So you’re ready to transition. Now what?!

With the new year brings all of the new year resolutions and for many of you that includes finally committing to going natural. For various reasons, women all around the world have one by one decided to no longer manipulate their hair strands in unhealthy ways but instead rock their hair in it’s natural, beautiful, curly state. I too made this decision for myself years ago when I decided to limit the amount of times I put heat on my hair and instead begin to learn how to manage and strengthen my then almost waist-length “curls”. I use the term “curls” lightly because the heat damage was REAL for me when I first started and the limp frizzy dry strands that cascaded down my back were nothing I could really be proud of. It didn’t take me long to make the decision of health over length and one trip to my then stylist with instructions to “cut it all of” is how my journey began.  

Now that you’ve made the decision to transition there are a few things we should definitely discuss! Keep in mind, this is an individual journey and as you continue forward through the good and the bad, be sure you are staying true to yourself and what your hair needs. Take advice from here and there but be sure to tailor it to your own process to make it work for you! With that being said, let’s get into the top 5 tips that I have for all my transitioning curlfriends!

1. Commit to the Journey
   • With any promise we make to ourselves we certainly have our days where we think “I don’t want to do this anymore” and “It’s too hard. I can just go back to the way things were”. I can almost guarantee you that there will be days like this, but the one thing you must remember is why you started! As with any journey there will be twists, and turns and moments that you feel defeated but you owe it to yourself and your curls to see this one through. My hard days are when my wash and go’s look more like Girl No! It took some time for me to find the patience with myself and my hair to be willing to just rock the two strand twists and allow myself the mental break that I needed to try a wash and go again. There were times that I fell off my own promises to myself and added heat but as time went on and I was able to embrace my curls more this occurred less and less.
2. Should you big chop or just transition over time?
   • Honestly, this is a very personal decision and there is no right answer. I chose to big chop despite the shock factor it created for everyone around me but at that point in my life I was just ready for a fresh start. You know how the saying goes, a woman that cuts her hair is about to change her life. It was sort of a rebirth for me at a time I didn’t really know what direction I was going in post college graduation. Over the years I have had the pleasure of assisting other curlfriends with this decision and honestly there were frustrations either way. Those like myself who chose to big chop, that was it! We forced the commitment to the journey in one snip of the scissors. For me, going from having long hair down my back all of my life to these lifeless curls up to my chin it took a lot of soul searching and really loving on myself to get me through those first few months. For my ladies who chose to transition over time, their frustrations came with attempting to blend the damaged hair in with the curls. It’s really hard to create a great curly hairstyle when you have damaged pieces in the mix that always stick out in all of their glory! They would dance with the idea of just cutting it all away constantly and struggle with finding styles that could work for them. With all of that being said, and with everything else in life, you have to decide what is best for you! Consider if your lifestyle could tolerate a drastic cut, or if you truly have the patience for transitioning. Whatever decision you make, you are on the right path!
3. Find a Curlfriend…but tweak her advice
   • The curly girl world can be overwhelming to say the least. Yes, I’m a natural hair blogger, brand ambassador, and influencer now but this wasn’t always the case. I started out my journey just like so many others, on YouTube University! Hours upon hours spent watching video after video. Swiping my visa left and right at various stores and online markets trying yet another miracle curl maker product that was “proven” to work for curls like mine. Eventually social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram became the go to in which I would now scroll endlessly through picture after picture both admiring and envying all of the “perfect” curlfriends I would see. Not only were they beautiful, and their curls were ALWAYS poppin no matter what products they used, but their lives seemed exciting and as full as the volume on top of their heads. Overwhelmed much?! I paint this picture dripping in sarcasm because I’ve been there. Don’t believe the hype! Before that perfect picture with shiny bouncy curls is posted there are a countless number of frizzy ends and build up pictures that were deleted before the world could see. Before that YouTube video was posted using products that yielded that totally awesome two-strand twist there were numerous attempts using that product line in order to figure out the curve. The worst thing we do to ourselves is compare our situations and our hair to those we see online and follow. Now I’m not saying to totally ditch all of your subscriptions and vow to never watch another tutorial again, but what I am saying is make it work for YO
     

     Me and Jess, a.k.a Mahogany Curls at the 2018 Taliah Waajid World Natural Hair Show

