Transitioning without BC'ing Support Thread

[MystiqueBabe]

I have noticed more breakage when I am changing my regimen. I usually wash once a week and DC then. Now that I have started co-washing, I feel that my hair is breaking more. It is not significant breakage (thank God) but it is more than I would like to see. I just had decided to cowash more frequetly because I want to keep my NG hydrated. Maybe my protein/moisture balance is a bit off. Ugh, sometimes I think I am just doing too much to my hair. I know it's relaxed ends that I plan on cutting off anyway but when I want to wear my hair down and straight I don't want scraggly, broken ends.

 

[havilland]

I'm in. I've been lurking around this site for forever now, finally decided to join lol I've been on a hair journey for almost a year, but I've only been transitioning for 11 weeks now. I'm super excited about it!!!!

good for you for starting your transition so early into your journey. i wish i had started right away.

 

[havilland]

I have noticed more breakage when I am changing my regimen. I usually wash once a week and DC then. Now that I have started co-washing, I feel that my hair is breaking more. It is not significant breakage (thank God) but it is more than I would like to see. I just had decided to cowash more frequetly because I want to keep my NG hydrated. Maybe my protein/moisture balance is a bit off. Ugh, sometimes I think I am just doing too much to my hair. I know it's relaxed ends that I plan on cutting off anyway but when I want to wear my hair down and straight I don't want scraggly, broken ends.

you may want to consider two regimens. one for the new growth and one for the relaxed ends.

if your new growth craves water, get a spray bottle and fill it with spring water, conditioner, a few drops of oil (experiment with what works for you) and mist your new growth once a day or so.

i find that if i do this it helps me get the natural hair nice and moist without soaking my whole head and subjecting me to needing to detangle and rake through the new growth and the fragile relaxed ends. my relaxed ends only act right when i deep condition them, after that they want to be left alone. for my fine strands i know that the key to me keeping my length is to not manipulate those ends too much....so twice a week is the most i will wet my whole head.

i mist my hair nightly and again in the morning with a spray bottle that gives a fine mist, not a soaking spray. my hair loves protein so i use Chi Keratin Mist with olive oil, hot six oil and peppermint drops in it. when my hair craves pure moisture (which is rare) i use rosewater and then seal with olive oil that has some peppermint oil.

try this and see if it helps.

 

[daviine]

ZebraPrintLover

I was looking for the long and wide starter pack. They didn't have it and I was feeling desperate and wanted to buy the kit but they didn't have that either.

 

[Sade18]

@Sade18 congrats on your decision to transition and welcome How long do you plan to transition? What is your current reimen?

Leslie_C

Thanks!! I plan to transition for at least 2 years or at least until I'm ready to cut the relaxed ends off. We all know that anything can happen during a transition, so I'll end my transition whenever I feel it's time. My ultimate goal is to be natural about time I graduate from law school in about 3 years.

Currently, since I'm only 11 weeks post, my regimen is pretty simple. I co-wash 2x a week, DC 1x a week, moisturize with water and seal with shea butter. I do twist outs all of the time because they're easier lol I have my regimen in more detail here


@ZebraPrintLover I decided to finally join just because I know that I'm going to need information and advice while I transition. My sister is currently transitioning, she only has a couple inches of relaxed hair left, so I can go to her for help. But, the more people I talk to, the more advice I'm likely to get. Besides, I'm currently in the midst of doing a lot of research about transitioning. Although I'm a member of another website as well, I figured I'd join LHCF because you guys seem to be knowledgeable about hair care too!!

 

[Smiley79]

Silk Elements was alright but my hair is just not absorbing these DC....I'm at a point where i have two avenues that I have not ventured yet and am curious if they will solve my Moisture DC/dry hair problems:

1. Investing in the purchase of a Hair Steamer (if I could just shell out that $110+/-)
or
2. Tackle this "porosity" thing...(keep in mind, I was doing the ACV rinses and all that jazz and I never noticed any significant difference)

 

[Leslie_C]

you may want to consider two regimens. one for the new growth and one for the relaxed ends.

if your new growth craves water, get a spray bottle and fill it with spring water, conditioner, a few drops of oil (experiment with what works for you) and mist your new growth once a day or so.

i find that if i do this it helps me get the natural hair nice and moist without soaking my whole head and subjecting me to needing to detangle and rake through the new growth and the fragile relaxed ends. my relaxed ends only act right when i deep condition them, after that they want to be left alone. for my fine strands i know that the key to me keeping my length is to not manipulate those ends too much....so twice a week is the most i will wet my whole head.

i mist my hair nightly and again in the morning with a spray bottle that gives a fine mist, not a soaking spray. my hair loves protein so i use Chi Keratin Mist with olive oil, hot six oil and peppermint drops in it. when my hair craves pure moisture (which is rare) i use rosewater and then seal with olive oil that has some peppermint oil.

try this and see if it helps.

havilland, that is a great suggestion...thanks!

