Want Smoother Hair? Try a Hair Relaxing Treatment
Here's the lowdown on this salon treatment. Plus, learn how to take care of relaxed hair.
Salon treatments are popular for the way they transform your hair. If you want smoother, straighter-looking hair, a hair relaxing treatment may pop up as one of your options. A hair relaxing treatment is a procedure that makes use of chemicals to break down the hair bonds. As the name suggests, this treatment relaxes your waves and curls, making them smoother and more manageable. It can also be an option for those who want to make their hair less frizzy.
Hair Relaxing vs. Hair Rebonding
Some confuse hair relaxing with hair rebonding, thinking they are the same. The two treatments have similarities. Both alter the bonds of your hair, resulting in a new hair shape. Both treatments also aim to give you smoother and sleeker hair.
However, the two treatments differ in several ways. Hair relaxing doesn’t completely straighten your hair, unlike hair rebonding, which gets rid of your curls and waves and leaves you with pin-straight locks.
The effects of hair relaxing also last for only two to three months, unlike those of hair rebonding, which can last for six to seven months. Because of this, you’ll need to go to the salon more often for touch-ups when you get a hair relaxing treatment.
Since hair relaxing softens your curls and waves, additional styling is needed if you want to rock sleek and straight hair. With rebonding, this is no longer necessary—your hair pretty much becomes wash-and-wear. However, when styling relaxed hair, try natural or heatless straightening hacks because heat can extremely damage chemically treated hair.
If you don’t like sitting in the salon for long hours, you may be more comfortable getting a relaxing hair treatment. This procedure only takes about a couple of hours. Hair rebonding, on the other hand, can take a minimum of four hours (and that’s just for short hair!) because it’s a more intensive treatment. Hair relaxing is also less pricey than hair rebonding.
Can I Wash My Hair After a Hair Relaxing Treatment?
Keep your hair from getting wet for at least 48 hours after a hair relaxing treatment to give the effects of the treatment enough time to set. Also, you’ll need to tweak your hair care regimen, as relaxed hair needs more TLC.
How to Take Care of Relaxed Hair
1. Detangle hair before washing.
“Chemically treated hair is highly sensitive and prone to breakage,” according to the International Journal of Trichology. Because of this, we recommend getting rid of knots with a wide-tooth comb before stepping into the shower to minimize tugging and pulling as you work your shampoo into a lather. Speaking of shampoo…
2. Use a moisturizing shampoo-and-conditioner duo.
According to a review article in the International Journal of Dermatology, chemical treatments can lead to hair lipid loss, resulting in dry, brittle strands. Lipids or fatty acids protect the hair from environmental and chemical damage.
So, after getting a hair relaxing treatment, double up on moisturization and nourishment. For your regular hair washing, use TRESemmé Keratin Smooth KERA10 Shampoo. It has KERA10 Protein Complex that penetrates your hair up to 10 layers deep to nourish it. This shampoo also gives your hair 10 salon benefits in one wash! It has an anti-frizz and anti-humidity formulation. It also makes your hair soft and smooth, adds shine, tames flyaways, strengthens hair, detangles, provides heat protection, and leaves a long-lasting fragrance.
After shampooing, apply TRESemmé Keratin Smooth KERA10 Serum Conditioner to the mid-lengths and tips of your hair. This conditioner has KERA10 Protein Complex and oleo serum to nourish and moisturize your hair deeply.
3. Pamper your hair with at-home treatments.
Elevate your hair care routine by adding post-wash treatments into your regimen. They help repair damage, restore the integrity of your hair’s structure, and add moisture and shine—everything your chemically treated hair needs! We recommend Cream Silk Daily Treatment Keratin Damage Repair. It has keratin, which defines the health and structure of your hair, smoothing away damage and reducing frizz. It also has collagen, which binds water to your hair for strength and elasticity. Collagen also helps keep your hair from getting dry and brittle.
Use this treatment daily after shampooing and conditioning to help maintain your salon-treated hair.
4. Stop rubbing your hair with a towel.
It’s time to ditch this hair-damaging habit, especially when you have chemically treated hair. Instead of rubbing, pat your hair dry with a soft towel (like a microfiber towel) after washing to help prevent breakage and damage and minimize frizz. You can also use an old shirt to squeeze out excess water gently.
5. Apply a leave-in conditioner or hair serum.
Relaxed hair tends to get dry and rough, so give it a smooth finish with a drop of leave-in conditioner or hair serum. We recommend TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Anti-Frizz Shine Serum. It has keratin and marula oil to calm frizz, detangle, add shine, make hair soft, and tame flyways. Its non-greasy formula helps you get silky hair that’s full of movement.
Now that you know what a hair relaxing treatment does, do you think it is for you? If you want more manageable hair and are not keen on getting super straight locks, consider getting this salon treatment. And when you decide to get it, remember our recommended after-care tips to keep your hair beautiful and healthy-looking.
