Since I was able to successfully complete my long-term (18-month) transition without doing a big chop, I thought I’d create a page with some tips for those who aspire to do the same…
1. Start With a Good Trim
This means you need to get rid of all those dead, thin and split ends. The longer you transition, the more brittle they will become so you might as well let them go now because they will break anyway.
I got rid of a good 3-4 inches when I began my transition because my hair was very damaged when I started.
2. Give Up All Direct Heat (Flat Irons, Blow Dryers, etc.)
I know this is hard for a lot of you to read, but I think having a “no heat policy” was the reason my hair stayed so healthy throughout my 18-month transition.
Of course I had some breakage — that is to be expected, but flat ironing and blow drying would have made the problem worse.
The only heat I used was indirect heat from the hooded dryer and that was only for 20 minutes. Most of the time I let my hair air dry.
Almost all relaxed hair has some degree of heat damage, even if it’s subtle. So why continue to damage your ends if you know that you are going to keep them for as long as possible while you transition?
Not to mention, you run the risk of damaging your natural hair, and this is the hair you plan to keep. You certainly don’t want to fry it.
Wear your hair in rod sets, twists, buns, extensions, bantu knots and other styles that don’t require heat.
Now, the occasional exposure to heat is not going to do much damage if you take care of your hair during the process. Read this article on straightening natural or transitioning hair.
3. Trim Your Hair Regularly
I trimmed my hair at least once a month, sometimes twice. My ends kept splitting because my hair was really fried and brittle from relaxers and flat irons.
Sometimes I would just dust my ends — which means you take off less than a quarter of an inch. The healthier your ends are, the easier it will be to complete your long-term transition.
Remember, you’re going to have some breakage — it’s inevitable. But trimming keeps it from getting out of control.
Tip: Always use hair-cutting scissors. Paper-cutting or dull scissors can cause split ends.
4. Pre Poo Before Shampooing
As you get further into the transition, your ends will get weaker. You’ll probably notice more and more breakage when you shampoo your hair.
Remember, the demarcation line (where your natural and relaxed hair meet) is extremely fragile so you want to always strengthen your hair as much as possible.
Pre-pooing is the process of moisturizing your hair before you shampoo. This strengthens your hair and helps prevent breakage.
I usually pre-poo with a cheap rinse-out conditioner and olive oil. The conditioner not only helps strengthen your hair, but it works through any tangles before you shampoo.
I shampoo my hair in sections so I apply the pre-poo to each section and let it sit for at least an hour. Before I get in the shower, I gently detangle each section with my fingers and remove any shed hairs.
5. Shampoo in Sections
This process is more time consuming but it saved me a lot of breakage. As you get into your 3rd or 4th month of the transition, your new growth will begin to make detangling more difficult.
Keeping your hair in sections as you pre-poo, shampoo and condition will save you a lot of breakage and shedding.
Note: Always use NO SULFATE shampoos so your hair won’t dry out. Giovanni products and Kinky Curly’s Come Clean (buy at Whole Foods or Amazon) were my faves.
Watch my video that shows how I shampoo my transitioning hair.
6. Deep Condition Every Single Week!
Deep conditioning is what keeps your relaxed hair and new growth healthy as you transition. It also helps you retain moisture (especially during those winter months).
Be sure to distribute the product from root to end. Sometimes we neglect our ends when applying product to our hair, but this is a critical step for long-term transitioners.
I use Organics Olive Oil Replenisher. I put a generous amount on after shampooing then placed a plastic cap on with a very warm wash cloth underneath.
I prefer to do this instead of sitting under the dryer. The warm cloth provides the heat to deep condition your hair.
7. Detangle With Lots of Conditioner
Some people prefer to detangle in the shower with a rinse out conditioner. It’s up to you. During and after my transition, I detangle after showering while my hair is soaking wet.
I apply a very generous amount of conditioner to each section and let it sit for a few minutes before gently working my wide-tooth comb through my hair. (Oyin Handmade’s Honey Hemp is one of my favorite detanglers and leave-in conditioners.)
As your hair gets longer, you may want to divide your hair into more, smaller sections when you detangle. I started with four, but use six now.
Read more detangling tips here.
8. Learn to Flat Twist!!
I realize not everyone likes flat twists. Some people think they look too juvenile or not appropriate for the workplace.
Being self-employed definitely had its advantages while transitioning!
Well, if you like them and feel you can get away with wearing them, I would highly recommend learning how to flat twist or have someone do them for you.
The reason I liked flat twists while transitioning is they are loose enough so they don’t put any strain on your hair like extensions, and they are much easier to do than corn rows.
When I got to my 10th month, I had so much new growth so flat twist styles really helped me blend my textures. I wore many different styles in the 2nd half of my transition for this very reason.
I learned how to flat twist by watching YouTube videos. It takes time to perfect it, but the more you practice, the better you’ll get.
You also have to discover the best finger/hand position for you. There are many different ways of twisting and not everyone can do them the same way.
See some of my flat twist styles that I wore while transitioning.
9. Buy Lots of Headbands
Headbands are great because they cover a multitude of sins… especially the large ones. 🙂 If your rod set or twists get old, you can jazz up your hair with a colorful headband. I have a drawer full of them!
