10 Quick Tips for Transitioners

It can be really hard to keep on track when you are transitioning from relaxed to natural hair. Here are 10 east tips to keep you going. 

1. Find a hair idol for motivation. Find a picture of someone who has a similar hair texture to yours and keep that picture nearby to keep you motivated. It helps if this person makes YouTube videos. This can help you to get styling ideas and product suggestions.
   
2. Take care of your hair now. It's easy to think that you can do do whatever you w ant because your'e cutting your hair anyway but that isn't a good idea. Start treating your hair as if it's natural now and you won't go into shock when you have your natural hair to handle in the end.
   
3. Research hairstyles online that will hide the difference in your textures. Such styles include braid-outs, straw sets or braids extensions, twist-outs and cornrows. Remember to care for your hair even when wearing extensions.
   
4. Find a "guru" with a similar hair texture who demonstrated styling and hair care techniques online. Youtube is great for this. See what regimens or techniques work for them.  They might work for you too.
   
5. Avoid flat-ironing your hair during the transition period and if you must, do your research first. Heat damage is real. Minimize the use of heat since it generally weakens hair... even if only a little. You don't want unhealthy natural hair, do you? You want to start off with a fresh and healthy head of hair.
   
   
   
6. Use a heat protectant if you do use heat - even just a blow-dryer. Yes, your hair is natural but that doesn't mean that it isn't susceptible to damage.
   
7. Use this transitioning time to find a natural hairdresser who know how to treat your hair well. Being natural doesn't mean you have to do it all yourself.  Find a trusted hairdresser now. That way, you won't be experimenting with some crazy hairdresser that might mess up a whole head of beautiful natural hair that you've already worked hard on growing out.
   
8. Find a style that you can do quickly on your own. Youtube has a plethora of hairstyle tutorials. Find a style that you can do quickly when having a bad hair day as this will help you to reduce frustration. We don't want to be running to the relaxer again now, do we?
    
9. Keep your hair as moisturized. This will help to reduce breakage at the line of demarcation where your natural hair meets your relaxed hair.  Click here to see how I keep my hair moisturised and strong. 
   
10. Find a hair mentor or join a hair board. Try Fotki, Youtube, Long Hair Care Forum or any other natural hair community and ask people questions when there is something you need to know. Still, research for yourself! People can unintentionally lead you astray. Remember, most people give advice based on personal opinion and experience.