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I made it to Shoulder Length hair! and Corrective Relaxers

Yes, you read correctly! Finally, as of June 24th (12 weeks past my initial goal of May 1), I'm a SL-lady! It took 9 months to get from just below ear length to shoulder length. It actually would've taken me 6 months if my beautician wouldn't have chopped an inch off in May... but whatever LOL.

I have my Sulfur-MN mix to thank! Thank you, baby! I used it faithfully from about week 6 post-relax to right about the 11th week or so. Every other day. I ended up adding another tube of MN to my mix, (so 2 total), and it was the Family Dollar store brand, not the Wal-Mart brand. I have to say, the ladies on the hair boards were right... Family Dollar's brand is magically better. But, Wal-Mart's brand makes my new-growth coils prettier and tighter. Whatever though, lol, I got the growth I needed to push me over the edge. Wait till you see the before/after pics from the mix... (coming soon).

I also have the normal regimen to thank. The DC's, the co-washes, the NTM silk touch leave-in, rediscovering a great moisturizer (Wave Nouveau), etc. Oh, and the biggie, hiding my hair for most of the last 9 months. I relaxed last week and it feels so weird leaving my hair out but I deserve it.

As I said, I relaxed last week. I used Silk Touch, Regular, no-lye. I like the relaxer, HATE the neutralizing shampoo. It totally stripped my hair... completely. Even a 30 minute DC didn't correct my hair. I've been moisturizing my hair back to health the last few days and it's looking good, except...

I've noticed, since about February, that parts of my hair are severely underprocessed. After a perm, my roots will of course be straight, and then about a inch up, will be thick-gritty-coarse-wirelike hair, and then my ends will be straight. The reason: I think the beauticians and myself underestimated the crazy amount of new growth I have when it's time to relax. Also, some of the boards have me so scared of "overprocessing" my hair that I'd rather under-do it than over-do it.

I figured there was nothing I could do about it. I got curious and googled "Relaxing underprocessed hair" which eventually led me to the subject of "Corrective Relaxers" on the hair boards. I was going to rush out and buy a relaxer tonight and get to work until I noticed that some people didn't have good results and that most waited weeks. :(

If I've been dealing with this hair since February, I can wait 6 more weeks. :( I don't want to over process my roots, which means I'll need some new-growth action real quick like. So I guess it's back to half-wigs and the MN mix for me. :( I'm going to research the corrective relaxers more and spit you all my game plan.

Pictures coming as soon as I get my USB cord... might be a few weeks. Sorry!