HAUTE HAIR: Relaxers For Your Crown and Glory

A head of hair like Oscar-nominated actress Taraji Henson’s that’s full of life with extra body is within our reach. According to Proctor and Gamble’s Essence 2007 poll, black women spend 3 times more on beauty products than other women (a third of which is spent on hair care products). For those of us who relax our hair, to lye or no-lye is always the question.

Lye relaxers, also known as sodium hydroxide relaxers is the strongest of both kinds of relaxers. It should be used with caution because it can damage your hair if it isn’t used properly. Revlon Realistic Professional Conditioning Creme Relaxer ($5.99, sallybeauty.com) & Elasta QP No Base Relaxer ($4.59, sallybeauty.com) both fall into this category.

No lye relaxers, contain guanidine hydroxide. They’re generally more gentle on your hair, which means there’s less chance of burning and scalp irritation. One option of a good no lye relaxer is Bantu No Base Creme Relaxer, click here to learn about the new no lye relaxer, at-home 7-step system that delivers great salon results.

While some choose to think of relaxers as “creamy crack,” we should remember that how we wear our hair is a personal decision and we should be respected and not chided for opting to go straight.

Hue Knew It? I did.

Check in next week for details on how to enter my my “Glamourous Life Holiday Giveaway!” Don’t miss out!