A Guide to Transitioning
Someone once said 'happiness is untameable, free-flowing curly hair!' Well if you ask us, we would dodge the untameable part, but the rest is true! Free-flowing curls define happiness!
The maintenance of curls may seem overwhelming. No wonder many set out to straighten their bouncy locks. Nevertheless, straightening isn't a permanent solution. It destroys the texture of your beautiful curls, leaving it dry and prone to breakage. Have you ever straightened those beautiful spiral locks of yours and regretted it immediately? Do you want to rock your curls? If so, this blog is for you!
Transitioning to natural hair has many benefits that include, healthier hair, not visiting salons frequently for expensive hair treatments thus saving your hair from damage, etc. If you are intending on going back to natural, then get one thing straight, transitioning doesn’t happen overnight. The best results of transitioning come with patience, love and care. Hair care routine plays a major role in transitioning.
Let’s see how to go natural with right steps and right products!
No chemicals, no heat and no relaxers!
Yes! This is the first step of hair transitioning. Stop using chemicals, heat and relaxers on your hair. Putting an end to heat styling is an essential step in the process of transitioning. The heat will end up damaging your hair, eventually causing breakage. Put down the blow-dryers and flat irons right away to not cause any more damage. You should even bid an adieu to occasional parlour visits and touch ups. Well, that is it about heat.
Chemical relaxers are also to be avoided while transitioning. These are some very powerful chemicals which alter your hair texture in order to straighten it. Thus they usually result in breakage, hair thinning and in some cases even severe scalp burns. Its best to avoid them during your CG journey.
Using CG friendly hair products.
While we’ve seen what products to avoid, now let’s focus on the products that curly hair requires for a healthy transition. The most important requirement of any CG friendly product is that it should be sulfate, paraben and silicone free.
If you have shampoos that contain SLS and Parabens, now is the time to rid your closet of them. You might think that all the foams and bubbles are good for your hair. Sorry to pop your bubble! This could actually indicate higher sulfate content in your shampoo which causes your scalp and hair to dry out. Instead switch to sulfate free shampoos which will still cleanse your scalp without stripping off its natural oils and leave it more hydrated.
It is imperative to shift to natural curly hair products to ensure that your curls are protected from all the harmful chemicals. Curl Up Curl moisturizing shampoo is sulfate free and made of natural active ingredients like Argan Oil, Chia seed extracts with a combination of vitamins and minerals for healthy and exultant hair.
Chop, chop and chop regularly
If you are truly brave, then the BIG CHOP is the way to go whilst on your CG journey. This means cutting off all of your heat/chemically damaged hair and only working with untouched, healthy natural hair. However, if this is not for you then regularly trimming your hair is the way to go while transitioning. Trying to revive your dead ends are definitely not going to work. Thus trimming ensures that dead and chemically/heat damaged ends which are most prone to breakage are chopped off. This leaves you with healthier hair that is easier to work with. Start getting trims every 8-10 weeks and this will ensure the removal of split-ends as well.
Use your hands
Detangling your hair correctly can make a huge difference to your transitioning hair. Going rough on your hair with fine toothed combs/brushes will cause hair fall and breakage and also disturb your natural curl pattern. Since you are going natural, why not use your hands? Throw away your brushes and use your fingers to detangle your knots. If you are uncomfortable using your hands, you can always opt for a wide-toothed comb.
Moisturize and condition regularly
The importance of moisturizing your scalp and hair cannot be stressed enough. This is the most imperative step that you need to practice as it will hydrate your hair which will help your curls hold their natural pattern and get rid of the frizz. Thus you must use products and techniques that will allow you to seal in the moisture.
One of the ways to ensure good moisturized hair during the CG journey is to condition your hair regularly! This includes both regular conditioning you do every time you wash your hair, as well as deep conditioning it once or twice a week. This can aid in improving the health of your hair. In the transitioning stage, you must remember that both your new hair growing out as well as the damaged straight ends require hydration so as to avoid looking stiff, dry and frizzy.
The Curl up Curl hydrating conditioner formulated by Curlup is specifically made for curly hair and it consists of ultra-nourishing properties of Argan Oil, Chia seeds and Flax seeds. Deep condition your hair with this Ultra-nourishing conditioner for improving the texture and health of your hair.
Go-to hair style
Transitioning can be a tough phase. If not given proper care, your hair will end up being frizzy and totally unmanageable. Identify your go-to hairstyle which makes you and your hair comfortable and confident. Up do, braids and twist-outs can blend well with your double textured hair.
Patience is the key
Transitioning is never going to be as easy as you might think. Effective results come with time. Being patient is significant to go back to natural. Pour all your love and care into your hair by following the above mentioned steps regularly. Do not get discouraged if it is taking time. Just remember that at the end of that time period you will be rewarded with rich, luxurious curls that are going to be your crowning glory :)
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