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.
have been transitioning for almost a year it’ll b a year Oct 30th 2012 my hair is not manageable when I wash it it mats I dnt knw wat to do its very irritating help me please
Hi Brittany,
Do you section your hair off into manageable parts? For example before I even shampoo, I mist each section with water and apply TONS of any cheap conditioner to help work thru any tangles and soften my hair up. Then I shampoo each section individually. When you get out of the shower, add a detangling conditioner and slowly detangle each section (or do it in the shower) That may help.
Hello Lisa
I just did a protein treatment with an egg, mayo and olive oil. My hair without any products came out tight curls at the roots and wavy curly on my strands. I am eight months in transitioning. My question: Is this my hair texture going forward – I still have a little straight hair in crown which is extremely itchy.
Thanks
Hi Linda
You will never really know until your relaxed ends are gone. My ends were looser/straighter when I was transitioning but after being all natural, they began to curl up like the rest. Also as my hair gets longer, it seems to coil up more and more.
I am transitioning and currently wearing yarn twist. I want to wear this style the whole time while I transition. (Of course moisturizing, washing 1x/week, dc, and letting it breath for a day or two) I have heard pros and cons for this style and just want to know what to do. How do I transition without damaging my hair in this style. I did the yarn twist myself so I did them loose. So I guess my real question is will wearing yarntwist be a good idea? I want to wear them for 1 month, take them down, let my hair breath for 2 days and then do them again.
That’s good they are loose. The biggest issue with extensions is people wear them too tight. I only wore extensions for 1 1/2 months so I don’t have much experience with how they work for an entire transition but I would guess as long as you give your hair a break sometimes it should be fine.
I meant all of us!
Thanks Lisa for the use of your blog to help in this challenging process! May God continue to Bless you and all if us!
my hair is really short on the sides and in the back the top is much longer do i need to pre-poo i also need to know of a no sulfate shampoo besides Giovanni because i live in a small town i can’t fine that product so do you know of another shampoo that i can use
Hello,
Olive Oil Shampoo by Palmers…. You can get from Walmart!
also just started my transition i’m almost 2 months in my hair was already very short so i started doing the co-washes and also D/C my hair and it feel so much better for my co-wah i use the VO5 moisture milks conditioner it is wonderful at wal-mart for .79 cent
i have one more question to ak what do you think about the kimmaytube leave-in conditioner
thanks so much for all the good information
I cowash and conditioned my hair today, and a strange thing happened, after the hair air dried most of my relax hair turned curly. Why? I had to use the smallest fine comb to brush my hair inorder to make it straihgt and cornrowed it.
Hi there, just wanted to mention, I loved this article.
It was practical. Keep on posting!
Hi I’m trying to go from relaxed hair to no relaxed at all I’ve found a way to keep it straight but it seems as thi whenever I wrap my hair or comb it it just start shedding..I deep condition with an 11+ treatment n I use the attachment blow dryer n a moisturizer grease kinda like substance but it just keep shedding what am I doing wron or missing or is it normal because if all the dead hair from my new growth oh I do clip my ends twice a month
Hi Brittany
Is it shedding or breaking? If it’s breaking that’s normal. Your hair is breaking off at the demarcation line where your two textures met. Just be careful that the blow dryer is not too hot. The constant heat can accelerate your breakage and your hair is delicate enough at this stage. But breakage is perfectly normal. Some have more than others.
I have decided not to big chop. I will transition. I have deep conditioned, co-wash but to find a shampoo with no sulfate is a big challenge in where i stay. So i have decided to stick with the sulfate shampoo(mix with olive oil and water). I will be using it once a month.
I am trying to go natural. Tired of relaxers. I haven’t had a relaxer since June. I’ve been braiding my hair but also still using the straightener and curling iron and it seems like my hair is still getting worse. I just read your website so I’m putting the hot items away. I just finished pre pooing ( for about 4 hours) my hair and did a roll set for work tomorrow. And plan on deep conditioning every thursday. Is there anything you could suggest for the back of hair where I thing has broken off more since I haven’t had a relaxer?
If your hair is broken off bad, you may want to trim your hair so it’s even and just nurture what you have left. It’s harder to try to repair hair that has already been damaged. Better to trim it out and work with hair that’s healthy.
