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’ve been transitioning for about 6 1/2 months now, but I haven’t been doing much deep conditioning. Matter of fact, I don’t deep condition at all at home lol :P; but I have been using leave-in conditioners for the past 4-5 years. My question to you is what deep conditioners and leave-in conditioners do you recommend?
Lisa,
I just wanted to know if you trimmed your own hair or went by a professional? Because ever so often when straight ends are frustrating by sticking out, i just snip it off. lol But i was wondering if i need to go by the hairdresser and just get my hair cut professionally.
It’s up to you, girl. I always do it myself but it doesn’t hurt to get it professionally done from time to time.
Hi Lisa,
I wanted to know if the pre-poo has to be washed out before putting the shampoo on my hair?
Thanks alot. I love your site, it was very helpful to me during my transition.
Hi 🙂 ,
So I’ve recently decided to go natural but my hair just texturized a few days ago. I’ve been thinking about doing it for a while but never thought about looking it up until now. Is it better to transition? or do the big chop? also hair was styled into the twist braids when I got it done but I take out the twist braids and leave it out curly as the actual style for my hair is it better to out it in a bun or ponytail? and I have swimming at school next week should I use a swim-cap? and with how my hair has just been texturized will the Kinky Curly products work?
~Nya x
This website is extremely helpful. However I feel like I am at a complete lost and overwhelmed. Most of all my reason for wanting to transition is because I want my hair to be healthy again and GROW. I’ve been getting a relaxer since about 16 and I would have growth every once in awhile but it pretty much retained the same length because It would be split or just wouldn’t grow. Before I started relaxing my hair it was healthy and I would get it pressed every 2 weeks. Now, im wanting to transition. It’s been 4 months since my last relaxer which was in December. I had extensions (weave) for the better part of these 4 months and now im at a lost. I don’t particularly see myself wearing natural styles once all the relaxer grows out I’ll probably alternate between wearing extensions and my own hair straight and was wondering could my hair still be healthy? In the meantime, while I transition i’m finding all this information to be overwhelming, Since, im at 4 months my next plan of attack is senegalese twists for probably 8 weeks or a make of 12 and was wondering what is the best way to take care of my hair while it is in senegalese twists? Should I be watering and oiling my scalp with a natural oil regularly? If so, how often should I be doing that? When I have my hair braided I typically do not shampoo it unless I go swimming, should I be shampooing it as well? I find myself already being tempted to want to relax it because I so use to my hair being straight and looking a certain way but I really want to be on the path to healthy hair.
new to transitioning just 20 and i feel more confident about being a black women. i keep getting this feeling like i should try to go natural .i only permed around the edges for my sew in i haven’t had a relaxer since aug. 2012. i cut off 2 inches because of major split ends. i cannot comb through my hair because of new growth. i don’t know what to with my because i can’t comb it Help?
Hi Lisa! I was just wondering how you moisturized your hair during your rod sets?
Hey Brittany,
To be honest, I don’t really have to re-moisturize too often because of my pre-treatments and setting routine but if I do, I would use something thick (that won’t cause as much frizz) like Qhemet Biologics Amla and Heavy Oil cream.
Hi Lisa,
I stumbled across your site and it’s ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!! I have a question, I am in the process of transitioning, so my last relaxer was in November 2012. I got Senegalese twist in January and just took them out last week. When I took them out I noticed my hair is much coarser than it was before I got the twist. So I am wondering is this the scab hair? My hair has never been this coarse and I’ve went 3 months without getting a relaxer before and my texture has never been this coarse and wiry. Do you think the twist messed up my hair? I debating on getting a relaxer just to see if my hair will go back to the texture it was before I got the twist, but I know this will just prolong my transition. Any advice I would appreciate.
It could just be your hair was EXTRA dry from being in the twists. When we wear extensions we don’t often moisturize as well as we should so when you take them down your hair feels dry. That’s normal. Just deep condition weekly to help get that moisture back.
