Relaxers: Slay or Nay?
The first version of a hair straightening system made its debut in 1872 France, and since then, curly-haired women all over the world have been setting their tresses bone straight.
The 70’s black power revolution brought back the fro’, and the towering halo of kinky hair was on trend again. In the 80s and 90s, relaxers got even better with the jerry curl and the convenient box-kit relaxer, swinging hair trends back to straight. That came to a screeching halt, however, when the global naturalista movement gained popularity between 2005 and 2015. Since then, opinions on whether to stay curly, or to “tame” the crown have differed, to say the least!
Swearing by the Box
The girlies on TikTok have been deliberating, with @JamesiaTerry wondering why she didn’t relax her hair sooner. After 10 years of being natural, she finally rejoined the “relaxed black girls community” again and doesn’t have any regrets about it at all. Her main motivation to relax her hair? Cutting down on styling time, saving money, and enjoying a range of style options that she prefers. And to us? That makes absolute sense - Jamesia, we stan!
Image | Long, straight relaxed hairstyle
A Cautionary Tale
On the other hand, users like @whos_lolyn warn their audience against relaxing their hair because of the breakage that it can cause. Through shocking imagery, the TikTok user showed us her relaxed hair journey - we saw her hair go from natural and healthy, to experiencing severe breakage post-relaxer, especially at the nape of her neck.
If your hair is suffering from severe breakage, we understand this can be super difficult to deal with and repair. Check out our previous blog post that lists some of the best hair oils that may help you fix your crown!
Image | Brittle relaxed hair with breakage
The Happy Medium?
@AriBeautyy, a trained hairdresser on TikTok shares that the lesson to take away from the debate on relaxers is respecting people’s preferences. Ari says that whether relaxed or natural, the most important thing to do for your hair is care for it. Love on your hair the way you love yourself! After all, it is a part of you! Ari shows her relaxing process and makes an example of her client, who enjoys really healthy hair, just by following the right steps during relaxer application and taking after-salon care very seriously.
Image | Healthy Relaxed Hair in a Ponytail
Although opinions vary, it's safe to say that in 2022, anything goes when it comes to caring for our hair.
The amazing thing about today is that anyone is free to set their own preferences and trends as they see fit. There’s no one size fits all answer to whether or not you should straighten your hair - it’s up to you!
Wear a style that your hair feels best in, and strut off into the world with a head full of coily curls, a slicked-back pony or glueless 24-inch wig. Whilst you strut off, ensure you wear a sturdy wig gripper if you’re going for the wig option! Ultimately, all hair is good hair - the key is to take care of it... let us know your preference below!
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