Hello Lisa
I just wanted to let you know I started the Co-Wash about a month ago and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t think Co-washing would cleanse my hair but it does. I used the As I Am Co-Wash product and my hair is soft , frizz-free and manageable. Maybe later I will try more Co-Wash products by other brands. I remember you said you need to find products that WORKS for your own hair and Co-Washing is good for my hair.
I thought I would never do Co-Washing. Never say what you ain’t gonna do!!!
Thanks 🙂
Hi Linda,
Same here! I only started co-washing last month and I was shocked that my scalp was not itchy or flaky in a few days. And I didn’t even use a product that was for co-washing — just a regular cheap conditioner from CVS. I may have to try As I Am. Been hearing a lot about that lately. Thanks for sharing.
I don’t have a perm, but I dye my hair. How long to I have to wait to be considered transitioned?
Then you don’t need to transition. You are already natural with dye in your hair.
Hi Lisa,
I forgot to mention that my hair has been consistently pressed and flat ironed weekly for some time; it has only been 1 1/2 months since last press and flat iron. Does this make a difference? I’m curly at the root, but straight towards the ends.
P.S. I just wanted to thank you for your website. After viewing, it gave me the confidence to go my hair stylist today and firmly state that I’m going natural for good, and no more heat! She stated, “how about we try twisting it?” YAYY…I’m on my way…Thanks again :o)
Hi again,
Does your hair curl up at all when it’s wet? Consistent flat ironing can cause your natural pattern to straighten a bit.
Oh okay. Then my hair has become trained. My curls are tighter at the root (about 2 inches) and the rest is more of a loose wavy pattern with the ends straight. I plan to get a protective style like a 2 strand twist and continue to trim or cut the ends until the straight part is gone; long time though. Like the young lady below (September 28th) who wants to wear her style the entire transition, that is what I plan to do.
Im three months post and Im getting alot of new growth, im still trying to wrap hair but its not doing right anymore dont want to use heat what should i do…
This was the point I started rod sets. I had the same issue. Do a search in the search box on the right of the site and see some tutorials.
Hi Lisa,
My last relaxer was April and i can see my hair growing out but it looks damaged. I live in Jamaica where the sun is always shining, that’s a blessing but not for my hair or skin sometimes. I tend to sweat from my head a lot and for that reason i wash my hair sometimes twice a week. Is this bad? Is this d reason for my damaged hair? Anyway i haven’t cut off any of my hair yet…kinda scared but i will take the plunge because i really need my beautiful, black, healthy hair back. Is coconut oil any good for my hair? I’m just gonna try all that you’ve said and hopefully it works out. Thanks in Advance
PS…..I have also been braiding my hair because I heard it helps with transitioning. Is that true? I need to know because i plan to braid my hair again this weekend.
Braiding is fine as long as they aren’t tight.
Hi Shainy
It can dry your hair out. What I would suggest is washing your hair with a conditioner sometimes instead of a shampoo. You can use any cheap conditioner you find at CVS, Walgreens or any drugstore. The key is to find one that says “moisturizing.” I was shocked that my hair actually felt clean after co-washing. That way you aren’t stripping all your moisture from shampooing twice a week. The dryness from shampooing may be causing the damage.
Hi Lisa,
I have offically decided to take on my natural journey. I haven’t had a relaxer since January this year. Since then I have been wearing my hair in a wig, weave or braids. Today, I decided to take my hair out and give it a rest. My hair is chopped on side of meaning a ace symetric style and I thought thats what I wanted to do back in November when I got it cut. But I grew tired of it although it was cute, I just got tired of all the flat ironing and blow drying. Now that it has grown out some I still see relaxer on my ends. Should I just go ahead and cut those ends or do you recommend I do a rod set? I would like to find a good natural salon in the MD area but I see to many mixed reviews on some that I’m afraid of going to.
Thanks,
Serena
Hi Serena, well it depends on the look you want. I personally would even the hair up and try a rod set.
hi lisa,
I’m a month post relaxer and I want to know if I should start doing all the things in your guide now or wait till i see more substantial new grwth. I was also considering getting extensions and wanted to know if I should do that first and wait till their out then start that hair care guide or wait for the substantial new growth again.