Thank you very much for your response. I really appreciate it. I oiled my scalp maybe 3 or 4 times a week and took cotton balls and cleaned my scalp with witch hazel. Right now I have flexis, I’ll make sure I really deep condition when I take these out. I was going to get cornrows, but maybe I should give my hair a break from the tension for a while. Many Thanks again.
Hi Lisa! I am sooo happy I found your website. I went natural over ten years ago and kept it up for five years doing two-strand twists. Unfortunately I just didn’t know how else to style it and keep it exciting and fresh so I got lazy and went back to the hair crack. lol Last September I had my last perm and decided I missed my natural days and now I’m 6 months into my transition. I’m still doing a lot of the things I did before but products now are amazing and my hair feels even better this time around. Finding your website was the final big boost I needed to keep going. Seeing you do your hair, I notice we have similar textures so I’m excited to try some of the other styles you’ve posted and I’m YouTube crazy now! Thank you so much for reminding me how much I love my natural hair. 🙂 The only question I have is I need help figuring out the best way to trim my hair regularly (this is the only bad part of my transition). Not good with the scissors and never cut my own hair before. Any suggestions would be great or if you have a video too. Thanks again!!!
Hello Lisa,
After stalking you page a little more and also doing some more research, I’ve come across the Kinky Kurly products. I went to Whole Foods supermarket and first of all was a bit taken away by the price of this stuff but I learned at a very early age that you get what you pay for so I went ahead and payed the monies and purchased the shampoo, the leave in conditioner and the curling custard. before then I went and got a trim because my hair was just not flattering at all so I decided to go on ahead and get the rest of my relaxer taken out. It was just time to let it go. Well I read your review on the custard and I noticed you mentioned that you might have been a bit too heavy handed with the custard, so I took that into consideration and went VERY light on the product. I went too light at first so I had to apply just a tad bit more. I LOVE THIS CUSTARD, it’s amazing! Since my hair is not too long I will see if I can do this Kinky Kurly routine for a while and just leave my hair out. I am still practicing with the rod sets, straw sets and I have never done a curl former before (can you show me how please?). I also read on this site that I should probably deep condition every week, which I will begin to do FAITHFULLY until my hair is back to its happy healthy self. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS WEBSITE, newbies like me would be SO lost without it. Many blessings to you and I will continue to “stalk” your posts for more nap-ducation. Thanks Lisa.
Pam, I’m so glad you found something you like! That is great, girl.
I am a newbie to the natural movement. I have not had a relaxer in my hair for a whole 13 months now. I was using weaves to do my transition and it was going very well until about a few months ago. (Note that in between weaves I had to move from one state to another so I change hair stylists.) I had a weave done back in September and when the beginning of November rolled around I took my weave out and had a TREMENDOUS amount of breakage which I have never experienced with a weave before. My new stylist said it was because I didn’t deep condition before my weave but though it had a lot to do with my transitioning from relaxed to natural. So she gave me a protein conditioner made my Design Essentials where it builds your hair back up for six weeks, pretty much the same as Aphogee, it hardens up your hair under the dryer. After my deep conditioner she trimmed my ends and put my new weave in. (this was in January). here we are in February and I’ve taken my weave out again because I did not want it to matte my hair up I dont have as much breakage but my hair is so brittle and it looks very bad. I want to get your opinion on whether or not I should just go ahead and cut it all even to the healthy parts or should I just dc and or put another weave in until all the bad hair is cut off completely. and what should I do for styles if I dont weave it up because I am in the military so all hair styles will not fly. HELP!
Hi Pam
Sounds to me like you need a good trim and to maybe even rest your hair from the weave for awhile. Do you have a style you can wear in the meantime? Perhaps do a rod set, curl formers, straw set or something after you get your ends trimmed up?
