While natural hair is still very popular these days, quite a few women seem to have decided to go back to relaxing their tresses. Perhaps that’s not surprising. It takes a lot of work to maintain natural hair, you see, and it provides limited options when it comes to styling.
Since women often want versatility in styling their hair, many are starting to try relaxing once again. The downside of this option is that it produces hair that isn’t as thick or full as they’d like. Fortunately, texlaxing provides a middle ground between natural and wavy, curly or kinky hair.
What Is Texlaxing?
The term ‘texlaxing’ is a hybrid of the words ‘texturizing’ and ‘relaxing.’ It describes the technique of deliberately under processing hair when getting it relaxed. Women who get their hair texlaxed do not allow their hair to straighten completely. The result falls somewhere between relaxed and textured and produces more loose curls.
How Does Texlaxing Differ From Relaxing?
Top hair experts say that texlaxing results in curls with more fullness and body than those produced by relaxing. Using a straightening relaxer straightens hair completely. With texlaxing, women can use relaxer cream to relax hair by removing about 25-50% of its natural texture.
There are many reasons why women texlax their curls, one of which is having more manageable curls. Both relaxing and texlaxing permanently change the structure and texture of hair. However, the goal of texlaxing is not to straighten the curls entirely but only to make them a bit looser.
What Are The Benefits Of Texlaxing?
There are at least three reasons why women texlax their hair. Firstly, it helps you transition into a new hairstyle. Secondly, your hair has more versatility, and thirdly, your hair sustains very little damage in the process. When all’s said and done, however, it comes down to personal preference.
Best Of Both Worlds
Texlaxed hair offers you the best of both worlds. The relaxer loosens your curls, but you still have all the texture and health of natural hair. For this reason, many women texlax their hair when they are beginning the transition to having more natural hair.
Versatile Hair
Your hair gains more versatility when texlaxed. Women who enjoy having straight hair love texlaxing as it makes their curls easier to straighten. At the same time, texlaxed hair has more volume. This makes it perfect for trialling natural hair with the option of going back to relaxed hair if you don’t like it.
Less ‘Damaged’ Hair
Since texlaxing involves using less relaxer, your hair should suffer minimal damage with this process. Less time using a relaxer means reduced time for the chemical to take effect. A neutralising shampoo halts the relaxing process and prevents your hair from completely straightening.
How Does Texlaxing Work?
It is easy to figure out how texlaxing works if you think about the process for relaxing your hair. In the relaxing process, you use a lotion or a cream called a hair relaxer to straighten hair and make it more manageable. It uses chemicals on the hair strand, breaking it down and altering its texture.
Texlaxing Uses Hair Relaxers Too
The process in texlaxing is almost the same. You also use a hair relaxer to break down the hair strand and change its structure. However, you do this either with less time or in conjunction with a neutralising shampoo. The first method means not letting the chemical stay on your hair for longer than ten minutes. After this, you can either apply the neutralising shampoo or rinse the hair thoroughly until the water runs clear. With the shampoo, you can stop the relaxing process to prevent the hair from turning entirely straight.
Possible Side Effects
Texlaxing provides some great benefits but, like most things, there are side effects to be considered. One such side effect is the risk of overprocessing; use too much relaxer and you could end up cooking your hair and causing it irreversible damage. Hair that is overprocessed can lose all its curl patterns and texture. It also becomes dry and weak and breaks easily.
Conclusion
Texlaxing is an excellent hairstyling option, but it is somewhat of a double-edged sword. It may help you achieve beautiful, manageable, and close-to-natural hair, but you need to balance these benefits against possible side effects. Careful consideration is required!
At Vinci Hair Clinic we can help you find solutions to hair thinning and hair loss problems, whatever the cause. Secure your complimentary consultation by calling or emailing us today to book an appointment.