Hi Breanna
It’s up to you. It’s never going to hurt to start doing things like minimizing heat, deep conditioning, etc. now. I had extensions early in my transition and before them I just wore my hair in a pin up. But after the extensions were removed (started month 3 of transition) I begin following the guide. Have more questions? Come see us in the forums? https://napturallycurly.com/forums
Hi,
I enjoyed reading this 10-step guide and I apperciate it as well. I have always wanted to go natural. I am truly tired of relaxing my hair as much. I have a short cut on the sides and long in the middle. so I figured my hair on the sides will transition faster than my hair in the middle. I’ve brought half of all the products Ive decided I am going to use. Now I’m wondering how long will it take for my hair to transition to natural? I’ve used a curly cream and I noticed that the back section of my hair curls up. but my sides dont, I think its because I have to continue to cut my ends. I’ve decided I wont do it. Just wait til the relaxed hair is gone. So the question is…. how long will it take? and should I continue to use the products? such as the deep treatments, shampoos etc. & following the regimen- washing & conditioning hair every week?
P.S. I wear wigs from time to time, so I know I have to moisturize my hair often.
Hi Chanise
It depends on how fast your hair grows and how much you cut. So hair grows 1/2 inch per month so that will give you an idea of how much length you’ll gain over time. But everyone’s hair grows at different rates. If your shampoo/moisture regimen is working for you, continue to do it. What I learned is you have to experiment and see what your hair loves and it seems like you’ve found a treatment that works well for you. So good luck!
Also my back curls easier too because I have multiple textures. Almost everyone does and that also may be why your sides don’t curl. But when you’re all natural they will gain more texture.
Thank you.
I’ve noticed that you have to experiment with different products, so I know now, that. I may have to try a few products to get the look I’m going for.
Thanks again.
Hi Lisa
Just wanted to let you know that I did my first pre-poo the other day. OMG! My hair was sooo managable! My last perm was mid July and I would usually use a pick to get the new growth, but I decided to use your pre-poo method and have to say I will be incorporating this into my weekly routine. I have been telling all of my friends who are going natural about it. I do have a question though, what is the purpose of co-washing? I’m hearing so much about it but don’t quite understand what purpose it serves. I mean if you’re just gonna wash your hair why not use shampoo?
I am absolutly addicted to your site.
Yaaay! Isn’t it great? Makes a world of difference.
The purpose of co-washing is you don’t strip your hair’s moisture completely so it’s good if you’re wearing your hair out (fro, puff, etc.) because it will help define your curls better and leave your hair softer. (It’s also easier to detangle.)
I wasn’t a fan of co-washing at first but I started doing it when I wear my hair in a puff like I did in this post https://napturallycurly.com/2012/08/wash-and-go-natural-hair/ and I can tell the difference. My hair was much softer and I didn’t have itchy scalp like I thought I would.
I have been on and off with relaxers for six years. I recently had a relaxer in April. I missed my coiled hair and stopped maintaining the relaxer. I bought Creme of Nature shampoo/conditioner to use on my relaxed hair. I came across your site and I’m concerned with shedding. I have noticed a few roots in the hair that has shed. How concerned should I be? What can I do about it?
Also, I’m slightly obsessed with playing with the coils throughout the day.
Hi Ashleigh
I’m no expert so it’s kind of hard to answer these personal shedding questions. All I can say is shedding can come in cycles so you may shed more times than others. But if this more shedding than you’re used to you may want to start researching the source and maybe even check with your doc. For example, it’s not always hair related. It could be blood related as well.
Oh and I permed my hair the beginning of last month so I have a ton of new growth in the middle especially but mostly my perm is what feels brittle, I have 4c hair
Hi I’ve been trying to transition for a while I have really bad scalp issues and I think it has to do with me perming my hair my doctor gave me selenium sulfide 2.25%shampoo and it’s been working but the only thing is that my hair gets brittle when I use it even when I use conditioners ( mostly wash outs), my hair normally grows rapidly and I am scared to stop using the shampoo recommended by my doc , do u have any advice to help 🙁
Hi Lisa, I want to transit to natural hair but i am afraid of chopping off my long hair. I relaxed my hair one month ago. I can even feel some undergrowth now.
Hi,
You don’t have to. I didn’t. Did you see this? https://napturallycurly.com/2011/09/im-all-natural-no-big-chop/
Lisa, I got my hair cut. But I did not cut up to the new growth. She said I would be really short if I cut up to the new growth. But I am happy with it. I will go on Friday and get(8-17-12) some hair put in. Hope this works. And how long do I need to keep it in? Thanks. Love this site you during a good job at answering our questions. Wanda
Hi Wanda
I always kept my extensions in for 6 to 8 weeks. Always let your hair breathe/rest in between sew-ins or extensions.
