There are five essential tips that you should know about when you’re transitioning. They’ll make your journey easier and see you through until the day you have a head full of luscious curly locks.
Ever since you stopped chemically processing your hair, it seems like the whole world is going naturally curly, right? Now, just like you, they’ve discovered a few things…
For starters:
Transitioning To Natural Hair Has Elements Which Are “Good”,”
THE GOOD: You no longer feel the urge to put a chemical on your hair, so that expense in time and energy can be redirected to somewhere else in your life. Remember that transitioning to
THE BAD: Well, you now have two completely different (and delicate at this stage) hair textures that will be vying for supremacy. Your curly hair will be laughing at your scraggly ends, which will, in turn, be lying limp hoping for a semblance of attention. Where both of these textures meet is called “the line of demarcation.” The weakest part of the strand.
You will be tempted to straighten your curly new growth, in order for it to match your longer processed hair. Don’t do it!!
THE UGLY: You won’t know what to do with the processed hair, but you won’t want to cut it all off in one go. It’s okay, put the shears down for now because transitioning to natural curly hair will follow your pace. You will decide how much to cut off and when.
As anxious as you may feel (some might call you a scaredy cat), you know that having non-processed hair is the right move for you. Because you know two things why you want your natural curls and what your hair goals are.
Multiple Textures And Your Transition To Naturally Curly Hair
Transitioning to naturally curly hair has very little to do with how you
Five Essential Tips To Make Your Transition Easy
QUALITY PRODUCTS
A change to your hair care products is necessary as your hair will need ingredients that support the health of your naturally curly hair. Great natural products are important as you navigate through the transition. Products that do not include parabens, sulphates, silicones, mineral oils and petroleum to name a few.
But note, it’s incredible easy to become a product junkie as you try product after product in the hopes that “it’s the one” that’ll make everything work in your regimen.
After purchasing a product that you think may work for you give it some time to determine if it works. If not it may be possible to exchange or return prior to buying a new product. It’s likely that you’ll need more than one shampoo, conditioner, and styler. Because your hair will go through different phases and stages. You’ll need products that clarify, moisturize, condition and enhance curls.
On “wash days” you’ll want to easily detangle and restore moisture to your strands. There are very few products that can do it in one fell swoop. Usually, you’d have to use at least 3 different products after rinsing out your conditioner.
STYLING & PROTECTIVE STYLING
When you decide to transition you’ll need to also transition to a new way of managing and styling your hair. Reduced and ultimately limited use of combs, brushes along with heated appliances at high temperatures directly applied to your hair.
Protective styling will help you get through what can be difficult days of the transition process when your hair is quite frankly a “mess”. Protective styles e.g. buns, braids, wigs; weaves, scarves and hats can be worn as a short or long term measure.
All curly girls know that the easiest way to transition to naturally curly is to wear the straightened parts of your hair curly with braid outs, twist-outs, perm rods,
TRIM THE ENDS
If you’ve decided not to go really short and determined that transitioning is the way to go, regular trimming of processed or colored hair is important. It could be a ½ inch to an inch at a time until all processed ends are gone. It’s entirely possible that as you transition the weaker processed hair may break, as the line of demarcation grows out. Your naturally curly hair will be much stronger than the weaker processed hair. Deep treatments and regular conditioning are important to get through this difficult phase. “Getting to know your new growth”, is important as you care for the curls but this takes time. The biggest concern you’ll have is how to get the hair to grow fast enough while you’re trimming off the processed ends.
BE PATIENT
It’s important to give yourself time to see the results of all your efforts and come through the difficult stage of your transition. And just know it will end you have to be patient. It takes months to see real change. If you follow all the tips and apply them to a regimen or method consistently, it will make the transition bearable and in no time you’ll be celebrating your progress. And you’ll be the one who is the subject of curly hair envy!!
DON’T GIVE UP
You’ll feel like giving up and want to go back to processing, blow-drying, straightening and or coloring when you’re frustrated. But try to ignore the urge to return to your old ways of styling. Those old methods are no longer the best thing for your naturally curly hair, plus……….you can do it, you can get through the tough times.
How do we know, well because there are many, many women who have gone before you, and made it through! And just know they’ll be a day when the light begins to shine through the darkness…………you’ll see the volume, body,
Do you have any additional tips for transition, let us know in the comments section below.
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