Do You Still Relax Your Hair? - 5 Tips For Relaxing Your Hair At Home

I don’t know about you, but my very first relaxer was done in my kitchen by my mother, who is not a licensed cosmetologist.

I do think that going to a salon and letting a professional relax your hair is the best option, however, if you need a touch-up but don’t have the funds to pay a stylist, you can safely relax your hair at home by following these tips:

1. Have All Supplies Available

Most relaxer home kits tell you which supplies you’ll need, and much of what you need comes right in the box. Take a good look at your supply list and have everything within reach. The time to have an old towel on hand to wipe up any spills is not after the spill happens.

2. Strand Test

This is especially important if this is your first time relaxing your hair or using a new brand of relaxer. It’s even possible to suddenly develop an allergy to a product you’ve used for years, so take the extra few moments and do a strand test before applying a relaxer all over your head.

3. Protect Your Scalp and Skin

Some women burn from a lye relaxer application, but don’t suffer any ill effects from a no-lye product. It’s still a good idea to protect your scalp, hairline, ears and neck from the chemicals. Some box kits contain a petroleum jelly* protectant, while others don’t. If you have a jar of Vaseline handy, dab it on the listed areas, including your scalp parts, to minimize irritation.

4. Small Sections

For the best results, work in small, 1/2-inch to one-inch sections of hair. Big chunks won’t relax evenly, leaving you with a less-than-desirable outcome. Using the tail end of a rattail comb* to separate small partings (be careful not to scratch your scalp doing this) will net you better results.

5. Rinse

Once your processing time is up, you must rinse as much of the relaxer out before using a neutralizing shampoo.

Don’t worry about the water bill because you need to rinse as thoroughly as possible. This will take a minimum of several minutes. The more you rinse away before shampooing, the less chemicals you have to neutralize.

Comment below if you still relax at home and if so what tips did I miss?