     U! Take me for example, I swear by Curlfactor, Mahogany Curls, and Naptural85. They are my natural hair gurus! But I also know there’s not a product out there that I think wouldn’t work for Jess lol. Whitney has a level of God-given patience when she makes her flaxseed gel that I missed out on when I was standing in Heaven’s line to come to Earth. Curlfactor has a professional dryer that blows my dryer out of the water so I know I will never yield those same frizz free curls if I sit under the dryer like she does. So instead of following each of them word for word, I take a little knowledge from each and I have been able to create my own routine that works for me! I pay attention to HOW they use the products, and their techniques and apply those same principles to the products that my curls have grown to love. Even as an influencer, I’m not exempt and I want you ladies (and fellas) to take this same approach when you watch my videos or read my suggestion posts. Just because I swear by products such as DevaCurl, SheaMoisture, Innersense Organic Beauty, Ajaa Naturals, Tailored Beauty, and Jane Carter (no, no guys they did NOT pay me to say that lol) doesn’t mean that you have to love them as well! Take the good that works for you and leave the rest behind. And don’t forget, we have bad hair days too.

4. Research your go to products and truly learn how to use them
   • The hardest thing for me as an influencer assisting other curlfriends with finding their sweet spot is when I hear them say they didn’t like a product and I find out they were using it incorrectly. I can’t stress enough how important product knowledge is! There is a lot of time, effort, and research by brands that is put into making these products for us. The best part is, the good companies take their time to include the instructions on the bottle! If you are following the curly girl method, and staying away from harsh ingredients such as sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, and silicones then it’s important to still read the ingredient section prior to purchase. I hate to say this but some product lines simply advertise what we want to hear but still include those ingredients because they know people rarely read the ingredient list. Take your time to not only read the ingredients but truly understand which ingredients work well with your hair. You can follow the LOC/LCO method or you can tweak that method to find one that works best for you!
5. Get your curl tools together
   • Every curlfriend needs a sidekick even when it comes as a tool. There’s more to styling your hair than just the products that you choose to use. When you are narrowing down your technique take a moment to research some things that will assist you on your journey. Below are the top 5 tools that have helped me along the way.
     1. Your fingers – there’s no better detangler to work with your conditioner than your fingers. Using your fingers vs a comb or detangling brush is not only more convenient (you never leave your fingers at home), but it’s also healthier for your hair. Your fingers provide better control over the detangling process and help reduce the amount of unnecessary pulling and snatching of the tangled hair strands in order to reduce breakage.
     2. Water Bottle – when styling your hair outside of the shower, it’s important to ensure your hair is either damp or saturated depending on your curl type. Having a water bottle handy will help to keep your strands wet as you apply your stylers. Applying stylers to wet hair reduces frizz and helps to activate the products as well.
     3. Satin Pillowcase – everyone knows the feeling of finally getting in bed after a long hard day only to suddenly remember you forgot to put on your silk bonnet, or in my case my loc soc. It’s a serious struggle as you lay there reminding yourself of how wild and frizzy your hair will be in the morning if you decide to skip this step. Using a silk pillowcase versus the common cotton ones will provide you that extra level of protection against frizz and moisture loss that is caused when your hair strands rub against a cotton fabric all night long.
     4. PuffCuff – This curlfriends was a game changer for me! If you haven’t heard of the PuffCuff yet, thank me now! The puffcuff is the only hair tool made for thick, curly, textured hair. What I love most about the PuffCuff is that I can literally rock one for days without risk of putting excessive strain on my edges thus no hair loss. You can use the PuffCuff to create versatile styles  and it is overall healthier than the traditional hair band. Check out the PuffCuff on their website www.thepuffcuff.com and use code ‘cocoa’ for 15% off your purchase!
     5. Water – Yes, water. Plain, God-given WATER! Our overall health or lack there of can drastically affect our hair causing lack of moisture, shine, thinning, and reduced growth. Our bodies are made up of 60-80% of water so it is important that we take in the recommended amounts of water on a daily basis for optimum health. If you want to help your hair, make drinking water everyday part of your routine and your #1 tool for happy healthy hair!

If no one else has said it yet, I am so proud of you for making the decision to commit to going natural! If you need any additional tips, tricks, support and want help with your “what’s next” be sure to check out the ‘Work with Me’ tab on my website and sign up for a consultation! I would love to help you continue on this journey!

-Xo