Achieving a great twist out takes a bit of practice, but there are some steps people often omit that can ruin the style. I’m going to show you how to get great results every time!
Wait. Hold Up Transitioners!
The twist out directions are below, but transitioners pay attention and learn what not to do!
When I was transitioning, I didn’t have much luck with my first two strand twist out because my ends were very thin and damaged.
First, take a look at my twists (3 months into transition)…
Yikes! What a train wreck!
Notice how damaged and thin my ends are, especially near the front. I had at least 3-4 inches that really needed to be cut off, but I was trying to hold on to as much hair as I could since I had already cut more than I wanted to.
Now see the results of the twist out…
This would have looked much better had I trimmed more of my hair first.
I put rollers on the ends to give them a slight bump because the straight look was NOT HOT! 🙂 That helped a little, but the ends really ruined the style.
I didn’t try the twist out again until a few months later. I also used small perm rods on the ends the 2nd time so they would have a tighter curl. Here are the results…
Notice that my hair looks a lot healthier because those scraggly ends are gone. I also had a few more inches of natural hair here, which makes for a fuller look.
Here’s a video showing how I achieved this look…
How to Do a Twist Out on Transitioning or Natural Hair
1. Make sure your ends are trimmed and you’ve gotten rid of any that are overly thin and damaged.
2. Shampoo and condition your hair as normal.
3. While your hair is wet and detangled, grab a section of hair to twist. Apply your favorite twisting product.
If you want a more stretched, longer twist out, let your hair dry in twists or some kind of stretched style and twist on dry hair.
Also, if you’re on a budget, learn how to make flaxseed gel. It’s cheap, natural and goes a long way! (Feel free to add a natural oil underneath any gel-based product to keep your hair from getting too hard.)
You can also try a setting lotion instead of a twisting creme or gel. I like BB’s setting lotion because it doesn’t have have alcohol, which can dry out your hair.
4. Twist your hair taut all the way to the end and transitioners should use a perm rod on the end to keep them from hanging straight and unraveling.
5. Allow hair to dry fully. If you take your twists down while wet or damp, you’ll get frizz.
6. Remove the rods (if applicable).
7. Coat your fingers with a natural oil (castor, olive etc.) to prevent frizz and remove the twists by gently twisting/rotating the entire twist in the opposite direction.
8. Once you begin rotating, gently slide your finger between the twisted hairs and the twists should come apart easily.
NOTE: Don’t try to pry the twists apart without rotating them in the opposite direction first or you may frizz the hair.
Enjoy your twist out!
Nighttime Routine
You may need to re-twist your hair at night depending on how defined you want your style to be for days to come.
Apply a small amount of your twisting product and re-twist. Just be careful of re-applying too much product because you don’t want build up.
Sleep in a satin bonnet to preserve your style.
If you don’t want to re-twist and your hair is longer, you can “pineapple the hair” by making a loose, high puff on top of your head with a Goody band. Then wrap the sides of your hair with a satin scarf.
One of My Favorite Twist Outs With Two-Strand and Flat Twists
Hi my name is Paula I’m transitioning from a permed hair to natural my question its been 5 mos since I had a perm, ive had my hair braided and its seems to be growing but I have some dryness and shedding. What should I do ? Also my scalp is sore from the braids and she don’t pull that tight,but my hair is short and will twist out work with my hair and its very thick
I am having the same issue,I use plenty conditioner,green house affect,hot oil treatments and leave in oil’s but my ends shedd like crazy.I try to seal them at night and I roll the ends with tiny foam rollers instead of the hard rods.I have tried everything.my hair was below bra strap length now it’s barely touching the strap.my natural hair is so healthy and strong but this perm hair is weak but I am not ready for the chop..any help will be greatly appreciated.Im over here out of ideas: (
my name is iindia im 17 ive been natural for some years now but im just starting to wear my hair out. i have tight/loose curly hair that frizzes up when dries. i do twist outs and braid outs and bantu knots all the time and they NEVER work . i use cantu shea butter twist and lock gel and eco styler gel and still when i separae the next morning it gets all frizzy and looks flat. hat should i do ?
Dear iindia,
To get a better twist out you should follow these tips:
1. To prevent flatness do not use so much product and focus more product on the ends and middle of the hair rather than at the roots.
