Going Natural 101

First post of 2019!! Now that 2019 is finally here a ton of people intend on joining the natural hair wave if they haven‘t already. Some people maybe completely confused on transitioning so I’m here to make that a bit easier. Here are a few tips for those currently transitioning or for those that plan on transitioning this 2019! ;)

1. MAKE USE OF LOW MANIPULATION HAIRSTYLES

Find hairstyles that seamlessly blend both of your hair textures into one and hairstyles that don’t require a lot of manipulation because a lot of manipulation will lead to breakage! So hair styles like cornrows and braids should be staples for you. Don’t forget to moisturize your hair while they are in these hairstyles because no moisture=breakage!

2. DETANGLE GENTLY

When you have 2 hair textures (your natural curl pattern and the relaxed curl pattern) there is always a line of demarcation which indicates the new growth (stronger hair) from the old ends (weaker hair). Weak hair breaks easily so I recommend that your include finger detangling into your hair regimen rather than just reaching for a comb.

3. GRADUALLY CUT OFF DAMAGED ENDS

As your new growth begins to increase, I recommend you trim your damaged ends every 4-6 weeks to make your hair healthier and a bit easier to manage. Make sure you use professional hair shears not just any scissors lying around your house because they don’t get rid of the damaged ends properly. Or better still, go to a natural hair salon to get your hair professionally trimmed so you don’t regret anything

4. KEEP YOUR HAIR MOISTURIZED

Dry hair obviously breaks off so moisture retention is essential! The best moisturizer in the world (in my opinion) is water. It hydrates your hair like crazy and improves your hair elasticity a lot! But it does need a heavy oil/butter to seal in the moisture. I recommend Shea butter, Mango butter, Jojoba oil or Jamaican Black Castor Oil. But you could always use a good leave-in conditioner.

5. MAINTAIN A CLEAN SCALP

Your scalp should be cleansed every week or every 2 weeks to prevent product buildup and clogged hair follicles which prevent effective hair growth.

6. DEEP CONDITION

Since you are dealing with 2 different hair textures, they both need 2 different treatments. Your relaxed ends are more fragile so they require protein treatments to prevent breakage and maintain strength however, curly/kinky hair textures are usually high in protein so they require more of moisture treatments to make your curls more manageable. To balance everything out I recommend you do monthly protein treatments and weekly/bi-weekly moisture treatments.

7. NO HEAT!

Heat damages your hair overtime so with already damaged relaxed ends, heat is a no no! Put all flat irons, blow dryers and curl wands AWAYYY! The only heat that should be used is in when deep conditioning (a hooded dryer can be used) as it aids the penetration of the deep conditioner into the hair shaft.

8. DETANGLE ON WET HAIR

When you hair is dry and brittle, it is at its weakest state and is mostly likely to snap off if tangled dry. Always detangle your hair when it is wet and slippery (by adding conditioner to your hair). Using your fingers detangle from your ends to the roots of your hair

9. PROTECT YOUR ENDS

Your ends are the oldest and weakest parts of your hair so they require a bit more attention than the rest of your hair.

If your ends are not properly cared for, problems like split ends and single strand knots may arise. To prevent this, seal your ends with a heavy butter like shea butter which keeps your ends oiled and prevents them from tangling around each other.

10. HAVE PATIENCE

Growth takes time and it is a gradual process. You didn’t become the current age you are at right now overnight so you can’t be expecting the same from your hair. So patience is definitely important, having 2 different hair textures isn’t going to be easy but it will be worth it in the end.

Thanks for reading and I hope you implement these tips into your hair regimen this 2019. If you have any questions leave a comment, ask the question using the form at the bottom of the page or message me on instagram (@blossom.eo) Wishing you healthy hair this 2019 and have an amazing day! xx