Hi Lisa! I would love to go natural but I’m scared as I’m sure most of us are. I am newly married and my mate has never seen my hair in any other state besides relaxed so I wanted to make sure I do my due diligence in the research department before I take the plunge. A lot of the websites I’ve seen show the transition process with medium to short relaxed hair. In its relaxed state, my hair is well past my shoulders to mid-back. Is the transitioning process for those of us with lengthy relaxed locks the same? My biggest fear in the transition is the styling. I am terrible at hairdos. I wear a simple bun, pony tail, or pompadour with bun 90% of the time. I have never been a fan of weaves, wigs, or cornrows, so will I have a harder time finding hairstyles? The only time I have heat on my hair is when get styled after having my relaxer so that rule shouldn’t be too hard to handle. I recently started using JustNatural Organic shampoo and conditioner, but will definitely check out the products you’ve recommended.
Thanks so much for creating this site!
Hi, I recently cut my hair off too, I am not afraid to do so but since you are nervous and given the length you said your hair was you can transition without cutting your hair off you would just have to take extra care of it such as getting it trim and deep condition….I have also started a YouTube channel showing what I use but it’s been a month for me and my hair has grown ……but also just wanted to let you know that at some point you will need to give up on those pony tails cause a lot of pony tails can damage the hair well basically the ban that you rap the ponytail in
Hi Lisa! I am 17 years old. I was wondering what kind of hair cut I could get to transition from relaxed hair to natural. I’ve been looking at a couple short haircuts but, the problem is that those short haircuts sometimes require heat like, flat irons, blow dryers ect. to look pretty.(example like Meagan Good haircut) If adding heat to my hair once every week, or once every 2-3 weeks will it damage the natural hair? My goal was to get my hair cut in a short hairstyle so that when my natural hair grows I can keep cutting my relaxed hair into that haircut and my relaxed hair will all be cut off in the process. Could you please help me out! If you can’t could you give me any suggestions on what I should do. Thank you!
I found that bob-length hair was ideal for me when transitioning. It’s short enough where the drastic different textures weren’t as evident and it was long enough to still do straw and rod sets that would last. I would def avoid any kind of Meagan Good-like styles for the reasons you mentioned. I just had my hair evened out all over and kept that length during most of my transition.
Thanks alot!
Hello again Lisa!I It is so true when they say “Listen to your hair”. I have tried finger coils several times and experienced breakage. Possibly this was too much manipulation for my hair. Now, I do two strand twists and beginning to learn how to do flat twists. Loving being natural. Don’t think I will ever go back to chemicals, my hair has grown quite a bit in the three months I have been natural. Keep up the good work Lisa!!!
So great to here! Go Pippa!
Hi Lisa,
This month marks my one year anniversary of being natural. I have had my ups and downs about my natural hair. At this point, I am totally against ever perming again! I haven’t had my hair trimmed since July and I do know that I need my ends trimmed again, but money and time has hindered me.
I have tried doing styles like flat twists and taking them down the next morning, I know that I haven’t perfected that style and realized that my twist need to be tighter. After, one time of wearing my hair that’s all I can get out of my style; so I’m back to pulling my hair back into a ponytail(boring!). In order, to wear my hair back in a ponytail I have to apply gel and water. Frankly, I’m tired of doing that and even the gel flakes up and I usually have to do a co-wash in between my normal regular washes. What can I do instead of wearing gel? What I really want it to not touch my hair every morning… Help!
Have you ever tried pinning your twists up into a style that will allow you to wear them twisted for more than a day? That way your twist out will last much longer. I find that if I can leave them in for at least 3 days, I can get a week or more out of it. I don’t like gel for the same reasons. You can try something that is less gel-like, like a heavy moisturizing cream and then tie the hair down with a scarf for 20-30 minutes (or overnight) to help the hair stay in place.
Hi Lisa,
Love your forum
I am 2months post and very concerned about my hair. I stopped using heat a month ago and started washing. My hair with Shea shampoo and kinky curly…. I alternate the weeks and deep conditions with ORs and where my hair in Bantu knots using the kinky curly knot today and sealing. with oil .even though I do this my hair is shedding and breaking like crazy. When I deep condition it and wash it out my hair comes out in clumps. I think this is due to the fact that I do not cone my hair during the week. Am I experiencing. Too much in the early stage of my transition. Or is this OK. I am open to any and every suggestions. As of last week I started washing my hair like how you demonstrate in your video. I would appreciate any help. Thanks
Hi,Lisa !
