How to Go From Relaxed to Natural Hair

How to Go From Relaxed to Natural Hair

In order to go from relaxed to natural hair, you have two options: Transitioning or The Big Chop. Which one you choose is entirely up to you. There is no right way or wrong way to start your journey.

It’s all about what is going to make you feel comfortable. Each method has its own pros and cons that you will have to weigh out to determine which one is the best fit for you.

Transitioning

Transitioning is the process of eliminating chemical treatments and allowing the hair to grow out while gradually trimming the chemically processed ends.

Pros of Transitioning:

  • You have the time to learn about your particular hair type.
  • If you are not comfortable with short hair, then you can avoid that adjustment period, and avoid the wait of growing your hair back out.
  • During transitioning you have the time to perfect your hair styling skills.

Cons of Transitioning

  • The texture of your hair will not be consistent: which means if you decide to wear your hair in a twist out or braid out style the root of your hair might be curly while your ends will be bone straight (To avoid this simply roll the ends of your hair with rods or rollers).
  • The process of transitioning takes longer than if you just did “the big chop”.

Does this seem to be up your ally? See our step by step guide below.
 

The Big Chop

The Big Chop is for those who want to be natural now. It entails cutting off all of the relaxed hair and wearing a TWA (teeny weeny afro).

Pros of the Big Chop

  • You have a consistent hair texture as opposed to transitioning where you have to deal with two.
  • There are no long waits to go natural; your hair is returned to its natural state as soon as your relaxed hair is chopped off.
  • With a big chop you have a fresh start no chemically processed hair and no split ends.

Cons of the Big Chop

  • Waiting to grow your hair longer
  • Learning to deal with an entirely new texture on the spot
  • Coming up with new short natural hairstyles.

Brave enough to go for the big chop? See what you should know before getting started.
 

It’s all up to you!

What you decide is entirely up to you. Go with what makes you feel good and what you feel fits your lifestyle. Remember there is no right or wrong way to go natural. As long as you get there it does not matter what route you choose.

#1Why to Go Natural
#2What You Should Know About Natural Hair
#3How to go from Relaxed to Natural Hair
#4Know Your Hair Type
#5What’s Your Hair Porosity Type
#6What Products Do I Need?
#7 How to Create a Natural Hair Regimen
#8 Natural Hair FAQ

195 thoughts on “How to Go From Relaxed to Natural Hair

  1. I’m wanting to make a big chop an get a relaxer that I haven’t had in almost 3 years to start my transition to natural but I’m nt sure if i want to really get a relaxer since its been that long. Should i just make the chop or relax it an cut it? ?

  2. I Had The Best Natural As A Little GirL So Of Course I Tender Headed….Soooo I Decided To A Relaxer/Perm. And Now At The Age Of 14 Im Hating My Hair . Can ANYONE Give Me Some Advice On How To Get Natural Hair

  3. I have always had hair down my back when I was younger and now it is short due to the relaxers over the years. I transitioned four months ago and would like some product tips. This is all new to me again since it has been so long since I had natural hair. I was also a product junkie but im learning to stick with one thing I like but the thing is finding good products I like. Please help!!

  4. When you transition and you decided on the Big Chop I wouldn’t advise to color/dye/color rinse the hair.
    Try and keep the hair as close to its natural state (no heat if so very low heat-cool setting)
    If you want your hair to grow you have to maintain a nice amount of moisture on the hair. (Water…greenhouse-baggy method)
    Get creative and research on different protective styles or wash-n-go’s you can learn to do on your hair.
    Maintain a routine to see if its helping your progress with growth, also eat more veggies & fruits, protein and vitamin supplements.
    I’m transitioning as well (one year +, no chop just dusting(trim) the ends 1x/month). Hope the transition is a successful and fun journey, don’t give up!

    1. Hello,

      My name is Margaret and I have been transitioning for approximately 8 months. I find that some areas of my hair is coarser (nappy, different texture) than other areas. I have always shampooed my hair weekly and roller set as a style. I still continue to shampoo weekly, braid the naural and put a rod or roller on the ends. I have only co-washed once (I thought that concept was weird) and I’m not sure if I should alternate co wash and shampoo. I feel like I’m not able to articulate what I’m trying to ask. I have read and watched many youtube videos, but I feel unsure about if I’m doing what I can to have a health transition. Is it important at this early stage to know my hair type. I feel like I have several different types/textures which is frustrating. I guess what I really want to do is stick my head on this comment page so you can look, and feel my hair and reassure me that I am on the right track…. HELP!!!

  5. i have a question do u know when u have mixed race hair isnt it suppost to be coily but since ive relaxed it like 2 years ago its sgone half afro half coily and straigh ends is there anything i can do at nights mabey to help answell and is tthere any natural things ecxept from water

  6. I would like to visit a salon that is “pro-natural”. I went to a salon this weekend, it was clear the stylist was not for natural hair. I wanted her to cut my hair, she washed then blew it dry. I understood she wanted to get it straight so to cut evenly. Confused with your website. Do you have a salon? If so, where are you located? Is there a salon you would recommend? Great website – by the way. Lots of good information.

