New *2010* Transitioners Support Thread!

[dr.j]

Hi ladies,

I'm still going strong with my routine of baggying every night and applying my favorite leave-ins 3xs a week. My hair has remained moisturized throughout the week. I am just trying to enjoy my hair and learn what my natural hair loves. The nape section that I BCed is now just past 6.5 inches, which is right on track with my .5 inch per month growth.

My BC urge has finally subsided...for now.

I tried your baggying routine for a couple of nights and my hair was very moisturized. Thanks for the tips!! Now, if I can be consistent with it.....

 

[NikkiQ]

when I first started my transition I intially set my BC date at 1 year post, but as the time passed I figured it's not so bad once I figured out what to do with my hair. So at about 7/8 mths post I decided 18mths would be my BC date; however, I definitely feel I can do longer.

I'm totally taking notes right now lol. I love this thread!

 

[LadyMacgyver]

OH lol tickerfactory has a countdown one it should be under events. I made one for my big chop day....actually yours is counting down I think it's just worded wrong. Dah well. As long as you know what it means lol

I tried to re-word it and now my signature says I have too many lines in it so now I can't put it in there correctly..

 

[miami74]

I am so sorry I forgot to post in this thread. I will be back with pics .

PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE PICTURES.

Once dry my curl pattern is tight coils. I'm 4A. I thought I might be a 3C/4A while transitioning but once natural determined I'm all 4A. I my hair. I have never said this about my hair in my 37 years until I bc'd.

Looks great! Congrats!

 

[Alta Angel]

I think that the moisturizing in layers concept helped me once I developed a prepoo/shampoo/steam/DC routine. On freshly washed and conditioned hair, I apply a water based leave-in, next I apply a thicker, butter type leave in. The final step is to seal with an oil. In the past, I used Paul Mitchell's The Conditioner or Darcy's Botanical Daily Moisturizer as my water based leave in. I follow up with Qhemet's Amla and Olive Heavy Cream and the Olive Honey Hydrating Balm combo as my butter and oil. I also use a spritz that I spray on my new growth.
5 oz distilled water
1 oz olive oil
1 oz vegetable glycerin
1 oz aloe vera gel or juice
3-4 drops of jojoba oil

I spritz twice a day (morning and night) and I reapply the AOHC and OHHB about 3 xs a week. I also baggy every night. My hair stays moisturized without being greasy. It also helps that I wear it up in a bun 99% of the time.

HTH!

Ladies, how do you handle dry NG, but moisturized relaxed ends? Maybe I'm going crazy; but, my NG feels dry and my relaxed hair feels moisturized.

 

[Fab_Nikki]

I am 8 months post!!!!!!!!

I am so happy with my progress, as far as growth. I haven't had an amazing amount of growth but its considerable. Once upon a time I couldn't get my hair into a ponytail and now I can rock a bun. My ends are healthy AND I've found products that work with all textures of hair. I am still itching to BC but I can honestly say I am happy with my transition right now. A high school friend of mine BC'd yesterday and she looks FAB!!!! That did make the itch reappear but I am standing strong.

Also I haven't used any type of heat on my hair in two weeks and I do not miss it. I feel like I am letting my hair down when I flat iron now. Not to mention my flatiron nazi hubby who says "I thought you weren't putting heat on your hair" (with a stern face) lol So I back away from the flat irons and blowdryer.

My only complaint is that I can't do any of the super cute styles I see. Why? Because I can't cornroll, my hair doesn't want to stay in a 2 strand twist. So I am bunning like a CHAMP!!!! Somebody teach me to cornroll

 

[KurlyNinja]

@Fab_Nikki - You should join the Learn a New Skill Challenge. I need to learn how to corn row too!

16 Weeks post today. Not really a big accomplishment, but I'm moving along...

 

[Fab_Nikki]

@Fab_Nikki - You should join the Learn a New Skill Challenge. I need to learn how to corn row too!