First of all ,I love your forum!
I’m 17,next month 18.I have been transitioning for 6 months.
And like i’ve been warned…i’m getting really frustareted because of the difficulty of the 3 textures in my hair.I can’t comb trough my hair! I had braids for a while, but now i want my hair to rest. But I can only wear one style(cause of the cumbing thing) .How did you comb your hair when transitionging ? I know cumbing your hair to much is bad, but I can’t even do it ! (BTW sorry for my english)
Hi Ladies,
I found a great shampoo to was my hair. I finally washed my own hair for the first time instead of going to the salon. Its called Kinky Curly and its found in Target. Its 11 dollars and the first ingredient is water. My hair did not tangle and it worked well. I then conditioned my hair with Dove and used Palmers Hair Milk that has coconut milk in it
Yup! I use it too. And what I like is a little goes a long way as long as you saturate your hair first. I can make that 8 oz bottle last forever. 🙂 Glad you found something you like.
Lisa-
I’m glad I found your site because I have been wanting to go natural for some time but I am afraid of the big chop. I haven’t had a relaxer in about four months. My hair almost touches the middle of my back. I have noticed that my roots are turning curly. Will it be easy for me to transition with the length of my hair or should I get a few inches trimmed? Also, my hair is cut in long layers. Should I continue to get it cut in layers during my transition?
Hi Lisa, it’s really up to you and how your transition goes. You will know as you go along if you need to trim. If your hair is not breaking and you’re able to maintain the length, feel free to keep it. I only trimmed a lot because I had damage. So it depends on the health of your hair now.
Hi Lisa,
I have a question. I will be 6 months transitioning as of 1/30/2013. I’m excited and I am actually enjoying my natural texture of hair. I go to the salon (STILL) every other week for a wash, deep conditioning and trim for $40 which isn’t bad. I want to learn how to wash my own hair, and avoid tangles. My hair is extremely thick and I have about 4inches of my own natural hair. I’m not doing the BC so I going all the way. My question is do you think I would be able to wash and style my own hair to cut back on going to the salon and avoid tangles? The only thing is I do not know how to trim my own ends which are a requirement for me during this transition.
First of all, I think you CAN learn. If I can do it, anyone can. Watch my video on how I shampoo my hair. https://napturallycurly.com/2010/10/my-wash-day-regimen-transitioning/
It is a must that you section your hair and shampoo it that way if your hair is thick (in my opinion). It makes it easier to work with and make sure you use a lot of conditioner after you shampoo to help with tangles. Also I actually use water and conditioner BEFORE I shampoo to detangle before I get into the shower. Then I section my hair off so I can start to wash my hair.
Hello, Lisa,
I am 16 and have decided to go natural! Since my Mom is against the big chop, she agreed that I can transition, but for at least two(!) years. This is month one without a relaxer. How soon should i stop using heat? Should i stop using it completely from now on? Also, do i need to start deep-conditioning every week from now on? Or can I wait until month one or two?
Also, thank you so much for this blog! You are helping and supporting many people, and many ages. Please continue! 😀
Much Love.
Hi Bria
The sooner you can minimize heat the better and start deep conditioning now. It never hurts to do that.
I really want to try your tips! My hair is really short so I am really hesitant about cutting my ends. How long should I wait before cutting it after I start transitioning?
Hi Rae
It’s up to you, but if you want some length, you might want to wait a few months so your hair is not super short. However, the longer you wait the longer the transition will take since waiting would mean you keep relaxing your hair until then.
What is henna and were can I fine it
I’ve never bought it but you can google it to see where to buy. Check YouTube and there are tons of natural hair ladies applying Henna to their hair.
Hi Lisa,
Any suggestions for coloring while transitioning? I have long relaxed hair & currently get demi-permanent color @ salon to cover some gray. Prior to 2012 I was getting permanent color & relaxers. Last relaxer was in November 2012. Starting my 2nd time transitioning. Last time I went 7 months but hair was professionally pressed every two weeks. I know better this time, so I’ll do better ; ). I am too young to show my gray though.
