Lye Self-Relaxer, Finally!

      Okay okay okay I have coarse hair. The first step is admitting it. Last touch-up, barely did anything to my hair. I decided this time to use a lye relaxer because I hate the way no-lye ORS made my hair feel. I used Silk Elements lye relaxer in the brown jar. I didn't add anything to it. I based my scalp with Vaseline and grape-seed oil. Coated my strands with Garnier Fructice Fight the Fall and grape-seed oil. Dividing my hair in sections while detangling the roots took forever and a half. I think I was basing and detangling for two hours.

       Okay so the jar says 15-18 for normal hair and 15-22 for coarse hair. I did a test strand for the first time in my whole hair journey. However I became impatient and washed the relaxer out after 10 minutes. 

Smoothed it a lot, rinsed it out and it wasn't really relaxed. So I decided to work for the 15-18 minute slot.

       I have a huge fear of bone straight hair (laughing out loud). And the thought of overprocessing, oh heck no! So it took me ten minutes to apply to the back of my hair ( I should have done the front first, to learn how the back would take). After the 10 minutes, I went back to the beginning and applied more Silk Elements to the roots and the old underprocessed hair. Smoothed and smoothed and smoothed for 7-8 minutes. Rinsed it out, Agebeautiful Strengthening Treatment for my mid-protein, neutralized 3 times once for over five minutes. Rinsing the relaxer out, I could still feel mucho texture...sigh. Took a break before I finished the other half of my hair.

       Applied the relaxer for 11 minutes, went back smoothed and smoothed for 8 minutes. The front of my hair takes to relaxers much better than the crown and back so I was a little concerned that I left the front on too long. Did the same rinsing pattern as earlier. Deep conditioned with KeraPro and ORS for 45 minutes. 

Forgot to tea rinse and I totally think I needed it. I feel as if I experience more shedding during touch ups. 

       Okay I scratch my head. I do. Nothing crazy, if it itches I scratch it (nothing chronic). I know there's no scratching before a touch-up, I could never follow that rule. That being said I did base really well but I still felt some burning in certain places. I could of based my neck better, lesson learned. 

       Man I never smoothed so much in my life. I have to make some changes now that I can admit my hair is crazy coarse. I always knew it was thick but gee wiz. I did the best smoothing, it's just my hair needed more processing time. I'd hate to go over 22 minutes. Sigh I don't know. 

Lol that back of my hair is so resistant. 

My hair looks red huh?

 Never in my life have my ends looked so bad and uneven.
I want to cut my ends to my armpit.
Flat ironed 3 days after the touch-up.

This is the texture I want all around, but the back has a
mind of its own. 

I planned on cutting my hair months ago. Like a serious cut. I want to start fresh. The healthiest part of my hair is almost 4-5 inches longer than the crappiest part. The crappy part (crown and back) is so unhealthy. I know it's debatable, cutting all over or just the unhealthy part. I hate thin looking ends like nothing other. So I have my scissor in tow... 

Love&peace 

Aku