@ZebraPrintLover

I was looking for the long and wide starter pack. They didn't have it and I was feeling desperate and wanted to buy the kit but they didn't have that either.

daviine, have you looked at the generic curlformers on ebay? They are a fraction of the cost.

Silk Elements was alright but my hair is just not absorbing these DC....I'm at a point where i have two avenues that I have not ventured yet and am curious if they will solve my Moisture DC/dry hair problems:

1. Investing in the purchase of a Hair Steamer (if I could just shell out that $110+/-)
or
2. Tackle this "porosity" thing...(keep in mind, I was doing the ACV rinses and all that jazz and I never noticed any significant difference)

Smiley79 ...for my struggle with dryness it was a matter of finding the right products. The LOC method (water based leave in, sealed with oil, sealed with a butter or creamy product) combined with the right products has made all the difference in the world. I do LOC on wash day, and every I moisturize and seal daily after that. My hair was so dry that it wouldnt accept moisture on dry hair so the only way I could soften it was to wash or cowash and start over every few days. Now it seems to be able to accept moisture between washes.

PS for any Shea Moisture Lovers, the line is supposedly on sale for 7.99 at Target this week. Im gonna try the deep treatment mask.

 

[Smiley79]

Thanks, you may be right. I have tried almost everything so it must be a problem with the techniques Im using. I get results for a moment and within hours Im back to dry hair, lol. The Greenhouse method has helped tremendously...Im thinking about cowashing more often like 2-3 times a week and doubling up to two Deep Conditionings a week...I would love to steam my hair but I cant afford the steamer right now.

 

[Leslie_C]

Thanks, you may be right. I have tried almost everything so it must be a problem with the techniques Im using. I get results for a moment and within hours Im back to dry hair, lol. The Greenhouse method has helped tremendously...Im thinking about cowashing more often like 2-3 times a week and doubling up to two Deep Conditionings a week...I would love to steam my hair but I cant afford the steamer right now.

smiley70

Your hair sounds a lot like mine...it is super super dry and most moisturizers only last a matter of hours. My crown/middle is the worst. I want a steamer too, but cant justify spending the money on it. Ive had a PIBBs dryer for a few years and it was a good investment because it is multipurpose..but I can see my husband giving me a serious side eye if that came to the door LOL. Are there reasonably priced table top models?

What products are you using now? Im getting ready to pick the handful of products my hair seems to respond to and list the first five ingredients so I can look for products with those main ingredients.

Ill tell you something else Ive noticed is my hair holds moisture a lot better when it is stretched/smoothed out than if I let it dry left out as in down or in ponytails. When I set it on curlformers my hair stayed soft root to tip for about 2.5 to 3 days with only adding a little coconut oil at night.

What is the difference between the greenhouse method and baggying?

 

[Lanea87]

good for you for starting your transition so early into your journey. i wish i had started right away.

You and me both LOL

@ZebraPrintLover I decided to finally join just because I know that I'm going to need information and advice while I transition. My sister is currently transitioning, she only has a couple inches of relaxed hair left, so I can go to her for help. But, the more people I talk to, the more advice I'm likely to get. Besides, I'm currently in the midst of doing a lot of research about transitioning. Although I'm a member of another website as well, I figured I'd join LHCF because you guys seem to be knowledgeable about hair care too!!

Sade18, what made you want to transition?

 

[Lanea87]

I washed in sections (well actually CW)....imma post pics.

 

[Lanea87]

 

[Leslie_C]

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@Zebreaprintlover, how did you like it? I work with my hair parted down the middle, so I do one side then the other...I tried 4 but for some reason I cant wrap my brain around the concept lol. This is going to sound super dumb...but I wasnt sure how to get conditioner on all the sections without accidently rinsing out out conditioner on a previous section.

So do you shampoo each section, add conditioner, and clip back up...or shampoo and pin each section, then go back and condition and pin up each section?

 

[Sade18]

You and me both LOL



@Sade18, what made you want to transition?

ZebraPrintLover I had been contemplating transitioning for a while now. I made a post earlier explaining that I began to miss my new growth when I relaxed my hair. Although I never relaxed bone straight, the curls/waves that I was left with just weren't the same. I missed putting my fingers in my hair and feeling thick, springy curls and coils. Besides, I've been watching my older sister transition for over a year now and I've become envious of how healthy her hair looks and how happy she is with it. Her excitement about being natural is completely infectious and I want to feel some of that too! lol After regretting my last relaxer, I knew that it was time for me to transition. The first time I thought about transitioning months ago, I wasn't ready and I knew that. But now, I am ready and I'm in this for the long haul. I want to embrace my natural hair and love it because it's who I really am. It's a natural, beautiful part of ME

I'm ready to get this party started!!!!!

