:::TYPE 4 LONGTERM TRANSITIONERS:::

Anew

Anew

New Member
Looking to hear from those who have gone through this or are at least 1 year in their stretch. Lately I've been thinking about going natural, but I know I don't want to BC. I'm going on month 5 and so far I'm able to handle the two textures. I think I'm curious to see what my natural hair looks like. All I have are pictures of me when I was a child, but I was always in braids or tons of pony's. Anyway, what were some styles you wore to help you get through your transition? Besides braids and twists that is.

I'm wearing wigs and I really like this. I can keep my hair braided underneath and just keep a small amount of hair out in the front. I think if I do it this way I'll have to stock up on tons of styles to keep me from being bored. I'm thinking I'll stretch through December to see if I want to continue on or not.
 
I documented the whole 2 year journey in my fotki if you're interested.


Sounds like you're doing good so far. Just stick with what works for you.
 
I'm not a year into my transition yet but I am 33 1/2 weeks post.
I am handling both textures well also. I normally wear my hair slicked back in a bun or a twist/braidout. I just brought a half wig and it has made life easier. I am not a wig person so I may throw it out after 2 weeks. I am trying to trick myself into wearing one off and on through the rest of this year.

I also straighten my hair once a month for a change. But I am too scared to turn up the heat and my hair reverts within a day or two, so it's almost pointless. LOL
 
Im right along with you. I wouldnt mind going a year. Just hope i can make it. Going to get my hair braided Thursday.
 
I was looking at Somika's album and I love her transitioning bun as she calls it... I think I'm gonna attempt that look for the rest of the week. I definitely need more curly wigs though.
 
I've been transitioning for over a year now. I'm a 4a and i'm using crown and glory. I tend to go 6weeks in braids and 6weeks out but i still haven't perfected my regimen for when i'm out of braids. When i'm next out i will try wet bunning.
 
I am a 4a who has been transitioning for 8 .5 months. I plan on BC'ing after one year, but if my hair is too short, I will wait until 2 years.

I mostly cowash and bun. Often I wear twistouts, and bantu nots
 
I plan to transition for atleast a year. I'm going to keep my eyes on this thread. I need all of the advice and inspiration I can get.
 
ladies who bun, how do you keep your hair from being so poofy?

I remember seeing seeing babygurl's fotki and I think once she was like 8 months post but her edges would lay so flat.
 
I've been transitioning for almost 3 years now. I have about 2-3" of relaxer left.

I've done some of everything (pressing, weaves and wigs), now, I'm very content with a rollerset (wet or dry) and a quick flat iron of the roots that will be showing. You can do it. I didn't have much breakage throughout my transition, but I would think as long as you DC with moisture and protein, you'll be okay.

Good luck! It gets harder before it gets easier.
 
If it's pressed out and straightened it's mid-bra strap. If I do a rollerset and don't totally straighten, it's between APL and BSL.


ETA: IDK why I'm having issues with cutting these last 2-3" or so off.
 
Hi, I am 4a and almost 15 months post. I usually do braid and twist outs (both w/ rolled ends) and wet buns. I use a lot of coconut oil all over, shea butter on my ends and sometimes an organic conditioner as a leave-in to keep it tame and smooth in the braid and twist outs.

Sounds like you are on your way. I have been natural for 3 years once before where I BC'd at 6 months. It was cute while really short in TWA, but that lasted for about a month and then it just got akward for the next 9 months+ on me until my hair got to almost APL stretched and btwn nose and chin length shrunken.

In short, I felt my hair didn't start to look nice on me until it started growing down instead of out, so this time, I am in the long transition for a minute until I am sure I will have a length that will flatter my face.
 
Anew said:
ladies who bun, how do you keep your hair from being so poofy?

I remember seeing seeing babygurl's fotki and I think once she was like 8 months post but her edges would lay so flat.
Click to expand...

I wet bun, so usually my hair is wet from cowashing or I have a spray bottle with EVOO, Suave Coconut Condish and Water and I spray until my edges are saturated. I then add a generous amount of Aloe Vera gel to my edges and a small amount of Fantasia serum (red bottle) and brush. I then put my scarf on for 30 minutes/it dries and wala!

HTH
 
Wet bunning and laying down with a scarf or using headbands ( I use them or scarves as an accessory and I love how it looks.

I plan to transition for at least a year but I am only 27.5 weeks post at the moment... I cowash 4 times a week, DC 2ce a week, moisturise with home made spritz and shea butter. I workout at least 5 days a week so I only do braidouts/twistouts 0-1ce a week. I usually just pin my hair up and lay the edges down with a headband or scarf (see siggy).

