Transitioning to Natural Hair Without Cutting It All Off (My Real Routine)

The exact steps I took to grow out my natural hair

When it comes to transitioning to natural hair, the better prepared you are, the more successful you will be. I decided back in November of 2017 to step away from the creamy crack and try one more time to transition to my natural curls.

I was determined to go natural because I started doing my research on the harmful toxins found in relaxers, and had recently been diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Despite knowing the benefits, I was so nervous because I was determined not to big chop and knew that meant dealing with two different hair textures. I had tried three times before, and needless to say, was unsuccessful. I watched so many YouTube videos, joined countless Facebook groups, and bought all the products the natural hair girlies recommended, but I never got the same results they did. And here’s why: transitioning can be an overwhelming process, and not every product is for you.

(My hair before transitioning)

So, how do you transition to your natural hair without losing your sanity and without doing a big chop?!

Here are the 7 steps to transitioning your natural hair.

Step 1: Focus on Scalp Health

Relaxed hair has a tendency to be drier and more brittle than your natural hair, so moisture is key. I prioritized weekly oil treatments and used a scalp growth serum that helped with hair shedding and hair density.

Step 2: Create a simple wash day routine

I suggest washing your hair weekly, and it is important to deep condition your hair at least every other week. About a month or two into my journey, I started deep-conditioning weekly.

Step 3: Minimize heat tools

Now, I didn’t eliminate heat altogether because I didn’t big chop, BUT instead of curling my hair daily, I flat-ironed it once a week and used heatless curlers nightly instead of my usual curling iron. Also, don’t forget to use a heat protectant whenever you use heat on your hair.

Step 4: Deep-condition regularly

I know I mentioned this earlier, but it really is important and deserves its own place in this post. Deep condition at least twice a month, and as your line of demarcation gets weaker, you may need to increase to weekly. (line of demarcation: the point that your new growth meets your relaxed hair; can be weak and brittle).

Step 5: Detangle Properly

This is a SUPER important step. Your hair is at its weakest when wet, so take your time detangling. I suggest using a Wet brush during the conditioning step while in the shower, and always, always, ALWAYS start from the ends of your hair, and work your way up.

Step 6: Get regular trims

Trims can be such a touchy subject, but hear me out. Your hair is only as healthy as your ends. When your ends are brittle, dry, and split, that damage travels up the hair shaft, making it impossible to retain length. I mentioned before that I did not do a big chop, but I did get my hair trimmed about 2.5 inches every 4 weeks or so. My hair grew like a weed, and I found that my journey to curls was much quicker because I was so aggressive with trims. Even if you do not trim monthly, I suggest every 6-8 weeks at a minimum.