Transitioning without BC'ing Support Thread

This will be my first challenge ever.

I transitioned from relaxed to texlaxed over a year - basically by self-trimming and staying at the same length for a year...Then once I was done and I saw my full head of thick textured hair, I was like, WHOO HOO! Now, wonder what I look like natural? So my only misgiving is losing length and staying here AGAIN for a year..but if I can transition without BCing I should have more flexibility in styles.

Right now I have a full head of healthy texlaxed hair, so I dust where needed but it isnt required as often lately. I'm pretty satisfied with style, growth rate, etc. Not sure how long I am transitioning, but I know the goal is length retention for now since I am tired of hanging out around SL, so we'll see. I really just want to see what my natural hair looks like.

My Basic Routine:
I will be following a modified Curly Girl method. I've been doing it for about a month with excellent results, I love it so we will see how it works on transitioning from texlax-natural. I mostly bun/updo, but when I want to get on my husband's good side I will wear it out (roller set or flat iron).

- No Shampoo. NONE. I do have 1 bottle of CON in reserve, along with 1 bottle of Jonathan Detox Dirt (a sulfate free clarifying shampoo) but so far, no need to break the glass.

- No products that end in -cone or -xane, as these build up and need to be removed by shampoo in any of my styling products, and I have eliminated shampoo.

- Daily Conditioner Washing w/ Trader Joe's Nourish, Trader Joe's Tea Triple Treat, or Giovanni Direct Smooth as Silk (All are 100% organic)

- Weekly scalp massages w/ Phytopollienne Elixer, followed by 50 min DC Treatments w/ Steam: AO HSR, AO GPB, AO RM. Sometimes a pre-poo w/ olive or jojoba oil.

- Wet Bunning w/ AVG (+ Mega-Tek on scalp when I feel like it)

- Occasional heat styling (roller sets or flat iron)

- Occasional protein, usually to strengthen before/after heat styling. I heart Nexxus Emergencee for this.

- Simplify, Simplify, Simplify where I can.

- If I shed, I wil probably take a garlic supplement or maybe will try the tip for garlic powder during a DC session? But so far, so good, no problems. Maybe my healthy italian diet filled with garlic pastas! :)


For those wondering here is info on The Curly Girl Method
http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair

HHG!
 
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I would love to join this! The longer I've been stretching my relaxer the more I'm realizing how much I LOVE my natural texture. I'm definitely gonna need support because my family and other people that know me keep telling me I need to relax my hair. :nono: I keep telling them I will just so they get off my case but the truth is I really don't want to. I'm pretty sure in the meantime I'm gonna face some ridicule from them so I'm calling on all my LHCF sisters for love and support! And of course I'm here for you all in return!
 
Ok I don't know why it took me so long to join this group. I plan to transition until I get enough hair to make a nice puff. My main hair line is Aphogee but I have also added Silicon Mix to the "MIX". So far so good with no setbacks. As I write this I am doing a henna treatment for even more hair strength. Oh and I am 7 mths post!
 
Smiley79 said:
Well although I like my simple regimen, I am always on the lookout for a better leave-in and moisturizer...those are the two areas that I usually have no luck in. So S-Curl gets a thumbs down from me. I've been sticking to HErbal Essence LTR or Hairveda Whipped Cream. And another thing I recently did was dig in my cubbard and found some leftover Hawiaan 14-1 and I mixed it with water, coconut oil and some EOs and I've been using it as a mositurizer and my hair really likes it.:) So, we'll see how that goes.

As far as a leave-in, I was thinking about giving either Infusium or Giovanni direct a try....I've read some pretty good reviews on them.
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest you check out the Hawaiin Silky. But like someone mentioned, if you're going to use the S-Curl, just use it on the roots and a little goes a long way. For the smell, I just add either a fragrance or essential oil. I also put just a little castor oil in as well. IMO, S-Curl moisturizes a little better than Hawaiin Silky. But I use both.
Oh and Infusium is a really nice leave in.:yep:
 
ill be 19 weeks on sunday and so far im all good...tempted to BC though...

I condition wash, and put it in a pony tail. I use Ecostyler gel for my new growth and I keep it in for an entire week. Simple...
 
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Yay guys, I just made it to 16 weeks. I have been keeping it straight more because I was losing a lot of hair when I was combing it wet. So far so good! I can't wait until month 6. I am glad I transitioned when I did because it'll be summer again. I can deal with six inches of newgrowth better than an inch of newgrowth, and at that point all of my hair will be able to fit in a ponytail without clipping the bangs. That'll help with my workouts!
 
StephElise said:
I was going to suggest you check out the Hawaiin Silky. But like someone mentioned, if you're going to use the S-Curl, just use it on the roots and a little goes a long way. For the smell, I just add either a fragrance or essential oil. I also put just a little castor oil in as well. IMO, S-Curl moisturizes a little better than Hawaiin Silky. But I use both.
Oh and Infusium is a really nice leave in.:yep:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions girl! Yea, I'm gonna see how those go. I'll post some updates too.
 
skegeesmb said:
Yay guys, I just made it to 16 weeks. I have been keeping it straight more because I was losing a lot of hair when I was combing it wet. So far so good! I can't wait until month 6. I am glad I transitioned when I did because it'll be summer again. I can deal with six inches of newgrowth better than an inch of newgrowth, and at that point all of my hair will be able to fit in a ponytail without clipping the bangs. That'll help with my workouts!
Click to expand...

Giiiiirllll, I just worked out hard for the first time since I've decided to transition. I'm only 12 weeks post. what are u doing when you workout?