    1. Hello Abi, Thanks! My website is an informational resource for newly natural naturals, kinky textured hair types, and those looking for overall general natural hair care tips. I live in South NJ, so if you live in this area I recommend I Say Yes Salon. Your comment makes me consider adding a salon directory, thank you for your comment!

  7. I started my transition 2 months ago and I still have no idea what I’m doing wrong. I’ve been following tutorials on YouTube and I’ve noticed that I don’t have the same kind of hair so it may no apply to me. I’ve been getting relaxers in my hair since I was in junior high school (I’m 25 now). I chopped off a great deal of damaged hair since most of my strands were straight. But I noticed yesterday while I was rubbing my scalp a littl bit that the texture is different from the rest of my length. The curls feel like its tighter. I could be wrong about having 3c hair.

    1. i tried to transition last year but gave up after about 3 months. just was toooooo hard. i also did not know what i was doing wrong because my hair had a mind of its own. i am about to try it again as i want locs. i have no ideal what to do differently but i hate relaxing my hair. wish me luck.

  8. Thank you! I almost tried the big chop but now I’m thankful I did not. Transitioning, which takes a lot of patience, is not paying off for me. 🙂 🙂

  9. I haven’t had a relaxer since February, 2013. It hasn’t been easy for the last 2 months, my stylist said I’m half way there, 2 months ago, she is still saying it this month. I need a hairstyle that would help me while I’m transitioning. Any suggestions?

  10. This gave some important insight for me since I’m beginning my hair journey transitioning. How ever with transitioning less than half an inch of my hair is natural and the two textures are dry. What should I do about that?

  11. I also want to transition to natural hair. I don’t mind the big chop. I am braiding my hair now. Its a month now i hope for the best.

  12. My daughter has been natural for 2 years now, our hairdresser told her she is completely natural; however, the front part of her hair is very,very straight. She has tried the wash and go, but is having a hard time with it and other styles because some parts of her hair will not curl. What should she do? And yes, she has been using different products to curl her hair

    1. Hey Ange:

      I’m thinking of braiding my hair as well and going natural.. I’ve been wearing my hair relaxed for a few yrs now, and after a while maintaining relaxed hair grows old .. what type of moisturizer are you using on your path to “Natural”?

      1. I use relaxer on my hair and i want to change to natural hair, but my burden is I do not want to braid my hair while i want it long and soft enough to pack up and hold it with band, how possible is that? Thank you.

  13. I was natural for FIVE years and realexd my hair in January. Regretted it by February, realexd again in March for the LAST time. I’ve been wearing falls and wigs since, cuz I want my BIG fro back before I wear it out. However, this is getting old. March 2011, I’m getting it shaped up, dying it red, and rocking it again!If I ever buy another relaxer, I hope the Lord sends a bold of lightning to knock it out of my hands!

  14. Oh, I had relaxed my hair in 2010 just before entering high school. I was like 12 then and I now regret it and want back my natural hair.
    The only thing I’m afraid of is not transitioning correctly.
    I don’t want to do “The Big Chop”. Too extreme, my hair is at a reasonable length–way past my shoulders and I don’t want to cut it all off.
    So, I’m looking at the “Transitioning” method. Should I braid my hair? Would that help? Also, what kinda products would you guys insist on me using for the best results on this soon to be natural journey? I decided to start when I have everything worked out.
    Can anyone help me out? I’m 16, gotta break the news to my mother even though she really had enough of this “paying for relaxers and hair treatments” thing. Very costly.
    Is the Natural Journey costly?
    Thank you. I look forward to seeing my natural hair again and being proud.

    1. Braids are a good way to transition. You can also wear styles that help to blend all of your hair into one consistent texture like roller sets. There is no right or wrong product, it’s all about what works for you. Shea Moisture makes great products so I definitely recommend you try them out. The natural hair journey can be costly in the beginning when you are experimenting and trying out which products work for you. However once you know what works it’s pretty low cost.

  15. Is there anything I can use to get my relaxed hair natural with out having to wait & without the big chop

  16. I have worn a perm for years. I am trying not to relax my hair to often. It has been 3 months so far since I relaxed my hair. I want to wait 3 more months before I relax it again. Don’t do well with natural hair. Need some more styles while waiting.

  17. Hi I have been natural since febuary 2015 and need to know when wearing braids to transition how and what products do you use to keep the natural hair moist and how long do you wear braids

    1. I would recommend wearing them for 4 to 6 weeks. It’s best to moisurize with a spray product so that it will be easy to penetrate through the braids. You can create your own mixture of water, leave in and an oil or buy a pre-made spray moisturizer.

  18. I’ve been wearing a knot out for about 4 to 6 weeks I think and I’ve been liking this natural look on my hair that I’ve been debating about going natural i wanna know is transitioning with just a knot out will get me there ? because I don’t really want any braids any tips ? will the Bantu knot grow your hair ? I need recommendations

    1. It’s actually good to find a style you like and that works well for your hair while transitioning. As long as it helps you prevent/cut down on knots and tangles, I’m all for it. I wore my hair in a flexi rod puff for the entirety of my transition.