2. Use first a moisturizer (I like Cantu Shea butter conditioning repair cream) then seal with an oil ( I recomend olive oil, or coconut oil, or any blend of oils) finally use a styler (I use eco styler gel or ORS Smooth-N-Hold Pudding)
3. To prevent frizz coat make sure your twists are 100% dry before taking them down or else they will dry during the day and become frizzy. Also coat your fingers with oil and take twist down SLOWLY or else they will frizz up.
4. Please try these tips (I hope they work for you! ;3) And please note that these tips worked for me and work for a lot of people but may not work for you. Another thing is that the flatness may be caused by the wrong haircut, If you could invest in going to a curly hair salon and (if you want more volume) asking for layers.
Best wishes, Y.Rose
Hi, My name is LaMelle. I just recently started growing my hair out a month a ago after my son passed. My wife says I’m going through a midlife crisis. Mu question is I have short hair like 2-3 inches long.What I am wanting to know is what is the best products to use on my hair with it being short and trying grow locs. Is there something I should do on a weekly basis or every month. I need help because I do not know where to start or what I’m doing. Please if anyone can offer me some great advice it would be greatly appreciated.
Hey,
I’m Atule,
I did the big chop off on 21/03/2015 and today is 31/03/2015 but the tips are still relaxed and won’t stay in a twist out. is there anything I can do to hasten up the speed of the total transition period or do you think I should just do a shorter chop off, that is, cut the hair shorter?
Sounds to me like you just didn’t trim off all the relaxed ends OR you could have some scab hair left over (hair that grows out in a different texture after you relax because of the protective coating that your follicles produce during relaxing). It’s up to you. You can rod the ends of your twist out or trim.
Hi,
I just turned eighteen and I want to go natural I haven’t had a perm since May of this year I’ve been wearing individual braids ever since I took down my hair and while my edges and the front of my hair grew, this I was really happy about because I’ve never had edges but now the back is still very short I found this website and I love it. I tried two strand twists this morning after I was done twisting my I noticed my ends where straight, don’t know the outcome yet. I just wanted to know if I should cut my ends or just roll with the punches.
Hello. I am 14 years old and decided to go natural as of July/August. Its been 4 months now and I have a lot of new growth. I have NEVER cut my hair before so ive decided to transituon for a loooong time.When I have extensions in I spray my hair everyday with a water-based product (Black Chic Oil Moisturiser Spray w/ Avocado oil).
When I undo them a wash my hair with shampoo and towel dry then i apply pure Shea butter and ORS Jojoba oil. I recently did 2 stand twists and although they look fantastic on other people with longer natural hair on my hair it looked very weird and short and the ends were very thin compared to towards my roots. My big question is … Am I doing the correct things? I really want to have long natural hair so How can I achieve that quicker/more effectively? Thank you. – KM
You should NOT dry your hair with a towel because it causes frizz and the ruff material could hurt your thin ends. Something you should is massage your scalp with coconut or castor oil right BEFORE you wash it and wash it out very good. You may or may not know this but you should to regular deep condition treatments about once a week. Also to he to not way down your new curls you should slowly cut a little each time off your relaxed ends. You should also try low manipulation styles and protective (styles that aren’t too tight on your edges and keep your ends moisturized and/or tucked away.)
You should also steer clear of shampoos with sulfates and conditioners with silicones because they can affect your hair growth and dry your hair out. Some sulfates are: Anything that ends with -sulfate. Dome Silicones are: Anything that ends with -xane or -cone.
Also; always remember that it is better to have healthy, short hair than to have unhealthy long hair. If you treat your hair with love and care it will grow!
~Best Wishes ~
Hi Mrs. Lisa! I am transitioning and have a question about your two strand procedure. What do I substitute for the perm rods if I do not have them?
Hi JJ, hmmm… never thought of this. Do you have any kind of roller? Sponge is not ideal but you can add paper to them to prevent snagging.
Also a good old fashion paper bag lol lol yes but it works.and super cheap or even free .my Nana used them for years she was very tender headed and didn’t like the feel of the roller while sleeping and actually her curls would look amazing!!
