My longterm transition from relaxed/texlaxed to natural hair TIPS!!!
August 01, 2014
Here are a few tips that have made transitioning a whole lot easier for me. They might be of help to you too.
1. Do your hair in sections.
Doing your hair in sections makes detangling much easier and helps distribute product evenly to all hairstrands.
2. Maintain protein -moisture balance.
You will need to use a protein conditioner to keep your relaxed ends and especially the line of demarcation from breaking off. Moisture on the other hand will give your hair the elasticity it needs to keep it soft and manageable. A balance of the two = healthy hair.
4. Do not comb dry hair.
Combing transitioning hair while it is dry will cause breakage especially at the line of demarcation. It is advisable to comb the hair while it is wet or moisturised. I only comb mine when it is freshly washed and conditioned.
5. Finger detangle your hair.
Using hands/ fingers to detangle transitioning hair will cause less breakage especially if the hair is prone to tangles. A comb will pull out hair and cause breakage every time it is used.
6. Find a go-to style & protective styles
Curly styles such as braid outs, twist outs, rod sets, roller sets e.t.c are usually the best while transitioning because they help to blend in the relaxed and natural hair these styles can be achieved without the use of direct heat. Straight styles are a lot harder to achieve and maintain because natural hair reverts. The above mentioned styles are low manipulation styles and require little to no combing at all. Low manipulation hair styles can be changed to protective styles by turning them into buns or other updo's. A protective stlye is any hair styles that keeps your ends safely hidden, tucked away... These include buns, applying scarves, braids, weaves, cornrows e.t.c check out my First natural hairstyle
7. Don't be discouraged.
Only you know why you have decided to longterm transition to natural. It will be important for you to set your eyes on your goal which is healthy, beautiful natural african hair. There will be people who will say negative things about your hair but just keep going.
Find a good support system of women who have either done a longterm transition or are still transitioning for advice and inspiration.
9. Be patient
Hair grows slowly so please be patient you will get there.
11. Do not put expectations on your hair just accept it as it is.
Avoid comparing your hair with anybody elses, keep in mind that your hair will be unique in it's own way. Some women have curls, coils, kinks, waves and they are all good! Embrace your own hair as it is!
12. Co washing instead of shampooing
At some point I had a feeling that my hair was getting more tangles when shampoo was used on it. Other than that shampoos can dry out the hair especially if they contain sulphates. Washing with conditioner will help improve moisture levels in your hair and ease detangling.
13. Cut down on heat
While heat can be used to blend in relaxed and natural hair, it is not advisable to use heat to transition to natural. Heat can damage the hair's curl pattern. Always use a heat protector when you use heat.( blow dryer, flat irons, curling irons...)
14. Trim your relaxed ends off gradually.
As the new growth increases, the relaxed ends start to look very thin. If you don't want any rude schocks and are not comfortable with the length your natural hair is now do not cut off too much of the relaxed ends. Plan for small trims until you are satisfied with your length.
15. Pre shampoo treatments.
Pre shampoo treatments have been a life saver for me. Just applying an oil to my scalp and hair and finger detangling before washing really makes a big difference.
16. Wash your hair on a regular basis.
Transitioning hair likes to matt/ tangle at the line of demarcation. Leaving this kind of hair unwashed and undetangled for too long means that all the shed hair will attach itself to the tangle and keep growing as a result you will experience breakage.
I had to cut off all of this because of a bad tangle. I had not washed or detangled my hair for two whole weeks.
17. Satin/ silk Scarf and brush
If you love smooth styles then a scarf and a soft bristle brush will be great investment for you. All you need to do is to moisturise your hair, seal the moisture in with an oil then brush/ comb your hair as desired. Lastly apply a scarf to you hair especially on the edges and this will get them flat in less than 10 minutes.
Welcome to Grow African Hair Long (GAHL)
16 comments
wooooo...all along i have been having a desire to transition but had fears of slow growth and short hair on my head.Am gonna start on the process right away. thanks Joanne.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy this is helpful to you. It is important that you find a good support team to cheer you on during your transition. But ofcourse i am also here if you need any help. You can always send me an email.
DeleteThe picture of the tangle hair is so true! I remembered when I first went natural I thought that I could go as long as I did when I was relaxed without washing my hair. The tangles proved me wrong and now I co-wash 1-2 times a week! Great post!
ReplyDeleteThank you! atleast now i know that i am not a lone :) how long have you been natural now?
DeleteThanks i am not alone too for Natural Hair Growth
DeleteGood job and Congratulations to you. Thank you for sharing your journey. Enjoy your day! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary :)
DeleteI'm transitioning and now have about 1/2 an inch of natural hair. I'm trying to find one of your articles on starting off but can't seem to find it...heeeelllp
ReplyDeleteHi There,
ReplyDeleteMy transition actually started as a normal relaxer stretch. so at the beginning my hair care routine stayed the same as when i was relaxed. I washed and deep conditioned my hair weekly, I also did a light protein treatment every week to keep my relaxed hair strong. if you need any more tips you are always welcome to write me :)
http://growafricanhairlong.blogspot.de/2013/05/special-announcement-i-am-transitioning.html
Hi Dee, If available where you live you can try out the cantu shea butter leave in conditioner it is really good! what works perfectly for me and is also very inexpensive is plain water mixed with a bit of conditioner. it works wonders to moisturise my hair.
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Hi there any remedies for damaged hairline? Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne, I've read your post and I ffind it very helpful but I don't know which products to use for my hair. The shampoo, conditioner, the protein and everything I'd need, please help. My hair used to be black, thick and shiny but right now it's thin, and I've been experiencing hair loss. I don't know if it's because I don't like plaiting or what is it.
ReplyDeleteThis article was very helpful for me. In 2010 I decide to start my natural journey. My hair has definitely bounced back and the thickness shows, but it’s been a long road trying to retain the length while getting past shoulder length. Your post has helped me to not be discouraged and continue pushing forward with end trims and moisturizer!
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