16 Weeks post today. Not really a big accomplishment, but I'm moving along...

Holy moly I had no idea about such a challenge. Thank you for the info, I will make SEARCH my friend today. I appreciate you

Congrats on 16 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

I think that the moisturizing in layers concept helped me once I developed a prepoo/shampoo/steam/DC routine. On freshly washed and conditioned hair, I apply a water based leave-in, next I apply a thicker, butter type leave in. The final step is to seal with an oil. In the past, I used Paul Mitchell's The Conditioner or Darcy's Botanical Daily Moisturizer as my water based leave in. I follow up with Qhemet's Amla and Olive Heavy Cream and the Olive Honey Hydrating Balm combo as my butter and oil. I also use a spritz that I spray on my new growth.
5 oz distilled water
1 oz olive oil
1 oz vegetable glycerin
1 oz aloe vera gel or juice
3-4 drops of jojoba oil

I spritz twice a day (morning and night) and I reapply the AOHC and OHHB about 3 xs a week. I also baggy every night. My hair stays moisturized without being greasy. It also helps that I wear it up in a bun 99% of the time.

HTH!

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it.

 

[NikkiQ]

I'm only 11 weeks post today, but I'm still chugging along

 

[DivaMommy]

I'm 14 weeks post today.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

I'm only 11 weeks post today, but I'm still chugging along

@Fab_Nikki - You should join the Learn a New Skill Challenge. I need to learn how to corn row too!

16 Weeks post today. Not really a big accomplishment, but I'm moving along...

I'm 14 weeks post today.

Those are definitely accomplishments! I remember being there and I was like darn it I'm never gonna get as far as these ladies. Now I'm gonna be 8 months post in 17 days (so excited). So I'm cheering you ladies on! 11, 14, and 16 wks is awesome (especially since I know people who can't go past 2 weeks lol)

 

[NikkiQ]

Those are definitely accomplishments! I remember being there and I was like darn it I'm never gonna get as far as these ladies. Now I'm gonna be 8 months post in 17 days (so excited). So I'm cheering you ladies on! 11, 14, and 16 wks is awesome (especially since I know people who can't go past 2 weeks lol)

has the process been difficult for you so far?

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

has the process been difficult for you so far?

Detangling became difficult sometimes and I had to change my reggie and find which products would help me to detangle easily. I still haven't found anything that helps to detangle quickly, but I'm not complaining. It takes me about an hour to detangle in 4 sections.

Up until about 4 months post, I was able to detangle quickly after pre-pooing with evoo and coconut oil. Then that went out the window and I had to find a detangler. That worked up until about 7 months post...well it still works but detanglers have alot of cones and I am also transitioning into using natural products so I didn't want to repurchase. So I've added DCing to my reggie once a week and detangling isn't that bad. I haven't had any difficulties with styling my hair, just combing!

 

[NikkiQ]

Detangling became difficult sometimes and I had to change my reggie and find which products would help me to detangle easily. I still haven't found anything that helps to detangle quickly, but I'm not complaining. It takes me about an hour to detangle in 4 sections.

Up until about 4 months post, I was able to detangle quickly after pre-pooing with evoo and coconut oil. Then that went out the window and I had to find a detangler. That worked up until about 7 months post...well it still works but detanglers have alot of cones and I am also transitioning into using natural products so I didn't want to repurchase. So I've added DCing to my reggie once a week and detangling isn't that bad. I haven't had any difficulties with styling my hair, just combing!

uh oh...4 months is when it kicked in? I'm getting nervous now b/c it already takes me a little while to untangle mine

 

[MummysGirl]

Hi Ladies... Just checking up on you and want you all to know I'm here if you have any questions

KUTGW!

 

[MummysGirl]

I honestly don't know how long I'm transitioning for. I just don't want a TWA when I BC. Maybe hair long enough to put in a ponytail? I think That is at least a year and a half away.

I thought you just BC'ed

Yeah DDT, did you relax after your recent BC?

 

[dorko]

as the months went along, my hair has gotten easier and easier to manage. i think my most difficult months were 7-9. im loving how my new growth feels now. i still haven't taken pics (too lazy) but i will! lol

im wearing them in twists (no extensions) right now in a bun. i think i will be putting in extensions myself for the first time erplexed that will be an adventure

i kind of what to color my hair red or copper tho.

53 weeks!
aiming for AT LEAST 18 months more. i need my length before i cut lolll

 

[GlamaDiva]

Hi Everyone I'm fairly new to the LHC Forum but thought I'd post my first post here. I am currently transitioning as well. I am in my 5th month of my transition and I'm working to continue my transition into March of 2011, which will set me a little over a year. By then I'm aiming to have about 10 inches of new growth and will know if I'm going to end my transition there or continue on for a few more months (until June 2011). I have been constantly learning during my journey and have been faithfully lurking LHC for about a month and am still learning more. I'm excited to see growth; I'm currently with about 2 inches of new growth; maybe a little more and now the detangling is super hard.

