Titi's Tips for Transitioning

• Deep conditioning is a must because there are two disparate textures that you want to soften - the natural texture and the relaxed texture. The point at which they join or the line of demarcation needs to be moisturized and conditioned or it is prone to breakage. Rapid Recovery is excellent for this.
• As you grow your hair out, it's going to become more challenging to style your hair because of the disparate textures. Our best advice is to do a twist set to get the textures to be similar. That means take small sections of your hair and twist while damp. You will have to use a rod at the ends of the hair to get it to curl because this is relaxed. Allow it to air dry or sit under an overhead dryer and then untwist. The result will be a consistent twist pattern from root to end. Use Curly Meringue for a twist set.
• If you're not ready to do the big chop yet, gradually cut away your relaxed ends. Sometimes cutting those ends will give your hair enough body so that you can scrunch in a curl. Use Quick Curls for scrunching.
• If your hair is too challenging to style while growing it out, you can do braids or weaves to take your mind off of it until you are ready to do the big chop. Remember hair grows at a rate of 1/2 inch per month. So after a year of braiding and re-braiding or weaving and re-weaving you will have at least 6 inches of natural hair so that you can then do the big chop!
• If you are really brave you can always do the big chop and go natural right now. That means cutting off all the relaxer now and you will be left with a cute short fro or TWA (teeny weeny afro)! Curly Buttercreme or Baby Buttercreme is good for this.
• Transitioners have the challenge of getting two distinct-looking textures to be similar. With that said, transitioners can also style their natural roots and relaxed ends straight. Just one caveat: You have to be careful that you are not using too much heat or else you can make your natural hair remain straight as if it is relaxed. This is terribly disappointing, particularly if you have spent the time growing out natural hair. The best thing to do is to avoid curling irons at all costs because they remain heated in one place on the hair shaft. Ideally, rollersets and blows are best; then flatironing (as long as you keep the flat iron moving and don't keep in stationary). Make sure to use a thermal protectant. I like Mizani's Thermastrength to protect the hair from heat damage. This styling can last for at least a week as long as you are not in a humid environment where your natural hair will revert back.