I Threw Away the Creamy Crack!!

 Tips for Transitioners

Be Fearless. Go Natural...

Transitioning is the process of growing your hair out in its natural textured state without chemical treatments.  The time since your last relaxer.


Hello Beautiful Ones,

One of the most liberating experiences for me was going natural. I appreciate the natural beauty God has blessed me with. I learned that this is the hair that I have and I have to learn to appreciate it and care for it. Nevertheless, it is not always easy to transition into your natural hair. Many of us had relaxers since we were small girls. It was like a rite of passage into young womanhood. We wore relaxers because it is convenient, thought it was easier to grow long hair, and many other reasons. Now, in recent years with the natural hair explosion, many women have thrown away their jar of relaxer and told their stylist to trim away the relaxer ends or did a big chop- cutting the entire relaxed strand.

You may still find it hard to commit to being natural. You don't know what products to use, how to style and maintain your hair, or how to feel confident with your new look. Every time you get frustrated with your natural hair, you just want back to the addiction- the creamy crack. Many of my associates who are newly natural say, "I don't know how you do it" and find excuses to convince themselves into getting a chemical treatment once again. Working with your natural hair requires discipline and patience. A relaxer is no longer an option for me. Once you are ready to commit, you most likely will feel the same.

Let me give you a few tips to help you along your natural hair journey:

Tip #1: Write Down a List Why You Went Natural

This encourages setting and achieving goals. Once your natural-hair vision gets blurred due to frustration, this list will motivate you to stick to your hair goals. You can also keep a hair journal with pictures to document your progress.

Tip #2: Build a Healthy Hair Regimen

Make your product selection (staple products) and hair technique simple and stick to it until it is second nature. If you establish a routine, you will be less likely to digress and go back to chemical treatments.

Tip #3: Visit or Join a Natural Hair Forum

These are great sites for motivation. You can communicate with hundreds of curly-haired women across the country and share experiences and learn about products and effective techniques. Look at pictures of others naturals and their journey. It reminds you that you are not alone in your journey.

Tip #5: Inform Yourself

Like the old saying goes, "Knowledge is power"! Become your a expert when it comes to your hair. Read, research, and learn what it takes for your hair to thrive on your personal journey. There are many natural hair blogs, YouTube channels, and books that offer great information and advice. Remember, do what works for you and not everyone else.

Tip #6: Stop obsessing over pictures of you with relaxed hair

This will distract and discourage you from your going of becoming natural. Don't get emotional about how you used to look. Look toward the future and take pictures of your transition into a new you.There is a reason you are transitioning.

Tip #7: Try Different Styles
It is not a one fits all style for natural hair. Wearing your natural hair is fun. Try different styles: Bantu knot-out, braid out, twist-out, updo, buns, roller set, etc. to switch up your style. Every day was not a good hair day when relaxed, so everyday may not be a good hair day when natural. Experiment with a new look every other month for starters.

Tip #8: Patience is the Key

You have to be gentle and patient to see positive results. Anything worth having requires patience. I wish I could say otherwise, but nothing happens over night.

Tip #9: Exude Confidence and Love Your Hair

You are not your hair, but take pride in the decision you have made to become natural. If you love others, will love it. Feel comfortable that this is the hair you have. It is exciting to come out of your comfort zone, and undergo new, rewarding experiences. It is now your hair, it is your attitude towards your hair.

Tip #10: Reward Yourself

Hard work yields positive results. Since you decided to stick with your goal to become natural, reward yourself.  You can buy a new pair of gorgeous earrings to compliment your natural-hair, or take professional photos of with you with your natural hair and share it with others. In other words, do something to clebrate your accomplishments.

So ladies, I hope these tips were useful. I just want you all to stay encouraged and with each gain in your progress, do something to reward yourself. Don’t stress or obsess over your hair. Set your hair goals & make this process fun and you should be just fine.

How do you stay motivated during your transition?

Good luck on setting your hair goals & transitioning!

Luv,

Hair Kitty Kitty

The Importance of Setting Hair Goals

Hello Beautiful Ones,

One thing I love about us women is that we are natural at multitasking. We all wear many hats: Mom, daughter, sister, aunt, student, businesswomen, etc. With our lives being so busy, sometimes it leaves us little time to care for one of our most dear assets: our hair. You work hard, right? So, why not put that same effort into the heath of your hair.  I know it is hard to set aside time to really focus on your hair daily when you have a lot of things going on.

I believe one reason we get frustrated with our hair and do not achieve the healthy hair we desire is because we do not set goals for our hair. Like anything else you do in life you have to create a plan for success. In life you have to consciously put a plan into action to solve any problem that may arise. So increasing the health of your hair is no different.

So, let me make it simple. Use my HEALTH model as a useful tool in setting hair goals:

Have a specific plan and start now. Use specific goals. Don’t be too broad or vague.  Instead of saying, “I want long, shiny hair”, say “I plan to achieve Bra Strap Length (BSL) and achieve length and shine by moisturizing daily”. Also remember, it is never too late to put your plan in action. Start today.

Erase your negative attitude. During this journey you must remain positive. Negativity breeds failure. Please do not self-sabotage yourself with bad thoughts. You have to believe in yourself and believe in your goals. Start to appreciate your hair.

Attainable & realistic goals. Understand your hair is unique to you. Stop comparing your hair to others. Set goals within reach that will fit your situation. Use a common-sense approach.  An unrealistic goal is to have shoulder length (SL) hair now and expect your hair to be waist length (WL) in 12 months. A realistic goal is to have shoulder length today and plan to attain armpit length in 12 months.

Learn your hair. How can you expect anyone to know what your hair needs to thrive if you don’t know yourself? It is your job to understand what products and methods work on your hair. Do your own research when it comes to your hair. The hair care process is trial and error. By setting goals you can reduce the errors.

Track your progress. Write your goals down and create a hair journal. Take pictures of your hair. Strive to reach target dates. A time limit will give you a sense of urgency and increase your desire to achieve your goals.

Have patience. Hair growth and health is not a sprint, it is a marathon. On average hair grows approx. 6 inches every 12 months. There are no shortcuts. Learning your hair and what it needs take time. Don’t rush the process. Be excited that you are on a journey to become a more beautiful you.

My hair goal is to have full armpit length hair by April 2013. I plan to achieve this by properly cleansing my hair & deep conditioning weekly and moisturizing daily. Also, I plan to wear protective styles 90% of the time.

So ladies, I hope this info was useful. I just want you all to stay encouraged and with each gain in your progress, do something to reward yourself. Don’t stress or obsess over your hair. Set your hair goals & make this process fun and you should be just fine.

Please share what your hair goals are for 2012? I would love to hear them!

Good luck on setting your hair goals!

Luv,

Hair Kitty Kitty