Thursday, May 10, 2012

My Top 10 Tips for Transitioning to Natural Hair

There are tons of things to do while transition to natural hair. Many transitioners do not want to do the BC(big chop) because it is so drastic. Some transition without chopping off their hair; however, this can be a difficult task because you are working with two types of hair (natural & relaxed). For this reason, you must take extra good care of your hair while it's in transition. Natural hair tends to be a lot drier than your relaxed hair and this can lead to a lot of breakage at the line of demarcation (where your natural & relaxed hair meet) and shedding due to the breakage. Here are my top suggestions for those transitioning to natural hair:
  1. Condition, Condition Condition!
    • Use silicone free conditioners to reduce product build up and to add moisture into your hair
  2. Minimal Styling
    • The more you handle you hair the more strain you are putting on it. Keep your hands out of your hair by trying low maintenance styles
  3. Take Vitamins
  4. Moisturize
    • Natural hair tends to be fairly dry. Use water based products to retain moisture the seal in the moisture with shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil mixtures
  5. Don't flat iron
    • Trying to blend the two textures is probably one of the worst thing to do while you're in transition. This can cause the hair to break at the demarcation line or even cause permanent heat damage
  6. Find your go-to hair style
    • Find what looks best on you and rock with it! For me it has been the twist-out. It's simple and it's cute!
  7. Detangle your hair when it is wet
  8. Protect your edges
    • The most fragile part of our hair is usually the edges and the nape. Try not to put a lot of tension on these areas when styling. Do not use harsh styling tools (rubber bands, bristle brushes, etc), bobby pins with the rubber ends are my favorite!
  9. Cut off the damaged/relaxed ends gradually
    • Eventually you will have to let go of the ends that are not natural. Either you will cut them off or they will end up breaking off
  10. Make sure your scalp stays clean
    • Us naturals love to try new products, but sometimes this cause a lot of build-up in our hair and on the scalp which ultimately prevents our hair from absorbing the moisture it needs. Shampoo as needed and Co-wash frequently to prevent build-up and  to clean your scalp
These are a few things that have helped me transition to natural hair over the years and hopefully they will be helpful for you. Do you have any tips you would like to share??

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