Hi Leslie
Try to look for non sulfate shampoos for color treated hair. They are often more moisturizing for hair that has dye. Some people have found henna as a great solution to cover up gray. It’s a lot gentler than hair dye and very conditioning.
Hi Lisa,
I really have enjoyed reading your posts/website. I’ve decided to go natural as of last week. I am a little nervous but excited at the same time (looking forward to the end result). At the age of 18, my hair was natural and waist length. I pray that I can come close to that in the near future. I decided to try transitioning versus the big chop. I will definitely keep checking your site to keep myself informed. Many blessings in 2013.
Hi Lisa,
I have been natural a little over one month after doing my second Big Chop. I use a sulfate shampoo (Suave Coconut) , I just dilute it with spring water and add olive oil. Works for me. Maybe I will try a sulfate-free shampoo just to see how it does. I make several of my own hair products however, I do use Beautiful Textures product line. So far…so good!
Cool, what a great tip! Glad it’s working for ya Pippa!
Hi Lisa,
I am wanting to go natural, but I have no idea where to start. Between stress and hormones my hair is very damaged, short, and I have a lot of patches where my hair broke off at the new growth. Also, my hair is two different textures (thinner in front and thick, almost kinky in back) and it’s been resistant to the last two relaxers. What steps should I take first to start my transition without having to walk around looking ridiculous? By the way, my most recent relaxer (that didn’t fully take) has been in the last week, it looks about 3-4 weeks old.
Hi Kendra
Straw sets or rod sets with very tiny rods mask the textures the best. I had a lot of different textures going on with me when I started transitioning so that’s why I wore so many styles like this.
Hello Everybody_
I’m very early in my transition. I haven’t relaxed my hair in about 4mths, HOWEVER, I have been blow drying, pressing AND flat ironing my hair once a week for the entire 4mnth period. I have learned alot from the forums on the site, but I still have alot to learn. I’m doing my first attempt at a protective style today(twist out), and I was wondering if it is necessary to start with wet/ damp hair or if the hair can be dry? Also, how frequently should I shampoo my hair? While relaxing I shampooed once a week at least, sometimes twice a week because my hair gets oily very fast. Last question (for today), does anyone recommend a particular shampoo for a newbie such as myself?
Thanks for your help
You can do damp, wet or dry. If your hair is wet, it will set better but it will shrink up more. I shampoo once/week but some people co-wash weekly (conditioner only) and shampoo monthly. So it depends on how your hair responds. There’s no right or wrong. Givoanni’s line is AWESOME. You can get it at Walmart.
Hi Lisa! I have a question. I rebonded my hair back in 2006. Since then, I’ve had it trimmed a few times. I also rarely used a flat iron once my curly hair was coming back. The thing is that much of my curls are at the bottom half of my head, while the top half is nearly straight! I’ve been using mostly natural products for the past six months. How can I get back to a FULL head of curly hair again??
Hi
I had this same issue when transitioning, but after my hair continued to grow it became more curly on top. The other thing to consider is that we all have different textures. You could also try deep conditioning to see if you can get the curls to come back. Are you sure you never suffered heat damage from the flat iron?
i have a pixie cut and i would like to go natural. i did some research on natural hair but i just wanna know can i go head and use a transioning kit even with my hair being so cut short.
Absolutely. The transitioning kit is for your scalp, new growth and to nurture the hair you have. Length doesn’t matter.
This website will really help me in my transition! I had my last relaxer a month ago and that was also the last time I had my ends trimmed. Do you recommend I trim my ends myself or go to the salon? Also, how did you trim your ends without your hair being straight? Thanks for the advice!
Hi Adrienne
It’s up to what you’re comfortable with. I did mine myself but I’m anti-salon. That’s what motivated me to learn so much on my own. There are vids on youtube of how to trim your own hair. When it’s not straight, you can put it into twists and trim off the bottom of the twists. That’s how a lot of people do it.