You can buy them almost anywhere these days… Walgreens, Target, CVS, the beauty supply store, etc.
They are also good for making puffs. Puffs are a great style for old hairstyles that need new life. See my first transitioning puff.
10. Moisturize, Moisturize!
Keeping your hair moisturized is key because dry hair will certainly lead to breakage and tempt you to end your transition.
I kept it simple when it came to moisturizing my hair. In the beginning I bought all kinds of products, but I found that moisturizers like Shea Moisture work just fine. If your hair is thick, try to find products with a thick, creamy consistency and make sure one of the first ingredients is water. Remember water = moisture.
Then seal in the moisture with a natural oil. I use castor oil and it’s pretty thick so no need to use it everyday. I usually use it every 2 or 3 days and that kept my hair pretty moisturized.
Another way to combat extreme dryness is before bed, take a spray bottle with water and mist a small amount into the air over your head.
Don’t soak your hair, just lightly mist it as if you’ve been out in the humidity. Your hair should feel slightly damp.
Now put on a plastic cap before going to bed. In the morning, your hair will feel very moisturized.
Does this cause frizziness? It may, depending on how you’re wearing your hair. But if you’re wearing twists or have your hair in an up do or puff, this is a wonderful way to re-moisturize your hair.
Read more tips on moisturizing your transitioning hair.
Check Out My Transitioning Shopping Guide
Not sure what hair products and tools you need? Here is a list of products you may want to consider buying as you transition.
Thinking of Doing The Big Chop?
If you are considering chopping the rest of your relaxer off instead of transitioning all the way, I wrote an article so you will know what to expect. My hope is that it will ease any fears you have and answer common questions.
I’ll give you suggestions for products, trimming, breakage, moisturizing and more. See After The Big Chop — Now What?
Consider a Transitioning Kit
Several companies have transitioning kits. You may want to give them a try if you’re having trouble with manageability, breakage, dryness, etc. I never used one because they weren’t out when I transitioned, but I sure wish they had been.
Read more about the products I used while transitioning.
Also see the hairstyles I wore during my transition.
Check out answers to common questions people ask me about transitioning.
Hi Lisa,
I am soooooo lost. I came across your website by looking on the web to find out the best ways to go natural and i love your tips and positive attitude. I have colored treated, relaxed hair. My last relaxer was in the middle of may of this year. But right now is pretty much very tangled and “nappy” lol at the roots. My hair is a good lengh and Getts really full. It’s very prone to oil and dirt build up as well as dry breakage. I don’t know if I should get one more relaxer to try and make it more manageable before I start the long transition, do a BC or what other options do I have? To be honest I’m terrified and nervous to go natural but I really think women with natural hair are beautiful and I’m scared of having to have my hair extremely short at first. I’m very impatient when it comes to my hair and almost always want instant results. Once I get over my fear, my goal is to have a full curly long fro. I have no idea where to start, what products to use, or how to style it. I’m a very young,hip,and edgy person, I want to have natural styles to match my personality. I’m so confused please help!
Hi Erika
Have you considered getting extensions (loosely done, of course) to help ease you into this. It will help you get some more length while you’re hair grows out and you won’t have to manipulate your hair much.
Hello Lisa
i came across your site when i was doing research for dry hair and scalp when transitioning. I have been relaxer free for 6 months and i haven’t found a product that will help with this – i have tried several products like curls unleashed by Organics Roots Stimulator (which i like) Sheer Moisture (which i love) but i still have dryness. I don’t want to walk around with wet hair because i live in the south and it is fizz-ville! What can i use for this problem. Also i learned about the pre-poo today on your site didn’t know i should do that and it worked great (Thank You)
Do you ever co-wash your hair only with conditioner?
Hello Lisa, I have another question. As I told you I have not had a relaxer since May. Can I Co -Wash my hair now? Or do I have to wait a few more months. Thanks
Hi Wanda, it’s up to you. There are really no rules when it comes washing/co-washing. Since I never did it I can’t really advise too much but I’m sure it will be fine. Our hair loves conditioner! 🙂
Hi, I have not had a relaxer since May 11,2012. I keep Oliver oil and coconut milk on my hair. It’s done good so far. I want to know if i can use the blow dryer with the comb on the end to flatten the roots? This is my second try, the first time I was not educated on how to do my hair. Yes I keep it oil. Oh I use castor oil on my scalps. HELP.
Hi Wanda
I never used a blow dryer when transitioning but if you do, be careful and make sure you use a heat protectant like grapeseed oil. Also deep condition your hair before blow drying to help strengthen your hair.
Well since November I was going the salon every two weeks. In March I started going just once a month. Since the end of May I started doing my own hair that’s when I began to see breakage because I never really style I just blow dry and flat iron.Sadly, all the time. I just washed and flatironed my hair this past Saturday but I read ur articles last night and I just put castor oil on my scalp
Hi. I’ve been transitioning for about 10 months now. Unfortunately I was not educated on taking care of y hair until now. I have bad breakage on my crown and in the back of my head. I really need help on what to do at this point. Please Help.
Hi Kay
What have you been doing that’s causing breakage? Were you using heat? What styles have you tried? Were any of my styles under the Hairstyles tab of any help? Did you read my article on stopping breakage on the left side of the site?
