Hey i found out my current relaxer brand discontinued the last time i used this brand was 2023 around the summer. Is it safe to transition to the Japanese hair straightening treatment ?

What's the name of the place you go to in Boston?

@@mariamabass6701 Hey! I go to salon defi on Newbury Street. It's a Japanese owned salon but the owner Jack has experience with multiple black clients, my hair is very coily and although he admits it's not the easiest or fastest, he will always do a good job. They give you a complimentary head spa and massage and it is AMAZING, I almost fell asleep.

Oh no they might have gotten removed because of the new policies. 😭 Can you send me a DM on instagram so I can forward you some?

@@itstawanza ok lovely will do

I am so sorry, it seems like KZbin doesn’t always show my replies so you didn’t get my response last time. I haven't used OlaPlex, but I have used a similar rebonding treatment made by Fanola. I think any sort of treatment made for damaged hair is good in moderation, but it's also important to use products heavy on moisture because your cuticle won't be as damaged with JHS as it would with a relaxer. I know plenty of ladies with relaxers like to use OlaPlex, but I feel like there are more affordable options if you don’t want to. Apoghee has really good protein treatments and I think they just came out with a rebonding product! I hope this helps 🩷

@@itstawanza I use olaplex now with my natural & silk press I love it

@@takilove3566 oh that’s great! Yes you might just have to use it a bit more often depending on how weakened your hair is by the JHS. The only thing I do more often with JHS versus natural hair is get trims, so you probably won’t have to change your hair products much

Thank you for being patient with my responses! 🩷 I changed from strong to normal to use up all the normal ones I bought. I was buying them in bulk, but I didn't want them to expire. Because I've been doing it for 2 years now, I know how to apply the normal without underproccessing my hair. I just filmed an updated video for the end of the year where it might cover some parts a little better! Basically to blow dry my hair during the JHS, I usually use a blow dry brush while I dry my hair the first time, and the second time don't use any attachments at all

@@itstawanza Thank you, did you find with the strong you was over process? I ordered both My daughters hair is very close and she growing out the relaxer, so only use it on the virgin here But I was thinking for my self to use strong for the roots and normal for hair ends Or use strong for first time then normal Ps have you used olaplex? Look forward to you new video

When I did the strong it didn't overprocess, but I had to work a lot faster. Like from beginning to end it was about 15 minutes, but when I use normal I can work slower and finish around 25/30 minutes with no problems. If you plan to use it on your own hair, I wouldn't use strong on roots and normal on ends because the hair closer to your roots will process faster due to the heat from your scalp. Actually when you do it on virgin hair like yours, you may want to leave an inch all around your roots to process in the last 5 minutes because it will process faster than your ends. If you want to use strong, I recommend it after some practice because it's really intense. I haven't used OlaPlex, but I have used a similar rebonding treatment made by Fanola. I think any sort of treatment made for damaged hair is good in moderation, but it's also important to use products heavy on moisture because your cuticle won't be as damaged with JHS as it would with a relaxer. Thank you, I hope to have the video up sometime this weekend!

When I first did the process I didn't protect my hair at all. Even now when I touch up I don't use anything to coat my hair because the formula is not runny for the JHS. Since you wash the hair 2-3 times you can use a simple thick conditioner on hair you don't want to process, but be careful not to apply it to the new growth. Shiseido makes a treatment that prevents overlapping, but I couldn't order it online so I never tried it

Me too I tried to order it but don’t post to uk Some people are saying you can go over the relaxer Ps with the 30 min time is that including application ?

@@takilove3566 aw I hate when there’s problems with shipping 🥺 I went over my hair the first time with it but only during the last 5 minutes because it can literally melt off if it’s over processed. I wouldn’t advise it if you can avoid it though because I had to trim super often because of it I always start my timer at 30 minutes as soon as I apply it to the first section. It’s just to make sure I don’t over process any section. I suggest starting with a coarser section of hair and ending with the edges or other delicate sections for that reason. You don’t want any parts to be too under processed

@@itstawanza that’s a good idea I’ll do that see how the hair doing , maybe go over it for 5 min Yes set the timer ⏱️ Thank you

