Transitioning without BC'ing Support Thread
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ezina
Well-Known Member
Is anyone having a smooth transition? I had some issues at around 7-8 months post when I decided to go natural, so the process of finding products/figuring out my method was bumpy but since it's been sorted I've had no issues. Hair detangles easily and stays detangled throughout the week...I see some SSKs in my shed but not on my hair, I get some breakage during the wash routine but that's expected and it's not significant. I'm only 12 months in though, at this rate I can go on for a long, long time...but December is my max since I'm going back home to Dominican Rep. and would rather be natural by then. Anyone else?
Lemme go find some wood..
Hey Amarilles, I've had a pretty good and relatively smooth transition so far. At this rate, I could just never big chop but I'm actually sort of interested in seeing my natural hair in all its glory sometime in the future so that's that. There are some bumps here and there and I'm bad at styling in general so that is always a challenge, but in terms of washing and detangling, I have no problems in those departments; sometimes I'm lazy/it takes too long but I'd rather have that problem than have the issue of my hair falling out in mass amounts and breaking in the extremes.
trclemons
Well-Known Member
Although I am only 4 months into my transition, it is going pretty smoothly. I am new to this, so I am enjoying the process of learning my hair and discovering the different products and techniques that work best for me. I also journal my experience with different products and techniques and that has helped me identify my staple products and techniques.Is anyone having a smooth transition? I had some issues at around 7-8 months post when I decided to go natural, so the process of finding products/figuring out my method was bumpy but since it's been sorted I've had no issues. Hair detangles easily and stays detangled throughout the week...I see some SSKs in my shed but not on my hair, I get some breakage during the wash routine but that's expected and it's not significant. I'm only 12 months in though, at this rate I can go on for a long, long time...but December is my max since I'm going back home to Dominican Rep. and would rather be natural by then. Anyone else?
Lemme go find some wood..
Because this process has been going so well, my new growth is quite manageable. If I had known about this during my perm days, I definitely would have been able to stretch my perms for once or twice a year. But it's too late now because I am too excited about having healthier, thicker, natural hair.
I also have a minor case of product junkitis, but I am pacing myself and only purchase a certain limit each pay period until I have tried everything on my growing list. Although I haven't found many things that I don't like, my family is sure enjoying the things I've passed down so far.
And I'm also a YouTube fanatic, so I study the different tutorials for some really cute transitioning and natural hair styles. I am having a ball!!!
Amarilles
Well-Known Member
ezina trclemons I'm happy someone feels me! I feel like so many BCers chopped because transitioning is supposed to be this hard, tedious work and I feel like...no. Yes it can get rough at times but natural hair in general can be difficult when the hair needs something we aren't giving it. I'm loving the experience so far and I'm so tempted to keep on truckin' into 2014 butttt...the limit is December and that's that. I just love how it seems like the relaxed hair is protecting the natural...I think I might even miss this skinny, limp perm when it's gone. 
bellebebe
Well-Known Member
this is such an inspiring story. i had the opposite happen.....i saw a client i hadn't seen in awhile a few weeks ago. she is caucasian. she said to me regarding my hair "what'd you do to your hair? you look like you got a jheri curl!" she started to say more, but the look on my face told her not to. good thing i am not sensitive about my hair. because that really could have stung me bad.
havilland
I wish someone told me my hair looked like a jheri curl. lol seriously, I would be so happy because I would prove them wrong knowing that black hair can actually be like that without the use of chemicals. If I were you, I would have converted her at that very moment.
ezina
Well-Known Member
ezina trclemons I'm happy someone feels me! I feel like so many BCers chopped because transitioning is supposed to be this hard, tedious work and I feel like...no. Yes it can get rough at times but natural hair in general can be difficult when the hair needs something we aren't giving it. I'm loving the experience so far and I'm so tempted to keep on truckin' into 2014 butttt...the limit is December and that's that. I just love how it seems like the relaxed hair is protecting the natural...I think I might even miss this skinny, limp perm when it's gone.
YES at the bolded. That is exactly how I feel! I see my long-term transition as 3 years of protecting my ends. Who knows, I may go longer than 3 years, but I'll likely cut by the 4 year mark if that is the case. If my wig regimen proves successful, I will actually go ahead and transition for 4 years.
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daviine
Well-Known Member
I felt like BCing but I didn't want to at 17 months post. 
I cut most of the relaxed ends, which wasn't much at all. I saved the front so I'd have something to cut next month.
I love the way my scissors sound when they snip hair. It was oddly soothing.
I'm considering planning out my BC day like Dayjoy has. Sounds so much more special and grand!
