Remember to make sure each section is securely back in place before you move onto the next. Co-washing should be your primary option on cleansing transitioning hair, but every so often – whether every week, every two weeks or every month – it will be necessary to shampoo.
The truth is, knowing when to big chop your relaxed ends is always gonna a personal and different decision to everyone. I believe most people stay within the 6 months to 1-year mark. This timeframe gives them enough time to meet and get acquainted with their new hair texture, and also to achieve some length.
Yes, there are some styling products that also act as moisturizers but most do not. Check the label and ingredients before usage. Moisturize your hair on a daily basis. Even if your hair does not feel dry to the touch, it can still be in need of moisture.
"The amount of time [it takes to completely transition] depends on the length of your relaxed hair, how often you trim or cut off the relaxed hair, and if there are any setbacks such as hair breakage or hair loss. It can take as long as a year (or longer) if you do basic trims every three months versus the big chop."
The main underlying reason for dull, dry transitioning hair is pretty obvious – your hair is not properly hydrated. Dry hair could be a result of lack of moisture (not washing your hair enough), product buildup, protein overload or simply not using the right product combinations for your hair.
#2 If you aren't quite ready for letting it go all at once, then you can expedite the process of transitioning. The key is to regularly cut hair from your relaxed ends as your new textured hair grows from your roots. The more hair you cut, the faster your transition will be.
Never TrimmingYou're doing all the right things when it comes to your hair. Heat is kept to a minimum, you cleanse and condition regularly, and you experiment with transition-friendly styles. However, you never, ever trim.
Damaged hair has a brittle, straw-like appearance. The hair shaft is fragile and prone to breakage, resulting in split ends and stray, unruly hairs. It will feel stiff and “crunch” upon touch with little movement. The best thing to do is give your hair the rest it needs if it is starting to look damaged.
Some signs that your hair has been heat-damaged include: split ends or ends that easily break off. white nodules at the end of your hair shaft. rough or stringy hair texture.
Answer:
- Cleanse the hair. You do not want to fry product buildup, debris, oil, and dirt on your hair.
- Use a moisturizing protein treatment before and after.
- Reduce straightening frequency.
- Lower the temperature.
- Use a heat protectant.
- Stretch before straightening.
- Blow-dry on damp, not wet hair.
- Seek straightening alternatives.
The craziest part: I still continued to heat style my hair throughout its growth, contrary to the popular belief that strands can only grow if you completely ban hot tools. The moral of the story: You can absolutely grow out your hair even as an over- styler—you just need the right tools and a routine.
If you decide that you would rather not big chop, it might take several months for you to become 100% natural. This obviously depends on the current length of your hair, but I've seen some women take 18+ months going natural without the big chop. Curl Centric recommends If You Love It, it Will Grow by Dr.
Also known as an ACV rinse, a mixture of food grade apple cider vinegar diluted with water can help bring heat damaged curly hair back to life. Disclaimer: damaged, split ends that refuse to curl will still need to be trimmed.
10 Products to Use When Transitioning to Naturally Curly Hair
- As I Am Cleansing Pudding Sulfate-Free Moisturizing Cleanser.
- SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Extra-Moisture Transitioning Milk.
- As I Am Hydration Elation Intensive Conditioner.
- SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque.
- Darcy's Botanicals Coconut Lemongrass Transitioning Creme.
- Raw Shea Butter & Argan Oil Repair & Transition Kit, $16, Amazon.
- Hydration Elation Conditioner, $13, Amazon.
- Coconut Lemongrass Transitioning Creme, $12, Darcy's Botanicals.
- Perfect 7 Leave-In Treatment, $8, Amazon.
- Transitioning Diva Kit, $72, Curls.
- Miracle Hair Mask, $19, Amazon.
- Deep Conditioning Treatment, $15, Amazon.
Washing your hair more than once or twice a week may be too often. Too much conditioning can create over-moisturized hair and disrupt the proper balance of moisture and protein that hair needs. Deep conditioning once or twice a week is more than enough, anything more than that may be overdoing it.
9 of the Best Moisturizers for Transitioning Hair
- Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream.
- SheaMoisture Yucca and Aloe Thickening Growth Milk.
- Soultanicals Fluffalicious Curl Nutricious.
- Curls Whipped Cream.
- TGIN Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer.
- Eden Body Works Coconut Shea Pudding Soufflé
- Hairitage Hydration Cocoaloe Hair Hydrator Lotion.
- Camille Rose Naturals Fresh Curl.
Top 10 Deep Conditioners for Transitioning Hair
- 10 Deep Conditioners for Transitioning.
- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque.
- Alikay Naturals Honey & Sage Deep Conditioner.
- Darcy's Botanicals Pumpkin Seed Conditioner.
- Camille Rose Naturals Algae Renew Deep Conditioner.
- Pura Body Naturals Chocolate Hair Smoothie.
No, you can't strip the perm from your hair, but you can strip the hair from your head with a vinegar solution that is too strong. I like vinegar rinses and do them from time to time.
Even on a once-per-week regimen, heat styling is still never actually good for your hair, so you'll need to consistently keep track of your hair's health. Using too-high heat, even just once a week, will still lead to dryness and damage.
It's important to use a heat protectant every time you straighten your hair because it will limit the damage. However, straightening everyday isn't a good idea and will usually leave you with drier, more brittle hair.
Don't style hair with heat every day.Blow out hair 3-5 times a week and try to limit your flat iron/curling iron usage to 1-2 times a week.”
This expedites the growing process. In addition, less heat at the ends of your hair ensures that there is little to no split ends; reducing the need for regular haircuts and less breakage overall. Hair grows a quarter of an inch, on average, per month.
'A hairdryer will provide air flow rather than using hot plates directly on the hair which for damaged hair is a better option. Daily use of straighteners can increase your hair's sensitivity, increase frizz, cause split ends, and make your hair more susceptible to breakage.
Sure, hot tools can leave our hair looking more stylish and put together, but over time, that heat styling can lead to some pretty serious damage, including dryness, breakage, and split ends among other things.
Slower Hair GrowthStraightening your hair frequently without using a proper heat protectant can damage your hair cuticles permanently, leading to slower hair growth (1).
Can heat damage be reversed? Pollard: “Heat damage can be addressed if it's not too severe. When the cuticle layer of the hair strand is scorched or overdressed, it won't curl up as if it were untouched. Some of the curls can be revived if the over processing is minimal.
So what happens to your curls when you straighten them that makes them not bounce back? When your curls aren't protected and heat is applied, the structural proteins within each strand are damaged. “This repeated damage essentially breaks down the strand,” says Wilson. Once the damage is done, there's no coming back.