Thank you for your comment! It’s always really encouraging to me to hear from those of you who have hip to JHS for a while and getting amazing results 🩷 I can’t wait to be slinging back some extra inches. I’m also happy that I’m able to help you out with my videos. It’s always good to save money and time! ☺️

Aw omg thank you~!! You just made my day 🥹💖

I wouldn't base it on hair type as much as porosity. If her hair has no problem absorbing water when it's wet, then she probably won't need anything stronger than mild. Also, if it takes you a while to apply it (like it's your first time using this) you don't want to use anything but normal or mild. I used strong for a while because my hair is low porosity and takes a long time to get wet. I'm using regular strength at the moment so they don't expire and I still get the same results, it just processes at a normal time (about 25 minutes).

Thank you so much for your reply I order both Strong and normal, some people are staying for Virgin hair you could go for 1 hours, did you do a Strand test?

I wouldn't advise going 1 hour for virgin hair because of how much breakage could occur in the future, but then again I'm not an expert so this is just what I think based on doing it at home. I didn't do a strand test but I did do the knot/elasticity test where you check every few minutes (like 5) to see if your hair will take the new shape before you rinse it out If I were you I would take some shed hair from a comb or brush to test the processing time. That way you don't over or underprocess! I hope this helps

I don't usually. If I comb my hair regularly I lose a normal amount, but if I wait a few days then it looks like a lot of shedding just because the hairs are stuck together. I hope this helps!

I don't wrap it traditionally because it might permanently crease, but I do suggest just tying your edges down and leaving your ends free in a bonnet or on your satin pillowcase. If you wake up and see a weird kink you should flat iron it on a low setting

Ok good idea thank you

Wow, that is so exciting! I only followed the steps mentioned here. There's no overlapping since the product is so thick, and you shampoo 3 times before beginning so I don't think applying anything would help anyway. I think the hair only looks thinner because at first we aren't used to seeing our hair bone-straight. If you do notice there is more hair overall at your roots than your ends though, that is a sign of breakage. As you style your hair and use lower heat, your hair will look fuller. Hope this helps!

Yes, because if I left it on the previously relaxed hair longer than that it could have completely melted off. If you're doing this on unprocessed hair (never chemically straightened, colored, or bleached), you can leave it the full processing time

Thank you for replying so quickly omg no one ever does! I have previously relaxed hair and about 2 inches of new growth. So same situation as you. I’m looking to transition away from hydroxide relaxers also. Have you heard of cysteamine perms? I’ve been looking at those. Because I know thio based relaxers aren’t compatible with previously hydroxide relaxed hair. But I wonder about cysteamine, I think it would react the same as thio and potentially melt it off. Ive been trying to find more videos/info about it. But I think it also works by breaking disulfide bonds which obv wouldn’t work for my relaxed hair. I’m so tempted to try it tho idk I’m scared but also just want one texture all over bc it’s hard with these two textures going on. But. Rather than going completely straight I want to just maybe do a perm vs relaxer. Perm down my 3c to like beach waves. But that would mean also perming the relaxed hair.. which could melt off I think. Idk what I’ll do yet 😅

The cysteamine perm im looking at is ‘texture EFX’ which specifically has one for previously “colored or chemically processed hair” which sounds safe… but hair is a whole chemistry experiment🙄 like I can never be sure. Because what chemically processing does that all include you know? Perhaps they just mean like a thio based relaxer such as Japanese straightening and not a hydroxide based one. But I can’t find an exact answer anywhere. I just wish things were more specific! Would really help us girls out who have hydroxide relaxed hair looking to switch. My hunch is that cysteamine would act the same as thio tho so I prob shouldn’t risk it but

Oh I'm so sorry I missed your replies! They are so bad at alerting us when people reply 😭 I think it is always so risky mixing two systems that are not compatible. Plus I'm not a hairstylist and I don't have a degree in chemistry so I can't say for certain what to do. I will say that I was able to mix the two systems (sodium hydroxide and ammonium thioglycolate) and lucked out. I'm not sure if everyone could get the same results, but it also depends on how processed your hair is. If you don't mind spending the money, you should probably only do a strand test in a section you don't care about losing or on shed hair that you get out of a brush or comb. Otherwise you could always transition or find a way to process your new growth without processing your ends. I wish I had a better answer than this especially because you are so sweet and I'm rooting for you to get the results you want 🥺

