Au’ Natural PROS:
- Healthier hair that’s not stripped away of its natural oils.
- Less breakage, if kept moisturized. Because natural hair is stronger it can handle chemicals from hair dye better than relaxed hair. You also have the option to style curly or flat iron for a straight look, although excessive heat should be avoided.
Au’ Natural CONS:
- Major increase in daily maintenance.
- Straight styles may not last as long because humidity causes frizz.
Relaxed PROS:
- Easier to manage daily. Relaxers literally “relax” the curl of your natural texture resulting in a straight finish which is less prone to knots finish.
- Deals better with natural elements. When relaxed, your hair is permanently straightened– meaning neither wind, rain, or shine can change what the chemical has done. Unlike natural hair straightened by heat, when water/moisture hits relaxed hair, it can dry straight.
Relaxed CONS:
- Hair damage from years of harsh chemical use. Remember the scene from “Good Hair” when the scientist melts the aluminum can with that active ingredient in relaxers? Relaxers irreversibly alter the natural pH balance and chemical breakdown of your hair, thereby weakening each strand. Hair breakage and scalp irritation are very common side effects from improper application and/or maintenance. Also the chemicals in your hair don’t mix well with other chemicals (i.e. the chlorine in pools) and can further damage your lovely locks.
- Relaxed hair must be washed and deep conditioned/hydrated every week.
- A relaxer is one of the most drying chemical processes we can do to our hair
- Care must be taken after the use of a relaxer product or any chemical process to minimize hair breakage.
I have natural hair now, I have not had a relaxer in about 3 years or more. I must say having a relaxer is a lot easier. However my hair is a lot more healthy since i no longer get relaxers. i just hate that straight styles don’t last as long. I currently don’t like the way my hair looks curly, its way too kinky for me. I’m hoping when I achieve the length I want that I can wear my hair curly and be okay with it. So all in all I say natural is better. It is a lot more work but it is a lot healthier.
I say “EVERYONE GO NATURAL!!!” Free your hair……I’m almost 5yrs in AU NATUREL. I don’t miss relaxers at all. I can achieve the same straight look without the chemicals! It is a little more work in the summer. The key is to “try” not to sweat!!!LOL. I carry either a hair pin or ponytail holder with me at all times. Its a quick fix to a sudden bad hair day caused by moisture(sweat or rain) or the humidity. Besides the fact that I can say “I’m natural”, I like the thickness of my hair and the healthy look it possesses!!!!
I personally feel as though natural is sooooo much better! My relaxed hair was weak hard and salon trained! I used to relax my hair as that was what was normal for me. Since March of 2010 I have abstained from relaxers and on January 2, 2011 I cut the relaxed portions of my hair off and my hair is sooo much better for it. I suggest to every natural hair caring person that if they purchase no other product from Rapunzel and follow no other advice that they purchase the hair silk and use it at least twice a day. You will see results instantly!
I’ve been transitioning into natural for the past 2 and half months, i ddnt wanna do the big chop cuz i like the legnth of my hair and i have a really big head lol, so i wear straw curls for now as my hair grows out, and i can already tell a huge difference, my hair feels healthier when i wash it, i use more water based products now and my hair is growing faster than i’ve ever see it.
I haven’t relaxed my hair in exactly a year. I have about 6 inches or more natural hair in addition to my relaxed hair. Like so many things in life, I realize I like the IDEA of being natural but not the actual practice. The soul reason I went natural was because I hated spending money at the salon and I was told it would be less time-consuming. In reality, getting twists etc is still an expensive option for me and it’s more time-consuming than relaxed hair. I will say my hair is stronger than before, but in truth I never had an issue with breakage with my relaxed and had no trouble growing it out quite long – past my shoulder blades.
I’m seriously considering going back to relaxing because of one simple reason: I’M LAZY and I don’t want to be bothered doing my hair every single morning. I miss the days of a comb and brush through, maybe hit up some sections with a flat iron, and running out the door.
I will say that being relaxed is waaayyy more manageable. I was natural for 3 years, it was great the first year but I felt like I spent more time doing my natural hair than I ever did relaxed. Honestly, I feel like to each her own. Because you can have natural hair doesn’t mean your hair is “more” healthier because you can damage your natural with coloring and heat. Also, you can have healthy relaxed hair by monitoring how many chemicals that you put on it. Personally, I think being natural is overrated. Hair care is hair care. So regardless if you’re relaxed or natural you still have to provide some type of TLC to your hair if you want it to be healthy.
This is stupid. Natural hair has moreeee cons than that. You forgot the single stranded knots. You forgot the extra moisture that you must put in your hair. You forgot how hard it is to even straighten your hair/how long it takes. Yeah with relaxed hair you have to condition it every week, but it’s not mandatory! There were weeks where I was soo busy that I just cowashed my way through and shampooed every now and then with no problem. I’m just tired of the relaxed hair bashing lately. Both natural and relaxed hair have their ups and downs; just try to keep it healthy.
Thanks for your honesty. I have been Natural for 2 years, and i am reading so many websites trying find something to convince me not to relax my hair, but I think I going to relax my hair.
I have been natural for 2 years. I have extremely coarse hair. I have a z pattern. I wear my hair flat ironed only. I have never wore “natural” styles like twist outs and such.
I personally feel that natural hair is prettier. Everyone that I know that has natural hair and straightens their hair with a flat iron has really long pretty shiny hair.
My relaxed friends hair just looks dull and lifeless. And after years of relaxing some are going kind of bald in places.
My hair is extremely coarse so I have experienced a LOT of breakage in my natural hair state. My hair was longer when it was relaxed. However, i think my hair type is an exception to the rule.
Will i have longer hair if I went back to a relaxer. Probably.
But for some odd reason, i just can’t put the creamy crack back in my head.
As a natural sister that straightens with a flat iron every week, i like the fact that everytime i straighten my hair it LOOKS like i have a relaxer. I remember with the relaxer after 4 weeks…my head looked a mess. But with natural hair..your roots always look straight…don’t ask me how that works…but when a flat iron hits my hair..my roots are BONE straight…it was nothing like that with a relaxer. With a relaxer, my roots were always thick and coarse after 4 weeks.
So if an event is coming up….or i have a special occassion…i never have to turn the invitation done because I NEED A PERM or i never have to run out and get a perm……my hair can look like a perm any day of the week!
Ok im natural and Ive been relaxed for 10 years, Im not here to bash relaxed hair and praise natural hair. Some people dont go natural because they can’t, meaning they may not share the love for their natural hair like I can. I HATE THE TERM GOOD HAIR, in my words my natural hair is manageable, not rough n knotted so I love my bouncy curly hair. My relaxed hair was nice but no comparison to now, I swim freely, do t run from rain and dont dodge the shower from my scout. And you know what Im happy different hair types both natural and relaxed have their pro’s and con’s soooooooo piss off with the negative comments just do you and shut up and take care of your hair. Soo annoying to hear both sides arguments gosh. ^_^ yours truly happily natural
I almost forgothow to say that natural hair last longer with old age then relaxed hair . scientist has proven that natural hair and old age is healthier and presentable with a good natural graid of hair. Naturls texture blend beautifully with grqys, silvers and its curl pattern. with relaxed hair at old age the hair becomes more prone and fine from breakage and causing split ends and costant hair loss at a more rapid rate then it would with about 10,000 strands of hair minimum will be lost with in your comb brush a week with relaxed hair a quarter of that hair will be lost natural hair with the comb and brush. Think of long-term possible outcomes, it’s not the same for everyone but 9/10 end this way so maybe ur the lucky 10 percent