, maybe like once every couple of months for deep conditioning, a proper comb out, and sometimes to get the hair flat-ironed.

Being Intentional about Maintaining my Hair

As a happy go lucky student in university with more time on my hands and little spare change for salons, I minimized my relaxer touch-ups. I instead invested in some good hair products and dedicated some good hours giving my hair love. My hair thanked me for it, and got almost to my bra strap, and for long after that, I was one of those people who get their egos stroked at the salon by new stylists and when other people gush over the blackness and fullness of my hair.

But I lost that good habit when I got into the adult world, there was less time and more money, and what I thought were good salons. It wasn't long before I found my way back to monthly relaxer schedules and I spent less and less time giving my hair its needed nutrition. Coupled with my share of hair accidents over the years, mostly caused by product misuse - relaxers being the worst culprit- my hair got stuck at shoulder length.

My First Homemade Two-Strand Twists

One way I have learnt to help my hair grow, apart from using hair grow products, is to put it in protective styles. I am one of those people who has a funny habit of picking at my hair, and it is worse when in an afro. My fingers seek out the tangles, multiple and single strand knots, and before I know it, break and pull off the hair. No one has to tell me this doesn't help so I usually put my hair in corn-rows.

But that was getting too repetitive, and my hair has now also become so long and full that breaiding it has become a arm-breaking chore. I had to find another way, and I did. Several blogs mentioned two strand twists and after watching my stylist do it a few times, and seeing some tutorial videos on Youtube, I decided to give it a try.

Two strand twists are surprisingly easy to pull off. After adding cream to two sections of hair, you twist them around each other till you get to the tips. If your hair is as curly as mine, the ends will hug each other and ensure the strands don't spring apart. The pictures are of my homemade twists after some days and I rocked them for a couple more weeks.

Fast Grow Hair Growth Oil - Product Review

Since my big chop, my hair has been growing, but like I mentioned in my hair journey so far, not as fast as I expected it to. And definitely not as fast as I want it to. Some say healthy hair should grow about half an inch every month, if that is the case, then I'm right and though my hair has made good progress, it still has a ways to go.

Around the time I started researching better hair products than the one I had been using was when I was contacted by Sunset Hair to try out some of their Exotic Allure products.

From their website before I accepted to try the products, I found that the Exotic Allure Hair Growth products were specifically formulated to help promote fast, healthy hair growth by reducing hair breakage and shedding. It can be used for both relaxed or natural hair, and can be out on hair when wet and also while dry. For those with dry, flaky, itchy or inflamed Scalp, the oil supposedly helps too. I agreed to do the review and soon received the Fast Hair Grow Oil and Black Hair Vitamin.

My Unrelaxed Hair Journey So Far

From the early days of the Big Chop when I wrote this first post about my haircut back in April of last year.

I had a hair accident in March after I removed some weaves, and this led to the worst hair tangling known to man. The only solution? Cut it all off. Well, I'm comforted knowing my hair grows quickly. With time I'll share more with you guys about the hair journey.

America's Top Model Makeovers and Hair Extensions

The makeover episode of America’s Top Model is always the most dramatic episode of the entire season. Models literally become more upset at the thought of having their hair cut or dyed than when they are actually eliminated. Makeovers are always discussed in the first couple episodes, which include discussions of the worst possible outcomes. When salon day arrives, there is certainly no shortage of tears, complaining, and hurtful gossip over another girl’s misfortune.

Dove Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner

I am usually leery of hair products that are not specifically marked for ethnic or African hair so I almost turned down the opportunity to review the Dove Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner. However, my dove body wash has been making my skin really happy for the past few weeks, so I decided to give the hair conditioner a try. So far, I'm glad I did.