I cut most of the relaxed ends, which wasn't much at all. I saved the front so I'd have something to cut next month.
I love the way my scissors sound when they snip hair. It was oddly soothing.
I'm considering planning out my BC day like Dayjoy has. Sounds so much more special and grand!
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havilland
Magical Mythical Princess
ezina trclemons I'm happy someone feels me! I feel like so many BCers chopped because transitioning is supposed to be this hard, tedious work and I feel like...no. Yes it can get rough at times but natural hair in general can be difficult when the hair needs something we aren't giving it. I'm loving the experience so far and I'm so tempted to keep on truckin' into 2014 butttt...the limit is December and that's that. I just love how it seems like the relaxed hair is protecting the natural...I think I might even miss this skinny, limp perm when it's gone.
Yeah. I feel this way too. NOW.....lol!
my first ten months were ROUGH. Now it's much easier. The problem I run into is that my relaxed ends are just gradually getting thinner and weaker and mushier. I don't think they will make it past 24 months before I will just need to cut them. my original goal of 36 months was based on wanting to keep my length. That may not be possible, only because the chemicals have made that hair on the ends so fragile that it won't last 3 years. But as far as the ease of this whole transitioning thing, it's been pretty smooth sailing the last ten months or so. Whew!
Rae81
Well-Known Member
Got my hair trimmed yesterday and the stylist showed me how much i should cut. she commented on how thick my hair was then it thins out at the end and i told her that was because thats my relaxed ends and the rest is natural. those relaxed ends looked sickly compared to the rest of my hair. i told her to go ahead and cut what she showed me because i hated the way the ends looked when straight. i think once i wash my hair the back may be fully natural.
OneShinyface
Well-Known Member
Raising my hand. I thought I was going to rock a braid out for a few days and washed/conditioned/lightly blow dried my hair Thursday. I French braided it and rolled the ends. Friday, I unbraided it with a bit of Jojoba oil and realized I didn't even need to "fluff" it because it stood straight out with stringy ends.
I thought it might need a day to look better, but after tying it up using the pineapple technique, it was even worse. I cowashed and put it in a bun to leave the house.
No more braid outs for me until I'm all natural.
Leslie_C
Well-Known Member
I could get a few days out of it by doing mini pineapples at night and on the fourth day I would do a puff. Then bun till wash day.
The key for hold for me was using a mix of one part shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie to two parts gel. To get the most hang I did it on damp/semi dry hair.
TokyoReina
New Member
I'm trying to wait until July (my two year mark) but I trimmed my relaxed ends down last night. The few I have. I thought I'd be more excited, but I'm just lost as what I'll do with my hair. Totally unexcited.There's enough if it but it looks like nothing. I have some new weave (Indian curly this time with a matching closure) that I hope will let me grow my hair over the next few months.
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Think I'll officially be joining. I've been lurking in here for quite some time toying with the idea to go natural. It's still early for me. Only about 10 weeks in and I'm thinking of using flexis or rods to get me through for a while. I complained that it might get old but I think it's a cute style for the summer. I'm just worried about tangles. Any advice on that one. I notice that at the end of the week when I detangle I get a lot of breakage. How do I stop that?
havilland
Magical Mythical Princess
What's a mini pineapple?
havilland
Magical Mythical Princess
I only detangle once a week after I put oil or conditioner prepoo on my dry hair to help soften it.
The thing that helped me most with detangling is deep conditioning at least once a week. If I skip this, I'm in trouble.
OneShinyface
Well-Known Member
Thank you Leslie_C - I think gel might be what I need. Previously, I never needed gel to keep my braid out looking smooth and lush, but that was with a relaxer.
Maybe I'll try again this weekend. Not being able to leave the house because I looked like I just stuck my finger in a light socket wasn't cool.
I still have about 8 or so inches of relaxed hair so I'm sure that doesn't help matters either.Thanks. I planned to wear the style for a week and then on wash day, spritz with conditioner mix to detangle before I shampoo. But the relaxed hair tangles worse that my little bit of new growth and that makes for a detangling nightmare.
I've always wondered about prepoos...what are they exactly? What are the benefits. Is this just to help with detangling?
Napp
Ms. Nobody
some people apply oils and or conditioner to thir hair and let it sit before shampooing. I think its to help in detangling and prevent the shampoo from stripping too much from the hair.
I personally think it is unnecessary for me because i found a shampoo and DC combo that works. for some its the only way that can manage their hair.
Amarilles
Well-Known Member
Pre-pooing with a penetrating oil (like coconut or olive) prevents the hair from absorbing too much water while wet, so it expands less under water. It prevents hygral fatigue. It takes forever for oil to penetrate though, one would have to leave it on overnight.
