ARE YOU ADDICTED TO STRAIGHT HAIR?
Keratin & Relaxer myths debunked. How to keep your hair from breaking like uncooked spaghetti.
Keratin vs Relaxer is either option better for your hair?
Do you aspire to have luscious, straight, flowing locks of hair? If so, then this article may not be right for you. But if your dream is to be your most beautiful self naturally. Then the answers you seek maybe within reach. As a whole, most people want what they can’t have. If you’re curly you want to be straight. If your straight then you want to have waves… and we’re just talking hair here people! Why is this? Why can’t we accept and appreciate what we have? I think it is because we believe the grass is greener on the other side. Or at least perceive it as more beautiful. Let me start by saying this, I am in no way marginalizing societal views that have encourage certain negative ideas. But rather to talk about ways to improve our perception of our own beauty routines. There is an underline truth about “Keratin” and it’s predecessor “Relaxer,” that go beyond the chemical and health concerns about the various products on the market. We will be discussing the attachments to these intoxicating quick fixes. How we feel about ourselves shows in the abuse of our hair.
A curly girl since birth, with thick, coarse, frizzy and at times painfully tangly. I have been relaxing my mane since I was in grade school. It would take twenty years of bad hair care strategies, a career in modeling and a license in cosmetology to show me the way to natural hair Nirvana. What I’ve learned from all that, I would love to share with you. In hopes that I can spare you a few years of follicle frustration. Let’s go back to my youth. I wanted hair like my mothers, dark, long and cascading down my back. I would struggle for years trying to recreate that look for myself. At seventeen, I was scouted as a model, and quickly became a runway darling in NYC. The industry wanted natural, kinky hair on a fresh faced girl. Now torn between two worlds, I was nappy and natural by day. Autonomously straight by night. I look back now and wonder how many jobs I left at the table because of my hair identity crisis. Many years later I find myself at the happy middle from what I learned from beauty school. If I had any say so with regards to education, I would ask those in charge to bring back Home Ed, but in a fundamentally different way. One topic I would include, would be the study of hair care. Now I know you might be thinking, “is she crazy?” But honestly, there is a lot of practical uses for understanding the hair, body and it’s conditions. Like did you know that lice prefer clean hair to oily? This is very useful information if your sending your small child off to school for the first time. You may prevent your family a lot of headache, by washing their hair a couple times a week instead every day during the school year.
I digress, let’s get down to business. Whether you choose to use Keratin or Relaxer you will ALWAYS have to contend with the nonnegotiable, living organism that is your human body. You can alter it all you like, but somethings come back no matter what. This rule applies to everyones hair, the exceptions of course are, naturally balding folks and others with more serious health concerns. Hair grows at about a half inch per month. So if you are relaxing your hair, then consider that your permeant job, every month for the rest of your life. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. No matter how close to the root you chemically treat your hair, you will always have “Roots” by months end. The DNA of your hair can never be changed, it will always be what it was born to be.
Keratin claims to repair the hair by protecting it and adding protein to the shaft of the hair. Initially making the hair appear healthier and thicker for “months” at a time. While this may sound like exciting news, it really is a recipe for disaster. The only way to get more protein into the hair is through a healthy diet. What you put in the body will dictate the health and strength of the hair. But that’s not the end of it. With your newly treated hair you now have to maintain it regularly. Remember what your hair is like when it’s wet… NOT straight! As soon as you wash it, you will see the disaster your hair has become. You have now acquired the task of maintaining this look. Blowing it dry and flat ironing it will ad to your regular daily routine. This is because your usually springing, moisturized curls are now stringing, dry and lifeless. You will STILL be ducking droplets of water in rainy weather. As well as dodging beach days with your friends. As your sexy hair post dip in the ocean will look reminiscent of a cat clawing for its life to stay a float. The state of your super fragile hair will bare the close resemblance of uncooked spaghetti. That’s the kind of breakage you can expect. No amount of conditioner will bring back your hair. You have sentenced yourself to, no less the four months of hard hair labor and or death row for the fringed, feathered and split ends. For those of you who color, FORGET IT! Ain’t happing sister, that is unless you want to bring back Sinéad O'Connor’s look from the early 90’s. In my opinion, people with straight-ish hair are more likely to benefit from Keratin products. The same I believe is true for those with very textured hair when it comes to chemicals perms. Now I know what your thinking. “If I have curly hair why would I need a curl perm? Keratin, Relaxers or Perms are not the chalice of life. They will not change what is within us. What I mean is, if you want a different relationship with your hair. Then you will have to breakup with your old thinking and routines.
Hear me out, If your hair is mostly straight, then a keratin treatment could be right for you. Ask yourself this, “After you’ve cleansed your hair, when it dries what shape does it take?” If you are someone who can jump out of the shower, with no product, and your hair dries almost straight. Then Keratin will work great for you. This is because it is closely related to your hairs natural state. It will remove the frizz leaving you will mermaid like length to your hair. If when you get out of the shower and your hair immediately begins to dry in tendrils with frizz, but maintains a reasonably curly look with styling products. Then it’s not likely that you need a chemical straighter of any kind at all. You’ll be able to go curly with ease. When you’re want to go straight, ask your stylist at your salon to give you a “Roller Set.” Yes, this is an antiquated way to do your hair, but a Roller Set can last a week. The lower heat temperature on the hair is far better then opposed option to blow drying. I also believe roller sets are usually a more affordable service, which is great for your wallet. If your hair is tightly wound and exceptionally frizzy and in need of lots of heat and product to attain a desirable look. Then consider doing a strand test with your stylist to see if getting a perm to restructure your curls is right for you. I know perms are not popular right now but it’s because of the “Jerry Curl” stigma of the 1980’s. But that’s mostly due to the very oily styling products used back then. We’ve got far better products today, say good bye grease firers. Getting a chemical perm might help you attain a looser and more manageable curly look. As it’s application is the wrapping of your hair around a roller, while protecting the ends with paper from splitting. This approach is much more in line with what the hair is already doing on it’s own. Textured hair is often weaker and thinner at the bends in a spiral or zig zag curl. A perm works to tweak the curl, not shock it into straight submission. I would also recommend the Roller Set when going for the occasional straight style as mentioned above.
Lastly, I always believe in natural hair, but what it really comes down to, is routine. What are willing, and are not willing to do for your image. If you can’t see the beauty in your hair and in you. No quick fix will ever give you the satisfaction you are wanting from it. So consider laying off the chemicals and approaching your hair from a new view and embrace its natural state.
Tips for hair care:
When healing old hair wounds, stick to Sulfate free cleansers if your going to cleanse your hair and scalp. Although, you can actually skip the shampoo or cleaning part of your routine altogether. Just co-wash with conditioners. I happen to love Deva Curl products for curly, textured or chemically treated hair. If you run out of the “good” stuff (cleanser) and your in a pinch, remember this rule. “Friction and Water Cleanse the Scalp.” All you need are your finger tips, running water and vigorous scrubbing to keep your scalp clean. This will also stimulate hair growth, so scrub away. Then add conditioning, moisturizing styling products post shower and your ready to go. Keep it simple when your trying to repair your hair, just let it grow. Keep it conditioned, trim occasionally and eat a balanced diet. It is a blessing that we have hair to complain about. Let’s enjoy what nature has given us and focus on what’s important… our family and friends.
Keratin treatment before and after.
If your hair is mostly straight, then a keratin treatment could be right for you.
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