Hi im 16 and i had a perm that burnt all of my hair out! My friend convinced me to go natural BUT i don’t know exactly what to do with it. my hair goes to a little before my collarbone and its 4b, which means it is sooooo nappy! I was just wondering what exactly i need to do and buy (keep in my i have broke people problems)
Thank You
Well you should only wash your hair once a week or once every two weeks and deep condition every time you wash your hair. You should use a moisturizer, seal with an oil, and use a styler like a gel, pudding, or hair lotion. You should always do something to blend the two textures of natural hair and relaxed ends. Some things that you can search for tutorials on YouTube to blend the textures are ; Two strand twist outs, Bantu knot outs, flat twist outs, braid outs, and three strand twist outs. Always remember to Bantu knot, place a perm rod on ,put a roller on, or pin curl your ends so the textures will be blended. You should also slowly cut off your relaxed ends.
Some Youtubers that have great natural and transitiong hair videos are:
Jorneytowaistlength. (Transitioning)
NaturalNeiicey
SummerKelsey
Fusionofcultures
Moknowshair
SamirahGilly. ( just a little bit of Heat damaged ends)
I’mshinestruck
Some products I recommend that are not that expensive:
1. Sauce Naturals Coconut Conditioner (about $1.98)
2. Loreal Sulfate free line shampoo and conditioner
3. Aussie Moist conditioner ( about $5/$6 for the biggest size)
4. Cantu Shea butter Conditioning repair cream ( about $5)
5. Eco styler gel in olive oil or argan oil (depends on size but all at pretty well priced)
6. ORS Smooth-N-Hold Pudding (depends on size)
7. Tresemme naturals conditioned
8. ORS replenishing pack {little packs of normal/deep conditioner} (about 1.98)
Have fun going natural; your hair is beautiful no matter how nappy it is 😉
*Best wishes*
Hi, my daughter has been getting her hair pressed and recently, she hasn’t gotten it pressed. The back of her hair broke off, now it’s about 3 1/2 inches when the front and the middle is 5 1/2, 6 inches. Whenever we do twist/braid outs it doesn’t come out that good so we don’t know what to do with her hair.
Hi Lisa,
I’m 24 and I want badly to take a break from weave. My edges have broken terribly all the way around and my hair is shorter in my front bang section. Is there a style that I can wear to let my hair breathe?
Hi Eboni
Have you heard of straw sets? Try those or rod sets. There are great videos on youtube with tips and instructions.
Hi! I really enjoyed the discussion. I carry a natural hair but mind isn’t all that kinky. its kinda straight and its end usually thin when I briad it. Its only kinky when its washed but as soon as I braid and loose the braid it comes out straight again. I love it cos I don’t worry about combing like many people can I just comb and style it for months.
I want to do a nice twist out for my convocation and am not sure it will be nice because most of the pictures of natural hair I see here looks very kinky( am not transiting, that’s how my hair has been )
You can buy small perm rods at a local beauty supply store to curl your ends.
Hi my name is Khairat and I am transitioning and my hair is really short and it is really hard to fin a good protective style that will last me till me next wash day and I can get up and go because I have school every day and and tips on less breakage and advice would be really welcome thanks
I’m 7 months into my transition and I was wondering if it was bad that I retwist my flat twist every night
Hi. I have totally natural hair. I’ve never relaxed or done anything similar to it. I want to do a twist out. how will that work for my hair? and how long be
fore I have to retwist?
Hi Bridget, Yes it will work as long as your hair is long enough to grab and twist. How long depends on how defined your want your twist out to be. My hair is long so it tangles easily. So I tend to re-twist at night a lot more now. But if you don’t mind it being really natural and “fro-y” then you don’t necessarily have to retwist. You can “pineapple” your hair at night by putting it on top of your head with a goody band to help preserve the style.
I just wanted to THANK YOU for your website! i’m 18 weeks into my transition. While i’m soooo excited about getting reacquainted with the GOOD hair that God gave me, i’m also quite of frustrated because i just don’t know what to do with my hair! (awkward in bet. stage and all). Your site is so helpful and i’m learning so much. Just wanted to say thank you! :).
I’Ve been transitioning for 7 months now. Ive been doing flat twists and bantu knots. I was wondering how do you make your styles last
IS IT SAFE TO USE PROLINE LITE COMB THRU FOR WOMEN NATURAL HAIR. IT SAYS IT IS FOR MEN. I HAVE TRIED IT AND IT MAKES MY NATURAL FRO SUPER SOFT.
what is the best method to refresh 2nd day curls and prevent frizz?
