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Many women return to their natural hair texture after years of relaxing expecting a wonderful journey, only to discover a new set of hair woes they thought they’d left behind with the relaxer. Design Essentials® gathers the numbers, through in-house data of women who are relaxed and natural, but the number of women going back to relaxing is a reality not often addressed.
The transitioning process for those who are ceasing to straighten their hair through chemical means as well as the management process for those who have been natural for longer periods can be eased through the education process. As women embrace their texture and learn more about the personality of their hair type, curl pattern product preference, and internal and external factors, they will find empowerment.
Here are some of the chief surprises along with solutions for naturals seeking to embrace and enhance their natural textures.
Tangles: Knots, snags and snarls stemming from highly textured hair can cause frustration from even the most patient naturalista! Tangles occur when the shaft of the hair’s cuticle is raised. These raised cuticles snag each other and cause friction. Smoothing the cuticle allows hair to slip freely with less snags.
Varying Curl Patterns: Due to genetics as well as hair that has been over processed or previously chemically altered, there may be multiple curl patterns in a single head of hair. Women who opt to transition from relaxers may see a marked difference between relaxed hair, which has been permanently altered and new natural roots. By strengthening the entire hair strand and adding a filler such as micro-fine proteins, previously relaxed hair regains its strength and can easily be styled to blend with varying curl patterns.
Dullness and Breakage: Strands that crackle and pop aren’t restored from surface applications of pomades and moisturizers. By using ingredients that penetrate the hair shaft and infuse moisture from within, highly-textured hair can attain luster. Also, when straightened, the hair usually will not need additional gloss and shine products, due to the smoothness of the strands themselves.
Shrinkage: Depending on the curl pattern of your natural hair, you may have beautiful curls, but the length isn’t there unless you stretch it. The relaxing process breaks hair bonds in order to straighten the hair. But curl elongation can occur without permanently breaking the hair’s bonds. Through strengthening treatments plus thermal styling, temporary elongation of the curls can yield longer strands, fuller styles and more defined curls.
Frizz: Encounters with humidity foster previously-styled hair to revert to its original state. A shield or barrier that locks moisture into the hair shaft, preventing the need for your hair to draw it from the environment is the best fix for frizzy hair. This process can also be done on a treatment level, with temporary products designed to fight reversion.
In order for naturalistas to ensure the style they leave the salon with remains the style they go home with, they need to partner with their stylist to learn how to address their chief hair concerns. Not only does a treatment system like Design Essentials® Strengthening Therapy help to straighten, stretch and strengthen the hair, it also delivers up to 12 weeks of frizz free and humidity resistant lasting style. Ultimate shine and manageability is also achieved through naturally-occurring ingredients such as micro-fine amino acids and a botanical blend of honey, sweet almond oil, rose hip oil and panthenol.
For more information about Design Essentials® www.designessentials.com.
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Straightening Systems For Smooth, Frizz-Free & More Versatile Natural Hair was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
