With recent industry research highlighting within the last 12 months sales of relaxers have experienced no growth in 3 years whilst 70% of black women are now choosing to wear their hair in its natural state!
Are you ready to join this Natural Hairvolution?
Ladies, these 10 tips will help you on your transitioning journey and give you healthy hair from Root to Tip.
1. Do not be bullied to big chop!
The choice to cut off your relaxed hair is down to you – it’s personal. Some ladies like the look of short hair on themselves, others don’t. Decide whether you will wait until you have sufficient growth or just reach for the shavers.
2. Implement a simple hair care routine that will assist you day to day
As you begin to transition to ensure you grow the healthiest hair possible, moisturise your hair daily, oil your scalp to stimulate growth consistently, and make conditioner your best friend. Use a natural shampoo like our Stimulate and Cleanse to ensure your scalp is clean also.
3. Take ownership of your hair
If you are someone who relies heavily on your stylist, this may have to change whilst you transition unless your stylist embraces your decision too. Become a DIY specialist. Learn at the very least how to wash your hair, and deep condition it WEEKLY, to maintain mega health eliminate stress and stop unnecessary breakage. Our Protein Balance Deep Conditioner Mask is great for maintaining strong strands and preventing breakage.
4. Embrace protective styling
If you have decided to leave the relaxed ends until your new growth is a few inches or more, you need to employ regular protective styling to make life easy for yourself. Maybe you will try healthy box braids, or a twist or braid out style that will blend your new-growth together with the relaxed ends. From time you may wish to…
5. Invest in premium natural hair care products
The products you once used may not be as effective on your ‘Transitioning Hair’. Natural hair loves Natural products. Products like our Quench My Thirst Hair Moisture Creme, marinate your strands with intense moisture to increase ‘Slip’ in your strands, to make managing two different textures that much easier.
6. Dealing with 2 textures
As your new growth gets longer what you will notice is a definite line of demarcation. That is the point where the natural hair ends and the old relaxed hair begins. To ensure a smooth transition and little hair stress be sure to treat your hair with ‘kid gloves’ and moisturise regularly with a good leave-in like our Original Honey Rain Detangle Hair Juice. Avoid over combing or brushing of the hair.
7. Embrace your texture it will change
Many women go into shock when they first big chop, as in some cases they have to deal with ‘scab’ hair before the true texture of their natural hair appears… Scab hair is basically the thinner less attractive growth of hair that will have the remnants of relaxer on it. Please be patient and treat this hair with care, once you gain a few more inches, this hair can be trimmed away with just like the relaxed ends.
8. Naturally sexy!
Going natural does not mean you have to embrace wooden earrings with bantu-knots and twisted styles if that’s not you! Adjusting to a different look will take time so be patient, but with natural hair extensions and wigs now readily available, you can make your natural hair as hot as it needs to be!
9. Use heat with caution
If you have just started your journey and are not ready to rock that ‘texture’ do not use regular heat as a way to straighten your new kinks, this will lead to damage and defeats the purpose of going natural! Use heat sparingly with a heat protector. If your stylist suggests regular ‘blow-outs’ to manage those roots, kindly decline, it will be worth it in a years’ time.
10. Thou shall not cover another woman's tresses
The natural hair world is full of natural hair gurus and YouTubers who have followers in the hundreds of thousands who try to emulate their hair routines to get hair like them! STOP! Do not be discouraged if your favourite YouTuber has tried a product that gives her super results but your hair hates that product!
And finally on 'Transitioning' My Top Tips…
We all have a unique texture and have to carve out our own way of caring for our own hair.
Embracing natural hair is a journey – it starts with a goal and along the way you will experience highs and lows as you figure out what your hair likes.
Wishing for someone else's hair type or length will only lead to disappointment.
Your hair can and will be the best you have ever experienced if you simply embrace YOUR hair.
Sal
Founder, formulator, Hairducation Expert