If your curls are driving you loopy and flat irons aren't your thing, you can try to straighten it with a hair relaxer product. Hair relaxers let you achieve that straight and sleek look, but there are some precautions to keep in mind before you use them.
Hair relaxing products often contain lye, an extremely caustic chemical. If used improperly, lye can burn your skin and scalp. There are hair relaxing products without lye in them, but you still want to use caution because they too can cause skin reactions.
The safest route to go, however, is with no-lye hair relaxing products. This will be clearly marked on the product, so be sure to look closely. Once you have decided on the product you want, read the directions thoroughly. Making even one error can severely damage your hair and can cause severe burns to your skin.
The first thing you should do is test out the product. Put on plastic gloves, grab a piece of hair and apply the hair relaxing cream. Follow the directions in the box carefully through each step. Check your skin to see if you have a reaction to the cream. If everything looks good, go ahead and prepare the rest of your hair for the application.
Petroleum jelly is a great option for protecting the scalp and the skin. Place a thin layer of the petroleum jelly around your forehead, ears, hairline and the nape of your neck. The basic thought process is to cover any area on which you might accidentally get a little of the cream.
Hair relaxing products usually come with a neutralizing shampoo. Once you rinse the hair relaxing cream from your hair, apply the neutralizer, wait a few minutes according to the package directions and then rinse thoroughly. If your product did not have a neutralizer, then use a generous amount of your regular hair conditioner and leave on for about 10 minutes. Homemade mayonnaise conditioner will also work in a pinch. Just apply the mayonnaise to the hair, let it sit for 15 minutes and rinse.
If you are worried about trying the hair relaxing procedure at home, you can choose to have it done at a salon by a professional. Professionals will be able to have better control of the product when applying it to the entire head. Make sure to choose a stylist who is experienced with hair relaxers.
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