Hey Wanda!
I am new to going natural. I think my last relaxer was in May or June. I can’t remember. However, yesterday I cut off the relaxed strands of my hair (at least the ones I could see on the top) and I have been doing a wash and go. My hair is naturally curly. Even when I had a relaxer when my hair got wet it would just curl up so currently, that’s the style I have been wearing. My hair runs REALLY dry and I have curls but they are a little frizzy. Even when I use moisturizers and leave in conditioners it still feels dry to touch. I also spritz with water or use curly curl cream which defines my curls but leaves my hair dry. Nothing seems to help me retain moisture. Do you have any products you would suggest? When I use grease that usually works. I was thinking of going to get some 3-n-1 botanical oil as well as olive oil extra virgin. I believe my hair type is 3C/4A
Can’t wait for your response!
Sorry I meant Lisa not Wanda! Idk where that name came from lol
Hi Jennifer,
Do you use moisturizers where the first ingredient is water? Those are true moisturizers and then you can seal the moisture in with a natural oil.
Hi Lisa, love your site you rock. I transition to natural hair 13 months ago from a short cut relaxer. I flat ironed my hair the entire year to grow it out. My curl pattern is beautiful but 2 1/2 inches of ends in the front and sides are straight. Ive been heat free for 3 months still straight any suggestions besides cutting? I’ve tried two-strand twist. After a few days it seems dry. Just started using mizani true textures line, moisture stretch it works but it seems to get too oily. Maybe im using too much. My curl type is between a 4A to 4B in some areas. In the crown and mid back my hair shrinks is there a product to define the curls? I’ll keep you posted and thanks for the tips.
Hi Debora
Sometimes heat damaged hair will come back, but usually if it doesn’t curl back after 1 or 2 shampoos it’s permanently damaged and you’ll have to cut it off. Make sure you use a heat protectant when you flat iron your hair in the future and that will help.
i just relaxed my hair like bout a week ago. i dnt knw if i should start doing all dis guide or wait till my new growth starts coming out. i love ur site, its really very helpful. tnks
Thanks Lisa, I will make a appointment with one. I don’t want to turn back now.
Lisa, my hair keeps breaking, shedding. I have done all there is to do. So is this something that i have to deal with or what. I condition good, hot oil treatment, use silk bonnet, keep ends oil, wash hair once a week, use coconut milk, oliver oil, rosemary,I am just at the end. I DO NOT want to give up. It has been 3 months now. HELP ME. WHAT DO I DO. THANKS
Hi Wanda
Honestly if it seems out of control you should seek help from a professional. I am certainly not one and I wouldn’t know what else to tell you. At this point, a professional is probably your best bet.
I am in my 10th month of transitioning and I attempted a roller set on my hair. While it did have body at the ends the roots didn’t do so well. What are some tips for next time. Thanks
Good Afternoon Lisa,
I just would like to thank you for this information on transitioning relaxed hair into natural! It’s right on time for me. I was natural for about 3 almost 4 years then I had my second child and my hair got soooo thick & brittle, like a combo meal. It was a 2 for 1 and I just broke down and relaxed it. That made it more manageable but stopped it from getting any longer. It was shoulder length and it still is shoulder length. And I’ve only relaxed it once in Oct. 2011 then in May 2012 I dyed it and that just made it cute dry as the Sahara sometimes, but cute. 🙂 I have a lot of new growth which doesn’t make sense because my hair is the exact same length. Now I just want to chop off all the ends & let the natural do it’s own thing. Then I found some products that mositurize my hair well & this website. I’m going to take your advise with the transitioning process while my hair are in the braids that I’m going to put in my hair this weekend. You can wash braids and then I’ll condition them as well. And trim off my relaxed ends as I go. I’ll keep you updated, thanks for your hard work on this site and may Jehovah God & Jesus Christ be with You and my hair as we go through this together. Peace
Thank you very much for this information. I’ve decided to go natural and your transitioning journey is very helpful & inspiring. My journey will begin Monday Aug 6, 2012. Peace & Blessings!!
