I’ve been growing out my relaxed hair for the past eight months. Let me tell you—it has definitely been a journey…but a fun one! Here are some of the things I’ve been going through; so I thought it’d be great to share my experience with those of you who are transitioning as well or those of you who are thinking about transitioning. Hope this helps!
1. Are you going to have straight natural hair or curly natural hair?
This was one of the biggest things I struggled with. I wanted to give up relaxers, but I didn’t want to give up straight hair…at first. My initial plan was to grow out my relaxer and just straighten my hair every week like I used to do. After doing lots of research and once I saw what my curl pattern is like, I completely changed my mind. Here’s why. Heat damaged hair is just as bad as chemically damaged hair. Not saying that you can’t straighten your hair if that’s what you choose to do, just take necessary precautions such as heat protectants, deep conditioning, and occasional protein treatments. Once I saw that I really like how my curl pattern was, I decided that I really didn’t care to have straight hair anymore, which is why I only straighten my hair about once every two months (usually to get my ends clipped). This way, I won’t ruin my curl pattern!
2. Finding the right styles
Some people transition by wearing braids or sew-ins as protective styles. For me, braid outs have been my favorite style. All I do is cowash my hair; detangle, apply a leave-in conditioner, moisturizer, and coconut oil. I section my hair into medium sized pieces, apply a curling/twist cream and eco styler gel to each piece, and braid them up. I put perm rods on the ends of my hair just so they won’t be straight and the ends. I put a bonnet on to sleep in and when I wake up in the morning I put a little coconut oil on my hands, unravel the braids, and fluff up my hair a bit. It’s a really simple carefree style, and you can still add different variations to it.
3. Finding your staple products
Whether you are natural or relaxed, it’s good to have a nice routine and regular products. My favorites have been As I Am co-wash, As I Am leave-in conditioner, Redken “All Soft” shampoo, and Macadamia deep conditioner. These products have been working really well for softening and keeping my hair moisturized, not to mention the As I Am products are super affordable! While Redken and Macadamia are a bit more on the expensive side, I only deep condition when I use shampoo, and I only shampoo about twice as much. The products can be expensive, but they should last you a while.
If you are transitioning or are thinking about transitioning, I hope these tips make things a bit easier! It can be a difficult process, but it’ll worth it in the end.
HCxo!