Things You'll Need:
- Gloves (usually incl in kit)
- Shampoo (usually incl in kit)
- timer
- comb
- large bath towel
- petroleum jelly
- condition (usually incl in kit)
- hair brush
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Step 1
*If you have purchased a full kit (includes petroleum jelly, gloves, shampoo, conditioner, and mixing stick, take everything out of the box and arrange it in the order that you will need it. If you didn't buy a full kit, make sure you have all of these items before you begin*
Make sure to have all of your supplies with you and available before getting started. You must adhere to time frames given for relaxer because if you don't ... you'll end up with a chemical burn or even bald! -
Step 2
Start with rubbing petroleum jelly around the edges of the hair from front to back. Be sure to rub some on your ears as well. The purpose of the petroleum jelly is to prevent skin burns if the relaxer were to touch your skin and stay there for an extended amount of time. Do not rub it in your hair, just around the edges all around.
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Step 3
Part the hair into four sections and rub petroleum jelly in the scalp. Once again, avoid putting the jelly directly on the hair as much as possible.
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Step 4
Mix the relaxer with the activator that was included in the kit (Most relaxers to be used at home already contain this product). Stir the mixture well, avoid splashing too much as activator will take a moment to mix with the relaxer. The relaxer will be a creamy texture when completely mixed. Be sure to check the time given on the relaxer box or jar to avoid overprocessing. There are different time frames depending on how coarse the hair is. SET YOUR TIMER. You will want to work within this time frame at a steady pace to avoid one area of the hair being more relaxed than another. This happens very easily so watch how long you are taking overall.
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Step 5
Preferably, smooth relaxer around the outer-sides of the hair and behind the ears before starting on the sections. This is best because if for any reason the hair is not as smooth as you'd like when you are finished, your edges will hide the inconsistencies well. After relaxing the edges, begin in the back and take each section and gently part into mini-sections (does not have to be a straight part ... just enough to relax in between) and smooth the relaxer on the hair. Do not put too much relaxer on early to ensure that you have enough for your entire head, you can always add more once you are finished with the entire head of hair. Use your best judgement on how much is enough to coat the sections. Once you are done with the back of the head, follow the same steps at the top. Again, do not overuse relaxer in small spots. You will find that sometimes you have just enough for one use.
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Step 6
After the entire scalp is done smooth all of the hair together as if you were putting your hair into a ponytail. Do not be too rough on your scalp because it will be very sensitive. Avoid scratching the scalp at all times because the relaxer will irritate any tears in the skin. You should still have time remaining. Do not do anything else to the hair at this time, let the relaxer finish working until it is time to rinse. If for any reason before your time is up, your scalp begins to burn, remove the relaxer from that area. If the entire head begins to burn, quickly wash the relaxer out of the hair.
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Step 7
When washing the relaxer out of the hair, be sure to avoid scratching the scalp to avoid irritation. Use the shampoo that was included in the kit, or a shampoo that is specifically for washing out relaxer. This type of shampoo stops the chemical process and will cool your scalp if it is irritated. Most shampoos will turn pink to let you know that there is still relaxer on the hair, keep washing your hair until the shampoo no longer has pink in it. After washing with the shampoo, follow up with the conditioner that was included in the kit, or a conditioner of your choice. From here, you can dry and style your hair however you'd like and you are done!
