How to Put in a Hair Relaxer

Straightening your hair is a simple process and with careful application, you can do it at home. Here’s how to get silky straight hair in under an hour, in your bathroom.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hair relaxer kit
• PH-balancing shampoo (should be in the kit)
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Petroleum jelly

How to Put in a Hair Relaxer

1. Begin with dry hair that has not been recently shampooed. If you just washed it yesterday, you’ll want to wait a few days before applying the relaxer so that you don’t burn that newly exfoliated skin on your scalp.

2. Apply petroleum jelly along the base of your hairline with your fingers. Apply it to just above your forehead, behind your ears and along the nape of your neck to protect that skin from the relaxer.

3. Apply the petroleum jelly to the ends of the hair if you do not want this part relaxed and only want to straighten the roots. Anywhere you apply the petroleum jelly, the relaxer will not be effective.

4. Mix the relaxer as instructed on the package. (Always wear gloves. They should be enclosed with the relaxer).

5. Part the hair in small sections and apply the relaxer generously with your hands to each section of hair, before gently combing it to the side and out of the way as you apply the relaxer to the next section of hair.

6. Leave the relaxer on the hair for the duration instructed in the product's packaging, generally 10 to 20 minutes depending on the grade of your hair.

7. Rinse with warm water and apply a PH-balancing shampoo. It should have come with the relaxer, but even if it didn’t, it is absolutely necessary that you have this. A regular shampoo will not do. Use the PH-balancing shampoo once or twice before applying the conditioner.

8. Deep condition your hair after shampooing by massaging the conditioner into the hair and covering it with a hot, damp towel for 10 minutes. Then rinse again and style your newly straightened hair.

Tips & Warnings

• Move quickly applying the relaxer, because it begins working as soon as it touches the hair, and you don’t want the side you begin on to end up straighter than the side you end on.
• PH-balancing shampoo balances the relaxing chemicals and effectively stops the hair from relaxing. Without it, the chemical will continue to work, and your hair will quickly fall out, usually within 24 hours or less.

[brat011981]

on 1/1/2009 You get more information reading the instructions on the back of the kit box. And you have to wash with a neutralizing shampoo at least three times to throughly get the solution out. And deep conditioning is best done with a plastic cap under a hot towel... not just the towel because the towel can damage the weakened hair and also remove the conditioner from the hair...