Transitioning without BC'ing Support Thread

[havilland]

Does anyone wash in cornrows here? I'm starting to think the only way to keep my hair on my hair on wash days is to wash/deep condition in cornrows. When I was in a weave I was able to do this and my hair was always so soft and fluffy when I took it out. Do you think it is too much manipulation to braid nightly to keep my new growth stretched.

Right now I have upped my DC's to 2x a week (one of them being a protein DC) and I co wash once a week. It's a Mon, Wed, Fri kind of thing. Does this sound like too much including the braiding?

I think u need to monitor your hair and see IF it's too much. For my hair it definitely would be too much manipulation to braid nightly.

 

[LaToya28]

You ladies have me scared with all this "I hate my hair" talk lol. I'll be 4 months post in a couple weeks and so far I am loving the journey. I've found a routine that works for now (washing and dcing once per week, moisturizing daily, working in sections) and products that keep my hair nice and soft (Shescentit Okra, Silk Dreams Shea What, Cantu Shea butter leave in, Silk Dreams Wheat Germ butter leave in) and styles that keep my new growth somewhat disguised (braidouts, flexirod sets). So right now me and my hair are getting along. Hopefully I'll be that transitioning unicorn who just breezes right through the whole process

 

[JaszG]

Have any of you tried Havanna twists?

 

[havilland]

You ladies have me scared with all this "I hate my hair" talk lol. I'll be 4 months post in a couple weeks and so far I am loving the journey. I've found a routine that works for now (washing and dcing once per week, moisturizing daily, working in sections) and products that keep my hair nice and soft (Shescentit Okra, Silk Dreams Shea What, Cantu Shea butter leave in, Silk Dreams Wheat Germ butter leave in) and styles that keep my new growth somewhat disguised (braidouts, flexirod sets). So right now me and my hair are getting along. Hopefully I'll be that transitioning unicorn who just breezes right through the whole process

I hope you are a unicorn too. . You are in a good stage right now. You hve products that work and you don't have alot of new growth to contend with. Ahhhhh month 4......I remember her. Lol. But seriously. I hope your transition is VERY easy. Actually, mine hasn't been that bad. Worst part was getting used to my hair looking different (ie not being straight when wet, and having curly edges that don't like laying down, etc...) and finding products. Once I conquered those obstacles, I was cool.

But please remember that some of the ladies here who get frustrated with their hair have WAY MORE new growth than you do, thus the challenge. I'm 22 months post. And I can tell you my honeymoon phase is way over! Me and my natcha hair, wees married now! Lol

Keep posting and sharing because each story we tell helps someone.

 

[Jobwright]

If I could find the RIGHT products and technique, I think I would be ok. Trying to find the right DC, leave in, sealant (oil) and creamy moistuuzer is somewhat of the reason why I am a PJ. I do like to try new things but still when I find something I think works, it only works 1 time. The next time it it just ok....and that is frustrating too. Then, trying to make a style is hard because I am not used to the two textures. And then, when I do manage to actually, for instance, make a nice bun, the edges and puffiness...OMG! And then again, I start to question, is this pretty? I mean, natural prettiness is much much different from chemical prettiness. It's like sewing a dress at home and being proud of wearing it and buying a dress at Banana Republic and KNOWING you look good in the dress...if that makes sense. So I, as you can tell, am really struggling on many levels. But, I'm pushing through!

 

[Dayjoy]

If I could find the RIGHT products and technique, I think I would be ok. Trying to find the right DC, leave in, sealant (oil) and creamy moistuuzer is somewhat of the reason why I am a PJ. I do like to try new things but still when I find something I think works, it only works 1 time. The next time it it just ok....and that is frustrating too. Then, trying to make a style is hard because I am not used to the two textures. And then, when I do manage to actually, for instance, make a nice bun, the edges and puffiness...OMG! And then again, I start to question, is this pretty? I mean, natural prettiness is much much different from chemical prettiness. It's like sewing a dress at home and being proud of wearing it and buying a dress at Banana Republic and KNOWING you look good in the dress...if that makes sense. So I, as you can tell, am really struggling on many levels. But, I'm pushing through!