Hi Lisa,
When you decided to trim your relaxed ends did you cut your hair while it was wet or dry?
It was wet. It’s much easier to see where the natural/relaxed hair meet.
Hi Lisa,
So i haven’t had a chemical since November 2011 and I’ve been wearing seneglease extentions since Feb 2012. I’ve washed and DC weekly.I’m ready to take the seneglease out and continuing transitioning. How much new growth should I expect to see? and what styles should I try first to help me get used to the natural look. I’m really excited to see this new change for me.
So after nearly 8 months of being chemical free you should have about 4 inches of new growth. Just remember natural hair shrinks so it will probably look like about 2″ without you stretching it.
I had went months without a perm then decide to put one in about a month ago I now have twists n was wondering is it too soon to do the big cut..please help
Probably so unless you want, really, really short hair. Look at it like this. You’ve only got one month’s worth of hair growth which is a half an inch for the average person. So to put that into perspective, imagine a man who has just shaved his hair bald and then grew his hair out for one month. So that’s how much natural hair you’d have after only 30 days. It wouldn’t even be enough hair to twist.
Thank you very much for your tips. I am in my 4th month for transitioning and it is HARD! I want to BC every other day. I am in the military so it is very hard for me to find styles that work for me AND make me look presentable. I can wear a bun of course but I do not like to put gel in my hair to lay my edges down. I feel like it will dry out and ruin my hair.
Have you tried a rod set? You can always put it into a puff (every easy style) with a scarf when it gets old.
Oh and im only 15 turnin 16 in 5months so im in high school with peers
Hey
Im in the proccess of going natural but afraid to loose my permed hair and not be able to grow my natural hair. When i was younger i had long pretty curly hair (my dad is mixed,mom is black)but i went to six flags an the chlorine actually changed the texture of my hair. Then i got my perms and exc. now im tired of perming my hair and its not growing as well as i wanted it. If i go all natural can i keep my permed hair until i reach my desired natural hair lenghth? Will i be able to go back to my orginal hair texture when i was younger b4 six flags? And if i go all natural once my perm is gone can u go back to using heat?Also can u go all natural for a period of time then get a perm to. Lenthen ur hair?
Hi Christian
There’s no way for me to know if you will be able to obtain your old texture, but as you can see from reading this site, I was able to transition for 18 months and never really had to cut off much of my hair so it’s definitely possible!
I would suggest reading my articles under the Transitioning section for tips on maintenance, products, etc.
do i have to trim my split ends in order to go fully natural or can i use a anti breakage formula ??
Hi Rickel
I guess you can try, but I’ve found that split ends are hard to repair and will eventually split up the shaft. But if you find a product that works go for it. I’ve never tried an anti breakage formula.
Hi Lisa!
I need help… I’ve been transitioning for 5 1/2 months and my hair is growing but not curling at the roots…. will it ever curl? am I doing something wrong?
Hey Miss Lisa, I love all of your inspiration and help. I am only 16, my sister-in-law has inspired me to go natural. I’ve really gotten confused. I permed my hair more than twice every 3 or 4 months because I was obsessed with the straight hair, butn now I want a more healthy, natural, curly look. Right now I havea braided weave and its only been 2 months since my last perm. Braids, sew-in extensions, and braided weaves row my hair out extremely and I can keep them up for months at a time. I am trying to avoid the big chop, but Im scared that with the extensions my hair wont be taken care of good enough and I wont be able to clip my ends regularly. Avoiding wearing my real hair will help with my school year which starts back Aug. 20th , I need specific directions so I can do this right. My hair is very thin when worn alone so weaves are used to thicken it. I will probably take down my current weave in Aug. and get another. Please explain specifically what I need to do to help manage my hair. Please understand that wearing my hair in roller sets, twists, and bantu knots, are not known to me because its always been straight. I’m young and anxious. Thanks soooooooooooooo, sooooo, very much.
Hi Janay
So are you saying you are not interested in doing the rod sets and bantu knots or do you need help on how to do them? If you look at my hairstyles page you’ll see a ton of options. https://napturallycurly.com/category/hair-styles/styling/
I LOVE YOUR PICS!! BEAUTIFUL!!!! I will be celebrating 12 months of transitioning without the BC this July. I must say I am proud of myself. This is my second attempt. I chickened out the first time and bought a relaxer on impulse. I found that my worst critics were my peers. Women that look just like me. However, I did find a few girls that encouraged it and I’m finding more. Tomorrow night I am attending a Natural Girls Social at a local restaurant in town. We need sites like yours. Please continue to encourage women like me. I think I might have another year to go unless I start cutting more. I found this during a very discouraging week. Thx a lot. Please keep it coming.
Thanks for stopping by AG! Hope you enjoyed the Social!
Hi Lisa, I’m not sure if I can say that I’m going natural, but I have decided not to get a perm again until my hair is healthier. I got my last relaxer February 24, 2012, however in March I got my hair highlighted and cut into a short bob because it was badly damaged and I had an event to attend. Since then I haven’t had any chemicals and I’m ready to start working on getting my hair healthy and thick like it use to be. Your website has really given me all the answer that I think I need to start my process so hopefully I’ll be in a good state within a few months. Question: With me starting from shaved hair in the back is there anything I should do different to keep it intact with the rest? Thanks in advance.
