My Experience with the Just For Me Texture Softener Kit

The Just For Me texture softener is a mild relaxer geared toward children.   It is what I like to call a texlax.   For those of you who do not know what that is, it is basically a mild relaxer designed to under process the hair.   Instead of the hair coming out straight like it does with a bone straight relaxer,  it leaves some or most of the hair’s natural curl pattern.  It is a good alternative to bone straight relaxing for those who are experiencing thinning due to full relaxing.   What people who choose to texlax MUST understand is that even though it leaves the hair curly or wavy, the texlaxed hair has been chemically processed and is not virgin or natural.   For this reason, I advise women who are fully natural to exercise caution before making such a big decision.   Before I started texlaxing, I was fully relaxed.   Now (its been 13 months since my last full relaxer) my texlaxed hair reaches a little past my chin and my relaxed hair hovers at about bra-strap length.

The Process
The kit came with gloves, activator, the relaxer, neutralizer, and sunflower oil.  ( I love the way this makes my hair feel!)

Most people recommend a strand test, especially if you’re unsure about it.   Simply mix a small amount or the relaxer, apply it to a small section of hair behind your ear and wash out with neutralizing shampoo.   If there are no issues with your scalp becoming irritated or the hair falling out or breaking, then carry on and do the rest of your head if you liked the result and still want to fully commit to texlaxing.

I followed the instructions about mixing and applying it, but did not use any kind of comb to work it through.   I worked in sections and smoothed each one until i felt my curl pattern loosen up to my liking.

I let it sit for about 5 minutes after my application( the application process took 6 minutes) then rinsed.

I had washed my hair every day for three days straight before the application (this is not advised) because I had a bad run in with a product that did not agree with my hair and left it sticky.   Despite having violated relaxer rule#1, I experienced no burning or scabbing ( I’ve never gotten scalp scabs from this – and this is coming from someone who got them after EVERY full relaxer and thought it was normal.)

Afterwards, I shampooed with the neutralizing shampoo (NEVER skip this step) and conditioned with a protein conditioner.

What to expect
My hair came out exactly how I expected it to and I loved it and I’m still loving it.   My hair went from 4a curls the size of pen springs (some bigger, but smaller than a pencil) and 4b s curls to mostly 3c.

Prior to relaxing, my hair was big, gorgeous, and poofy with curls and waves for days.   After being relaxed for so long,  however,   I found it easier to transition to texlaxed and my hair came out like the Kelis but with a little more hang.  It is less frizzy, more receptive to moisture, clumps/tangles less, and has more hang.  (I’m a length snob).

The problem that most people have when transitioning to texlaxing is expecting their hair to magically transform into a pattern that was never there.   When going in, you must know that it will only loosen your natural hair pattern so if you don’t have much of a curl or wave to your hair, but desperately want curlier hair, the best alternative would be a curly perm if staying natural is not something you want to do.

Problems Encountered
In the one year that I’ve been texlaxed,  I’ve only texlaxed twice and I’ve used Just for Me both times.   The first time I used it was after not having had a relaxer in 8 months.   I wasn’t sure what to expect and was afraid of my hair coming out straight.   After rinsing it out and before drying, it looked straight, but had noticeably more body and movement than I’ve ever had after any relaxer.   The next day, the curls sprang up.   They were shiny, soft and I instantly fell in love and vowed to never relax bone straight again.

The only real issue I encountered with this was the large amount of shedding I had after my first application.   I did a few garlic rinses and the shedding completely stopped so I did not see it as too much of an issue at all.   When I applied it to my new growth 5 months later (February of this year), I had absolutely no shedding or breakage.

Benefits

My hair is easier to straighten and does not frizz up as easily as it once did.
My hair absorbs moisture easier.
My curls “pop” more.
It is much thicker than it was when I was fully relaxed.
I’m experiencing much less breakage so I am retaining length better.
I don’t get the urge to relax as much as I did when I was relaxing bone straight because my new growth cooperates with my texlaxed hair better.

Now for the BIG question……

Do I recommend It?
Absolutely!!!   I recommend it to those who are completely sure that a texlax is for them.   I completely give it 2 thumbs up for 3b to 4b coarser textures who are in a similar situation as I am.   Of course, I always suggest that naturals think hard before trying something like this because it is irreversible and harder for a natural to cope with it if something goes wrong versus someone who relaxes and transitioning to texlaxing.   As with all chemicals, it is important to be cautious and take all of the necessary steps.