Caring for Caucasion Relaxed Hair

by Sarah

What rules should I follow immediately after having my hair relaxed? How long after having my hair relaxed can I wash it? What is the best drugstore shampoo/conditioner for relaxed hair? I don't have a lot of money so I would prefer using a drugstore shampoo/conditioner. I just had my hair relaxed last night. I am Caucasian and my hair is very fine and was just a little bit wavy before I had it relaxed, not curly. I had it relaxed just to make it more manageable. Thanks!

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A good rule of thumb for any chemical hair process, is to wait at least 3 days before you wash. If you can't stand it, you can rinse your hair and apply conditioner to it instead. In most instances, you should only wash and/or condition occasionally, like every three to four days.

Relaxed hair is very susceptible to breakage, so you must take good care of it at first especially.

Don't use harsh shampoos that strip your hair of its natural oils. Use shampoos for chemically treated hair that don't contain sulfites or sulfates. One good example is Loreal Everpure, which is specifically made for colored hair but is fine for other types of chemically processed hair. (You can find this at the drugstore!)

Organic hair products don't typically have the same chemicals as other hair products. You can find many of these at the drugstore. Just look for the keywords 'moisturizing' and 'organic'!

Don't use oils on your hair unless you've deep conditioned first. Oils act as a sealant and will prevent moisture from being absorbed into your hair.

Do use protein treatments with moisture to help build up (strengthen) your hair, at least once a week.

Do not use protein treatments without moisture. These can be very drying to your hair and make it break off.

Wait to reapply a relaxer to your hair for at least eight weeks, even if you have new growth (roots).

Do use ionic blow dryers when you dry your hair but do not overuse hot irons. Do use ceramic irons when you need to touch up your hair but don't overuse them or use heat that's too high.

Leave in conditioners are also a great idea, especially if your ends are a bit dry. Leave in conditioners add moisture and a coating to your hair that protects your hair from the environment.

If your hair begins to look frizzy, use finishing creams or other smoothing products.

If your hair begins to look frayed or like it's in bad shape, you may want to try a good hair reconstructor.

Most all of these products can be purchased locally. Some of them may be only available at a Beauty Supply Store, but their products are very affordable too!