  19. HI THIS IS VETTE AGAIN I HAVE BEEN TRANSITIONING AND HAVE A QUESTION I HAVE BEEN WEARING THE GODDESS BRAIDS BECAUSE I LIKE THEM AND I LET THEM STAY IN FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS I KEEP READING THAT THE NATURAL HAIR SHOULD BECOME CURLY OR AT LEASE HAVE CURLS IS THAT SO? CAUSE I KNOW EVERYONE DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME GRADE OF HAIR IS THERE PRODUCTS TO USE THAT CAN BRING THAT CURLY NATURE OUT?

  20. Just looking at the products and loving it. I’m excited to get started in going natural. I just cut all of my hair off to go natural. Wish I had came across this website before hand.

    Please send me all emails.
    Thanks
    Sharon

  21. I am glad I found this website because I am going through a hair crisis !! I started relaxing my hair at 13yrs old then turned back natural at 15 because I couldnt keep up and I wasnt really well informed of what it entails in terms of moisturing, proteins etc. I relaxed it back at 19yrs old and I have had it until up to last year. I noticed that my hair has become very bone straight (No kinks at all). I remember when my hairdresser used to relax it she used to have the relaxer in for 15 mins and told me to only tell her when I felt burns. Sometimes when I felt the burns she was in another persons hair and it would take mins before she could come wash it out and when my hair dried , you could see the scabs, burns etc. Well as of now , I havent dyed, relaxed my hair since July 5th 2014 . My hair is bone straight, ends are spitted , its as thin as a SPIDER WEB (no kidding) and very red. I can feel it trying (especially in the back) to turn back natural but it still isnt fully natural…. almost like its stuck between natural and bone straight . One more thing, …. It falls out from the root and I can see the little bulb at the top of the hair. My hairdressers are at a loss … They say its from within but I have checked my protein intake, I take iron tabs, My thyroid is better than OK . I am scared. I dont want to go bald. I just wanna go Natural and never look back. If you could pls tell if you know whats wrong with my hair and also suggest some formulas for it.

    Thank You!

  22. I am in my transition stage although I almost chopped off all d relaxed part on my hair and I just have a few strands of relaxed hair..please I need your advice on whether to cut off the little strands left..becos I need it to turn completely natural as soon as possible and please how do I get this products for natural hair.

  23. My hair had Ben relaxed for sixty years. Last year I decided no more relaxers so I had my hair braided for several months. Last month I decided to go a step further and have my natural hair locked. Please explain how long it takes to acquire the locked hair. My hair is really growing quite fast. . Is there special care you can suggest. And what products are best for Dres locks.

  24. hi thanks for sharing am been with straight hair since 2013 and now i want to go natural because of various reasons am apure african. so i live in african and don’t jnow wats products to useand how to do it please help and whrn i changed to natural can i have curlsas in curly hair?

  25. Hey, I am a big fan of yours and am loving that you decided to share everything, I want to transition and thank you for that. P.S you are so beautiful. I just have a question that has been disturbing me that is, if you are done with transitioning perhaps a one year mark, is it necessary to use the same products or what are the necessary products. please reply me soon

  26. Hello! As of August 2015 I stopped using relaxers. As of January of 2016 I decided I wanted to take the leap to become fully natural. I was doing really good, but of course my hair started becoming very difficult to manage so today I decided to try the New Options Alkaline Hair Softener, thinking it was “natural”. Within 5 minutes of it being in my hair it began to burn and I discovered it wasn’t natural. It actually relaxed my hair more than I thought it would :(. It’s not straight or anything, but I do feeling like it has done some damage. Would this hair ultimately have to cut as well? Does managing hair get a little easier after cutting the permed hair out or would it not make a difference?

    Thanks for your help!

  27. I have been natural for 2 years and wear my hair short. Is there anything you can recommend regarding the edges of my hair being visibly thin allowing my scalp to be seen.

    1. I have been using jamaican black castor oil in addition to dr miracles temple and nape balm and have noticed my edges not only growing but they are very strong.

  28. im currently transitioning my relaxed hair to natural . i have 31/2 months left and i really want my hair to be grown out by the time school starts. help?

  29. First time ever trying to transition..lots of questions & I don’t know where to begin. PLEASE HELP!! Just did a big chop ( the sides & back). I’m determined to see this through. Where do I begin? THANKS

    1. Lol I recommend watching LOTS of YouTube videos. Just search “how to transition from relaxed to natural” or just “transitioning from relaxed to natural”. There are MANY helpful videos which have helped and motivated me greatly

  30. My hair almost to my neck I haven’t put a perm in 3 months , how do I make it natural & wat do I need to do

    1. That depends on the route you want to go. You can transition and cut the relaxed hair off gradually or just cut off all of the relaxed hair at once and do the big chop. See the info above on this page.

  31. Can you please suggests products that I can use to soften and moisturize my hair and also does dyeing yoir hair damage it

  32. i AM GOING NATURAL FROM A PERM WITH LONG HAIR; HOWEVER i don’t want to go gray, what should I use for dying my hair?