All of my hair reverted (I sweat pretty hard). I thinik i may be on of those people with like 95% shrinkage. I think my texture in the front/crown is different from the back. Bc the front puffed up some but it is still somewhat smooth and I can still get a comb thru it. But the back:nono: feels like a brillo bad and some of it cannot be combed.
 
I think my back is a different texture too. I'm having a hard time getting it fully moisturized. It doesn't help that when I texlaxed I think I severely underprocessed the back in comparison to the rest of my hair.
 
Checking in. 2 weeks post trim.Will be 9 mos post on the 12th. Haven't changed anything
My goal is not to flatiron until the holidays so I will be experimenting to improve the braidout effect on my relaxed ends. Going to be trying twist and curl again, since I have more ng.


Smiley79 said:
BTW, are you all finding that you should cowash more often to deal with all the new growth?
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I am not a cowasher for now-my relaxed hair no likey

Smiley79 said:
Ladies what have been your favorite leave-ins so far?
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The same leave ins I used while relaxed: salerm 21 b5, silicon mix leave in,he ltr as daily moisturizer .newfound love is redken antisnap

Smiley79 said:
Are any of you taking hair vitamins that you recommend or find to be helpful during the transition? I'm interested in Biotin but I fear headaches. :(
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I take GNC womens'multivit and omega 3,6,9s that's it.
 
My hair is doing good. As you can see my hair has grown. The first pic was taken on oct 31th 09, and the second was taken june 3rd 09. The last relaxer was in july around the second week, which I would have been 5 or 6 weeks post relaxer. I will texlax on Dec 1st or Jan 1st not sure at this point, but I can say all is going well.
 
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27 weeks post!:bouncy: I think I'm going to get more Senegalese Twists in a few weeks. I'm a truck driver so braids are a great protective style for me. I just need to start cowashing and DC'ing more. My NG was more manageable and my hair grew fast when I did this more often.:ohwell:
 
I'm only four weeks post :look::ohwell: but I did my first successful twist-out, and love it! kinda like a practice /preview to being natural...
 

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i don't remember my last relaxer... I have about over an inch of natural growth.
I am having a hard time with tangles. Especially lately I don't know why--maybe its because of the wide tooth come I'm using. Does anyone have any tips for tangles?
 
keykee said:
i don't remember my last relaxer... I have about over an inch of natural growth.
I am having a hard time with tangles. Especially lately I don't know why--maybe its because of the wide tooth come I'm using. Does anyone have any tips for tangles?
Click to expand...

The wide tooth comb is best for tangles. Are you detangling at all on wash day? I detangle twice a week. I start with a K cutter comb and follow up with a paddle brush to make sure I get the shed hairs. I do have a denman now but haven't used it yet. I also braid my hair each night and wash days to decrease the tangles. It stretches the new growth and it helps my ends not become a tangled mess.
 
keykee said:
i don't remember my last relaxer... I have about over an inch of natural growth.
I am having a hard time with tangles. Especially lately I don't know why--maybe its because of the wide tooth come I'm using. Does anyone have any tips for tangles?
Click to expand...

I find that applying my conditioner like a relaxer on my new growth really aids getting rid of tangles.
 
keykee said:
i don't remember my last relaxer... I have about over an inch of natural growth.
I am having a hard time with tangles. Especially lately I don't know why--maybe its because of the wide tooth come I'm using. Does anyone have any tips for tangles?
Click to expand...
I'd say that the wide tooth comb is good for detangling your roots but you need a smaller tooth comb for your relaxed ends still. A wide tooth comb won't detangle the relaxed ends as the hair can still clump and tangle as it glides between the teeth. So start the roots with a wide tooth and then switch to a smaller tooth or denman for the relaxed ends. Also make sure you're detangling with a product that gives a lot of slip like a conditioner or even a leave in if you detangle out of the shower. Are you getting tangles only on wash days or after waking up in the morning? If it's the latter, you should set your hair at night either with braids, twists or bantu knots to stop the tangling. Get use to using your fingers instead of a comb when styling too. HTH:look:
 
I detangle with my fingers while rinsing out my conditioner and detangle with my wide tooth comb after applying my leave in. I cowash 3 times a week and detangle each time (if my hair's loose and not in my braids(no extensions)), maybe that's why I don't really have tangles.

HTH!

keykee said:
i don't remember my last relaxer... I have about over an inch of natural growth.
I am having a hard time with tangles. Especially lately I don't know why--maybe its because of the wide tooth come I'm using. Does anyone have any tips for tangles?
Click to expand...
 
Thanks all... yeah the tangles are not in the new growth.. its the relaxed ends.. I am going to focus on using a smaller tooth comb on the relaxed ends.
Tangles have been all the time during conditioning/cowashing (however I just found this Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner which helps a lot). Twist outs have been slightly brutal on my hair.. I am going to try a braid out next cowash.
What about steaming.. has anyone found it easier to manage after a steam?
 
keykee said:
Thanks all... yeah the tangles are not in the new growth.. its the relaxed ends.. I am going to focus on using a smaller tooth comb on the relaxed ends.
Tangles have been all the time during conditioning/cowashing (however I just found this Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner which helps a lot). Twist outs have been slightly brutal on my hair.. I am going to try a braid out next cowash.
What about steaming.. has anyone found it easier to manage after a steam?
Click to expand...
I steam 2x/wk and it has made a difference. My ends were getting tangled too and braiding at night has made a huge difference. I suggest never wearing your hair loose at night. One of the things I try to remember is to treat my hair as if natural and one of the things many naturals do is never wear their hair loose at night.
 
I too use steam to DC my hair every wash day whic for me is once a week. It seems to really make my hair, particularly the NG just a little more manageable. I highly recommend it but the frequency should be based on your personal hair needs and regimen.
 
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