Transitioning to natural hair may be the hardest decision a woman has to make about their hair. Many women who have been relaxing, or heat training, their hair for years may not know how to care for their natural hair. There may also be worry about how their hair will look during the transition process. However, with the right approach, transitioning to natural hair can leads to healthier, more vibrant hair.
I first started my natural hair journey 10 years ago. I was in an endless cycle of growing my hair to a certain length, only to have the chemicals from relaxers and heat styling break it off. I would get my hair cut to where it looked healthy and it would all start over again. There wasn't as much knowledge about caring for natural hair as there is now. My biggest fear was have "nappy" hair. However, I knew I couldn't stay in that cycle and anything was better than what I was doing to my hair.
Once I let go of that fear "enough," I was able to begin my natural hair journey and started transitioning to natural hair. I want to go back to the word "enough." When you do something, like change your appearance, sometimes you have to do it scared. Don't let that fear hold you back. The best version of my hair came on the other side of my fear and I know it will be the same for you.
In this article, we'll discuss some of the key steps involved in transitioning to natural hair, including what approach you should use, how to care for your hair during the transition process, and how to style your hair as it grows out.
Step 1: Determine Your Approach for Transitioning to Natural
The first step in transitioning to natural hair is to determine your approach. There are two main approaches to transitioning: the "big chop" and gradually transitioning to natural hair.
Big Chop
The big chop involves cutting off all of your relaxed hair at once, leaving only your natural hair. This approach allows you to start fresh and embrace your natural hair texture from the beginning. However, it can also be a major change that requires some adjustments. We talk about this more in-depth in the article "The Big Chop: Pros & Cons For Natural Hair."
Gradually Transitioning
The gradual transition, on the other hand, involves growing out your natural hair while gradually trimming away your relaxed hair. This approach can be less drastic than the big chop, and can allow you to adjust to your new hair texture more gradually. However, it can also be a longer process. You'll have to wait for your hair to grow out before you can fully embrace your natural texture.
Ultimately, the decision between the big chop or gradually transition will depend on your personal preferences and your comfort level with change.
Step 2: Develop a Healthy Hair Care Routine for Transitioning to Natural Hair
Regardless of whether you choose to big chop or gradually transition, developing a healthy hair care routine is essential to the success of your transition. Having natural hair is an investment. That means investing your time, investing in learning, and yes dollars into caring for your hair.
Invest your Time:
Set a side a few hours on a specific day that you will care for your hair. Choose to do it once a week or every two weeks. Any more time is just laziness and will ultimately cause more time in detangling or dealing with hair damage.
Doing natural ha also requires a lot of time to go through your wash day. A full wash day includes washing, deep conditioning, detangling and styling. This could be around three or four hours depending on the state of your hair and the style at the end.
Invest in Learning:
If you are transitioning to natural hair you have to invest in learning. You need to know what products to use, the right techniques to handle your hair in it's natural state, and how to do basics like braids or twists.
Invest your money:
When you begin your natural journey you may be spending a little more than you would if you have straight hair. You should invest in high-quality hair care products that are specifically designed for natural and curly hair. However, higher priced doesn't always mean higher quality. DevaCurl has some of the highest priced products on the market, but was sued after customers claimed their products caused them hair thinning, shedding and other scalp issues. We talk about the controversy in the article "DevaCurl Controversy: Is the DevaCut Cancelled?"
Products aren't the only think you will need to spend your coins on, you will also need new styling tools. There are combs and brushes that are designed to help you detangle and not rip your hair out. Some of the most popular brushes includes the Felisha Leatherwood detangling brush, EZ or BESTOOL Detangling brush, and the Denman brush.
Hair care products to consider:
One of the most important steps in any hair care routine is cleansing. During the transition process, it's important to use a gentle shampoo that won't strip your hair of its natural oils. Look for shampoos that are sulfate-free, because sulfates can be harsh on natural or curly hair.
You'll also need to use a conditioner or deep conditioner to keep your hair hydrated and soft. Look for a conditioner that is specifically designed for natural hair, because these products are often formulated with ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and avocado oil that can help nourish your hair.
Moisturize regularly
Natural hair tends to be drier than relaxed hair, so it's important to moisturize your hair regularly. Look for moisturizing products that are specifically designed for natural hair, and I would also recommend sealing in that moisture with an oil. Remember a little goes a long way.
Step 3: Experiment with Protective Styles
Protective styles are a great way to transition to natural hair. As your hair grows out, you may find that it's difficult to style or manage. Sometimes your hair can break off at the point where your natural hair meets the hair that is relaxed/heat damaged. This is where protective styles come in. Protective styles are hairstyles that keep your hair protected and tucked away, minimizing breakage and damage.
There are many different types of protective styles to choose from, including braids, twists, bantu knots, and wigs. I used protective styles to transition to natural hair. I put my hair in micro-braids for a year. I would wash and condition it every two weeks and take them down and re-braid them every three months. That worked for me, but you can experiment with different styles to find what works best for you and your hair.
One of the most popular protective styles in 2023 is boho braids. We talk about it in detail in the article "Boho Box Braids: The protective style of 2023."
One important thing to keep in mind when it comes to protective styles is that they should not be too tight or too heavy. This can lead to breakage and damage, which will only make the transition process harder.
Step 4: Embrace Your Natural Texture
As your natural hair grows out, you may find that it has a different texture than your relaxed hair. This is completely normal, because natural hair usually has more texture and volume than relaxed hair.
Instead of trying to force your hair to look a certain way, embrace your natural texture and experiment with different styles that showcase your hair's unique qualities. This might mean wearing your hair in a curly fro, or experimenting with twist-outs and braid-outs to help your hair have a uniform texture.
Remember, the transition process is all about embracing your natural beauty and learning to love your hair in its natural state. Don't worry if the style you tried didn't come out the way you had envisioned, it can always be turned into a cute curly hair updo.
Step 5: Trim your relaxed ends regularly
As your natural hair grows out, it's important to trim away your relaxed ends regularly. This will help prevent breakage and damage, and will make it easier to manage your hair. You can do this yourself or go to a professional stylist.
Step 6: Be Patient
Transitioning to natural hair is a process, and it can take time to see results. On average, hair grows about half an inch per month, or six inches per year. I'm 10 years into my natural journey and my hair down my back in it's stretched state. However, I'm just now feeling my hair on my shoulders when it's in its shrunken state. I thought that would happen years ago, but I was looking at other people with a different texture and they didn't have some of the setback I did. Your natural hair journey is your own and won't look the same as someone else, even if they have a similar texture as you.
Be patient and don't get discouraged if your hair doesn't look the way you want it to right away. With time and patience, you'll be able to embrace your natural hair texture and style it in a way that works for you.
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