Back to my roots! – Transitioning Hair
So, you’ve done your trim or “big chop” and you’re ready to grow out your heat, chemically treated or relaxed hair.
During the three months it takes to see a real change, care and patience needs to be matched with the right products.
Remember, it too you years to get here and miracles will not happen overnight. That's why we call it a "Journey".
You may just have discovered that the frizz you’ve brushed out for years were really the wavy, kinky, bouclé’s to die for or even be a straight-haired curl fan who permed for look and volume.
Whatever your reason for transitioning, just remember there is no right or wrong way to do it and your top priority should be HEALTHY HAIR.
Some say patience is a virtue and in this transition phase your will need bucket loads. Not only will you need to protect your hair, your hair will need a lot of repair.
Here are our top three Do’s and Don’t’s.
1. DO -Manage Your expectations!
Your transition will occur in stages- you don’t even need to cut your hair!
Some may advise you to set a time frame for your curly hair goal but we say leave plenty of wiggle room for our curl pattern to take shape – you may want to consider protective hairstyles in the interim periods but have a whole set of styles in mind for the various stages your hair may go through.
The bedrock of this needs to be an excellent cleansing and conditioning routine. Gentle cleansers and nourishing conditioners will do a lot more than the heavy protein treatments often promising to restore your damaged hair and restore bounce and shine as you grow.
Most protein treatments can be more drying and can make the hair brittle.
Get into wheat free protein like our quinoa rich Curly Ellie Cleanser or Hydrating Shampoo for the strengthening without the breakage. These cleanse hair without stripping away natural oils.
Tip: Your brushing and combing routines will be just as important- wide tooth combs and gentle detangling from tip to root are the order of the day
2. DO – Condition, Condition, Condition,
Whatever your conditioning routine you will need MORE of it.
Curly Ellie Nourishing Conditioner gently conditions and cleanses the hair making it perfect for a no-poo approach.
The vegan formula Rinses off hair easily and can really aid detangling as well as softening your emerging curls to aid styling. Where old and new hair meets is the point where the hair will dry out and break deeper conditioning once a week will help with this.
Try our Indulgent Conditioner for a quick but intense hit to soothe stressed out tresses. Four luxuriant oils and added Shea butter strengthen, revive and restore. No matter how much natural shedding you are experiencing this will increase if the hair isn’t kept moisturised – trust in our Broccoli seed and Abyssinian Oils to keep the humectants working for you long after you’ve rinsed out.
Tip: Look for products with Borage and Babassu these bio compatible emollients are super hero ingredients good enough to moisturise your skin, scalp and hair.
3. Do – cut back on heat
As much as you may want to keep a straight look for your transitioning hair – Heat styling and straightening is one of the things you really should avoid.
Not only is it damaging to already processed hair it can really alter your new curl pattern.
Worse still your curls may look warped, flattened out and shredding increases.
The heat from styling tools will really dry the hair out, leading to breakage -the one thing we are trying to prevent.
However, if you need to reach for the diffuser or flat iron try protecting your hair with a styling serum with lasting hold better still apply after you have used a Leave-in for extra layer of protection as you grow gorgeous.
Pre-Treating with Curly Ellie Intensive Mask will reduce moisture loss as the long chain fatty acid structure of MeadowFoam Seed Oil forms a protective barrier to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture damaged hair.
This dry oil sinks into the hair effortlessly and can be used as a super-rich daily leave in condition in the early days.
Tip: apply the mask to damp hair, don a plastic shower cap, then wrap with a towel to create a deep conditioning steam treatment.
Now for the DONT list
1. Don’t – Neglect Root to Tip
You may be tempted to keep as much length as possible as your hair grows out but a regular trim or cut around every 2 months is a must for any hairstyle. When Transitioning this not only helps with split and fragile ends but along a whole shaft which has regrowth and previously straightened strands.
You don’t need a drastic cut or to continuously chop off the treated hair but be aware that your hair is weakest at the point that new growth meets previously treated hair. It’s not just the tips either, don't forget your roots and scalp too. Conditioning oils like our Protection and Radiance hair oil can help you focus on your hair follicle and scalp health. Conditioning tip to root alongside massaging when you wash can help you keep on top of product build up and promote hair growth.
Tip: Recent research suggests a 4 minute scalp massage everyday will lead to thicker hair in just 24 weeks!!!
2. Don’t – Let your hair dry out
Along with your regular trim you will need to at this tricky stage of hair growth you need to protect as you go. All our products are free from wheat, parabens, silicones, SLS/SLES, synthetic fragrances and mineral oils which are temporary and (hugely damaging) fixes. The different growth will often have different porosity levels too – your hair not only needs nourishment and moisture but also cuticle sealing. So go for our deepest hair treatment Curly Ellie Intensive Mask contains several powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances, including Vitamin C and Vitamin E for your scalp.
Staying well moisturised is the real key to success when transitioning – you can never have enough moisture! All our products contain super moisturizing Glycerine and have drying sulphates and parabens removed. Daily hydration that keeps on attracting moisture throughout the day is great for the most fragile areas after processing such as the nape of the neck or baby hairs.
Tip: Add a little mask daily to the demarcation point where your new growth ends and your older hair meets. Also, to all the areas where extra tension builds up in protective styles e.g like your hairline or temples.
3. Don’t – Give up your hair goals!
Your hair will need a little time to breathe but following some of these great tips will help your transition go swimmingly. Be flexible, stay hydrated, and be patient. Don’t shy away from protective styles – just make sure to be well moisturised before the style is set and pay attention to any areas of increased tension. It’s a big decision to transition from one style to another and dryness may increase as your curls come back and its natural oils find it harder to move down the hair shaft. Nourishing your hair deeply at least once a week is a great form of self-care that combats the number one reason most people give up and go back to straightening.
Tip: going between straight and curly is a great time to mess about with different looks – be sure to send us you before and after pics!
