Transition with Easy Tips
Transitioning is a physical and mental journey. Heres what Curly Girls Need to know
Girlfriends & Curlfriends You'll need both!– Like any major change in your life, you’re gonna need the support & advice of loving people who can relate to what you’re going through. Some of your girlfriends may not understand, so you might have to add some new CURLfriends to your circle! There are oodles of natural Facebook groups & online sites with hundreds of other curly girls waiting to connect with you. Join in & make a friend!
But WHY? Heres Why! – Be ready for the questions you will be asked once you go natural. I’ve gotten everything from “Is everything Ok?” to “What are you going to do with It?” Some people will never understand your decision, while others will embrace you on sight! Both groups, though, will be curious, so share your story defenselessly & go on your curly way!
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4. Keep Your Receipts – You’re probably gonna try 20+ different products in your search for the perfect curl or protection while transitioning. The good news is most beauty & haircare items can be returned to major chain stores, so keep your receipts or you'll end up with an overstuffed bathroom cabinet of “trial & errors.”
5. Experiment - feel comfortable experimenting with different products & styles to find what works best for you & your locks. Frohawlks, afro puffs, and coils, go nuts!
6. Find Your HAIRSpiration – I often hear people say “What’s the big deal…it’s just hair?” That’s true to an extent, but I also understand that our hair is an extension (no pun intended) of who we are. Whoever or whatever it is, find something that inspires & encourages you to realistically start your journey.
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Change Your Status – If you’re currently single, you can go ahead & change your FB status to “In a relationship.” Your transitioning journey is going to require you to nourish it with the same goodness you would a new beau – patience, care, commitment, understanding, flexibility, forgiveness & most importantly love. “It’s complicated” will be your new status if any one of these are missing along the way…
8. It’s a Wrap – I spoke with The Great Curldini & she predicts bad-hair days are in your future. Ahh, but hold up! She sees a solution…HEADWRAPS! If your crop is acting up, wrap it up! Head scarves, headbands, & beanies are accessory necessities…get a few in every color.
9. When in Doubt, Twist it Out – The two-strand twist out is by far one of the easiest & cutest natural hairstyles that works for all textures & lengths. Jazz it up with jeans or be dashing in a dress!
Do YOU, Boo Boo! – Last, but most certainly, not least… BE YOU! This journey is personal, and everyone’s path is unique. Don’t let anyone “define” what natural is for you. If deciding not to chemically relax your hair opens your mind to other aspects of healthy, natural living, go for it! But if you wanna rock your curls with freshly manicured tips eating a double cheeseburger with blue contacts, that’s fine too!
All Important GENERAL TIPS
- Avoid heat. Heat can really dry out and permanently damage our hair. The worst thing that you can do to your hair is to press or flat iron to blend the two textures. This will cause the hair to break at the demarcation line, which is the line where the relaxed hair meets the natural hair aka new growth. The demarcation line is the weakest part of your hair when you are transitioning. If you must have it straight do it once every 2 months.
- Put your hair in protective styles As often as possible . Where you're not obsessing about hair length every minute of the day. Find styles that will blend the two textures such as perm rod sets ( very small rollers originally used for curly perms you can find them at beauty supply stores), roller sets, braid-outs, twist outs, bantu knot outs, box braids, micro twists, and kinky twists or sew in weaves.
- Have your braids touched in between appointments. If you are using braids to transition, get the front and sides touched up between braiding. This is where a lot of product and gunk builds up. Having it touched up every two weeks between full braiding’s will keep your hair looking nice and keep the edges from being so tangled when your take them down.
- Always detangle from tip to end, Preferably with your fingers. Detangling transitioning hair requires patience.First you will want to start from the ends of the hair while you have conditioner on your hair. Separate the hair into four sections, and apply conditioner to each section. Detangling your hair is very important!! Failing to detangle properly will lead to hair breakage and failing to detangle at all will cause the hair to matte.
- Keep your hair moisturized. Dry hair breaks. Nothing beats water when it comes to moisturizing hair,this is the time you can start using natural hair products to seal your hair.
- Protect Your Edges. Avoid transitioning styles that put too much tension on your temples and the nape of your neck. These areas are much finer and delicate!!!
TRIMMING
- Set a cutting/trimming schedule.
- Only use hair scissors to trim your ends. Never cut anything else with those scissors.
- If you feel uncomfortable trimming your ends ask the help of a friend or go to a salon. I twist my hair in sections and snip the ends of each twist for a trim.
QUICK TIPS
- Use sulfate-free shampoos when shampooing, or co wash
- Detangle from ends to roots.
- Minimal styling to prevent breakage.
- Do not flat iron or press the hair to match textures
- Deep condition every other week especially right after a shampoo.
- Keep the hair moisturized with a water based product.
- Do not use products with petroleum or mineral oil as the first ingredient.
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