March 23, 2012 last chemical date, so is this the date I use to actually say when my journey began?
Hello Ms. Lisa, my last relaxer was in February 2012 and I have a significant amount of new growth. I am excited about my natural hair journey, but it has been a challenge. I have been constantly arguing with my mom and rejecting her suggestions of a relaxer. It has been especially challenging for the past few weeks since my mom was begging me to get a perm for prom this week. I firmly said “NO!!” and decided to flat iron my hair to style it for this week. I hate having to put heat on it but this is the only way I can blend the textures and smooth my edges to style it for this formal event. I am proud of my self for not giving in to the pressure of getting a relaxer but I am concerned about all the heat that i have been using to try out different styles for prom. Do you have any suggestions for protecting transitioning hair from heat damage when heat styling? Do you have any suggestions for formal hair styles?
Grapeseed oil is a great heat protectant. You can get it at whole foods or any health food store. What about putting your hair up in some kind of bun style? You can smooth your edges with water and a flake-free gel. Tie a scarf around your head for about 30 minutes after applying to get your sides to lay down.
I got a relaxer sometime last month, but I’m eager to start transitioning now. My sister is fully natural all thanks to the big chop, but I don’t think I’m ready for all of that. I haven’t put any more chemicals in my hair since then and I don’t use direct heat very often. What hairstyles did you do on your hair when you were transitioning?
You can see all my transitioning styles here https://napturallycurly.com/category/hair-styles/styling/
Hi lisa, i’m trying to transition for straight to natural hair. Its been about 2 1/2 3 months since my last relaxer and I was wondering what kind of products could I use make my hair curly/wavy?
Hi Nikki
At 2-3 months you probably only have about an inch or two of natural hair, right? So I’m assuming you mean your new growth and not your relaxed hair since there’s nothing you can do to make it curly other than doing rod sets. When I was 2 months I tried Kinky Curly Curling Custard just to see how it would work on my new growth and my texturized hair. It was hard to see how it did on my roots since I had such little new growth. See my Kinky Curly results on my two month transitioning hair.
I’m 8months and is it ok to moisturize ur hair with something that has mineral oil as the last ingredients
Hi Julia
My hair doesn’t mind mineral oil and if it’s listed as the last ingredient that means it’s not as much. If you don’t have a problem and your hair seems to like the product I personally don’t see anything wrong with it. Some people have an adverse reaction to it but I don’t. So it depends on your hair.
I moisturize with a mixture of kinky kurly leave in conditioner, jojoba oil, castor oil, and aloe vera juice.
Should I follow that with more oil? Is there anyway to stretch her hair so it doesn’t shrink so much or will it stretch as it gets longer? Can I post some pics so that you can see if wet and then after it dries?
Your website is amazing. You have really done your homework, and present such helpful information.
Thanks for our dedication, stay blessed.
Yolanda
Hi Lisa,
My 10 old daughter is newly ALL natural. No Big Chop, she has transitioned over the past 15 months with braids. She has been out of her braids for 2 weeks and I am struggling with styles for her hair which seems to be a 4a/b hair type. She has very bad shrinkage, I moisture her has each morning and by the time she returns from school it is very dry, matted, and the shrinkage is horrible. Any suggestions until her hair begins to retain the moisture?
Thanks
What do you use to moisturize it? And do you seal the moisture with a natural oil like olive or castor oil? Make sure whatever moisturizer you use that the first ingredient is water.
Hi, I was just wondering how long it took you to master the different natural hairstyles, or were you already good with doing hair? I’ve had my hair in corn rows for about 7 months, and have finally decided to commence the transition process. My only concern is that I have no idea how to do my hair (even when it was relaxed), and I might not be able to handle my new texture.
Hi Meia
I was NOT… let me repeat NOT the person to do anyone’s hair… much less my own. LOL! In fact, my cousin jokes that SHE was the one that did the hair and couldn’t believe how I was doing all these flat twist styles. I learned by watching YouTube. Took me a few months to get the hang of it but if you search for some tutorials on what you want to learn how to do, it may help.
Trust me! If I can do it, anyone can. When I was relaxed I wore my hair in a wrap and that was it. I hardly ever did anything to my hair. So if I can learn, so can you.
Thank you so much! my confidence has been restored to continue my journey! 😉
Hi Ms. Lisa,
I was wondering… how much new growth did you have in your first month. i know it varies by person, but I’m only 1month 1/2 in and my hair seems like it stopped, or its just really really really short new growth. i would like to know what vitamins and other treatments i should do to assisst my new growth so it can get out of scab hair phase lol?
Hi Melonie
I honestly don’t know because I didn’t realize I was transitioning at that point. I was just planning to stretch my texturizer (mild relaxer) and then I got extensions and wore those for another 6 weeks. So I didn’t really make a conscious decision to transition until I was already two months past my last process. I honestly don’t remember how much new growth I had but I can tell you that the front of my hair grows EXTREMELY slower than the rest.
