Is your curly and frizzy hair stopping you from getting the trendy and desired hairstyle done? Texturizers may hold the answer.
Texturizing would soften your curls without completely straightening your hair. It would solve the majority of your curly hair issues within a short period. But do you know about texturizer well enough to pursue it?
Here is all you need to know before you go for a texturizer!
Highlights:
What Is A Texturizer?
A texturizer is a chemical-based procedure to relax the texture of your curly and frizzy hair. It smoothes your curls to give you a softer hair texture. It is technically a mild version of a relaxer. But while a relaxer directly straightens your curls and gives you a completely different look, texturizers only loosen your natural curls to improve the texture. It is a permanent process and will stay until you manually chop off your hair strands.
What Does A Texturizer Do To Natural Hair?
Your hair is primarily made of proteins, of which Keratin is one of the main proteins. Keratin contains amino acids and cysteine that gives your hair its curly texture. [1] Texturizers work by altering the structure of these proteins in your hair.
There are two types of texturizer options available, one is lye texturizer and the other is a no-lye texturizer. Lye texturizer has sodium hydroxide whereas no-lye texturizer contains calcium hydroxide that breaks the cysteine bond of your hair to loosen the natural curls. [2]
It is also important to remember that texturizers won’t give you anything new from your natural hair texture. The end result always depends on the original texture of your hair. For example, it won’t create curls if you do not have them in the first place.
A texturizer works best for S-shaped curls and naturally wavy hair. But when it comes to Z shaped curls, the result may vary from person to person. Texturizer is most popular for coarse black hair. Most people who have black hair tend to go for texturizing to soften their coarse hair strands.
How To Use A Texturizer?
1. Prepare Your Hair
Hair is a delicate part of the body and so it is essential to start preparing your hair, way before you actually use a texturizer. As mentioned above, texturizer contains a lot of chemicals which directly or indirectly impact your hair. Limit the usage of harsh chemical-based products and heating tools on your hair for a few months before you texturize.
Also, try not to scratch your scalp to avoid any kind of infection or irritation. Using texturizer on an injured scalp, may increase the irritation and infection.
2. Protect Your Skin
Since texturizer is a chemical-based process, it would tend to dry out your scalp and give you a chemical burn on your exposed skin. Experts recommend protecting the skin to avoid such a scenario. Apply coconut oil on your scalp before using a texturizer. Also, use petroleum jelly on your neck and ear region to avoid chemical burn [3].
3. Mixing The Texturizer
Texturizer kits available in the market contain a texturizing cream, an activator, essential oil, a neutraliser shampoo [4] to balance the effect of chemicals, and a moisturizing complex. First, pour the texturizing cream into a bowl and add the activator (see the amount on instruction). Use a wooden stick or spatula to stir the mixture properly. Once you have mixed it well, add the essential oil as instructed or you can use the entire bottle if you have extremely dry hair. Again stir the mixture. Now, your texturizer is absolutely ready for application.
4. Application
To proceed with the application you would need a pair of gloves, a comb and a brush to apply the cream. Wear protective gloves to avoid chemical burns. Part your hair into small sections. Apply the cream using the brush from the root tip to the edges. Once you finish one section, clip it down to make it quick and easy.
Make sure you have applied the cream all over your hair. If you find it difficult to apply with a brush, you can also use your fingers (over gloves). If you are tired at one go, take a small break and apply the cream again. Keep applying until you have finished using the mixture. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes for best results.
5. Washing & Moisturizing
First, rinse off the texturizer with water and make sure you do not have any traces of it. Then wash your hair properly with the neutraliser shampoo. Towel dry your hair and use the moisturizing complex hair mask on your damp hair. Let the conditioner mask stay for a few minutes and wash your hair again.
Pros & Cons Of Hair Texturizers
Pros
1. Hair texturizer offers you a silky, smooth and better texture within a very short time.
2. Hair texturizer is less expensive and easy to perform.
3. It gives you a permanent effect even at home.
4. It does not stop your hair growth.
5. Texturizer makes your hair appear a bit longer.
Cons
1. The end result varies from person to person. It depends on the natural hair texture of the individual. While some may get their desired result, others may get disappointed.
2. Texturizers contain harsh chemicals which can lead to hair dryness and scalp irritation.
3. Your hair strands may get weaker due to the harsh chemicals.
4. It may slightly change the colour of your hair.
How To Maintain Texturized Hair?
1. Know your hair and get products that truly suit your hair type. If required, take help from professionals for choosing the right product. After texturizing, you would need good quality products to maintain the hair texture and keep it moisturized.
2. Friction can cause hair damage. To reduce friction, wrap your hair with a shower cap or scarf when you sleep. It would protect your hair from frizziness.
3. Spray water or use serum while combing your hair. This will help to restructure your hair strands.
4. Wash your hair with a shampoo and conditioner at least twice a week. Do not skip conditioning as your hair would need a lot of hydration and moisturization post texturizing.
5. Try using a softer comb to brush your hair.
6. Limit using heating tools and styling products to avoid hair damage.
How Long Does A Texturizer Last?
Texturizing is a permanent process. If you want to get rid of it, you have to either wait for new hair to grow or chop off the old curls. There is no other way to ditch the texturizer.
Hair Texturizer Vs Hair Relaxer
Hair texturizer and hair relaxer are pretty much the same. Both work to loosen your curls. However there are a few differences.
1. Straightening:
Hair texturizers cannot fully straighten your hair curls. But a hair relaxer can definitely give you long-lasting straightened hair.
2. Chemical formulation:
Relaxer is made of a strong chemical formula. Most common ingredients used in a hair relaxer are sodium hydroxide, ammonium thioglycolate,[5] and sodium thioglycolate. A texturizer, however, is a relatively light formulation in nature.
3. Side effects:
Hair relaxer has side effects like weakened hair strands, hair breakage, hair fall etc. The side effects of hair relaxers are more pronounced than those of hair texturizers.
4. Usage time:
Hair relaxers usually need to be left in the hair for a longer duration, while hair texturizers are used for a shorter period.
Wrapping Up
Texturized hair is the result of a chemical breaking down the protein structure of your hair. While the process of texturizing your hair is easy, it does have its pros and cons. Also, if you think that your textured hair would eventually become your natural hair texture, then you are going to be disappointed. However, texturing is a long-lasting process, and will last till you either cut your hair or natural growth outgrows the texturizer effect.
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