Ok sounds good and thank you… But will it last through Zumba..? I guess headbands would be best? Do I go to a hair salon or a natural hair salon? My hair looks a mess after these braids come out and I haven’t worn it natural since 12 yrs old…well thank you and I’m going to get a rod set.. 🙂
I have no idea. Depends on how much you sweat I guess. I personally would get a referral from someone who is natural and go to a natural salon.
Hello Lisa! I am thankful for this website. I havent had a relaxer since February 2012..I had microbraids..got them out in May and just got my hair washed and conditioned and got more braids…it is now time to get my braids out and I want to go natural…but I dont want to cut my hair…normally when my hair grows out this long without a relaxer it starts to curl up when I put any kind of conditioning gel on my hair…what is the next step in going to natural hair…I was going to get more braids like kinky twist or sangalese braids…and keep them in about 2-3 more months…and then that will be 9 months relaxer free… do you recommend this? I want to have longer, curly hair..my hair is thick…what do you recommend I do? If I dont get more braids and no relaxer…what do I do with this hair that is gonna look like a big tangled bush? Help me!!!!! lol 🙂
I was just reading through because the comments. I’m 6 months in and I’m going to get micros myself tomorrow. I was a little worried about how it will affect my hair since it is dryer now. I was thinking of doing a deep condition tonight before going to the salon in the morning. My hair is a little past my shoulders now so they never braid it all into the actual braid. Did you have any extra breakage with yours? Lisa do you have any tips or ideas?
Hi Michelle,
If you want to get more braids that’s fine, I would just let your hair rest for a couple of weeks before getting them again. So you could do a rod set or something in between the time. But I would definitely let your hair rest. So you are 6 months post relaxer…. yes that was definitely the rod set phase for me! lol
My last relaxer was last week July 21 it’s only been a week. I am thinking about getting kinky twist for the start of my transition phase. I also have stop using direct heat on my hair also. You website has given me great insight on what I should and shouldnt do during this process.
Hi Lisa
I have been following your video on hairstyles and I did the rod set with heat dry and air dry. For some reason when I heat dry my hair is dry, crackly. But when I air dry like I always do my hair is moisturized, bouncy, and it just looks great and I get a lot of positive feedback. My question is do I have to use heat to dry my hair? All the YouTube video recommend heat dry and I don’t think my hair likes it no matter what products I use. And I also asked a beautician and she said with natural hair you need the heat. Why?
Hi Linda,
The reason the air dry does better is because water is moisture, and heat can dry your hair out. You don’t have to use heat dry, I just did a lot because it takes soooooo long. So I would usually start with heat and then let the rest air dry overnight.
Heat may also give you a better set/hold so I can see why your beautician would have said that.
hey lisa, do u recommend texturizing your hair or not? because many of my friends who went natural texturized their hair .
It made my issue worse overall (breakage) but maybe because I did it myself and my hair was already damaged. I think if you have a professional to help you then go for it. I wouldn’t do it yourself though. That’s because you have to be very careful about how you do it and it’s easy to straighten the hair too much.
Having said all that, once my breakage did stop, it actually did make the transition easier in terms of having my hair gradually change over.
well the texturizer my friends use make their hair curly and they say its good for your hair but i jus wanted a professional to tell me if it was true
It loosens your hair pattern so it’s more curly/wavy. I just personally made the mistake of doing it myself. I’m not a professional but perhaps if I had used one, my hair would have done better. As I said, my hair was already damaged so my story is not the best example. 🙂
🙂 lol okay thank you very much
Hi Lisa. I just wanted to say that you and other naturals have been a great source of inspriration to me. I decided to make the transition to natural hair a few weeks ago and I’m nearly 3 months post relaxer. I’m going to try out my first heat free style today. I did have a question for you. You say that you should deep condition every week. But after watching some of your vids, I see that you can have twists/twist out for up to three weeks. How do I deep condition my hair while in the middle of a style? Thanks a bunch!
Hi Yaeisha,
I never wore 3-week styles when I was transitioning. This has only been since I was natural. I don’t deep condition during those times but just ensure my hair stays moisturized.
Thanks!
Ive been transitioning since nov. of 2011 anf just had a good trim in june of this year. I know I need my ends clipped again but should i have my hair blow dried or have my hair trimmed while wet?