I’ll put it like this. I’m now 24 months post relaxer so that means my hair should be 12 inches long. My bangs are 8-9 inches long and my back is much longer (my hair is in layers because of how it grows) So don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal to experience slower growth in certain areas. Plus 1 1/2 months in is very early to really tell.
I’m not a big vitamin person. I just take a multi vitamin everyday. Drink plenty of water, cut out fatty foods and eat more fruits and vegetables. Exercise also helps you achieve your optimal hair growth. Good luck!
Hi Lisa;
I recently started this transition process approximately 4months now and am getting frustrated my hair is so dry and thin that it makes d process stressful. Please recommend some sort of product to give it body and reduce the dryness please your suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Ps. i live in d Caribbean not sure if d climate etc is contributing to my problem.
Hey Shamika!
It could be climate and you could just have dryer hair. When you condition and shampoo your hair, try to use products that say “moisturizing” and look for conditioners where water is the FIRST ingredient. Water = moisture and I know we tend to think water is the enemy but it actually is important to use when styling your hair.
i am so happy to have come across your blog. i am a second time around transitioner. i transitioned for about a year last year but it was a disaster because i was pregnant and my hair was just a mess.. so a year later i went back to perming. once again i have decided to transition again. My last relaxer was december 2011. my issue that i have with transitioning is that i have really long hair, so i am what you call a long term transitioner, but i think it will take me at least 2-3 years to fully transition. do you have any thoughts/tips for long term transitioners?
Hi Cassandre
The tips I wrote on this page were really for long-term transitioners. I transitioned for 18 months so that is considered long-term so I probably wouldn’t have done anything different had I gone for 2+ years. The key is to keep your ends trimmed, stay away from direct heat and wear a LOT of protective and low manipulation styles (twists, rod/roller sets, loosely done extensions, buns, etc.)
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for tons of info on the how to’s of transitioning. My decision to go natural was like a light bulb that went off in the back of my mind. My mom put my first relaxer in at two years old and i am now 24. All I knew was relaxer, blow dryer, and flat iron. My aunt always did my mom, sis, and my relaxer until she got old and tired of doing them at 60 years old lol. So I had to learn to do them. I learned from youtube, so i started mom, sis, and my relaxer. As i started running across naturals and transitioners youtube channels, I became facinated with the natural coil of our hair. I began to learn the negatives of relaxers as I had already seen on my own head but I continued to ignore the dry damaged hair because relaxers were all I knew. Well, I bought a relaxer in late January and the day I decided to apply it I never ripped that box open…Christmas 2011 Was my last relaxer…yhayy!!! Now I have been mixing my oils: jojoba, sweet almond, coconut, castor, vitamin E. Washing weekly with Cream of Nature Sulfate free Shampoo. But I have only DC once so now that I have studied your site as if I have a test coming up, I will start DC every week. So far I have been trying braid outs, bantu knot outs and two strand twist outs and I took pics to remind myself of the progress. The only problem is when I try to roller set my thick har with magnetic rollers or perm rods, the relaxed ends behave but the new growth stays loose. HELP!!! (Sorry for the life novel lol, but you made me want to tell the world lol!)
Hi Catherine
Are you using smaller rods? I found that the smaller the rods, the easier it is to get your new growth “set”. Also make sure your hair is soaking wet when setting and distribute the setting lotion to the entire strand.
Hi lisa I’ve been transitioning for about 6 months or more and i just recently got my hair bleached in the front and now my hair is dry and brittle i have been deep conditiong and using all kinds of oil. No matter how much oil hair still feels dry. It’s mostly the ends of my hair not the roots, Im not sure what to do now.
If you can’t get the breakage under control through trimming and deep conditioning, you’re probably better off chopping. Have you gone to a professional?
I haven’t perm my hair since september and I wonder how long for my hair to become natural? And what should do to my hair since I have alot of breakeage?
It depends on how long you want your hair to grow. Most people’s hair grows 1/2 inches per month. So decide on how much growth you want to have before chopping off the relaxer and go from there. I have a page on breakage here. https://napturallycurly.com/2010/05/preventing-hair-breakage/
Hey Lisa! I am so glad to have found your YouTube channel! My last “touch-up” was April 17, 2011. My appointments never followed the 6-8 timeline because my bank and my stylist’s appointment book never could seem to match, lol! Anyway, after about 8-10 weeks past that relaxer I decided to just keep going. I was tired of my hair always having issues that I couldn’t resolve – breakage, split ends, extreme dryness, protein depletion, etc. etc. My stylist was always saying I needed to come in for some “special” treatment that was NEVER free! Great woman of God, but I was TIRED! So, I decided that my last touch-up was just gonna have to be the last touch up! My one-year anniversary of that last touch up is coming up this April – WOOHOO! I still have very long relaxed ends, my natural hair is 5 inches long and I am following everything that you recommended. I had to learn it all the hard way by trial and error, but glad to see from this list that I am on the right track. What I appreciate most is that you are doing what I determined to do, transition until my hair was long enough (maybe 1.5-2 years), but I can’t seem to get much in the way of support. Everyone keeps pushing for me to “cut off those dead ends”, but I have my reasons for not doing that right now. I know long post to say THANK YOU! I don’t need to do a YouTube now, you have done it! Your site is encouraging and informative.
love your page.Thanks for sharing.
