Relaxer Touch Up

Relaxer Drama

I used a new relaxer, ORS Olive Oil Professional Lye Creme Relaxer (Normal Strength), this touch up for the first time in almost 6 years. It was an interesting experience to say the least. So here's how my self-touch up yesterday went:

"Protect" Prodcuts

1. Prep- The wash day before my relaxer, I prep my strands with a protein treatment. Last wash day, I used a mix of One 'n Only Argan Oil Restorative Mask and Organix Repairing Awapuhi Ginger Instant Recovery Mask because I'd already hit my hair with a hard protein treatment 2 weeks ago. 
2. Protect- The day of my relax, I first section my hair into four quads. Then I take each quad and split into 1" sections. Next, I base my scalp with JBCO then lightly cover my previously relaxed ends with Roux Porosity Control Conditioner, Chi Silk Infusion, and Joico Moisture Recovery. Lastly, I double strand twist each section, starting the twist at the line of demarcation, so that I know where to apply the relaxer. I cover the front two quads with a shower cap for each side then 2 more covering both sides to keep it from getting relaxer or water on it while I work on my front half.

Apply- I did a strand test, once this is a new relaxer, so I knew that I had about 7 minutes for the process. I started my application process on the front quads using a sprush (green). Because I know exactly where to apply the relaxer and I only apply the relaxer to my unprocessed roots, the fear of overlapping the relaxer is minimal. Once I apply the relaxer, I smooth with my fingers. HOWEVER, I got to about minute 5 and my scalp was on fire! Literally, I felt like my hair was falling out so, I immediately hopped the shower rinsed thoroughly and did a quick neutralizing. The burning sensation ceased and I woosahed enough to carry on.

Mid-relaxer fortifier

Fortify- Next, I applied Joico K-pak Reconstructor as my mid-relaxer strengthener and let it sit for 2 minutes.  

Neutralize- After rinsing the protein conditioner, I neutralized 3x with ORS Olive Oil Professional Neutralizing Shampoo plus a 5 minute ACV rinse just to be ensure that the relaxer has been rinsed away and the chemical process has been stopped. 

Deep condition

Remove- My old relaxer was no-lye and I would follow up with a chelating shampoo after neutralizing to remove mineral deposits. This time I followed with Roux PC Shampoo to balance my hair because I didn't know how my hair would react to the ORS. Better safe than sorry right?

Restore- Every relaxer touch up ends with an extreme deep condition. I applied vitamin e oil to my scalp, to soothe the irritation, KeraCare Humecto on the length of my hair and massaged Argan oil throughout. I covered with a plastic cap then DIY Steam conditioned with my heat cap for about an hour. 

I tea rinsed/applied a smoothing treatment, air dried, detangled, and used It's a 10! and Chi Silk Infusion as my leave ins then flat ironed.

Results: 
Ugh. That's all that I can say right now. After having so much irritation when relaxing the front half of my hair, I just knew that my roots were going to be bone straight. I literally told myself to man-up in the mirror so that I wouldn't cry. (I can be really emo when I get frustrated.) After deep conditioning, I saw that they weren't. But I'm still salty. Relaxing in two halves is tedious but I'm grateful for that process today because I was able to change my strategy for the back half of my hair. I added about 1/4 cup coconut oil straight to the relaxer creme and double triple based my scalp. This seemed to do the trick because I didn't have one bit of burning in the back. However, the back half of my hair has a little more texture than the front---I'm not sure how I feel about that yet.

I was so tired flustered by the relaxer process that I didn't even bother to length check. My ends looked like they were in decent condition: the one highlight of this touch up.

My hair was really flat and didn't have it's usual "post relaxer swang" so I haven't even worn it down. What was the point of flat ironing?!? To say the least, no soy feliz...*crosses arms and pouts.*

I understand that lye relaxers are better for the hair than no lye relaxers but I'm not sure that the irriation is worth it. Or perhaps my scalp is far more sensitive than I thought. 

If you use a lye formula, how do you prevent scalp burns/irritation?

Besitos!
KLP