Hair Journey CONFESSION #1

The bad news is the summer is whisking away rather rapidly.

The good news is I'm alive and in good health.

The hair news is I'm in a protective style. I am wearing wig cap. It's my go-to when I don't want to be bothered with my hair. The difference with wearing them now is I take much better care of my hair, than when I wore them before my hair journey (HJ).

Confession #1 - I started this blog with the idea to grow out my short cut and my relaxer at the same damn time (shout to 2Chainz!). Well, yeah um, what had happened wuz.....I got frustrated with the two textures and did not know how to control it, so I texturized my hair. I experienced some breakage during the process and that's when I said something has got to give. My stylist suggested a texturizer. At first I was like, "wait does that mean I'm going to have a like a jheri curl type look?" Hey I'm an 80's baby so that's my definition of a texturizer, but she broke it down for me and said a relaxer straightens the curl pattern and a texturizer softens the curl pattern. She was the one to convince me to give up perming but she also convinced me that texlaxing will be helpful with transitioning out, since I was struggling with the growing out phase a lot. So, the ultimate goal of going natural is still very much there, BUT I'm going to wean my way out of the transitioning phase by texlaxing.

Although, a texturizer can make your hair bone straight like a relaxer if you let it sit long enough, however, the applying time is way shorter than a relaxer so the results will not be bone straight. In the hair world, its called texlaxing. You can achieve a texlax by using a no-lye or lye regular relaxer by cutting your applying time in half OR you can achieve a texlax by using a texturizer.

The actual definition of texlaxing is the process of purposefully under processing one’s hair in order to loosen the texture of the hair without completely straightening it. This method is less damaging and leaves the hair thicker than a relaxer.

Texturizing is still a chemical process, but I must admit I like it waaaaaay better than relaxing, for my hair at least. The texturizer my stylist used is Linange Shea Butter Texturizer. She mixed it with a little conditioner and an oil.

Here's why I love my texlaxed hair:
1. The chemical does not stay in my hair that long literally under 5 mins. How my stylist applies it is she parts in four sections BUT she is working on each section separately. For instance, you know when you are relaxing and your hair is parted in four sections and you work on section by section but you rinse out the relaxer when all four sections are completed. Well, my stylist applies to one section and then rinses out that section and on to the next one. I love how she does it. Less prone to overprocessing, it's easier on my tresses and my hair is not bone straight. Luvs it!

2. I love having a bit of a texture. My hair looks fuller because it is not bone straight the texture adds some fullness and body to my hair.

3. Healthier tresses. yes yes texlaxing is a chemical process but a less-stressing applying process. When I would get relaxers I would do this over dramatic fake my-scalp-is-burning act with fanning my hands and tapping my feet and all, in order for the stylist not to relax to bone straight. Ask me why I went through all that trouble to put that act on because it was the only way the stylist would get it out of my head. Now, I have a totally new stylist who understands my tresses and the importance of the chemical process so that act I have retired.

Are you texlaxed?