I don't get the point of pre-pooing with conditioner/waterbased products, but oil has its benefits.
I don't get the point of pre-pooing with conditioner/waterbased products, but oil has its benefits.
londonfog
Well-Known Member
I'll be making 3 months post on Friday so I'm going to do some kinky twists. I've only done them one other time & they only lasted about a month. I'm still a baby at braiding but I think that I can make them last longer this go round. Hopefully at least about 2 months if they get fuzzy. Aiming to wash them only about every 2 weeks & probably only washing my scalp to try to get them to last. I have about 2 inches of NG & about 3-4 inches of relaxed hair & I want to trim about an inch of relaxed hair every 3 months at a time. This is my plan but of course I'm sure my plans may change over time as my natural hair starts to over take the relaxed hair.
blue_flower
Well-Known Member
I had planned on getting my hair cut 2 inches every couple of months or something but I changed my mind. I cant do short hair and plus my texturized ends can blend in with my new growth. I'm going to just keep my hair moisterized and continue to grow it out.
I added coconut oil to my watery conditioner bottle and my hair feels so much softer after I take out my braids in the morning. Ive heard a lot of good things about grape seed oil so I will try that next time.
I wasted money on those Miss Jessie products I bought except for the sweetback deep conditioner. Fortunately, I got that stuff on sale. I just have to figure out what to do with it since most of those products did nothing for my hair.
I added coconut oil to my watery conditioner bottle and my hair feels so much softer after I take out my braids in the morning. Ive heard a lot of good things about grape seed oil so I will try that next time.
I wasted money on those Miss Jessie products I bought except for the sweetback deep conditioner. Fortunately, I got that stuff on sale. I just have to figure out what to do with it since most of those products did nothing for my hair.
soonergirl
Well-Known Member
Ok I'm in, I think... So nervous!!!
bigbrowneyez
New Member
I love this thread! I'm 4 months into my transition and so far so good. I wear a lot of cornrows (no extensions) braided into a bun for low manipulation. I wash and condition weekly. Sometime I cowash my cornrows in between washes. I also do a lot of twists, even tho they look a bit anorexic lol. I've discovered that the As I Am moisture milk is very moisturizing for my new growth. I also use Mizani coconut soufflé. I've also been using a mix of castor oil, jojoba oil, and Argan oil as a sealant and I apply lightly to my scalp when I'm in cornrows. I plan on long term transitioning, at least 1 year but ideally 2 years. I'm so excited!
Sent from my iPhone using LHCF
Sent from my iPhone using LHCF
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bigbrowneyez
New Member
Double post
pattyr5
Well-Known Member
Well the time has come ladies! I big chopped a month earlier than planned at 14 months!!!! Im ecstatic and LOVE it! Wish I had done it sooner bc all the shedding and tangling is history! Like the sesame street song says..."I love my hair!"
I had been sick and went longer than usual without washing/DCing and my hair was a mess when I finally got around to it. I looked in the mirror at the couple of scraggle inches I had left (3-4 inches some places-but the back not a lot)and couldnt see the purpose of attempting to detangle it that day. So I started snipping away! And Im happy to say I can still get it into my old faithful high bun with the help of a few extra bobby pins for those lazy days. Ive not experienced a problem with much dryness like many people say happens as a new natural...the same products are working. It isnt a headache to manage like I thought it would be and if I wake up and didnt set my hair I can still manage to do something with it really quick. So overall Im really happy and now that warm weather is pretty much here Im going to experiment with wash&gos.
Happy transitioning to you guys! Ill still lurk and chime in bc this thread has been my home for like a year! Im seriously considering coloring my hair to give it some extra oomph. I feel like a total makeover...in the process of losing a lot of weight and feeling great and like a new me!
I know its against the law not to post pics so here ya go!
Congratulations Leslie c .....I'm so jealous right now!
beauti
Well-Known Member
Hi ladies! I lurk these parts almost every day 
I'm 6mos post relaxer. I've been contemplating going natural for some time now, and the urge has gotten stronger the past several months. I recently cut my WL hair to APL after holding on to some really bad ends for a while. My hair is doing great now. I've stretched my relaxers up to a year, so I know I can transition at least a year. Gonna try and go for two before BC.
I'm 6mos post relaxer. I've been contemplating going natural for some time now, and the urge has gotten stronger the past several months. I recently cut my WL hair to APL after holding on to some really bad ends for a while. My hair is doing great now. I've stretched my relaxers up to a year, so I know I can transition at least a year. Gonna try and go for two before BC. Similar threads