  33. I want my relaxed hair to become natural without cutting it off.What must I do.please I need your help

    1. You can’t change relaxed hair to natural.. I’m very sorry but if you want natural hair you have to cut off your relaxed hair, whether it is gradually or immediately, and then wait for more of your hair to grow, which is natural since you haven’t relaxed it. And obviously to keep it natural you mustn’t relax it. Once you have relaxed your hair, you can never ever ever get those parts of your hair natural again.. I’m very very sorry

  34. Hi All, I have 4c hair that hasn’t grown. Should I try a hair growth supplement? I know ladies whose hair has not grown after their big chop are some hair types more vulnerable to this , than others?

  35. I did the big chop in February of this year 2016 and now in august 6 months later my hair grew like weeds I was surprised I use to have 2 bald patches in the back of my head that never grew and now it’s gone and my hair is thick and shiny I keep it braided in singles I mixed olive oil,shea butter, argan, cocobutter,castor oil vitamin e and avacado oil and use it as a leave in treatment before braiding and it seems to be working and I love it

    1. Texturizer is a chemical like relaxer so in order to go natural you have to stop using it and either big chop or transition out of the chemical. To color your hair without dye you may want to consider 100% pure henna.

  36. I’m going natural tomorrow but I’m kind of scared. Is it ok to kee braids in after you do the big chop? Because that’s what I’m going to do. And I’m not sure what products are good to use.

  37. I’m currently transitioning to natural I stop relaxing my hair last year of match I just cut some of my ends off today I been getting sewin weaves my hair is not real long but not to short ether and my hair is thick I notice since I been transitiong my hair is not shedding or breaking off like it was I wonder how long my transitions will last but I feel like my hair texture has change from over the years it’s not really nappy or hard to come through

    1. Transitioning is a time investment. It could take 6 months a year or even longer. It all depends on how much hair you are comfortable trimming off and how long you would like your natural hair to be once you have completed your transition.

    1. I want to transition without the big chop. I Haven’t had a relaxer in 3 months. I want to go natural but I have really thin hair especially in the front and top. And it’s already short. Im totally lost with this and what products to use.

    2. I want to transition from relaxed hair to natural but my natural hair is very stubborn and coarse. It’s hard to comb from 2 months new growth. I have a long relaxed hair. pls how do I transition easily?

      1. Transitioning is a process! It takes time, especially when it comes to learning about your natural hair. When you detangle you are suppose to comb from the ends of your hair and then work your way up. Doing the other way will make it frustrating to comb through and may even cause breakage.

        1. hi I’m new here but I need to ask a question tomorrow I’m to do the big chop but Im putting in a texturizer,what brand do you recommend

  38. Am just three months old in the transitioning process. After six months can i chop of the relax part? Are there special products you can recommend?

    trendwithgloria.com

  39. I have been transitioning for 3 months or more and I have not had my split ends cut in years but since I’ve been transitioning my hair gets very tangled when washing and conditioninget I also have notice that my hair is not as long as it was before I started is hair loss a side effect of transitioning?

  40. Is shedding apart of the process when transitioning from relaxed hair to natural? also I use Cantu products is that a good line?

  41. If I’m going through the transitioning process and I just started, how should I style my hair and make it feel and look as natural as possible??

  42. I got a relaxer in my hair and the top part of it is very thick and the bottom is very thin how do I get the bottom part of my hair thick again? It’s really bugging me

    1. You will have to cut off your split ends. Going forward you should do styles like buns for example to protect the ends of your hair and keep the manipulation of it low. Also when you moisturize focus most of your efforts on your ends.

  43. I Need A Serious Answer . I Got A Relaxer About 5 Weeks Ago . And I Want To Go Back Natural . But I’m Not Comfortable With Short Hair. My Mom Says I Cant Go Back Natural Because I Will Have Bad Ends & My Hair Will Shed Bad. I Need a answer what can I do to go back natural?

  44. oml !!!!!! I rather go with the first one since I am in school and you kno I don’t wanna be teased with my short hair !!!!! I always wanted natural hair it is my dream but my mom want let me but if I give her this maybe she will change her mind ……. I would love to have natural hair and this is one thing I am gonna try!!!!!! 🙂

  45. I really want to go to natural I have had relaxed hair for 7 years i dnt know which is the safer method

    1. There’s really no right or wrong choice when it comes to this, only what makes you more comfortable. If you can deal with having a short look the big chop will be a good route, but if you aren’t ready for a leap like that transitioning is a perfectly suitable choice.

  46. Girl it is a process, going back to Natural hair, the safest route iis to wash and condition your hair weekly, but make sure you do a protein treatment every 2 weeks. This will not stop the shedding but it will reduce the shedding. Also I only use Affirm by Avalon there products are excellent for black hair. Stop flat pressing your hair and invest in flexi and or perm rods, keep in my mind flexi rods give hair a smoother curl, but with perm rods hair style drys faster. You can find all these iitems on AMAZON. Also use coconut oil, lotta body hair or Nairobi hair wrapping lotion. Treat your hair gentle and be patient. Focus on healthy hair not length the length will come when the hair stays strong and healthy. Good luck! You can do it with out chopping but you must keep up a regimen.

