Table of Content
Over-processing may result in unsightly breakage. You’ll be working with dangerous chemicals that can harm your skin and possibly damage your clothes. Get a hairdresser’s cape and plastic gloves and put them on before handling the relaxer to prevent any harm or damage. Read the directions on your relaxer kit thoroughly and make sure you understand everything. While relaxing your hair is relatively simple, it can also be dangerous.

Don’t worry about applying the solution over the entire rod. Gravity will pull the solution downward toward the bottom of the rod. Perm solution comes in a plastic squeeze bottle. While you can snip the tip off, it is better to pierce it with a pin, like a thumb tack or a push pin. This will give you better control over the product. Choose a side to start with, and unravel the run.
Do a Strand Test
Relaxing your own roots is notoriously difficult to get right and can be damaging to the hair. And how I should make the decision of a home or salon perm." Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,707,797 times. A perm will start to loosen after about 2-3 months and should be retouched to maintain the style. Don't use products containing silicones and alcohol. Silicones will lead to build-up, while alcohol will make it turn dry.
Hair kind is best ascertained when you clean up your hair with a gentle clarifying shampoo. After washing your hair, let it naturally air dry because drying out your hair with a blow dryer temporarily changes its curl pattern. In addition, don’t wash your hair with a towel because doing so could make your hair frizzy and make it harder to determine your true hair type. Grind a cucumber or two into a fine paste, and apply a thick layer on your hair.
Massaging Your Scalp
There are many benefits to relaxing your hair at home, including cost savings and the convenience of not having to make an appointment at a salon. Take a look at the steps outlined below, then you can decide whether or not a home-relaxer is for you. Wrap a cotton strip around your hairline, tucking it under the rods. This is very important, as you’ll need some sort of barrier between your skin and the perm solution.
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.
How to Relax Your Hair in 8 Easy Steps
You can gently comb your hair with your fingers or a wide-toothed comb, but you’ll have to wait 1 week before you brush it. More importantly, leave your hair as-is for the duration of the week. This means no curling, straightening, ponytails, braids, etc. Split your hair into 3 sections, with a middle and 2 sides. Use the handle of a rat-tail comb to create 2 side parts, 1 on each side of your forehead.
Be certain you use it correctly over the entire length of hair loss. Take a hot towel and wrap it around your nose. If you're like me, once I had the perm on my head, I was ready to rinse it out. I've noticed that many people only tell you to base your edges and your ears. If you’ve never applied relaxer before, you’ll be coating all of your hair. If you have, then you should only be applying it to your roots.
Aloe gel is great for oily and curly hair, as it removes excess oil, makes hair luscious, silky and smooth. It works as a great natural hair relaxer which smoothens curls naturally. Aloe Vera has also been shown to remove impurities from hair, leaving it squeaky clean. Extra virgin olive oil is a good choice for adding moisture to your hair. Let it sit overnight, then wash it out with a clarifying shampoo.

Once you’re done conditioning, it’s time to break out the neutralizing shampoo. Once you’re happy with the relaxer’s coverage, double-check the directions and set a timer based on the manufacturer’s specifications. A rattail comb will be your best friend for this step.
Purchase a strip of cotton batting from an online or local beauty supply store, then wrap it around your hairline, tucking it under the edges of the rods. Before employing a relaxer, consider coating the ends of your previously relaxed hair using some conditioner. This is a great precaution to help avoid over processing of previously relaxed hair loss. It can be readily found in the supermarket and also be utilized for hair relaxing purpose. Put on the cocoa butter straight in your hair. Be certain that you apply a thick coating of it.

Much of the conversation surrounding black hair in recent years has been about caring for and styling natural hair, and for good reason. The directions that come in a relaxer kit are there for a reason. Although it's a simple process, it can still be dangerous, so take the time to peruse the instructions to avoid serious damage. Also, pay attention to the recommended processing time, and avoid the temptation to leave the relaxer on past it.
Always consult a professional hair stylist if this happens to you. This may feel gross, but it is very important. Curly hair doesn’t need to be washed as often, for starters. Also, if you wash your hair too soon, you’ll undo all of your hair work; the curls will come out. Just because relaxer kits are inexpensive and readily available, you should still use caution when using them. Chemical abuse is real and the effects can be permanent.
Perms use chemicals to permanently alter the structure of your hair. If used repeatedly they can cause damage, especially if combined with other chemical treatments like hair color. Anytime you get a relaxer, you should use a base such as Vaseline. I’ve noticed that many people only tell you to base your edges and your ears. When relaxing my hair, I based my edges, my ears and my scalp. Basing the scalp definitely helped stop the burning.