Hey lisa,
I’m deciding to go natural as of a week now . If I just contiune to clip my ends and deep conditioning my hair after I wash it every two weeks do how long do you think my transition process will take? I’m really looking forward too doing whatever I have to do to get my hair healthy again because it seems like my hair never grows.
I just used a pre shampoo of coconut of that sat in for two hours then I washed with morrocanoil shampoo and used their restorative mask as a deep conditioner. I mixed tea tree naturals intensive conditioner with water and avocado oil and coconut oil as a leave in treatment and lightly spritzed while my hair was still wet and i let it air dry. My hair is dry and brittle as if I haven’t done anything at all! Do you have any advice for either of my posts. I’m not sure what to do
When is the last time you’ve deep conditioned after you shampooed? Also what is your routine after you shampoo? That is just as important as what you do before.
I’m soooo confused ! I haven’t had a perm in who knows how long (at least 2- 3years) and my hair still looks like it is transitioning. Is that possible. My hair when relaxed was about collarbone length . It is now another an inch passed collarbone length after years of consistent trims. Am I natural or transitioning? Please help!
So are your ends still straight? If so, you still have relaxer and are transitioning. Or if you’ve been adding heat to your hair, your ends could have heat damage. Have you been pressing your hair?
Btw my stylist relaxed my hair when I chose to go natural. So I cut off majority of it. It’s just the most relaxed is in the front when I was wearing it out with tracks. So my hair is kinky all around except the front. So if I wear a bush the straight is showing in the front. I tried twisting it but the natural part curls up but the relaxed is too straight to twist.
Hello I have been transitioning since July of this year. About two days ago I cut off majority of the relaxed ends. My biggest problem now is when I got my hair done in tracks my stylist relaxed my hair in front, back. So I’m dealing with majority natural and relaxed in the front and I’m getting frustrated lol. Ready to BC cause not sure how to style it. Had braid extensions but pulling my hair out. Should I just big chop?
That’s though. Personally it was hard enough dealing with 2 textures as it is, so I can imagine that having more relaxed hair in one area can make it more difficult. Although I had a similar issue because I was texturizing and more of my hair took in some areas so I had a very uneven transition. One thing I did to remedy it was wear my hair in rod sets. The curls masked the uneven textures. Whether or not you should BC is a personal decision and I would never sway anyone either way. If you are tired of dealing with your textures and are comfortable wearing shorter, hair go for it. If not, try other styles like bantu knot outs, rod sets, and other curly styles that can mask your textures.
Hi Lisa
It’s been awhile since I commented but I just found two products that my hair loves. (You may already know about them) one is Cantu Repair leave-in conditioner (I use as a styling product) and the New Cantu for Natural hair creamy lotion. My hair loves this stuff it leaves it soft and manageable. I have been using for a month and my natural curls have come out great. I am 10 months natural and I am happy I stuck with this natural hair journey (Bad and Good Days). So whoever out there thinking about going natural be encouraged and stay on Lisa’s website and her blog where you will meet some wonderful women on this same journey for whatever reasons. Sorry I said so much but Lisa you are a Blessing!!!
Linda,
I agree with you! I have been using the cantu leave in repair to twist and rod set my hair and it leaves my hair soft and manageable when my rod set is complete. I also use the cantu silk oil. I have noticed less and less hair shed over two months of using the cantu leave in repair conditioner. Before I had a lot of shedding when I began to go natural, but using the conditioner has shown major improvement on my hair overall, not to mention the fact that I am not stressing my air out with chemicals and heat!
Thanks Linda. That Cantu Repair Leave In does NOTHING for my hair. It’s funny because I recently posted on my forum about how my hair just rolls its eyes at it. LOL! But that’s great you love it. 🙂 Keep on keepin’ on!