  47. Where ever you see a difference between your natural hair type ( it’s easy to notice if your hair is naturally curly) and your bone straight hair which is your permed hair . For help you can search line of demarcation for a clear picture of what I’m trying to say.

  48. I am transitioning for permed hair have not had a perm in seven to eight months and I was wondering if I could let itgrow out and then cut the ends cause it is short and thick but not really short though but mainly thick. And I don’t really want to cut my hair until it grows out some more I also wrap my hair so it can grow that way

  49. Yes you can go natural without the big chop.
    You may be unable to do a wash and go, that’s when you can do permrod sets for a sophisticated look or just braid and tuck your ends while your hair is transitioning ..I would only trim my ends every 6mos If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself find a trusted stylist.

  50. it seems my hair is nt ohk wit relax method I need to go bk natural bcox of d harsh weda down here and d first method is preferable.

  51. I’m in the process of transitioning right now.its very ugly when I wet my hair because its really curly and thick from the root to like 2inches off my head and then the rest looks strait.everyday is a hassle to figure out what I’m gonna do with my hair without applying heat to it but I just look at my natural hair and its beautiful and I want my hair back.so starting over it is.

    1. I know exactly what you mean I’m in the same boat! I’m glad the it’s the winter wear I tend to wear my hair up more anyway. I know it’ll be worth it in the end!

  52. Hi I recently just went back to a perm over the Summer and the perm really damaged my hair and my hair beautician cut it off half an inch and started putting curling rods on my hair so I get curls. Now the only problem is that the permed hair is breaking off and I don’t want chop it off. How do I grow it natural with out short hair please help I need answers.

  53. I haven’t had a perm in a month now. I’m going to let the perm grow out because I don’t want to cut it since I already have shoulder length (a tweet it longer) hair. When wo

  54. I’m helping my Queen grow hair natural hair and we don’t want don’t want to cut the hair pls give us some guidelines and remedies.

  55. I am fifty years old and I finally decided to go back natural x4, I miss my Foxy Brown Afro and when I saw my relaxed hair, I was depressed!!! I am not going to relax my hair anymore. Ladies, I can’t tell you what to do but if you want to be natural just cut all the relaxer out! My hair grows fast!! Always be empowered to express your true beauty and blackness!!! Black Ladies and Girls Rock!!! Why worry if you want the natural look stop thinking about what others think!!!

  56. I have had my hair cut and permed my grandma and dad hated my hair so the got it cut shoulder length and permed it started going straight and so now I have straight and curley I had gorgeous long spiral cirls that was to the middle of my back now when my hair is wet the top is poofy and the bottom is straight I want my natural beautiful hair back now what would be my best choice my hair is just past my shoulders what would be my best option now

    1. Transitioning your hair. My hair too is shoulder length and I wanted to go natural too, so I decided to transition because I didn’t want to cut my hair or doing the “big chop”. So just transition, no heat, no relaxing/perming your hair and do protective styles for it to grow longer. Though it might take a while for all the chemical in your hair to come off, but it’s worth the wait.

      1. How long did it take, for you to bring back your curls? I have relaxed my hair my hair only once and I really want my natural hair back but I don’t know how long it will take or what I should do.

        1. My curls just started to show because I started last year, but it should take about 2-3 years, I think, but what helps rather than waiting is doing protective styles or any kind of weave, single braids, crochet any kind but don’t keep it longer than 3 months. And also I use deep conditioner and I stay away from heat.
          My curls aren’t exactly curls because my hair is different, mine came out kinky but i am not sure yet because it just started showing, but everybody’s hair is different. Your hair might grow faster than others because you only used relaxer once, I used relaxer since I was 5 till now.

  57. I want to go natural so I think I should do the big chop but how long will it take my hair to grow if I do the big chop

  58. I got my perm Oct 12,2016 and today is January 21,2017 and I’ve decided to go natural from here on out. But I don’t want to do the “big chop” . I need assistance. ASAP! Someone told me not to but any products yet just do braids and sew ins for right now, but for how long???

    1. It depends. It could be 6 months it could be up to a year, depending on how long you are comfortable with your natural hair being before you cut off the remainder of your relaxed ends. If you want at least 6 inches of natural hair depending on how fast your hair grows you will be waiting up to a year. If you are comfortable with 3 inches of hair, then it may only be for a few months depending on how much natural hair growth you have now.

  59. I’ve been relaxing my hair since birth and now i want to go natural.. My hair just passed shoulder length after chopping it all off once but i went back to relaxing.. I need serious help

  60. Today is January 26 and I’m doing the big chop, my hair is totally damanged from weave and etc. I permed it last night but getting it cut today. What type of products do I have to use to help my hair grow natural from a real short haircut?

  61. My last perm was in August of 2016 , I have been transitioning my hair back into its natural texture for 5 months now. I use regular shampoo and conditioner nothing specially formulated for us naturals, just water and coconut oil & (sometimes) shea butter oil maybe. My new growth is awesome but what products can be used to significantly help strengthen, add moisture, and define both texturea?