Hi my name is Jennifer I am currently transitioning, I can see my curl pattern starting, I am to the point where I don’t have to twist my hair nightly anymore. I can wake up put water and leave in conditioner in it and it curls, my question for you is, what are some good products to use. I have tried DPL and now I am currently using Pantene. DPL made it light and moist but it weighed my hair down. I am looking for a great line that has natural shampoo, co wash, hot oil treatments, etc. something that keeps it light, curly, moist and frizz free! Thank you!
When you do the mini chops, how much do you usually cut off?
hello, i’ve been natrual for about eight years now. Ive always gotten presses and wore sew ins. thats was great until i realized that i am natural and i never wear my hair natural!!! so for the last three weeks ive been twisting my hair. The only problem is my hair is breaking like heck and its hard and brittle. I use mixed chicks hair shampoo conditioner my ends are thin and ugly. I’m doing a big cut this evening around 3 inches so my hair will look like it shouls. Any suggestions on products? or what i should be or not be doing
Hi Lisa
I got my last relaxer in December 2012, I really don’t know what to do with my hair. I have some new growth, but i have also been straighten my hair. It’s starting to break off now, I need help on how to style my hair. And I’m going on a beach vacation next month I need a style that will hold up while on vacation. PLEASE HELP!!!!
Hi Lisa, i am 17 and I’ve been getting perms since i was 5. All of my friends are natural and i am trying to steer away from perms. What is the best way to transition.
Back in the 70’s my afro would shrink as soon as I walked outside in the humidity or if I sweated. I hated it. Will Eco Style jell or any other type jell keep this from happening. Do you know of any other product that will help with the shrinkage.
Im 17 and ive had my hair relaxed and straightened since I was really little but in the past couple of years its began to break in the back and it isnt getting any better. I really want to go natural because I know it will be better for my hair in the long run however i have a few questions: #1. Do u think this would be a good choice or should I just cut it all off? #2. If I do the twist will my broken hair be a major problem ,its really short and hard to manage? I really dont no what to do, and id really appreciate any information u can give me.
I have not had a relaxer in 4 months. I am trying to transition to natural hair but I have no clue what to do with my hair in the meantime. I would like to to the two strand twists but I am not sure how to go about this or if I should just wait it out until I have more new growth. I considered doing the big chop but I would like to keep my length as long as i can.
hi i’m trying to go natural but don’t want to do the big cope what do i do i need help!!!!!!!!
Hi Tameka
You don’t have to chop. I wore my hair in flat twists, twists and rod set styles the entire transition. Check the Hairstyles tab at the top of this forum for ideas.
What product line would you recommend to color graying natural hair. Ms. Cariol Beautiful used to work great on my perm hair. It doesn’t color the grey?
Hi, I don’t have any experience with this but a lot of my forum members use Henna — it’s a more natural way. Go to youtube and you’ll see tons of vids.
Hi Lisa
What style do you recommend for transisting very short thin hair. My hair is to short in the back to do a twist out.
Hi Estoria, this question comes up a lot on the forum https://napturallycurly.com/forums and honestly some are finding that it’s better to get braids/extensions until their hair grows out some and then you can coil the back or use very tiny rods.
How do you control frizz’s while transitioning and on a TWA.
HOW DO YOU GET RID OF KNOTS ON A TWA
Hello Lisa,
I was ten when I first had a rexaler put in my hair (naturally long , semi-straight semi-curly hair). However, not long after did I notice that alot of my hair breaking off! I stop getting relaxers all together for about two years. However, once again I wanted the pin straight look so I decided to get another relaxer. This time the relaxer went well and I had it for about two years. However, once it had grown out so much , it started to break off and I eventually stopped with the relaxers. The pattern of large amounts of growth followed with immediate break off seems to be a nonstop pattern. In addition to that , I have eczema which has moved to my scalp and my hair dresser suggest that I not wash my hair every two weeks. Following her advice , it worked, however my hair became very tangled and even matted to the point I could not get the mats out of my hair! Due to this my hair is now extremely broken off! I am now nineteen years old and I am at my breaking point. I have no idea what to do with my hair! The last perm I have had was about five months ago. I dont want to add heat to it because it is at a brittle state right now. It is extremely broken off and thin at the ends. Any suggestions that promote the hair to grow back healthy starting at the roots and how to keep that new hair healty without washing frequently?