 

[JJamiah]

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ZebraPrintLover your hair looks so beautiful and so sofffffffffffffft Like a cloud LOL

 

[daviine]

I see the zebra print in the back! So weird but yesterday I thought of you because I saw zebra print. I wonder if I'm going to do that every time I see it.

 

[Lanea87]

@Zebreaprintlover, how did you like it? I work with my hair parted down the middle, so I do one side then the other...I tried 4 but for some reason I cant wrap my brain around the concept lol. This is going to sound super dumb...but I wasnt sure how to get conditioner on all the sections without accidently rinsing out out conditioner on a previous section.

So do you shampoo each section, add conditioner, and clip back up...or shampoo and pin each section, then go back and condition and pin up each section?

Leslie_C, I actually like it. The bolded was me yesterday that why I was asking all the questions.

I started with 4 sections bc I oiled my scalp and hair with EVCO last night. Got in the shower, started with the back and unraveled 1 clip and wet it up and then added 5 pumps of conditioner to it and made sure I got it really good with the conditioner before clipping it up. Then I moved to the other section but pulled my shower head off to directly focus on the next section and so on.

It was easy for me before I have the dual shower head thingy.

ZebraPrintLover your hair looks so beautiful and so sofffffffffffffft Like a cloud LOL

JJamiah, LOL if was soft after that CW, its was soft before too but way soffftttterr after LOL.

ZebraPrintLover I had been contemplating transitioning for a while now. I made a post earlier explaining that I began to miss my new growth when I relaxed my hair. Although I never relaxed bone straight, the curls/waves that I was left with just weren't the same. I missed putting my fingers in my hair and feeling thick, springy curls and coils. Besides, I've been watching my older sister transition for over a year now and I've become envious of how healthy her hair looks and how happy she is with it. Her excitement about being natural is completely infectious and I want to feel some of that too! lol After regretting my last relaxer, I knew that it was time for me to transition. The first time I thought about transitioning months ago, I wasn't ready and I knew that. But now, I am ready and I'm in this for the long haul. I want to embrace my natural hair and love it because it's who I really am. It's a natural, beautiful part of ME

I'm ready to get this party started!!!!!

Sade18, well we got your back boo!

 

[MystiqueBabe]

you may want to consider two regimens. one for the new growth and one for the relaxed ends.

if your new growth craves water, get a spray bottle and fill it with spring water, conditioner, a few drops of oil (experiment with what works for you) and mist your new growth once a day or so.

i find that if i do this it helps me get the natural hair nice and moist without soaking my whole head and subjecting me to needing to detangle and rake through the new growth and the fragile relaxed ends. my relaxed ends only act right when i deep condition them, after that they want to be left alone. for my fine strands i know that the key to me keeping my length is to not manipulate those ends too much....so twice a week is the most i will wet my whole head.

i mist my hair nightly and again in the morning with a spray bottle that gives a fine mist, not a soaking spray. my hair loves protein so i use Chi Keratin Mist with olive oil, hot six oil and peppermint drops in it. when my hair craves pure moisture (which is rare) i use rosewater and then seal with olive oil that has some peppermint oil.

try this and see if it helps.

Thank you for this suggestion. I found an empty squirt bottle and filled mines with water, olive oil and Yes To Cucumber conditioner. I will continue to spray my NG with this mixture at least once or twice a day. My hair loves both moisture and protein I don't think there is any protein in the yes to cucumbers condish so I will just co-wash with my apogee 2 min or dumb blonde reconstructor as needed. My hair loves protein also and I think it would be a great way to keep a moisture/protein balance. I will see how this works for me, so far so good.

 

[Leslie_C]

I see the zebra print in the back! So weird but yesterday I thought of you because I saw zebra print. I wonder if I'm going to do that every time I see it.

...I didnt notice that until your post and I had to go back and look. ZebraPrintLover you werent kidding when you made your screen name I like the pink/white/black combo.

 

[ezina]

I'm getting a press at the salon tomorrow. I don't want to be scared of heat while transitioning so I'm praying that tomorrow won't give me a reason to be. I might be MBL but my bad ends are crying for a proper trim.

 

[Lanea87]

...I didnt notice that until your post and I had to go back and look. ZebraPrintLover you werent kidding when you made your screen name I like the pink/white/black combo.

