9 Things I Wish I Knew Before Transitioning to Natural Hair

Bri Books

Transitioning to Natural Hair: 9 Things I Wish I Knew Before Transitioning to Natural Hair

I’m recording this episode inspired by an article I wrote at Glamour.com about transitioning to natural hair. In this episode, I’m sharing the 9 things I wish I knew before transitioning to the natural hair world.

• 0:45 - My natural hair origin story
• 2:00 - Tip #1: Be patient and kind with yourself--and your hair, and make sure you’re in a good headspace before starting your hair routine.
• 3:15 - Tip #2: You still need regular trims. “It's really important to cut your split ends on a regular basis, especially in the first few years,” says Takisha Sturdivant-Drew, the stylist behind Kerry Washington's immaculate curls.
• 4:15 - Tip #3: You don’t have to big chop if you don’t want to. It’s up to you which road you take, as long as you keep your new growth deeply moisturized. Remember, if you choose to transition your hair, your strands will essentially be two different textures. Opt for protein-rich and moisture-packed hair treatments.
• 5:05 - Tip #4: The right tools will make all the difference. Detangling brushes! Wide-tooth combs! Silk bonnets! You’re not imagining things—your bathroom counter space is shrinking. Arming yourself with the best tools possible at the onset will save you headaches (literally—good headbands are a must) down the line.
• 6:00 - Tip #5: Experiment with protective styles--carefully. Aim for your at-home protective styles to last a week and for professional-grade wig or braid installations to last about three months at most. “It can be tempting to play with your hairline while it’s in a protective style, so choose one where there’s flexibility at the crown and your edges," Sturdivant-Drew says.
• 7:25 - Tip #6: Try to limit heat styling as much as possible. If you do prefer to wear straight styles on your natural-hair journey—I mean, I get it; having two totally different textures in your hair isn't an easy transition!—you’ll need a flatiron that does as little heat damage as possible. I tried the Dyson Corale and can confirm the hype is real and well-deserved,
• 8:00 - Tip #7: Deep condition weekly. Natural hair requires a lot of extra TLC, and the best way to baby it is to give it lots (and lots) of moisture. To help your deep-conditioning mask work overtime, Sturdivant-Drew recommends putting it on roots to ends and sitting under a heating cap for at least 20 minutes. Doing this once a week will help moisturize, strengthen, and hydrate your curls
• 9:00 - Tip #8: Consider holding off on color until your transition is done. Sturdivant-Drew warns that keeping up a new hair color and a new natural-hair routine simultaneously can be expensive. “Maintaining color requires a whole other set of hair care and upkeep," she says. "You want to make sure you get to a good place with your natural hair before adding color.”
• 9:45 - Tip #9: When in doubt, simplify. On the days when my hair journey feels like more of a slug than a full-blown adventure, I like to take a deep breath and go back to basics. Two universally flattering and fool-proof styles I swear by? A simple middle part paired with a low chignon or a ponytail hair extension clip-in.