Have you tried doing lasting styles like straw or rod sets? Those tend to last longer and your hair won’t get as matted because you aren’t manipulating it.
Thanks Lisa, for the advice. I tried doing a twist out myself but it didn’t turn out very well. I have been thinking about doing rod sets or trying the twist out again on wet hair. The problem I am running into is that I have partial paralysis to my right side, which has left me with no use of my right hand. I am left handed from birth, thank God. However, doing my own hair has always posed a challenge. I plan to keep practicing because I want to be able to do it myself. Plus in the small town I am in there aren’t very many who embrace natural hair which means few beauticians.
Hi Na’Keia,
Hang in there. I bet the more you practice, the better you will get. My first twist out was terrible as you may have seen on this page.
Thanks Lisa I’ve started co washing nightly and placing big twist throughout my hair until the morning and that is helping, me retain moisture. I am also getting a little better with the twist. It just takes so much of the ORS sleek n Hold pudding for the twist to stay together. I like the product because it isn’t drying. After my co wash I semi dry my hair with a shirt. Then I scoop my fingers in the ORS and start applying it to damp sections and twisting.
Hello Lisa, I love your site and it helped me a lot when I was first thinking about going natural, and it is continuing to help me as I am a little further along.I started my transition with two strands, the first week of last August. When the girl that does my hair took them down two months later a patch of my hair about the circumference of the top of a coffee cup came out on the side of my head. I am wearing yarn braids and wear the patch is missing the hair is starting to come in in places but it is super fine. My hair is type 4a everywhere with the middle being thicker. This new hair growing in(where I have hair loss) is markedly different from the new growth all over my head. It is also growing in so slow. How can I get it to catch up with the rest of my hair?
The top of your hair often grows the slowest and everyone has a different textures of hair. The top of my head for example is more course than the back so this is not abnormal. It also grows slower than the back. You can’t cause your hair growth to speed up in different sections. I’ve just learned to deal with it by keeping my back trimmed as much but even still, it’s a tad bit uneven. That’s OK because I wear my hair in curly/kinky styles where it’s hardly noticeable.
But I would CERTAINLY not get braids for awhile. Sounds like the pulling is too harsh for your super fine/delicate hair and you don’t want to ruin your follicles or cause alopecia that could result in permanent balding.
hey im 20 i havent had a perm since august… my hair is really damaged and my friend old me i should stop getting relaxers and go natural. im not gonna lie im very nervous about this process(transitioning) my ends are thin but my roots are very thick. i just need some advice about what to do starting this process and plus i dont want to cut my hair just yet.
Hi, I have been transitioning ever since May. It’s October now and I was planning on doing the big chop in either December or January. I had a lot of confidence in my decision because some “Naturals” I know have been a great help in the encouragement department. But yesterday I went to the lady that does my sew-ins (I got a kinky curly look), and I told her that I am planning to cut my hair down to the “new growth”. She seemed shocked and started on a rant about “going natural ain’t for everybody” ,”you better not cut your hair child”, and “you’re too lazy to go natural”. So my question is , is going natural that much of hassle? Is it very difficult? She told me that “you would have to do something to your everyday and it takes a lot of time” Is it really that time consuming?
Hi Cleo,
She does have some points. I will admit, I spend more time on my hair than I EVER have. So you do have to prepared to spend additional time (unless you go to a stylist). Plus there’s the patience you need to figure out what your hair likes, etc. So yes, it does take some work but I have no regrets. Loving the journey! I disagree with having to do something to your hair everyday. Depends on how you wear it. In fact, I do LESS because I wear a lot of twists, twist outs and puffs. Puffs are the most low maintenance style ever!
Hi there,
I’m a little tardy to the party but I wanted to know if I can do twist outs without perm rods. I’m a college student in rural Pennsylvania, so there aren’t many products available and I don’t have much money either (darn those textbooks and food). By the way, I have not had a relaxer since December 2011, yay me!
Hi Liz, You can do them without perm rods. Your ends will just be straight.
I currently have individuals in my hair and I am TIRED of this relaxer! I had a baby a year ago and ever since my hair has been a mess and im not sure what to do with it. Once i take these braids out I want to try something new but i do not want to put in another relaxer. Would a twist out be a good idea after I take the braids down? Ive been wearing a relaxer for as long as I can remebmer and im scared any natural style will not turn out the way I want it to! any advise?