I LOVE this analogy! So, SO, SO true!

 

[Amarilles]

So...the homemade dress would be natural hair and a relaxer is Banana Republic? I guess if that's true to you then alrighty, but that sure isn't true to everyone. Certainly not to me, at least.

 

[Rae81]

So...earlier before I washed my hair I decided to play with my hair and do a pretend wash and go on a lil section of hair. So I wet the section, put a little conditioner and eco styler gel on my hair. Well one side shrunk up allot and the other side not so much. Don't know how I'm going to do a wash and go for real once I'm natural if one side of my hair shrinks up more then the other.

sent from my galaxy

 

[AXtremeTakeover]

Hey Everybody!

so I did a chop! It wasn't a big one because I only had a couple of inches from my pixie cut. So I just decided to get rid of those straight nasty ends on y one year anniversary of transitioning. I am fully natural, but I still consider myself transitioning. For instance, I am wearing my hair in two strand twist and pinned up styles until my hair is at a length that I want to wear it out.

 

[havilland]

So...the homemade dress would be natural hair and a relaxer is Banana Republic? I guess if that's true to you then alrighty, but that sure isn't true to everyone. Certainly not to me, at least.

i think what she may have meant was that Banana Republic is more commonly thought of as pretty and that when you have a hand sewn dress it's more rare and while still just as beautiful, if not more, it takes some time to change your thought process so that you accept the hand sewn dress as beautiful. not that it's not beautiful, but that it takes time to ACCEPT as beautiful.....

at least that's how i read it. that's my humble opinion anyways......

i know i never thought of my natural hair as beautiful prior to a couple of years ago. it had nothing to do with whether or not my hair was actually beautiful. i honestly never thought about my natural hair texture besides when i needed to relax my new growth. my thought process had to change and my standard of beauty needed to expand to include more diverse ideas. all i knew up until about 4 years ago was relaxed hair and every measure of beautiful hair in my mind was compared against relaxed hair. my mindset needed to grow. my hair is no different than it always was. it was beautiful all the time. i just needed to recognize it.

 

[Jobwright]

^^^^^Exactly! I didn't want to start an argument so I didn't respond but YES! That was exactly my sentiments. Thank you for understanding havilland !

 

[miss stress]

Hey yall! I want to join this thread because I've recently made BSL and now I feel its time for a change. My last relaxer was in Jan so I'm 4 months post and hoping to transition for 3yrs so my natural hair will be BSL.

I plan to be in either a wig, weave, or braids and cut half an in at each install.

Hopefully it will work out. HHJ EVERYBODY!!

 

[Jobwright]

Hey Everybody!

so I did a chop! It wasn't a big one because I only had a couple of inches from my pixie cut. So I just decided to get rid of those straight nasty ends on y one year anniversary of transitioning. I am fully natural, but I still consider myself transitioning. For instance, I am wearing my hair in two strand twist and pinned up styles until my hair is at a length that I want to wear it out.

Congrats!!!! Now let's see some pics! ☺

 

[OneShinyface]

^^^^^Exactly! I didn't want to start an argument so I didn't respond but YES! That was exactly my sentiments. Thank you for understanding @havilland !

Jobwright - I TOTALLY got what you were saying. This "transition" is more than just the shedding of the chemical process. It's about "transitioning" your mind to a new way of thinking.

I will turn 50 in July and have had relaxed hair since my parents dropped me off at college in fall of 1981. My last relaxer was in March 2012. This HAS BEEN a transition. Caring for my hair when it was waist length and relaxed was much easier than it is now at BSL and partially natural.

I have to re-think everything from how to wear my hair, to the products I use, to what happens after a workout, to how much time it will take to do everything from 'pooing, to DCs, to styling. And what goes on my hair is important because too because I need to make sure that it won't wreck havoc on my skin.