I have to preface by saying that I am not a professional, so be sure to keep in mind my experience is from me doing this as an amateur. I will say that my hair was relaxed the full processing time (not as lightly as texturized hair usually is), and I transitioned in that state with no problems. You may just want to be prepared for more trims, and trial and error with your hair products. Some of the products my relaxed hair needed are too heavy or high protein for my JHS hair, or some aren’t moisturizing enough. Since you’ll be going to a salon, if they have experience, they’ll likely just apply product to your new growth and then trim as it grows out. If you don’t like that look, I suggest trying low heat or heatless styles to blend the two textures. My JHS hair looks really nice even when I do roller sets or braid outs, so I think your experience will be the same. If you have anymore questions, please feel free to leave them below. I plan on doing a 2 year update video with a Q&A before the year ends. Best of luck on your journey!! 🩷🩷

Thanks so much for responding. I reached a hairdresser who does JHS and I told her my story and she said she doesn't recommend it given the state of my hair. I will get a second opinion though.@@itstawanza

Thank you so much for watching!! 🩷

Thank you so much dearest!! I appreciate you sm 💖 I hope to post soon too 🥺 My assignments have hands lately, but I’m gonna make it through 😭

@@itstawanza your education comes first! We’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready to come back :)

It’s so hard to resist~ 😅 I’m just happy it hasn’t caused a huge setback, tbh 🥲

@@itstawanza it is!! But honestly your hair is so gorgeous, I would never have been able to tell! 💖 I found that plucking leg hairs with tweezers can give me the same relief so sometimes I do that instead (when I’m at home lol) it really helps! C:

Nevermind! I found the video! Thank you so so much!! 🥹💕

Omg I’m so glad to hear that~! It’s great that you were able to try JHS and it’s helped your hair journey go how you prefer 🩷🩷 I love that you were able to find so much help in my content 🥰🎶 Thank you for watching my content and leaving such lovely comments!! 🤗💖

@@itstawanza Anytime! 💖 definitely subscribed!!

This is a video on styling my hair after it’s been treated. This is NOT the same as a relaxer (sodium/calcium hydroxide based system), so you have to do it properly to get my results. To do the actual Japanese Straight Perm treatment you have to follow the proper steps of: shampooing, applying step 1, rinsing only with water, blow drying, flat ironing, neutralizing (applying step 2), rinsing with water, blow drying, and flat ironing. Here is a video of that step by step: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoOZdaVql9NlkNEsi=wG6pl9gnghrTonhz

I got it done at SOHO salon. They’re a Japanese salon chain pretty popular on Oahu so you should be able to go on their website, find the closest location, and book a consultation. My original stylist moved, so I’m not sure who to recommend 🥲 It’s best to get a consultation and then go from there 🩷

If your hair is naturally wavy and you air dry it, you could probably take a ponytail down with no crease. If your hair is closer to my texture and flat ironed the result would be about the same, but when I air-dry my hair still flows it just has a ponytail crease when I take it down. During weeks where I air-dry, I just apply more leave in conditioner and serum before I tie my hair for the night and it smooths out any weird texture. When it’s flat ironed I can wrap it and it smooths everything out. But honestly, even if I let my hair dry overnight or while I walk around, the only stiff part is my roots that grew out! I hope this answers your question~ 🩷🩷

I'm naturally 4b/c and have JHS, my hair is extremely flowy. I never use a flat iron except when I get the touch up at the salon. I dry my hair with the revair and it flows well in a ponytail, when I take it down it leaves a slight bend that goes away after a while.

You’re so welcome~! 🩷 I honestly didn’t feel like there was a struggle, but it’s because I have done regular relaxers at home too. If you’re nervous about getting the timing perfect, I suggest trying the whole process with conditioner to build confidence. If you try it every week until your touch up you’ll feel really comfortable doing the real thing. 2 years later and I can say it’s honestly the easiest process ever! Feel free to keep me updated if you DIY your touch up, cause I’m all about saving money and self empowerment 🤗🩷🩷

@@itstawanza Wow thats a really good idea, ill definitely try it out. Thanks!