Hi Brittany, you can do a twist out but you’ll need to buy some small rods to put on the ends because your ends are going to be straight. Try to find the tiniest ones you can find at your local beauty supply store.
Hey Lisa, I haven’t had a relaxer since May 2012, currently I’m wearing a sew in.Do you think its too soon to try a twist out (only the parts of my hair that is visible was relaxed, the rest hasn’t been relaxed since July 2011)?
You should be able to do it. Just by some very small rods for the ends.
Hi Lisa,
I Just started transitioning about 3 1/2 months ago. My favorite style to do is Bantu knots, however I can’t get them to last and have to do them daily. What are the best/fastest protective styles to do that will last me at least a few days? Also, I noticed that the natural part of my hair always puffs up so much by the end of the day. Is that inevitable, or is there a way to kind of keep my new growth down?
Hi Sianta,
Rod sets always lasted the longest for me. I used aloe vera gel (Fruit of the Earth) and the Bronner Brothers Foam Wrap setting lotion to help set and smooth down the frizz. It’s almost impossible to keep them from frizzing up (especially if you have naturally frizzy hair) but using setting lotions and products that have a slight hold can help stave it off temporarily.
Hey Lisa, I started transitioning in May 2012 and I’m just discovering the best ways to style my hair. Your website has been a great help. I have one question about maintaining my twist outs. When re-twisting at night should I comb out my hair or should I just re-twist the sections?
If I retwist, I comb it out again.
I’m transitioning, I haven’t had a perm in about a month or two. My hair is really thick , and doesn’t break much. I have a good grain of hair. I was told I could just do it, I have coconut oil and spritz, and I’m only using conditioner to wash my hair,I twisted it last night it looks pretty good, but It’s hard. Is it suppose to be? And do I have to cut my hair 🙁 ? Is there something I’m missing or aren’t doing right?
Hey Heavan, I wonder if you have product build up? You may want to try a clarifying shampoo to thoroughly cleanse all the product/oils from your hair first. Then the next time you wash, do a co-wash and see if it softens it up. Also make sure you are moisturizing your hair regularly.
Hey, Lisa! I’ve recently tried to do the whole twist out thing being that I haven’t had a perm in 2 years. Well, I also tried straightening it because I couldn’t really work with my curl pattern. After I undid the twist out, I didn’t think it looked right at all.. Any suggestions? I have youtubed, googled, etc.. I have around a 4a or b curl pattern, but still some permed ends since no big chop.
Hi, Lisa I am transitioning my daughters 11, and 14 and my hair to natural. my 11 year old has not had a relaxer since 09/2011 my other daughter and i stopped perming in 02/2012. I found that glossing polish works wonders at keeping the frizz out and adding a little extra moisture. We have not started wearing the curls yet, I am going to do a twist out on my 11 year old this weekend, should i use anything other than the lock in twist for moisture?
Thanks
Felicia
Hi Felicia
When I do my twists, that’s all I use. In fact, you shouldn’t mix anything with it because it may cause residue.
Hello! I’m just re-starting the “transition” from relaxed hair, to natural. I believe i’m about 4 months (last relaxer was beginning of May 2012) in. My issues are this: My hair is quite thin, and my ends are horrible (even though I had them trimmed a month in a half ago) plus, I get some shedding, when I comb through it…its not that bad, but I don’t want it to just continue to shed! And, my edges are almost non-existent (I have seen some regrowth, to them, however) so I guess you can say, my hair is not cooperating with this going “natural” thing, at all…but I have become determined to do it!! Can you give me a few suggestions, on products, how often I should deep condition, and some quick and easy styles…for someone who’s so use to living in the beauty salon, and know very little about actually doing “my” own hair!! Btw, did I mention, my natural hair (at my roots) is sooo THICK, I just can get my fingers through it!! Please give me some advice…I don’t want to turn back, again!! Four (4) months and counting….
Hi Antonette
I don’t know anything about quick and easy transitioning styles! lol I mainly did rod sets and flat twists and there was nothing quick about it since I was not used to doing my hair. Have you thought of finding a stylist who specializes in transitioning and natural hair?
I deep conditioned weekly and it really helped my hair soften up. Then I started doing rod sets and my hair really thrived because I was not using heat anymore. It’s also a good style because it camouflages the new growth. Like you, at 4 months my new growth became so, so thick that I had to do something to soften it up. So deep conditioning and staying off heat helped.
