After over two decades of big chops and short but mighty new afro beginnings, it seems people have finally had enough of the strict rules that have defined the natural hair movement. To the horror of 2012 beauty gurus and Youtube prosyletisers, summer 2022 was the year that finally made relaxers ok again. And now that we can finally call chemical processes cool again, we thought we’d help you out with a few tips on how to get it right this time.

The return of the relaxer (en masse) really comes as no surprise. The growing toxicity of the natural hair movement, propelled by beauty influencers and self-proclaimed experts alike, led to widespread division in the afro/textured hair community. What started off as an opportunity to reclaim our individual hair-stories had morphed into texturist outlines on the hierarchy of hair "types", six hour regimens with as many steps as strands of hair, and specialist oils and overpriced products that sold dreams of miracle growth. 

Maybe it was the lack of assurance that, even after our time and financial commitment, us naturals couldn’t guarantee a bomb long-lasting hairstyle. Or even the step-by-step videos and product recommendations that still left most struggling to retain moisture and length. Either way, covid and lockdowns left all the responsibility of hair care to tons of ill-informed members of the textured hair community making a return of the relaxers of our youth not only the more affordable option, but also a more versatile and stress-free alternative.

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A two-sided debate 

At SLIQ we want to empower people with textured hair to make the right decisions for their lifestyle and aesthetic. So here are the pros and cons of choosing to relax your hair:  

On the one hand, relaxers can mean a simpler life. It works to permanently disrupt the disulfide bonds in hair that maintain its wavy/curly/coily shape so you’re less likely to experience knotting or tangling. Straight hair means less product, because the hair has less volume, and it also means .  It is also simultaneously easier to work product through as hair is less likely to knot on itself or tangle and. There’s no need to worry about your hair frizzing or curling up if it is humid either which means styling should hold longer. This logic is pretty easy to follow. 

However, it’s key to emphasize that relaxed hair does have its drawbacks. The breakage of disulfide bonds associated with chemical straightening increases the fragility of the hair shaft. So, while relaxed hair is less work when detangling, so much more has to be done to reinforce the strands and maintain healthy hair because it’s more susceptible to damage or breakage. This is why natural hair is typically able to withstand so much more styling, manipulation and heat application than relaxed hair. Contrary to mainstream opinion, relaxed hair actually requires more frequent use of specialist products to permanently and temporarily reinforce the broken disulfide bonds along the shaft. In addition to this, if applied incorrectly, relaxers can lead to very aggressive scalp burns or cause contact dermatitis for those with sensitive skin, so there is a genuine health hazard to the product.

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What should you do?

If your goal is to have very long voluminous hair, you’re most likely better off passing on the relaxer because it is so much easier to achieve with unprocessed hair, particularly if you have fine and less full/thick hair. A texture release offers the versatility of both textured and straight styling for those of you looking for a middle ground to match your lifestyle and your style. For more temporary fixes, you could go to a stylist to establish a blowout or straightening routine to achieve straight hair with your natural curls. Be mindful that frequent straightening will most likely lead to heat damage or some permanent curl pattern alteration particularly if you wear your hair in its naturally curly state. 

But, if you’re truly done with the aesthetic of curly hair or never wear your hair in its curly state anyway, there’s nothing wrong in opting for a relaxer. Whatever your decision may be, struggling with your natural hair shouldn’t be the only reason you choose to relax it, and people with relaxed hair should still maintain healthy hair practices. If you’re struggling with natural hair it most likely isn’t an issue with your hair (!) or the products you use but rather deficiencies in your regimen and technique. Check out our article on how to get down a basic routine for more detailed advice!