Here's a link to my Fotki for some pictures of my transition so far: http://public.fotki.com/GlamDiVa/

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Hi Everyone I'm fairly new to the LHC Forum but thought I'd post my first post here. I am currently transitioning as well. I am in my 5th month of my transition and I'm working to continue my transition into March of 2011, which will set me a little over a year. By then I'm aiming to have about 10 inches of new growth and will know if I'm going to end my transition there or continue on for a few more months (until June 2011). I have been constantly learning during my journey and have been faithfully lurking LHC for about a month and am still learning more. I'm excited to see growth; I'm currently with about 2 inches of new growth; maybe a little more and now the detangling is super hard.

Here's a link to my Fotki for some pictures of my transition so far: http://public.fotki.com/GlamDiVa/

Welcome to the forum! 10 inches in a year may be wishful thinking if you're only getting about 1/2 inch a month right now. Not to discourage you; you may get a growth spurt between then and now but going off of the growth you have now, you may only have about 6 inches of growth by March. Maybe you could look into some vitamins or growth aids. What's your reggie? And congrats on making it this far!

 

[GlamaDiva]

Welcome to the forum! 10 inches in a year may be wishful thinking if you're only getting about 1/2 inch a month right now. Not to discourage you; you may get a growth spurt between then and now but going off of the growth you have now, you may only have about 6 inches of growth by March. Maybe you could look into some vitamins or growth aids. What's your reggie? And congrats on making it this far!

Thanks for the welcome...agreed on that, but I'm going to say the major growth spurt happened in the past month or so that I've been using my own oil mix (EVOO, MSM, peppermint, rosemary,tea tree EO) which I'm going to enhance tonight with Emu Oil as well as starting to take vitamins. My last relaxer was sometime late Feb but didn't truly decide to transition and paying much attention to my hair until 5/8/2010 and have seen major difference so far. Wishful thinking, but i'm an optimistic and am gathering lots of pointers from LHC

As far as reggie, during the months of May and two weeks into June I co-washed 2-3 times a day depending on what i was doing with my hair, and at that time I was wearing twist/bantu knot outs. Along with co-washes I was massaging the oil into my hair 1-2 times a day. After two weeks into June, I just didn't like how my twist outs were coming out and it was becoming hard to manage so since then I've been doing protective styles, long kinky twists first and now a sew in. I plan to wear protective styles often until I transition with me still massaging oil into my hair and spritzing of my water and EO mix for added moisture.

I'm hoping that with me protecting my hair, enhancing my oil as well as taking vitamins will show itself working within the next month or two (that's when I decide to do another protective style. I'm not completely stuck on the inches of hair, so if I don't reach my goal I won't be disappointed It's merely a high goal for me to work towards

 

[alicianicole]

Hi ladies! I'm out of lurk mode. I am about 4 months post with about and at a complete loss. I lose so much hair when I wash. My relaxed ends are bone straight and the NG is thick/coarse in other words the polar opposite. I do fine during the week , I wear my hair in a bun but I get so frustrated and discouraged when I see all the hair I've lost after I wash. I am soooo tempted to BC however my forehead and short hair are not easy on the eyes. I BC'd before at about 6 weeks (bad idea for me) Unfortunately I live in a small town and cant find any one to braid my hair. I feel like at this rate I'll be bald before I ever get to BC. Any Suggestions? I want to at least make it to 9/10 months.

 

[GlamaDiva]

Hi ladies! I'm out of lurk mode. I am about 4 months post with about and at a complete loss. I lose so much hair when I wash. My relaxed ends are bone straight and the NG is thick/coarse in other words the polar opposite. I do fine during the week , I wear my hair in a bun but I get so frustrated and discouraged when I see all the hair I've lost after I wash. I am soooo tempted to BC however my forehead and short hair are not easy on the eyes. I BC'd before at about 6 weeks (bad idea for me) Unfortunately I live in a small town and cant find any one to braid my hair. I feel like at this rate I'll be bald before I ever get to BC. Any Suggestions? I want to at least make it to 9/10 months.