Hi Lisa, I just came across this site this morning. I am 48 years old and have had some sort of chemical (relaxers, Jheri curls etc….) in my hair since age 12 or 13. I am now seriously considering going natural. My hair has never grown more than 8 inches my whole life due to the damage that I have caused. Hopefully I did not ruin my hair for life. I tried going natural a few years ago and the results were disastrous. I had come across an article on Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Coconut Oil. Have you heard of this? I understand that I will need to deep condition, shampoo and keep hair moisturized, but was wondering if using the JBCO and coconut oil will also help in my transition. I have a Whole Foods store locally here and will also visit them to see if there are some oils, conditioners and shampoo that will be good for this journey. Wish me luck!!!! BTW – my last relaxer was about 8 weeks ago, so I know the transition is going to take a while. 🙂
I’ve never used JBCO but I’ve heard nothing but good things about it from people on my forum https://napturallycurly.com/forums and offline as well.
I decided to go natural two months ago without doing the big chop. October 9th I found your site and thanks to you, learned about rod setting! After the first rod set, by the way lasted for a week, I began to do two strand twist then adding rods from one of your videos. I love it. I use a tea tree shampoo and conditioner, then I use a Shea butter deep leave in conditioner to detangle and twist my hair into individuals before adding rods. Every week I have been doing this for a month and I notice a change in my hair. The after washing process is a little difficult until I add the deep conditioner, but before adding it, it feels like cotton. I am loving the look when my rod set is complete and I take the twist out. My hair is so curly and it last. I sleep in a satin cap, sometimes I divide my hair in sections and soft band each section before putting my bonnet on. Thank you for helping me achieve this look. Any advise on the cotton hair feel? Am I not leaving the conditioner in long enough after I shampoo? I usually shampoo and condition in the shower so I am not sure if my conditioning time is enough.
Hi Tonya, your hair texture is probably just naturally cottony. Mine is that way too. As long as it’s moisturized and not breaking then it’s nothing to really worry about and I doubt there’s anything you can do to change it — at least not permanently. Sometimes it’s hard to diagnose without seeing your hair but it sounds to me like it’s just your natural texture. Cottony hair is very common with naturals.
Thank you Lisa! I did a twist rod set two nights ago and I have to say, I look forward to doing this style. My hair is getting used to the process and its worth the time. I washed and conditioned with the herbal essence curl and wave product this time and my hair was so much easier to manage after the washing process. As far as the cottony feel, I didn’t think my relaxed hair would start to transition to natural as fast as it is! I drink plenty of water to nourish myself overall and I have been soda free for over a year and a half. Water has been my 90% drink since 2010! I think that has helped to contributed as well to my quick transition. I do not remember my real hair texture because as a child I always had straightening combs in my head and that’s all I remember. Got a curly perm by age 9, then switched to relaxers as a teenager. Now it’s time to be free of all that stress on my hair and let the natural me come out! I rub hair oil in my hair before I apply a leave in conditioner and then twist and rod my hair. Should I condition first then oil, or is my routine regimen ok?
I always apply oil last. Oil seals in moisture so I apply it after my moisturizer.
Hi Lisa! I just decided today that I would like to start my transition to going natural without the big chop. I have done a lot of research but your sight was the icing on the cake for me (due to the huge amount of information and helpful tips)! I am a little nervous, because I am not the best with hair care; but I am determined 🙂 I tend to have a lot of breakage. I just got a trim about three days ago without even knowing that I was going to decide to go natural, but I think that is how you start, right? I am concerned about where to go from here. Any advice, tips, pointers ANYTHING will help!
🙂
Hi Alecia
Good luck! At your stage, I started experimenting with doing my own rod sets. This style saved me in the first few months. I have some posts on here on how to do that if you search in the search box up top. Try to stay away from heat if you can (especially blow dryers and flat irons). Wear buns, pin ups, twist outs (rod the ends) and styles that require minimal or no heat.
Hi Lisa! This is a very simple question. I have very THICK COURSE hair. My hair has about 3 different textures tight curls in the front right, its wavy on the left front side and puffy at the back. I know you must de-tangle hair when it’s wet but do you recommend combing the roots of your hair? Do I comb right above the roots? Help me please!
