Transitioning is tough. It’s a clumsy time where you’re not only figuring out your new hairstyle, but also trying to navigate the new YOU. Here are five hair-loving tips to practice and remember.
1. GROWTH TAKES TIME: No, you will not go to sleep with a TWA and wake up with bra-strap length curls. And guess what? That’s totally okay. If your only goal is growth, you will constantly be upset. Sometimes growth is quick. Sometimes it’s not. Either way, your hair achieves about .25 - .50 inches of growth each month (6 inches a year). You should focus your efforts on retaining length through deep conditioning, minimal manipulation and using nurturing ingredients.
2. YOUR PATTERN WILL CHANGE: When you first begin transitioning, you absolutely love staring at the roots, imagining what type of curly coif you’ll soon have. However, your curls present a different pattern before you chop off your relaxed hair. The line of demarcation (the line where your naturally curly hair stops and your straight, relaxed hair begins) can fool many a natural. Your pattern will likely look a little different after your chop, and it will take at least three months for you to “cultivate your curl” and see its true pattern.
3. GOING NATURAL IS DIFFICULT: There, somebody said it. It can be mentally challenging, emotionally difficult and a bit confusing. But it’s totally worth it. Your hair will be stronger and you’ll discover parts of your beauty you didn’t know existed. You’ll feel more like YOU.
4. TRY THESE STYLES: Many transitioners get bored with their look and give up. Arm yourself with Youtube videos and an array of styles that work with transitioning hair. Try: two-strand twists with curlers at the end, Marley twists, bantu knots, braid outs with perm rods on the ends, spiral sets, box braids.
5. FOLLOW A HAIR GURU WITH YOUR HAIR TYPE: It’s fine to fawn over the fabulous hair guru with 3B, shoulder length curls, but is her hair remotely close to your texture and type? Find a hair blogger or Instagram guru with hair that’s similar to yours. You’ll get better tips, more accurate style ideas and an idea of what the look might look like on your hair.
In short, love yourself and love your hair. They’re both amazing.
Photo credit: @misskenk