Hi Lisa, I’ve stopped using relaxer since February 2012. I have been following all your advice on your site and I’m so grateful for all this information you’ve made available. I’m having a serious problem with detangling. I have about 6 inches of natural hair but my relaxed hair is so much more longer in comparison so finger detangling doesn’t work for me. In fact its frustrating to do it that way. I’m using a double detangler comb and find that I’m loosing so much hair! Is this normal? Do you have any additional tips I can try to make the detangling process a bit easier. Please help!
Hello,
I’ve learned a lot from your website. My 10yo daughter has a really nice grade of hair, and man does it stay dry! Recently I’ve been using the Organix line of products. Initally, the results were good. Her hair had good elasticity but now its looks and feels dry. I’ve traded those in for Carols Daughter shampoo and leave in conditioner and I’m hopeful. My question is about deep conditioning. I was used to leaving conditioner on her hair for a few days then rinsing. This hasn’t given great results. What is a good conditioner to use? With the absence of a sit under dryer, how long should I leave it in?
I use the Organics Olive Oil Replenisher for DC and leave it in for 30 min to an hour. Sometimes I sit under the dryer with a plastic cap for part of the time.
Hi Lisa,
I just recently came across your site as I am looking to transition my 15yr old daughters hair because she’s experiencing a lot of breakage and dryness. I stopped putting relaxers in her hair about 5 months now and have just been washing, conditioning and having it cornrowed the braided way. I was wondering because she has split ends and breakage it should I try and trim her ends myself and do a twist out on her hair? And what could I use on her hair for dryness and breakage?
Also I recently just went ahead and cut all my hair…I noticed that my hair was constantly breaking recently and that I had a few relaxed ends just hanging and the rest of my hair was short like a very mini afro, TOTAL DAMAGE SMH…I haven’t had any relaxers in almost a year but didn’t know what to do…so I went ahead and chopped and trimmed all the relaxed ends off, or what was left anyways…upon doing this my hair i noticed is very curly but I also have a huge bald spot in the middle top of my head….what do you suggest that I do now, as for transitioning my hair and growing back my hair as right now I would love to wear it out but cannot due to the huge bald spot and have to wear wigs when I am out and at work and other places and I’m just sick of wearing them…I used to love wearing my hair out. This was starting to wear on my self esteem. Any hair suggestions???
Hi Netty
Rubbing castor oil into your scalp may help a bit. Some people have said it works wonders for thinning hair.
I always trimmed my hair when transitioning so it’s up to you if you’re comfortable. As far as breakage, she may need a protein treatment. I used these every 6 weeks when transitioning. You can buy the Aphogee Protein Treatment kit at Sallys. Just make sure you follow the instructions and buy all the products that go along with the system.
I have the same problem would it be OK to use olive oil replenisher DC once a week with the protein treatment once a month or will that be to much I also use.Castro oil.
Hi, I am currently transitioning my 7 yr. old’s hair, we are about 3 months in. Her relaxed hair is so damaged and brittle. I tried keeping cornrows in it, but every time I take it down so much hair comes out, its also like that whenever its wet. I am currently natural, I just did a 2nd big chop, she actually wants me to cut hers down like mine, but she’s 7, she will probably regret it in a few weeks so that’s why I’m transitioning her hair. Do you have any suggestions on hairstyles and products that are good for her transitioning process. I use Creme of Nature, Suave Shea and Almond, and Herbal Essence Hello Hydration on her hair right now. Thanks in advance for your help
Hi Lilieka,
Have you ever thought about chopping it and putting loosely done extensions in her hair? I know not all people would want extensions/braids on their kids that young but it’s an option. When you do the cornrows do you flat twist or braid? I wonder if the tension from the cornrows is causing the breakage.
I can only tell you what products I use but I would not be able to know what works for her hair, unfortunately. It’s one of those trial and error type things. Have you tried Shea Moisture? I haven’t heard a single bad thing about them.
Hi. I have enjoyed your blog for about 6 months. I have been transitioning since Mother’s Day 2011 after my daughter said my hair looked better than her’s because mine was relaxed. I also developed dermatitis from the relaxers and decided both of these factors were more than enough to motivate me to stop relaxing. I still have a lot of relaxed hair, as my hair is passed my shoulders. What are my options? It is so difficult to pull into a bun now because my natural hair is very thick and wavy but the relaxed hair is horrible. Any suggestions would be great.