I see the zebra print in the back! So weird but yesterday I thought of you because I saw zebra print. I wonder if I'm going to do that every time I see it.

Leslie_C and daviine
Yea LOL and that aint the half of it
Its red not pink

 

[AJellyCake]

naturalnewb

I believe in you. You can do it for another four months. I didn't think I could make it a year; but, I did. Take one day at a time. If not, you can always b.c.! Either way, I'm supporting you!

Thank you, chrisanddonniesmommy! It's looking like the BC is going to win though!

 

[AJellyCake]

Everyone, everyone! I am so, so ready to just chop! Today, I had a really good cowash. I was just looking at my curls (the sections that I chopped already and the sections with the relaxed ends) and falling in love all over again.....

I am still scared. I'm MBL right now and the idea of being SL/barely APL (at the longest) is a little stressful. But.... I'm ready. I'm ready. Ugh. I just have to figure out what products to use and wait for them to get here.

What's your plan for your post-chop regimen? What should I do to prepare? What should I buy? I don't want to look a HAM once I cut everything.

 

[daviine]

Everyone, everyone! I am so, so ready to just chop! Today, I had a really good cowash. I was just looking at my curls (the sections that I chopped already and the sections with the relaxed ends) and falling in love all over again.....

I am still scared. I'm MBL right now and the idea of being SL/barely APL (at the longest) is a little stressful. But.... I'm ready. I'm ready. Ugh. I just have to figure out what products to use and wait for them to get here.

What's your plan for your post-chop regimen? What should I do to prepare? What should I buy? I don't want to look a HAM once I cut everything.

Wow... Exciting. I've been frustrated and felt like BCing but never felt ready to BC though.

I'm nowhere near having a plan but I think you should ask this question to naturals who have already been where you have been.

Post pics if you do!

 

[Pinkerton]

Week 18, looking @ roughly 2in. of stretched NG, 1.5 unstretched.
Henna'd on Sunday, Cowashed and DC'd last night since I've been sweating like a horse in this heat and humidity.

Chopped off about an inch of fuzzy ends last night, need another half an inch gone. It probably looks just as bad as it did before, but I was sick of seeing scraggly ends sticking out of my bun. Buns and headbands have saved my hair from looking like a complete disaster.

Ah well, at least I still have my personality.

 

[Leslie_C]

Everyone, everyone! I am so, so ready to just chop! Today, I had a really good cowash. I was just looking at my curls (the sections that I chopped already and the sections with the relaxed ends) and falling in love all over again.....

I am still scared. I'm MBL right now and the idea of being SL/barely APL (at the longest) is a little stressful. But.... I'm ready. I'm ready. Ugh. I just have to figure out what products to use and wait for them to get here.

What's your plan for your post-chop regimen? What should I do to prepare? What should I buy? I don't want to look a HAM once I cut everything.

naturalnewb

If you are ready, then you are ready! Cant wait to see pics! I think it will be the blind leading the blind if we try to help you with a regimen LOL...but my plan is to use the same products. Ive been treating my whole head like the new growth, so Ive been treating my relaxed hair like its natural versus my natural hair like its relaxed. What products do you currently use? I would make sure I had a good product for twisting/braiding for out styles. I would stick to a couple of styles I had down pat for a while and get predictable results with those before venturing into the unknown.

 

[chrstndiva]

I am currently doing a relaxer stretch and am a little over 3 months. I am finding that this stretch is the easiest stretch that I have ever done. After many stretches I have figured out how to manage my new growth. Now I am seriously thinking about transitioning.

My new growth is healthier, stronger, softer and much thicker than my relaxed hair and I can't stop touching it. I have lost some love for my relaxed hair and am curious to see what my hair would be like fully natural.

My only fear is that I am almost to my goal of MBL, so I can't even think about a BC. For now, I am still calling it a stretch, but I have no plans to relax my hair anytime soon.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Pictures, naturalnewb, pictures, if you do!

 

[havilland]

Thanks, you may be right. I have tried almost everything so it must be a problem with the techniques Im using. I get results for a moment and within hours Im back to dry hair, lol. The Greenhouse method has helped tremendously...Im thinking about cowashing more often like 2-3 times a week and doubling up to two Deep Conditionings a week...I would love to steam my hair but I cant afford the steamer right now.

try getting one of those turban towels. put condish on your hair. soak the turbie towel in hot water. wring it out carefully (don't burn yourself) and then wrap your hair in the towel. then put a shower cap over it. this is a cheap steam treatment!

 

[MizAvalon]

I'm 15 months into my transition and it's going pretty well!

My relaxed ends look so wimpy. I forgot how thick and beautiful my natural hair was. I can't ever see going back.