I was so shocked too! 🫢💗 Yeah, as your ends grow out it’s way better! It felt like for every inch I trimmed I grew 2 more. I couldn’t believe my hair was growing in so soft, strong, and healthy just because I switched products 🥲 By the way! Sorry if KZbin isn’t notifying you about my replies, I also responded to your last comment but it’s not really notifying anyone 🥺

Omg thank you so much!! I’m glad I could help 🩷 I posted this pros and cons video a while ago, but I think I’ll have to do an updated one soon. (Japanese Straight Perm pros ☆ cons kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5jUqWacpNier7s) It’s almost time for my next touch up so I think it’ll be great to do a new maintenance and product recommendation video as well. I’ll try my best to film this weekend and get it sometime this next week 🎶

Not at all. It’s best not to get it on your scalp though to avoid irritation 🩷

Whew I understand, that’s a pretty large investment in your hair maintenance 🥲 First, thank you for your support!! 🩷🩷 I’ll answer your questions below: It takes me about 2 and a half hours if I’m really not getting distracted, but that’s also because I’ve been doing it almost 2 years. I would give myself at least 4 hours to work if starting out because you may get tired during the constant washing and flat ironing I don’t have any affiliate links, but I do tend to use Amazon to order the system so I suggest looking through the reviews and making your decision based on that. I haven’t ordered in about a year and the seller I used then is no longer selling so I can’t say who the best seller is at the moment I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck on your DIY journey! 🤗💗

Thanks so much! I will try to do it myself and learn how through your videos❤

Amazon but the seller I used no longer sells it. I bought enough for over a year so I’m not sure what seller to recommend that is still active. Just check the reviews because they should all be about the same

Oh my gosh, thank you for your sweet comment!! 🩷🩷 I’ll try to be more consistent but the next big video I have planned is for my 2 year straight perm anniversary 🎶

That’s awesome! Guess what! I did it! And so far I love it! And I can’t wait to see you anniversary video :)

Oh my goodness that’s great news! I don’t know why KZbin never notifies me about replies 😭 I’m glad you tried it, how have you been liking it so far? Also, I was able to film my touch up, but I still have to edit it sometime soon😅

Thank you for watching!! 🩷 Yes, you can detangle with conditioner and then shampoo. I recommend using a leave in conditioner or detangling spray since that’s what I use prior to shampooing without any problems. I use the neutralizer all over because untouched hair still processes with step one (as you rinse with water it comes in contact with ALL of your hair), and I don’t want any over processing to cause breakage. Good luck on trying it out and let me know how it goes for you! 🎶

@@itstawanzaok thank you so much ❤

Thank you so much!! 😭🩷 That’s the haircut I was trying to get (the longer version with just chin length bags) but my stylist didn’t come through 🫠 Oh well, when it grows out I’ll try again!

@@itstawanza no prob! :) oh no! Hopefully you get it soon, it would look great on you!

Thank you so much!! I appreciate your support and lovely comment! 🩷 I think this is a great video idea, so I'll be sure to do it. I didn't know that Keratin treatments lifts hair color too, that's really good to know. When I do the maintenance video you suggested I'll go more in depth, but to answer your question, yes, you can use protein treatments with the JHS. I have done milder protein masks (Silicon Mix, Mise En Scene Damage Care, Aphogee Green Tea Restructurizer) and even Fanola's rebonding system (similar to Olaplex) with no problems. It's always good to follow a protein with something moisturizing so your hair doesn't become too stiff, and especially so with the JHS. I don't use protein often, but I will this week's washday since I just touched up. Hopefully I have your suggested video published soon. 🩷

Thanks for the feed back. I have 4c hair and there is a lady in Miami in a salon I think I could get it done for $300 because my hair isn’t super long. There have been a lot of negative comments on JHS for people of color but I’m going to either go get it done or do it with the help of my sister lol. Again thanks for all the videos your hair has grown but you have done a good job with maintenance too. Your just beautiful❤❤❤😂