I'm definitely a type 4. Transitioning without extensions or weaves or wigs. I love cowashing too much and I'm falling more and more in love with my hair :-) Plus I am worried about my (very weak) hairline so I'd rather be safe.

What I've done with my hair so far: http://public.fotki.com/MummysGirl/transition-to-natural/hairdos-while-trans/

Anew said:
ladies who bun, how do you keep your hair from being so poofy?

I remember seeing seeing babygurl's fotki and I think once she was like 8 months post but her edges would lay so flat.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Tomorrow will be 11 months
since my last relaxer..
I plan on doing the big chopping next year in August.
Its been going pleasantly well...
Braids/Kinky Twists and co-washing are my friends..
 
I saw Sylver's tutorial on braid outs and I think I'm gonna try that and see how it works for me. In the past I would put some ORS carrot oil on my hair after a wash, some kind of leave in con and put my satin scarf, man it left my hair with so much sheen and the edges really lay flat. I hope that still works for me..
 
I transitioned for 15 months. I was trying to go hard like Mook and reach 24 months but it didn't happen. I also documented my transition in my fotki. My best advice is to 1. find a go-to hairstyle that will carry you through and 2. Start washing your hair in sections or large twists to prevent tangles and to aid in detangling.
 
I transitioned starting in 1994 and did so by pressing my edges.
I was in the salon every 2 weeks until I learned how to blow out and curl my hair myself (less heat but now I've learned that taht was still too much heat).
 
I want to transition for at least a year. I want to know that I will have a decent fro/puff after I BC. I'm wiggin it up or wearing braids until then.
 
Hi, I'm transitioning - 18 months-and I live for my wash-n-go buns. I'd be a wreck without it. I'm not into labor-intensive hair. I gotta do it quick and look glam to boot. Once my hair grew long enough, I do a high messy bun, where I don't pull the hair all the way through my scrunchie. The actual donut thing takes too much manipulation. My edges are no prob, I'll slick on a little conditioner, a smidgen of Fantasia gel and scarf for at least 5 minutes or my drive time and once i'm done, wala, a bun that gets a ton of compliments.

When i'm not bunning, my hair is flatironed and wrapped. That's the extent of it for me. I flat iron whenever I feel like it sometimes every two weeks, weekly or every 3 months...it depends on what's going on at the time and if i'm just craving a new look. It definitely gets harder before it gets easier. When i was about 4-8 months out I was seriously considering weaving it up or some-thing. I knew I couldn't go back to relaxing. I just couldn't. I am contemplating BKT. Seriously. I like the idea of no-reversion, no shrinkage. Many ladies are using it to aid in their transition.

Co-washing, wet bunning, dc-ing, caramel treatments, baking soda dc's have gotten me this far...and much prayer! You can do this! By the way, i'm 3cish/4aish....not real big on hair typing. I'm currently APL an inch or 2 away from BSL (for the umpteenth time) and have about 3 inches of relaxed ends left...

What is amazing is what was once an unfeasible dream is now my reality...

Anew said:
ladies who bun, how do you keep your hair from being so poofy?

I remember seeing seeing babygurl's fotki and I think once she was like 8 months post but her edges would lay so flat.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
I'm in this for the long haul. I will not BC, I plan to only cut off the relaxed ends once my natural curly hair is BSL. Otherwise, I will be cowashing, DCing, nettle tea rinsing, and messy bunning until my natural hair is that length.
 
I transitioned for a little over 2 years. The whole time I mostly wet bunned and flat ironed. As some of the ladies above mentioned. When I wet bunned I would leave in a little conditioner and apply my fantasia IC gel. I literally did that for 2 years straight with the occasionaly flat iron.
 
I did a long transition. I wore ponytails (smoothing down the edges of my hair), braidouts, and rod set curls (using perm rods).
 
I am only 29 weeks post and I have been rocking braids for the last 8 weeks. My avatar pic came out really nice I had to flat iron and tie it straight up extra tight so that it could look sleek. My hair is thick and something terrible.
 
2inspireU said:
I'm in this for the long haul. I will not BC, I plan to only cut off the relaxed ends once my natural curly hair is BSL. Otherwise, I will be cowashing, DCing, nettle tea rinsing, and messy bunning until my natural hair is that length.
Click to expand...

You sound like you're pursuing your hair goals as aggressively as I am!
I was surprised to see how long my hair was after gettting it blowdried after 2.5 years of being out of the salon. However I know that at least 5 inches of that hair was heat damaged/stretched hair that need to be GONE! So, I feel ya...
 
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