Tips on Transitioning WITHOUT a Big Chop

so in my inbox this morning I had messages from 3 different people asking me about transitioning... tips and products.... so I figured it best if I address them all at once.

Let me start with this disclaimer, when I transitioned NONE of these products were on the market and there was no such thing as transitioning, so there was no method to my madness. It just was what it was.

How I Did It
The first year of my 'transition' I was expecting and nursing a newborn, hence the reason for my deciding not to do any chemicals. During that time I mostly did rollersets and rod sets pretty much weekly. I drank alot of water and NO sodas. My diet overall was pretty good during that time because as I said I was pregnant and being very conscious of those things. After that I just continued with rollersets and flat ironing. I kept my ends trimmed regularly, eventually all the relaxed ends were gone and I never gave it a second thought. Now I am not trying to make it sound simple at all but the key is to find the right style for you that allows for low manipulation. The less you have to deal with your hair the easier transitioning is to deal with.

Low Manipulation/ Protective Styling
One thisng is that you definitely have to learn to love and appreciate natural hair, you never know what lies beneath so start experiementing with natural hair styles and looks. Manipulate your relaxed hair to make it look 'natural' Try rod sets, straw sets, buns, updos, braid outs, twist outs, sew ins and braided extensions are also an option, but don't overdo it you don't want to put too much strain on your hair, which can lead to breakage. Flat twists are always great for keeping the new growth down and tamed.

Products/ Moisturizing your Hair

• One main reason for breakage and not retaining length is due to a lack of moisture. However if you are experiencing excess breakage and shedding I highly recommend you seek a consultation with a licensed cosmetologist expereienced in healthy, natural hair. I say this because not everyone is comfortable dealing with natural hair or transitioning so do your research. You get what you pay for.
• Pre-poo. Pre-pooing is the process of moisturizing your hair before you shampoo. This strengthens your hair and helps prevent breakage. This can be done with an oil (like a hot oil treatment) One of the best ones to use is extra virgin olive oil EVOO. You can put on a plastic cap and hot towel, hood or hair dryer or just sit under a steamer to allow the oil to penetrate your scalp and hair. Then use your fingers to detangle the hair before cleansing.
• Cut back on Washing/ Shampooing your hair. Cut back on shampooing your hair with harsh shampoos choose cleansers with NO sulfates. I have been successfull cowashing regularly with a clarifying conditioner and shampooing every 4-6 weeks as well to prevent build up. (cowashing as an alternative to shampooing is where you wash your hair using a conditioner instead of a shampoo)
• Deep Condition. At least once a month (now every week since I have color) I deep condition my hair as well. This helps to keep my hair soft and manageable and helps to control the shedding and breakage.
• MOISTURIZE I know I have already said this but its really important so I am saying it again! Start with water, product and then seal the moisture with a natural/ essential oil.
• Experiment with products. I can and will share some of my favorite products but be mindful that everything doesn't work for everyone, so get recommendations from other naturals but don't be discouraged if you don't get the same results. The only way to determine what works for you is to experiment. I recommend joining and participating in local meetups and natural hair events, product swaps, get samples to determine what your hair best responds with. Distribute the product from root to end

Just Say NO To Heat
stay away from direct heat on your natural hair. This will lead to breakage and damage to your natural hair. Your hair could be heat trained and unable to hold your curl and worse heat damaged and ultimately dead hair. I experienced this first had from flat ironing my hair to the point where when I decided I wanted to try to embrace my naturally curly hair texture I had over 4 inches of heat damaged ends that had to be cut off. So put down the flat irons and blow dryers. There is a better way.

Trim your hair regularly.
Trim your hair every 2 weeks- 1 month trim off  a little maybe a 1/2 inch. Your hair is growing because you are practicing healthy hair techniques so eventually all your relaxed hair will be gone and you won't even know the difference.