  62. I chopped my hair last and I did a cut,after 2 weeks I decided to do S-Curl so now I want natural hair so I dnt know what I should do now

    1. I also do not want to chop my hair off again so what less products should I use in order for my hair to be natural?

  63. Hello everyone, so refreshing to hear of everyone experience with transitioning. Last March, I decided to go natural. Instead of getting a touch up, I got box braids, which I did not enjoy much, the braids were heavy and caused thining aroung the hair line. I took out the braids Friday before Memorial Day and told the stylist, it’s official, going natural. Now it has been 8 months, I go to have a wash, deep condition, style. I am much happier with my hair, I just wish I had the courage to wear my hair without the heat styling. I guess because my hair texture is fine/unable to hold curls.

    Take Care
    Sylinda

  64. I really really want to start going natural. I googled alot of pages, but still am unsure. I use to relax my hair, it is short so I am not really willing to do the cut-off. My questions is, how do I start. Which products can I use. Do u just wash and put on a “styling gel” from the range of product that I am going to use? I think that is my biggest concern – the process…. is it a wash and go (with the styling gel of whatever product) or is there more to the process of wearing it in a “bossiekop” style? I would really appreciate your help

    1. Hi . Umm it will take about 3 months to get your hair natural just by washing it every 3-4 days and not relaxing it. Caster oil can also help but all you really beed to do is wash it and your hair will become more natural every time our wash it

      1. Thanks mam for the encouraging info i thought for a minute everyone on the blog still had relaxed hair. i just want to say I went natural two months ago i don’t regret it for one bit just want to get more educated on the best things to do while going throw my transition stage.

    2. Check out Miss Ken K on Youtube..it might help. I also started the process about a month ago and I must say some day I don’t know what the hell to do with my hair, its even tempting to go back to relaxer esp over wkends LOL. right know im trying to grow the relaxer out and concentrate on getting the new growth healthy, once it has grown a bit more i wil cut the relaxed hair right off.

  65. HOW CAN I TRANSITION FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL AND RECEIVE MAXIMUM GROWTH WITH OUT HAVING TO DO THE BIG CHOP. WHAT IS THE BEST HAIR GROWING PRODUCT FOR MR

  66. I replied to someone …and…decided to share to help someone else…it takes Courage. .”Courage – DOING IT AFRAID”…..but…you GAIN so much for having doing so…

    Cut it…Cut it.. Lol…my hair grew faster when i didn’t wrestle with the length. ..also…i followed
    MOKNOWSHAIR …YT and for 6 months my hair grew like crazy…it actually got too long…like a loin’s mane…and i did it…YUP, permed it…????..i cried while the perm was in…i knew i took a wrong turn…sooo…i tried for another 6 months…breakage, splitties, dryness and MORE GRAY…lol…soooo in 12/2016….I CHOPPED CUT and CHOPPED…and 3 months later …my hair has grown 2 inches…its healthy and i still hate the short baldy phase….but i know what to do and i just embrace the season i’m in….also, a couple days ago i began to watch. Jaemajette on YT…she is so funny…and motivating…and she shared her entire hair journey….very grateful for my experience…i still follow MKH and journaling my experience…my advice…recon with “yourself” to stick it out for four seasons…no changes but to stick it out…for four seasons.(a spring; a summer; a winter and a fall)…even if you mess up along the way…remember it only takes 9 months to carry a child so…image the changes that can happen in 9 months…thats with anything you face…trust God and imagine the joy or reaching the goal…pray for guidance and stick it out….
    i hope this helps you…sorry it was long but i wanted to encourage anyone who needed it.….2017!.

  67. hello NATURAL Ladies I was natural for 8 yrs and decided to Relax my Hair in NOVEMBER of 2016 for Thanksgiving I hated it .NOW I am going back NATURAL no relaxer since then WHAT is my time FRAME for me to be complete.I love our Natural Hair Women.I did the BIG Chop the first time but i am not going to do it this time any ADVICE

    thanks

  68. i was nautral for 2 years and just relaxed my hair on my birthday one month ago Im goimg to transition back to nautral. But i will not do the big chop this time . Good luck sis God bless.

  69. Hi
    I did the big chop July of 2016.I loved the natural look but I relaxed my hair about 2weeks ago just to see how long my hair have gotten within 7 months but now i want to go back to my natural look. Can anybody help???

    1. Whhyyyyyy??….Dont you have to start back over because youve changed the texture/curl pattern….you relaxed it so you have a line of separation. But, you did it before and you can again?

    1. Stop using it immediately. Do a protein treatment to help strengthen your hair. I recommend the Aphogee 2 step protein treatment. Make sure you follow all instructions. Afterward deep condition and continue to nourish your hair with moisture. If your situation is looking really bad, see a professional.