Hi Lisa,
My last relaxer was about a month ago and I’ve decided to transition to natural hair. I have always had relaxed or pressed hair. I just want to make sure I have the whole washing routine understood since that seems like an important part in keeping the hair moisturized. So do you wash your hair once a week? And after you rinse out the DC you then add the leave in conditioner and detangle? Also, I have a lot of different types of moisturizers and I was wondering when I would need to use those since I use the leave in conditioner which is like a moisturizer on the wash day.
Thanks for all the information! 🙂
Hi Nek,
You got it all right. You will still need to moisturize your hair even after you add a leave in conditioner. So on like the 2nd or 3rd day after my wash day I’ll re-apply whatever moisture I need.
Hi my last relaxer was may 2012 and I have shorter hair … The middle part of my hair is really curly ( I even have strands of hair that is starting ti coil ) is that normal ????
Hi Jasmine,
Yep. It’s perfectly normal to see different textures on different parts of your hair.
Hey Lisa
I have a few questions. I’ve been transitioning since January, and I haven’t seen much or anything. My hair tends to matte at the roots. I’m not sure if my hair is way to heat damaged. I don’t do much to it besides deep conditioning and wash. Could this be the reason why my hair, after 7 months of transitioning, isn’t very appealing? Is there anything I can do to improve my transitioning process?. Thank You love!
Hi Taliy,
So after you wash/condition what do you do to it? Do you twist it up or stretch it out with some kind of style?
Hello Again Lisa
I noticed some hair in my comb when I detangle during pre-poo (not much) but that’s expected right? I am only in my sixth month transition stage so I don’t want to freak out yet. Should I be doing something else or is this normal. My mom said it was just dead hair ????
Hi Linda
It’s normal to have breakage when transitioning. Shedding is also normal. As long as your hair is not shedding a lot (coming out from the roots) then that’s fine.
I just got a relaxer on the 6th, so Friday will be 2 weeks after my last relaxer. I wanted to start transitioning but I don’t know if I should wait a full month before starting the hair care routine(non sulfate and silicone free S&C) or could I start now?? I have very little new growth if any at all at the moment lol. Also, I was wondering how long should I wait before trying out transition styles or do I just stick with the regular wrap until I get a month or two of new growth?? Any help is much appreciated 🙂
When I started transitioning I got my last perm june 20th this year and started transitioning July, I kept wrapping and still is wrapping and its been three months now, i have new growth but not much. If you moisturize it and keep it up you can wrap your hair for a couple of months.
Do you think I can do the wash and go eco styling gel on my hair. May 4, 2012 was my last relaxer. I saw some videos of the girls during it, but I don’t know if it was at 2 months relaxer free. I just love the way there hair turn out. I want to try it on my hair. If not can you suggest a good style for me at 2 months relax free. Thanks.. By the way, I JUST LOVE YOUR WEB PAGE. THIS IS GOOD . GOD BLESS YOU FOR THE HELP YOU GIVE US. WANDA
Hi Wanda. I think it’s too early. With only 2 months of growth your ends would probably be too straight. I wasn’t able to do wash and go’s until I was fully natural.
Hello: looking at your site have really gave me hope. I was getting discourage because I would try twist outs and it didn’t look beautiful like it did on other ladies hair. I thought it was my hair type and just not realizing my hair is not 100% natural. I also realized to become 100% natural I have to cut the relaxed hair off every so often (I’m not a big fan of cutting my hair). I would like to go to a natural hair salon to get the relaxed hair chop off,but some natural hair salons are too expensive and I don’t want the person to get scissors happy (do you recommend any natural hair salons in the nyc area). Is there a way for me to learn how to cut my relaxed hair off shortly by surely?
I don’t know anything about salons in NYC but I chopped myself. When you wet your hair it’s easy to see where the relaxed and natural hair meet. You could do that and then have a salon even it out. It would probably be cheaper
Wow i love it and really nice…super love it…<3
I didn’t know I could do that and it would keep it clean. I wash with a sulfate-free shampoo (Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter) and condition with the same,but after reading your instructions on your site I am going to change my routine and see if that works. I will pre-poo, shampoo with Giovanni tea, deep condition with the Organic replenishing conditioner, use the Giovanni leave-in and rod set with the Aloe vera gel and foam setting lotion. I already have almost all these products. I will let you know if this will help the dryness. I never knew to do any of this for my hair, I think it needs to be retrained. Thanks so much for this site.
I’m not a big fan of co-washing for that very reason. I like to know my scalp is clean but many transitioners swear by it for keeping their hair soft.