No, I'm not complaining because I deliberately set upon this path with intention. It's just different. It's a transition...

 

[havilland]

Hey yall! I want to join this thread because I've recently made BSL and now I feel its time for a change. My last relaxer was in Jan so I'm 4 months post and hoping to transition for 3yrs so my natural hair will be BSL.

I plan to be in either a wig, weave, or braids and cut half an in at each install.

Hopefully it will work out. HHJ EVERYBODY!!

this is me exactly.....i am always under wig, or in a bun.....i miss weaves but i have so much new growth my ends are not having it. they need to be exposed so they don't tangle up too much.

 

[moniq]

I agree with this SO MUCH. I much prefer to put my flat ironed hair away in a pony for a while than to wash it and rip it out impatiently. If my hair isn't reacting badly, this form of low manipulation is A-OK in my book. I don't feel like transitioning should have to mean that I take every opportunity to show myself that I can deal with the two textures. The point for me is to grow it without cutting it until it gets to a length that I am comfortable with. By any means necessary. Ok, not really, I just wanted to type that.

I hope you are a unicorn too. . You are in a good stage right now. You hve products that work and you don't have alot of new growth to contend with. Ahhhhh month 4......I remember her. Lol. But seriously. I hope your transition is VERY easy. Actually, mine hasn't been that bad. Worst part was getting used to my hair looking different (ie not being straight when wet, and having curly edges that don't like laying down, etc...) and finding products. Once I conquered those obstacles, I was cool.

But please remember that some of the ladies here who get frustrated with their hair have WAY MORE new growth than you do, thus the challenge. I'm 22 months post. And I can tell you my honeymoon phase is way over! Me and my natcha hair, wees married now! Lol

Keep posting and sharing because each story we tell helps someone.

I feel your pain ladies. Rollersets were so easy for me a few months ago but on the 28th I did one and it was a lot of work dealing with all this new growth. I am waiting to work with it again this weekend for a graduation I'm attending. I am just going to take it one day at a time learning to appreciate my natural hair.

 

[Rae81]

I am 22 months post and am having such a hard time figuring out what to do with my hair. It's getting warmer here which equals humidity so I know if I straighten my hair it won't last long. Braid outs don't look that good or last long I just don't know what to do. I have been cornrowing it up on the weekends but after a couple days it starts to look fuzzy and old. I'm so ready to cut it off

sent from my galaxy

 

[LaToya28]

Have any of you tried Havanna twists?

JaszG I haven't but I will be trying them soon as a protective style. They are so cute!

 

[LaToya28]

I hope you are a unicorn too. . You are in a good stage right now. You hve products that work and you don't have alot of new growth to contend with. Ahhhhh month 4......I remember her. Lol. But seriously. I hope your transition is VERY easy. Actually, mine hasn't been that bad. Worst part was getting used to my hair looking different (ie not being straight when wet, and having curly edges that don't like laying down, etc...) and finding products. Once I conquered those obstacles, I was cool.

But please remember that some of the ladies here who get frustrated with their hair have WAY MORE new growth than you do, thus the challenge. I'm 22 months post. And I can tell you my honeymoon phase is way over! Me and my natcha hair, wees married now! Lol

Keep posting and sharing because each story we tell helps someone.

havilland I was just being silly. I realize that you ladies are so much further along than me. Definitely don't want to take that from anyone. I appreciate each and every post because I know what I have to look forward to. I'm cruising now, but I know it's finna get rough!

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

If I could find the RIGHT products and technique, I think I would be ok. Trying to find the right DC, leave in, sealant (oil) and creamy moistuuzer is somewhat of the reason why I am a PJ. I do like to try new things but still when I find something I think works, it only works 1 time. The next time it it just ok....and that is frustrating too. Then, trying to make a style is hard because I am not used to the two textures. And then, when I do manage to actually, for instance, make a nice bun, the edges and puffiness...OMG! And then again, I start to question, is this pretty? I mean, natural prettiness is much much different from chemical prettiness. It's like sewing a dress at home and being proud of wearing it and buying a dress at Banana Republic and KNOWING you look good in the dress...if that makes sense. So I, as you can tell, am really struggling on many levels. But, I'm pushing through!