-xoxo
Hi Jessie
When I detangle, I always make sure I coat my hair in conditioner and put my hair in small sections. I grab a section and start detangling from the bottom up. I have a video on how I detangle after shampooing here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xvC4hMqeA4
Hi,
I’ve been transitioning for 5-7 months now and I usually wear perm rod sets. My hair is about three different textures. The hair in the front of my head is very puffy with a S-curl coily type pattern. The crown of my head is very course and doesn’t really have a curl pattern. The very back is a loose S curl and by far the softest part of my head. I deep condition weekly with (Olive Oil Mayonniase) but it doesn’t seem to make a difference in the softness of my hair. What deep conditioner do you recommend? Is there also a product you recommend that will pull the front of my hair down slick and smooth like a hair gel or something? The regular gels I use only work for a little, then my hair puffs back up again. The puffiness will be ohkay for me in the long run, it just looks weird when trying to blend my natural and permed hair.
Hi Keturah,
I used Organics Olive Oil Root Replenisher for deep conditioning when transitioning and still use it now. If your hair is naturally kinky you cannot do anything to make slick down permanently. I fought with that puffiness when I started transitioning but had to learn that kinky hair wants to be kinky. So I just had to wear styles that minimized it. For example, a pompadour is a good style because you can pin your hair back and now worry about it sticking up. I also wore a lot of headbands/scarfs and pushed my hair back into a puff. So I think if you just find some styles to work around the puffiness that will help.
I don’t really like gels. They leave flakes and only work temporarily since my hair is kinky too.
Hey Lisa!
I also want to know do you ever straighten your hair ? If so how do you go about it . How do you feel about Brazilian Blowouts ? Is there any way you recommend for me to safely straighten my hair ?
Hi Keturah
I think Brazilian Blowouts are waaaaaaaaaaay too much heat for transitioning or natural hair and have heard horror stories about people losing their curl patterns. I have not straightened my hair since being natural but have an article here based on info I’ve gathered
https://napturallycurly.com/how-to-straighten-transitioning-and-natural-hair/
Hi, I’m a teenager who recently decided to go through the transitioning process of going back natural. I saw above that its recommended not to wash hair with shampoos with Sulfate but I went to the store today and on every bottle I picked up Sulfate was an ingredient. Can you tell me which brand of Shampoo you used?
HI Elizabeth
The Giovanni line does not and you can find it at Walmart or Target.
Hey Lisa! It’s Sonya. OMG, girl you are all over the net! Another nice site that I stumbled across while googling some natural hair info, lol. As usual, very nice and informative.
LOL! Thanks, Sonya. 🙂
i have in fake locks in my hair i havent straighten my hair in mmonths
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Thanks Lisa for the great tips. I started my transition two months ago and this site has been a tremendous help. I have followed all of the tips faithfully except one: I was hesitant to trim my ends. Needless to say, THIS WAS A HUGE MISTAKE!!! I noticed with every wash, I would have a lot of breakage. My ends became more and more scraggly. I was so determined to keep my length that I didn’t realize the long-time damage I was causing. I finally bit the bullet and cut off about 2″ and the breakage stopped immediately. My hair is so healthier and fuller. I will never doubt you again.
Uh huh, girrrrl! I learned that the hard way too. I kept trying to hang on to those bad boys and it just made the issue worse. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way, huh? 🙂 Glad your hair is doing better.
Tnkz for d article lisa.my hair is long bt i applied dye and it got damage.now i want to go into a full trasition.do you think my dye damage hair would do it
Hi Tina, sure you just need lots of TLC and make sure you deep condition your hair weekly.
Thank you for the transitioning tips. Its been since months since my last perm and my natural hair is growing in pretty fast because i keep it braids. I’m too scared to do the big chop; I’m used to having long hair. Once I get it to a nice length I can play around with I’ll cut off the permed hair. So these tips help because I missed a few.
I am 18 yrs old and made the descision to transition. Thank you so much for having this site because i have long pretty ‘relaxed’ hair and thought the only way to get natrual hair was the big chop. I must say it is costly for some of the products. But its priceless to find the person God made. This is my first month and i took off alot of hair its the length of Taraji P. Hensin and im currently in a full sew in weave. And also my cousin, she’s 18 too, had the guts to make the big chop. Thanks soooooo much :*