thanks much Lisa for the advice i will be doing that deep conditioning every week. Keep u up to date, thanks again Lisa.
hey Lisa about 2 days ago i had in braids because of my badly damage hair. uncertain of what to do i made another appointment for 14th Feb 2012 to have my briads redone. My unconscious journey began saturday morning on youtube just looking for something to do. Some how i ended up on this natural site and began looking at different videos of persons just like me who had it with breakage of their hair. My entire saturday was spent looking at various sites and hence forth i was hooked and was converted to transitioning to natural. i never knew natual hair could be so versitile i think that is what got me inspired, seeing all those funky natural hair styles. Not to mention after reading your advise and the comments from my fellow root sisters i was very much excited to start this transitioning journey to the roots. so here i am, with strands of perm end and thick roots. However,before taking out my braids thou, i went into the city and bought a moisturizer and the eco olive oil gel. i did my first wash and man the breakage was bad real bad, the face basin was covered in strands of badly damage hair hence somehow i managage to calm my self down by remembering other person experience and know it was just a phase that would pass. i manage to detangle the hair and did my first set using sponge rollers, which turn out to be very disasterous but my sister manage to assist me and i manage to salvage the style to go to work, the only problem was it was dry, really need to begin my deep conditioning. So i purchase some rod curler instead of using the sponge and anxcious to see the results. Am really glad you’re here Lisa along with my fellow root sister to hold my hand in this journey. hope i can make it through the transitioning. Keep up the good work Lisa!
Your start of the natural hair journey sounds so much like mine. I was inspired by YouTube, went out and bought some products, starting washing/styling my hair and became frustrated by breakage.
First things first. No need to buy many products now. Just buy a good leave in conditioner (Oyin Handmade – google it) and a deep conditioner like Organics Olive Oil Root stimulator. Deep condition your hair every single week and use a hooded dryer. If you don’t have a hooded dryer, you can warm up a wash cloth and put it in a plastic cap and put that over your head for 30 minutes.
It is natural to have some breakage so don’t be alarmed, but deep conditioning will help a lot!
hi lisa,
im either transitionin soon or im gettin the big chop kinda undecided rite now. i got a perm about two weeks tp three weeks ago and my hair is slowly falling out. its gotten pretty thin, pretty quick im afraid the BC is my only choice please give me some advice id really appreciate it. Thnks
Hi Lisa I haven’t had a relaxer since Oct I’ve been wearing braids and now I decided I wanna go natural u really inspired me to take this step idk what to expect but I’m ready for the challenge my hair is REALLY THICK AND REALLY COURSE it feel like a scrubbing pad sometimes
Have you seen this? https://napturallycurly.com/2010/06/locking-in-moisture-to-transitioning-hair/
Lisa, I’ve been coming to your blog for quite some time now, and I have to say that it has helped me a lot in my journey to go natural. I’ve been going through the transition now for about a little over 4 months, and I have ALWAYS had some kind of chemical on my hair…relaxer, curl, you name it I’ve I had it. Today was a turning point for me as I did the BC! I went ahead and finally did it because I could no longer tolerate the way I looked with new growth and straight relaxed ends. I do feel relieved, but now what? I don’t think that I look so bad with a TWA, but boy do I feel naked, LOL! I know it’s just hair and will grow back, but what I’m most concerned about now is my curl definition/pattern….to me it doesn’t seem to be coming in the way that I hoped. I know that everyone’s hair is different, but to be honest my hair right now looks like “taco meat” with a very wooly texture. Is this something that I’ve heard called ‘scab hair’? If so, how long does it take for your true curl pattern to show. I ended up cutting quite a bit of relaxer of my hair today. I went out and purchased some “Kinky-Curly” as it was recommend by several sisters that I know who are also going natural, and I don’t see too much difference–the same as before I used it. However, I will say that since I’ve managed to stick it out this long, I will continue to press on….just something that will take some time to getting used to. Please tell me your input as it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your blog, and God bless you!
Taco meat! Now THAT’s a new one. But funny… I know exactly what you mean. You could have scab hair or it could be your texture. Really hard to know this early. I can say that as my hair has grown, the pattern has definitely loosened. Also wearing your hair in twists a lot also trains your hair and stretches the pattern a bit.
I definitely think I had scab hair the first 3-6 months of my transition. My hair was so hard and dry now that same hair is much more moisturized and defined. I’ve heard it could take a full year to fully grow out so you’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, have fun with your new do, girl! Rock that fro and try different products. I’ve definitely found that what works for others doesn’t necessarily work for me.
I didn’t have the TWA stage but I definitely had scab hair. Keep deep conditioning those tresses. Congrats on your BC and enjoy the journey!
Hello Lisa…it’s me again! Okay, it has now been at least 7 months( Sept. 4) since my last relaxer was applied, and I did the BC in January. So far things appear to be going well, at least I think they are. My curl definition is starting to come in in various places on my head; I can really feel the coily curls in the back of my head all the way down to my scalp. In the other places it’s coming in gradually but not as noticeable as it is in the back of my head.