Ditto! Though I'm feeling less and less of this the longer I transition...probably because my friends/co-workers/neighbors are used to seeing the "unpretty" side of my hair that now I hardly think twice before walking out the door lol.

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

Does anyone wash in cornrows here? I'm starting to think the only way to keep my hair on my hair on wash days is to wash/deep condition in cornrows. When I was in a weave I was able to do this and my hair was always so soft and fluffy when I took it out. Do you think it is too much manipulation to braid nightly to keep my new growth stretched.

Right now I have upped my DC's to 2x a week (one of them being a protein DC) and I co wash once a week. It's a Mon, Wed, Fri kind of thing. Does this sound like too much including the braiding?

I don't wear my hair in cornrows but I have a medium-high manipulation regimen (at least compared to some ladies). I co-wash 3-5x a week and braid my hair 2-4x week to wear for a braid out. I would like to wear my styles longer but I just can't seem to preserve them and there is also an issue with re-moisturizing and product buildup. My protein/moisture balance leans more on the protein side which I feel like is probably helping to allow me to manipulate my hair so often (making hair stronger plus all my protein products are better detanglers than my moisturizing products). I have no noticeable breakage. I feel I have average shedding.

 

[havilland]

havilland I was just being silly. I realize that you ladies are so much further along than me. Definitely don't want to take that from anyone. I appreciate each and every post because I know what I have to look forward to. I'm cruising now, but I know it's finna get rough!

Hey Lady, keep Thinking positive I'm wishing you a unicorn transition!

 

[beauti]

I was struggling with the thickness of my new growth just not allowing me to pull my hair back in a neat bun or ponytail so I had to revisit a trusty spritz concoction: in a spray bottle:equal parts water and aloe vera juice, and an oz of rosewater and glycerin. sealed with mahabhringraj oil (i usually use castor, wanted something lighter) my new growth is nice and soft, very moisturized. Will spritz every other day.

 

[Rae81]

I have this fantasy that once I cuz I'd my relaxed ends my hair will magically be more manageable. But sadly that won't be the case my hair will still be thick etc. But at least I don't have to deal with two textures

sent from my galaxy

 

[TokyoReina]

I did my first wash and go...I washed and everything went downhill. To be fair detangling wasn't that bad but I couldn't deal with it in it's big curlfro state. I was like...now what? It was just sitting on my head. Plus the front leaveout area is definitely heat damaged. Not a curl in sight.

I'm seriously just at a "now what?" stage. I have no idea what to do with this hair and I don't feel cute.

 

[MileHighDiva]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYj2Ed1W2fs

Motivation for my long term transition sistahs. I don't think she lost any hair while using that hand held hair dryer w/ super long pic attachment. Maybe, she edited pulling hair off he dryer pic out of the video.

 

[TokyoReina]

I have this fantasy that once I cuz I'd my relaxed ends my hair will magically be more manageable. But sadly that won't be the case my hair will still be thick etc. But at least I don't have to deal with two textures

sent from my galaxy

I thought would be the case too. Not dealing with the two textures is a plus though. No ugly straight ends hanging off.

 

[Jobwright]

MileHighDiva that video made me have heart palpitations. I would love love love to have that hair. But me and my dd...Lord HELP! We would live in the bathroom on Saturdays! Lol

 

[Rae81]

I washed my hair today and got so frustrated with my hair. I just dont know what to do with it anymore. If this is how its going to be once I am fully natural, I dont know if i will be able to do it

 

[Dayjoy]

I washed my hair today and got so frustrated with my hair. I just dont know what to do with it anymore. If this is how its going to be once I am fully natural, I dont know if i will be able to do it

I am counting on my hair being at least a little easier once I chop these ends. I BETTER NOT be as challenging as it is now!