Transitioning from relaxed hair to natural hair? Follow guest blogger Danielle’s tips for success
Tips for a successful transition
Transitioning from relaxed hair to your natural hair texture can be a very rewarding and interesting journey. Alternatively, it could be a frustrating and depressing mission. When transitioning, you are dealing with two very different textures on each strand of hair. You are focusing on an end date of your transition, and you are dreaming about your natural texture. The further along you are in your transition, the more of a texture difference you experience. This is not an easy journey, but it is a very attainable one. In order to be a successful transitioner, you must have the attributes that help you reach your goal.
Successful transitioners must:
• Be gentle
• Be patient
• Be open-minded
• Be flexible
• Be observant
Let’s explore the reasoning behind these transition-friendly attributes, shall we?
1. Be gentle.
Raking a comb from root to tip is going to a”> hurt like hell, b”> compound tangles and c”> break and snap your beautiful hair. During your transition you will have two very different textures on your head, with very different likes/dislikes. One thing both textures have in common is the need for a gentle touch. Gently comb hair from tip to root, and gently brush, manipulate and style your hair. This will avoid breakage and the turmoil involved with knotted tangled masses of hair.
2. Be patient.
Your hair is not going to grow out overnight. Sorry. But it will grow. And it will grow at approximately ½ inch per month. While dealing with the two textures on your head may seem like an eternity, it’s only for a finite amount of time. (One that YOU chose, mind you.”> And during this time, your only job is to relax, and to keep both textures healthy. If you find yourself in the mirror every day with a ruler to measure your new growth… I urge you to braid your hair up, or get a weave, or somehow put your hair “away” for a bit. Patience is a virtue… best learned while waiting!