Question for you….as the longer my hair grows out, will the curl pattern ever loosen or will it always be tightly matted to my scalp? Also, I tried the Kinky Kurly gel and I don’t really like it. I only tried it because a friend of my mine who has long natural hair recommended it to me. I felt that it made my hair hard and it also beaded up when I applied it; I didn’t like the way it looked. So I thought that I would try a leave-in conditioner to see if it would help to soften up my hair, and so it has seemed to make a difference. I use the Cantu leave-in conditioner and repair, and apply it daily after getting it wet in the shower. Sometimes I will even apply it at night and sleep with a plastic cap on my head. The next day I just pick it out and go; nothing else. That’s all the ‘styling’ that I know how to do right now; as I don’t know how to style it in any different way and my budget right now won’t allow me to go to a beautician to see what else can be done to it.
I have gotten used to the short look, and I have to say that I like it….it’s very easy, care free, and convenient. I don’t have to worry about applying a relaxer on my head, which was a daunting task that I HATED and don’t miss, LOL!!! I was told by a friend of my who also has natural hair that using brown sugar mixed in with conditioner is a good regimen that helps as well. I think that I will give it a try and see what happens. I can’t wait to see how much my hair has grown once the one year mark has passed while looking forward to the second year.
Any way, I just wanted to give you an update to let you know how things are going for me.
Stay blessed!
Glad you’re hanging in there, lady! Your curl pattern definitely loosens as your hair grows. As my hair gets longer I can tell I get more hang. It makes sense because your strands get heavier as they grow so they do stretch a bit. 🙂 That’s great you’ve gotten accustomed to your shorter do… sometimes I wish I could have gone through that phase just to have the carefree part of it all. Glad to hear from ya!
First, let me say THANKS SO MUCH for your site! I was almost in tears on what to do because I did not want to do the BC, but really wanted to figure out how to do transition it in a healthy way. Because I am trying to save $ & just take ownership of my own hair, I would like to keep trips to the salon at a bare minimum if at all. My biggest concern is cutting my ends. Did you cut your ends yourself? If so, any tips on how to do so on your end, especially the back!? Thanks so much again – I no longer feel alone!
Hi Tiffany
Glad I could help! I did cut my ends. Check YouTube on “trimming natural hair.” A lot of ladies put their hair in medium size twists. That makes cutting easier and helps you do it evenly. You are certainly not alone. Come by anytime. 🙂
Thanks, Lisa! Will check out – you are the best 🙂
I decided to transition because my last relaxer made my hair very thin. I’ve been flat ironing my hair but I saw that you said that I should use a minimal amount of heat. I have no idea how to do any of the natural styles yet so I was wondering if you think getting sew-ins is a good idea.
Dear Ms. Lisa! These tips were wonderfully helpful! If only I had done my research prior to the BC… And I never would’ve thought about wrapping my hair with a warm towel underneath the plastic cap during deep conditioning!!!! Thanks a bunch! And now, for the hard part, I STILL have not learned to do flat twists, and most styles look so simple yet chic, you know? I’m off to do more learning. Take care. Peace…
Hang in there, Deidra! You will learn. I learned to flat twist by watching tutorials on YouTube.
Hi,
I am in my 5th month of transitioning. I did not do the BC. Mostly wore kinky twists since September. My hair shed a lot when I got it relaxed. My hair is really thick, and I am learning to flat twist. Do you recommend any styles that are easy? Also, are any type of oils (coconut, carrot, and so on) good for the hair? What about hot oil treatments?
Hot oil treatments are always great for the hair and scalp. Rod sets were my go-to style when I was at the point you are in your transition. I liked them because they lasted the entire week (or more) and I could jazz them up with headbands.
Hi. The first time I had my hair relaxed I was two years old. My mother claimed it was too nappy to deal with, since then, I have always have my hair relaxed up until the time I was eleven years old in 7th grade, my hair was brittle and rough and beginning to drop. My mother and I decided to cut it all off. So during the summer break before 8th grade she took me to a female barber who cut it only leaving about a half an inch. She bought texterizer and would texterize my hair every 6-8 weeks. As it grew I began putting it up in a little curly puff and loved it. It was just like being natural.
I’m 13 now and will be 14 on January 25, last year, November my mother decided my hair needed to be texterized again. During time my hair was becoming more natural because I hadn’t texterized in about 3 months. But first we wanted to go to a barber to get my hair trimmed, just a little off the ends. At that time my hair was about 4-5 inches in length. The barber cut off most of my hair leaving only about a inch or half an inch. But even though I was upset, I figured it wouldn’t be to bad because the texterizer would curl it up and it would be fine, I’d just have wait for it to grow again. My mother left the te texterizer on my hair too long and my hair came out straight. At this point I was in tears. Right now I just roller set my hair and its frustrating dealing with my straight hair I have limited options. How can my transition be easier.?
I understand Paige. Have you thought about getting extensions (done loosely, of course) just until your hair grows out to a comfortable length. A lot of people do that. Just try to give your hair a break in between if you get them frequently.
Yes, I have thought about it but my school does’nt allow me to wear extensions.
Hello,
Your website has been very helpful. I had my last perm in July and even though my hair was doing well in the beginning I am noticing a lot of breakage around my edges. I panicked and finally took the advice of my hair dresser and stopped using Patene Pro V Relaxed and Natural. She suggested Keracare products and Queen Helene Cholesterol. What do you think of KeraCare products? Also, I have been using argan oil and this hollywood olive oil deep conditioner cholesterol and the moisturizer because I have not been able to find the Queen Helene.