Hello Kay 🩷 If the breakage is not severe you may be able to do it, but if it's breaking every time you touch your hair or brush it slightly I wouldn't recommend it. Either way you may want to get a trim and focus on why your hair may be breaking. Also, you may want to use a gentler version like mild instead of the normal one to prevent further damage. Here are some solutions: Is your hair dry? Then you would want to do more deep moisture treatments and use less heat. Is your hair damaged? Then you may want to do a protein treatment and follow with a moisture treatment. Is your hair natural? Then you may want to be gentler when you use things like heat tools or styling tools. Sometimes we use more heat or pressure styling our hair assuming it needs that, but too tight styles or lots of combing and brushing causes damage that is hard to see until later on. Is summer weather causing changes to your hair? Sometimes when we straighten our hair during the summer the heat from the flat iron and the UV rays from the sun cause a lot of damage. If so, then you may have to switch to a stronger heat protectant product or different version (example: move from spray heat protectant to serum-based). Let me know if you have anymore questions! You know your hair best, so if you don't feel like you'll have a good outcome, just wait and baby your hair a while. I will mention that my hair is much healthier now than the 1st time I did my JHS, so it is possible. Just know that I had to cut a lot of hair off to get to here (about 6 inches over a long time).

@@itstawanza the problem is i think its just a little weak from me straightening it but its not that bad😅. Im just really scared lol im probably going to be blowing up your notifications during the process before i do it . I already bought it 😅

@@kaypeace oh how exciting. Well don’t be nervous, just take your time. Maybe practice with deep conditioner first and time yourself. Then make sure you always use a good heat protectant and get a nice trim before you head back to school! I’m rooting for you!! You got this!! 👏🏾💖👏🏾💖👏🏾

@@itstawanza i love you so much thanksssss

Hey tawanza i just started my jhs and put in the sraightener my hair us shedding and scared me sro bad i almost sttarted crying rn its still wet and im panicing even scared to comb it out is it normal to be shedding? Please 😢😭😭😭

I left the 1st step in for 20 minutes (maximum time), but some sections got closer to 25 minutes because I was adjusting the water temperature to rinse. I only left the 2nd solution in for 5 minutes, but actually the instructions say 2-3 minutes. It's hard to apply to the whole head in that time frame and also let it process. I hope this answers your question 🩷

thank you so much for watching. I'm glad you found it interesting! 🩷

thank you so much!! 🩷🩷 Ah that's so exciting you just got your hair done as well! you'll definitely be able to grow your hair super long, because my hair started out much shorter and damaged. I've cut over 6 inches off since I started doing JHS, so I know you'll also see great results on your journey. best of luck to you~! 💝💖

@@itstawanza thank you!! 🤗

Thank you so much! 💗 Honestly it's only because it's almost been 2 years for me (my next touch up in October will mark 2 years officially). I feel like with practice and following the directions a lot of money can be saved 😆

Thank you as always for watching my videos and leaving lovely comments!! Haha, I'm so glad my results look that high quality! 💖 Yes I remembered our conversation, so I thought it would be an important point to mention about following directions. I waited 20 minutes, but sometimes while I'm adjusting the water temperature some sections get about 5 more minutes of processing (25 total), so I start by applying it to more resistant sections first. I think that's a great idea to wait until you can get your ideal result with more ease! I'm rooting for you going the DIY route and glad I helped boost your confidence. Plus I second that we should only be using a temperature controlled device like a flat iron. As a matter of fact, *everybody, if the flat iron doesn't have a way to adjust the temperature to 370°F, don't use it*, it won't end well 😭 The major difference between the EX1 and H1 to me was processing time. That makes sense since the EX1 is called "Shiseido Crystallizing Straight Express Processing" and marketed for "very resistant" hair. When I started out doing JHS I needed 30 minutes with the H1 because I wasn't used to applying it, but the EX1 got my ideal results in like 20. Now that I'm a bit more seasoned I can use the H1 in 20(/5) minutes and get my ideal results. I'll probably use the EX1 once the temperature drops and my hair is a little harder to process but it would still process in about 15 minutes or less. If your hair is low porosity and damage resistant, the EX1 is great, but if it's normal porosity I think the H1 is better. High porosity hair (naturally) N1 is the ideal one, but if it's damaged (became high porosity) it's best to use nothing and allow your hair to recover as you trim. I hope this answered all your questions! Thank you as always!! 💗💗