When I got to this stage the only two styles that worked were rod sets and flat twisting the sides. That is because these two kinds of styles hide the new growth.
Thanks so much for your advice. I decided to go ahead and get the relaxed hair cut off and I love my curls! My only issue now is the frizz that comes after I sleep on them and the volume. I found I have a lot of coils and it is gorgeous until the next day. Are there any products that can way them down a little and stop the frizz? The stylist I went to gave me a few suggestions for styles but not product to keep the curls. She did suggest a smoothing treatment if I wanted to do wash and go often. Do you have any suggestions for product and an opinion of smoothing treatments?
Hi Nineka
I don’t really have coily hair so I haven’t really experimented with this. Some people rake a non flaking gel through their hair while wet to define their curls then the next morning they spray their hair with water to re-activate them. Wish I could help but I don’t have natural coils so I don’t have any coil revitalizing routines. 🙂
I’m at the beginning stage of transitioning. I last relaxed my hair November 2011. The only natural style that works is a 2-strand flat twist out done at the salon. I tried the 2-strand twist last night and it was terrible. I need to learn how to flat twist until more natural hair grows out. I love your site.
Keep trying. Took me several tries to get it right but it’s worth it. I figured out it was the way I was holding my fingers. That’s really the key and everyone does them differently.
It’s about playing around until you figure out what’s the most comfortable.
I’ve decided to transition my hair from relaxer to natural without doing the big chop. Your site has been most helpful during my journey. I am relaxer free since February 2012 and I am experiencing some of the same problems you did with your first twist out. The ends of my hair are horrible and it’s impossible to get a good look with that style. How did you approach trimming your ends? Did you have them professionally done or did you maintain them yourself?
I’m the queen of do-it-yourself lol and always just trimmed on my own. I always have — even when relaxing. I wish I could say I was precise about it, but I just eyeballed it. I wasn’t too concerned about accuracy since my hair was worn in a curly style most of my transition, and the ends would be gone soon anyway.
Hi how are you? I just recently relaxed my hair about two weeks ago I always say I’m going natural but I always give in I’m serious this time. What type if styles should I wear since my hair is still so straight at the moment??? I know I don’t need to put heat in it.
Hi, You can do pin ups, buns, and rod sets. Extensions is another alternative as long as you don’t have them done too tight and you don’t get them put in back to back without a giving your hair a break. Rod sets were my GO TO style. If you search for this in the box on the top left, you can see my posts.
Hi my name is Khairat and I am transitioning I am 14 and my hair is really short I was just wondering what protective styles I can do for really short hair but i have to be able to get up in the morning and go as I have school any tips for me thank you Khairat Ireland
My daughter is 11 years old and has had a perm since she was 9. She no longer wanted cornrolls and wanted to be able to wear curls we tried straightning but for some reason it did not take well to her hair so we decided to perm at the age of 9 (just for kids) Now she wants to go natural. Her last perm was on 4/15/12. Today 6/1/12 i washed her hair conditioned it and put a store bought proitein treatment in it. I did a rod set all over her hair. My questions to you are. Should i sit her under a hooded dryer? And if so, should i allow her hair to completely dry under the dryer or just put her the dryer for about 20 minutes then let her hair air dry the rest of the way?
Hi Zotia
It’s really up to you and there’s no right or wrong way as long as her hair is not breaking. If you’re trying to limit heat then only let her sit for 20-30 minutes and let the hair air dry. The thing that matters most is that her hair is completely dry when you take the rods out.
Hi my name is shemika and I’m trying to grow my three year old daughters hair naturally. I haven’t been able to find a hair product that simulates growth. I’m a first time mom and I have no clue what I’m doing when it comes to her hair. How can I achieve the twist out in her hair? It is unprocessed and really short and kinky
The best way to go is gentle and natural. So no chemicals or products with any alcohol. ( check labels) apply as little heat as possible and keep hair and scalp moisturized. Try a monthly hot oil treatment. And when styling her hair use elastic bands covered with cloth no rubber bands; they pull the hair out. Try to limit washing hair to every month or every two weeks and in between just deep condition and rinse her hair. Hope this helps. 🙂