Hi Lisa,
I do wear my ponytail tight. I wear it like that every single day of the year. Very rarely do I change up. I don’t deep condition my hair weekly. I don’t take the time out to do anything to it, that’s probably why it’s in the shape it’s in. I’m ready for achange though. I can get my hair back healthy with a little bit of work, I just don’t know where to start. I’m not sure if I should cut my hair or not. I don’t want to but do I have a choice? I have breakage and split ends. Do I have to start from scratch and cut my hair?
Hi Lisa,
As I’m moving along through your site I’m wondering if I ended up in the right place. My hair hasn’t been relaxed in years. I’m talking about maybe 6 or 7 years. I don’t like to. I’m looking for a way that I can manage my hair better.
Right now I take the easy way out and I keep my hair in a pony tail. Now I’m realizing that it needs to breathe and I need to do something else with it. My husbands mom and sisters are really into weaves. His mom paid $100 for one bag of hair. I can’t do it. I just need a way to wear my hair natural and get it to the condition to where it’s soft, healthy and manageable.
See my hair is naturally curly and I have no idea about what to do with it. I just noticed a few days ago that my poofy ponytail was a lot shorter than it normally is. When I flat ironed my hair, it was revealed that my hair was indeed a lot shorter. I hadn’t cut it though, so maybe it just fell out.
I do have split ends and breakage. I wish I could fins a product that would soften my hair, detangle it and bring it back to its natural state. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks for all of the great info 🙂
Hi Scarlet,
Great to hear from you! I wonder if the ponytail is causing damage. Do you wear it very tight? Perhaps you can get some loose extensions to grow it out for awhile and then when you take them out, try rod sets, twists, etc. instead of your ponytail.
Do you deep condition your hair weekly? That Olive Oil Replenisher really got my hair on track when I was transitioning. You can also try the “baggy method” where you lightly mist your hair (VEEERY lightly) with a spray bottle before bed. (Spray it up in the air instead of directly on your hair). Cover your hair with a plastic cap and see how soft your hair will be in the morning.
People often associate water with frizz, but water is actually the #1 source of moisture. Combine that with some natural oils to help seal in the moisture and that can really help.
Hope that helped!
Great tips, Lisa! I tried my first braid out today on my shoulder-length hair. I’m 4 months in and so my roots are only a couple of inches. The top portion of it looked pretty good, however the ends were a hot, straight mess! I decided to just stick my my old trusty roller set and I’m going to use your suggestion to use a variety of headbands to cover my “sins”…lol.
After doing the braid out, I can see now why many get anxious and just chop. But I want to have a substantial amount of new growth before I part ways with my relaxed hair. The journey continues…
Thanks for the info and inspiration! 🙂
Hi Dee
Yes, around that 3rd or 4th month when your hair begins to really grow out, it can get tempting to cut your hair and you start to wish you had all one texture even though you aren’t ready to lose your length. I can so remember that stage! Hang in there. I have never done a braid out, believe it or not. I think it’s because I am not good at braiding the back of my hair. Maybe one day. 🙂 Good luck!
Hi, I love that you posted this it is very helpful. I am doing my best to transition and learn to do my hair on my own but it is really difficult because it gets tangled easily. Any suggestions? I also wanted to know if it is bad that my stylist presses my hair when I go to her to get my ends clipped? I tell her to just do braids or twists but she always flat irons or straightens it. I am pretty young too so buying products aren’t always the easiest thing for me to do. Are there any styles I can do without using like many different products?
hey,
I have found this very helpful,Im going into my 4th month of transitioning and im trying to help grow my edges that have been damaged from very tight weaves any suggestions? I have also been struggling to find sulfate free shampoos, I dont think I can purchase it anywhere in the UK but I think I’ll have to order online.
cheers x
I read the 10 steps transitioning guide and it really helped me alot. I am going on 3 months into transitioning. I did not do the BC I just started the transitioning to natural hair. I have really thick coarse hair. I have worn weave with glue in my hair and I no that is not healthy for my hair but I have noticed that my hair has grown a bit. What else should I do for my hair.
Do you mean in terms of styling or taking care of your hair? The 10-step guide was really a compilation of everything I did to take care of my hair while transitioning so I’m not sure what other advice to share.
When it comes to pre-pooing, can olive oil be substituted with Vitamin E Oil?
Hi Leesa,
Absolutely. Any natural oil will work just fine. The idea is to moisturize your hair to strengthen and Vitamin E will do that too.
hi lisa,
right now i have a relaxed hair and i want to get my afro hair back
it been 6 month i do not relaxed my hair and it pretty hard now.
i want to ask you if i really need to cut my hair for gettting back by natural hair.
thanks,
Have you been deep conditioning your hair? Sounds like you might need a good treatment.
Wow…I love the information you share on this website! Very encouraging for ladies like me, who are only 4 weeks into the transition! Gotta’ go get my transitioning products and I’m ready! I love to swim alot so I know I wont lack in moisturizing. Love the mayo, olive oil and honey combo…gonna try it.