    2. Do not put more protine in ur hair it will drie it out and it will keep braking off instead u should stop the relaxer and moisterize ur hair more. And stay away from hair treatments that uses heat

  70. I really wnt to go natural but posy is my wanting BC ad I need advice on removing d relax which product can I use

  71. Faith and Breail, deciding to go natural was a not an easy decision. For years, I too struggled with how I wanted my hair to look and never considered going natural. Now, I have no regrets. I am one year virgin hair and I have noticed some positive changes in my hair. I am all in for natural and I am blessed to have found a stylist that specializes in natural hair. Once a week she deep conditions my hair and alternate with my styles. Don’t give up, you can do it. The advice Ariane shared is excellent, I know a few people who use Aphogee. I am currently using Etae.

    Have a Good Day Ladies
    Sylinda

  72. I have been without a relaxer for a bout a year because my hair has been so badly damaged by the relaxer. I have worn braids in the interim, but my natural hair has only grown about an inch in a half. I am tempted to just take scissors and cut off the relaxed ends because my hair as it stands looks all kinds of crazy, but I’m slightly afraid of what I might look like if I do that. Can anyone offer some advice as to what would be my best course of action? I don’t necessarily want to do a fade because I’m certain that would look crazy, but I’m not sure where to go.

    1. Girl Keep your hair…You should keep your hair while it’s transitioning And just cut off the permed ends piece by piece time by time.?But its up to you

  73. Sorry I have no advise for you but while reading your comment, I started to laugh. I laughed because it felt personal, as if you were sharing my life story instead of yours. I’m presently transitioning for about a year now as well and I probably saw 2 inches of new growth string on to about 6 inches of relaxed hair. After wash days I would become frustrated, confused and angry but I recently started using “Shea moisture – extra moisture transitioning milk” which made a difference… I absolutely love it even though I’ve only used it about 3-4 times. Maybe you can try it out and much success with your hair journey!
    Peace! ?

  74. I want to stop using relaxers due to it made my hair dry. I want to go natural and let me hair grow its own way. I moisturize 2 -3 times a day to keep my hair healthy. I lose more hair when I use relaxers. I’m comfortable with my short hair but I do want it to grow naturally. After reading this info, I feel even better going natural. Goodbye relaxers. Hello natural look.

  75. I am mixed and my hair is thick and corse! We I was younger I use to have my hair thinned & stopped when I was about 14 then started going to a hair salon getting regular relaxers my has always grown & I am now almost 40 & thinking of going natural my hair it past my shoulders I don’t want to cut it to my heart I have though considered a bob & trying to curl it up but I’m afraid it mite not curl up like pls I see is going natural a good idea for me?

  76. I was 8 months in on being natural and had a weak moment and permed my hair (Myself). The funny thing is that it look straight for a couple of days but started reverting back to kinky. So 3 days later, I was in the gym with my son and half my hair was straight and the other half was an afro. I ran home and washed my hair it curled up and I add Ego gel and moisturizer and it feels like i am back Natural.

    Question: Why did my hair go back to the natural??? Was my perm not strong enough???

    1. Did you relax the entire hair as if you have never received a perm? It sounds like you may have permed your hair the way one would do it as if it were a touch up (new growth only). Going from natural to perm you would have to make sure that you permed the strands from the roots to the ends… Sometimes it takes a couple of times of perming before you will actually go back to really straight if for instance you are using a mild perm on really coarse hair etc. I’m not a beautician but these are just a couple of things I have heard in conversation from a beautician.

  77. MY name is SHARON I ONLY PERM my hair back in NOV.2016 not a hard perm so do I still have to wait a year before all PERM is out I was natural for 8 yrs,is there any advice you can give
    out side of the BIG CHOP if I just wash and condition is that fine THANK YOU

  78. Hi my name is Ro, I recently (around 7 weeks ago) permed the front and back part of my head but the rest is mostly natural. I really want to do the big chop as chunks of my hair is falling out whenever i brush it and i love short hair. My hair is currently 2 different textures would i still be able to do the ‘big chop’ and wait for more natural growth whist its all the same short length?

  79. i’m 15 and i wanted to get my hair back how it used to be “naturally curly” before i permed it and used relaxers. i haven’t gotten a perm since august of 2016 . it’s now may 29 2017 . i haven’t had a perm for 9 months. and would like to know what should i use . and my roots are starting to get curly. and do i have to cut my hair short ? or just cut all of the permed hair. thank you.

  80. okay so is it a good time to start cutting my hair ? i’ve been without a perm for 9 moths .

  81. Hi everybody. So I have short hair. Am not going to do the big chop. I received my curl activator cream yesterday. I was thinking of starting with the Wet-Look. Any tips, please? I would also like to know if that means I have to wash / wet my hair every single morning? Or can I just get up in the morning, and put on the curl activator cream? Also, any good products you can recommend for a spray afterwards, so that my hair doesn’t look all dry and dull? Thanks so much

  82. Hi!my name is shassy. I relaxed my hair two months ago. Pls how many months will it takes to chop off the chemical hair. I want my natural hair back. Should i wait or cut it completely.

  83. Okay so i decided to do the big chop my hair is now short but its still not yet natural what do i do ?

    1. Yea I started to big chop my hair 2 months ago I’m now in the awkward stage at the moment. Yay!

  84. I would like to have natural hair from relaxing. Am from Kenya help me to know the products

  85. Hi! I’m already natural, but my hair still has a little damage. I want to color it just a few shades lighter by putting straight dye in, not bleaching it. My hair is dark brown. Will this damage it further, and if so will deep conditioning help? thanks!