How are you detangling your hair? My first wash after deciding to really take care of my hair, I had a lot of shedding, but then I started to co-wash 2-3 times a week and when I detangled I combed from end to root. That should help decrease how much hair you are using. Also is the hair you are losing, is it shedding or breaking?

As far as braiding..I learned to braid my own hair in individual braids with extensions by watching YouTube videos. Maybe if you have the time take a look at some videos and see if you can catch on

 

[fivetimestwo]

I'm 54 weeks post today and I'm still hanging in there (no urges to chop yet). I have been using the Ayurvedic powders and oils for about the last month and I see a major difference in the strength of my hair. I also have been paying more attention to moisturizing my relaxed hair, yet keeping it strong. What's working for me right now is after cowashing (or rinsing with the amla/shikikai concoction) I spray African Royale braid spray on first, then I apply a creamy leave-in and then finally seal. This seems to work really well and both my NG and relaxed ends are happy. Hopefully this continues to work for me so I can make it to my planned BC (December 2010) or even longer.

 

[AnitaTheLengths]

I decided to transition a few months ago but kept it to myself just in case I needed an emergency texlax but I'm over that hurdle. So it's official. I'm not planning on doing a BC - I think I will trim/cut every few months to acheive the thickness that my hair desperately needs. I half-heartedly attempted to transition years ago but I had no idea of how to care for my hair. Now thanks to LHCF, I'm on my way.

What really got me over that hurdle was finding the right products for me. I'm so in love with Hair One and 11 en 1 conditioner that its not even funny. I also use EVOO, JBCO, Baba de Caracol, Chi Keratin Mist, Taliah Waajid, Roux Porosity Control , and a "Juice" based moisturizer on a regular basis too. Of course I have a PJ stash that could supply every Super Cuts in the county but I only use whats been working lately so somma dat is getting dusty.

Another issue was breakage. I'm still not sure whether my protein/moisture balance was off, or whether I had my maxiglide up too high or twisted too hard but something caused the hair above my left ear to break off to chin length a couple of months ago. It broke at the line of demarcation and the resulting texlaxed hair was a lot fuller than the stringy relaxed ends and I really need fullness (fine, thin strands) so I decided au naturale is the best option.

I'm really shocked to see cute little coils at my roots and to see that my natural texture is manageable. REALLY MANAGEABLE!! Why did it seem like an impossible task just 6 months ago? Anyways I'm excited about my transition and can't wait to see how much progress I can make in the first year.

 

[Bublin]

Almost 1 year in and my new trouble is super dryness at the roots. I'm having to slather on my Jane Carter Solution butter twice a day. The jar isn't going to last a month (i wouldn't mind but i had it given to me by someone who visited the USA).

I'm also finding that cornrows are my best friend to keep the hair stretched and to keep the moisture locked in too.

My hair is almost APL but a big bush. It is huge. In fact i think ALL my hair thinks its natural. My ends only look relaxed when they are wet.

I'm only going to chop when i can get all my natural hair into a pony.....but the front grows sooooo slow. I have 6 inches new growth from behind my ears down but from the hairline i only have just over 3 inches. Its so frustrating.

I wore my first twist out last night and i got weave checked. A friend asked what hair i bought. LOL

 

[onejamifan]

I think I'm baaack...9 weeks post...got a trim this morning and am going to cut a little every 3 months...no heat for the summer. Instead of succumbing to the creamy crack in the future, I'll just go for a dominincan blow out instead...

 

[alicianicole]

I have been detangling wiht my shower comb with my deep conditioner in from end to root. I think I am getting mostly shedding b/c I see entire strands. How are you ladies drying your hair when you wash or cowash? I have tried airdrying with a scarf which seems to work. I just need to figure out what to do with the scraggly ends.

 

[blackmaven]

My last relaxer was November 19,2009. I am gradually trimming my relaxed hair. I dunno detangling my hair at almost seven months is rough right now. I still hanging by my strands trying to find best conditioners for my hair.

 

[jerseygurl]

I'm still in the market for a good detangler but 'm starting to think that something like that does not exist. I've tried things raved by people only for my hair to laugh at me. I alwas had a sample pack of Hair One and I used it and it helped a lot so I went ahead and bought a full size bottle.

My hair right by my ears on both sides completely broke off at the demarcation line so it's all natural and will not lay down for any reason. The scarf method does not help so I don't know what else to do. Braids perhaps?

Mummy's Girl, your hair is dreamy and that is my goal length before I BC