  86. Ok so I have did the big chop already to my hair I didn’t go completely bald I had about 2 inches of my hair on my head I then bleach and died it red back in sept 2016 it’s now august2017 my hair is about 6-7 inches long but I’ve been having trouble with my hair growing out evenly also just last month I trekked to make my curly pop by putting a curl activator in it and I didn’t know that it was similar to a relaxer and ended up relaxing my hair and now I’m thinking about doing the big chop again because I want to be natural and this is the first relaxer I done had in a year so what should I do ? Cut off my hair completely that way it can grow back evenly and natural or just cut the relaxed end and just let it grow out ?? Please help me I need answer fast

  87. Yes I’m thinking about transitioning. But I need help. I don’t know what to do. I’m done with perm. I perm my hair about a week ago. So I need help in this transitioning.

  88. When you do the big chop must the relaxed hair first have growth at the roots or must I go bald for me to grow natural hair ???

  89. I went natural about 3 threes year ago, but I’ve been blow drying and flat ironing my hair. Now I want start wearing my natural curl pattern. Do I have to do another big chop to achieve that?

    1. I would go to a stylist that can give you a cut that will get the damage off and depending on the extent of the damage you may not have to cut a whole lot off, and they may be able to disguise the damaged area with the cut that they do.

  90. Hey , so I’ve recently cut my hair. It’s short in the back and longer in the front . It’s also relaxed. How do I transition smoothly into going natural?

    1. It’s really a waiting game. You have to wait until your natural growth gets to a length that you are comfortable with and then cut your relaxed hair off. You can wear twists, braids, or rod sets as you grow your hair out.

  91. I’m 9 months into transitioning from relaxed hair to going natural. How often should I get my ends clipped? I don’t apply any heat to my hair; I simply do a wash and go, 2 cornrows, twist out and ponytails.

  92. I am going back natural but my hair is already
    short , I’m really not wanting to cut any more of my hair. What is the best for me to do as I go through this process.

  93. I want to transit to my natural hair.my hair are not damage but I just want to go natural please I need help dnt know how to start, products to use,How to use the product,styles to wear and how to style my hair…thanks

  94. i have some questions to ask

    how times do i have to wash my : some say that your hair has to clean at all times

    blow dryer ?: since my transitioning (7months) i have used a straighten iron once and i heard heat is not good for your hair but what abt blow dryers.

    Heat damage?: my hair is still somewhat straight and i always had thin hair, how do i know if my hair is heat damaged and if it is can you just leave it to grow and trim instead of buying products

  95. Hi I am going back to natural not sure exactly what products to get etc. I don’t know how to style my hair in its natural state. I am hoping it won’t be a disaster does anyone know if the hair will revert back to the same curl patter I once had?

  96. I grow out my hair from relaxer it it been at least eight month but !y hair is still straight on the end I had it cut some could it be the hair dye I but on !my hair make it straight some and what should I do to get the curl pattern to come in I braid right down but my new grow slow come in could you please help me and I have rash came in my hair at the crown area it sore what can I do for it thank you

    1. You can do it sis! You just have to find a low maintenance routine that works for you. If you don’t like to spend a lot of time on your hair, you need to wear protective styles (ex. two strand twists, buns) styles that do not require a lot of upkeep.

  97. I have really long hair and I tried transitioning for 9 months by getting protective styles like sew ins and braids my hair was growing out really fast but I still had long relaxer ins and I didn’t want to cut them so I gave up and got another relaxer now I’ve made up my mind again to try the transitioning natural thing out and I hope I go through with the process this time and should I cut off my perm ins or just keep getting protective styles and keep them ?

    1. Hi Destiny, I transitioned back in 2010 and I let my natural hair grow out for about 1 1/2 year’s before I gained the confidence to cut the relaxed ends off. To address your concern, I think you should grow your natural hair out while it’s being protected by the sew in, and when your hair grows to the desired length, cut the relaxed ends off. Of course the decision is all up to you. The only thing you have to be careful of is growing your hair out in a protective style (sew in, braids, etc) so much that you don’t get a chance to take control of your transitioning or natural hair. I think it’s important for you to get your hands on your curls so you can see what your hair texture is like, what porosity level you have (high or low), and the like.
      Best of luck to you on you journey sis.

  98. I have Been Natural for a year in some change now. The Journey has been wonderful. I must say this passage is so beautiful and detailed. I loved Reading every bit of it. <3

  99. I’m 12 years old and I relaxed my hair a couple of months ago for a wedding. I’m looking for ways to grow and care for my hair so I can get ready for the big chop. Any ideas?

  100. I’m 14 and i relaxed my hair back in December of 2020 because my thought my hair was “untamable” and now I’m seeing my new growth and I want to know how to take care of it.

  101. This blog is a treasure trove of hairstyle inspiration! From chic updos to effortless waves, there’s something for every occasion. The step-by-step guides make it easy to recreate these stunning looks at home.

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