1. Find what works for you, there is no wrong or right method to transition!( Join VIRGINHAIR to find out more)
2. Do not cut your hair(BC) until you’re ready, if it takes u 2 months to be ready fine if it takes you 2 years all good
3. Your hair becomes even more fragile than your relaxed hair, So treat your hair with care, love and respect. The line of demarcation where the relaxed hair ends and the new growth starts is very delicate.
4. Co-wash your hair at least once a week to add moisture to your hair. If you are not ready to co-wash, then wash with diluted shampoo.
5. Moisture, moisture, moisture, conditioner, conditioner, conditioner, Deep condition at least once a week. (with or without heat just use a deep conditioning treatment for 15mins and over)
6. Be very careful not to damage your new natural hair. You could damage your healthy new growth by flat ironing and blow drying your hair too often.
7. Natural curly patterns varies from person to person. Sometimes the hair type looks completely different once you cut your hair and this may not be the case when it grows longer. So don't be discouraged. This is the hair God gave you so therefore it can't be wrong or bad hair, or unmanageable hair it is beautiful hair! Concentrate on your hair, not your neighbours.
8. Write a journal or blog! (you can do that here on VirginHair with full support and more) It will help you keep things in perspective. Before you reach for that relaxer or BKT try to remember why you wanted to transition in the first place.
9. Join VirginHair.ning.com for encouragement, support, inspiration, Tips, help, information...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
How to Co-Wash Effectively.(what is co-wash?)
Co-washing is very well recommended for all transitioners instead of washing the hair, It helps in cleansing/rinsing the hair and scalp while conditioning the hair.
Most people say co-washing is applying a cheapie conditioner and leaving it on for 10mins and then rinsing it off.
I totally disagree and I do not co-wash in that manner, When I co-wash I actually wash my hair- with conditioner of course.
This is how I do:
1- Rinse hair with cool or warm water
2- Apply conditioner on roots usually parting my hair in three from forehead down to the neck (nape)so it gets to my roots and scalp- each part with about a dime size amount of condish.
3- Apply another dime size amount or more to the rest of hair and ends(especially)
4- Massage head for a min or two- with hands
5- Use a Shampoo Brush to scrub my scalp for a min or two - helps in cleansing the Scalp for real. (when I do this I don't feel product build up the next day or 3 days)
6- Put a dime size or more of condish on palm and add equal amount of water and massage to Hair, this provides a little foaming not like a shampoo lather but good enough for a mild and effective cleansing. if you don't get foam add a palm full of water and massage to foam. this part of the process helps in cleansing the hair for real
7- Rinse hair thoroughly (don't leave a little this is the cleaning/wash part of co-washing) and then use a good or moisture based conditioner (preferably not protein- but if u need protein go ahead) for 10 or more mins and rinse ( you can leave a little as pleased)
8- Done- clean and conditioned hair and scalp.
Things you'll need:
-Conditioner with slip- not all cheapie conditioners can be used for co-washing especially this method
-Water
-Shampoo Brush
Conditioners Reviewed and effective for this process:
Tresseme- Vitamin E, Moisture
Pantene- Hair Fall control
Pantene- Total Care
More to come.
Most people say co-washing is applying a cheapie conditioner and leaving it on for 10mins and then rinsing it off.
I totally disagree and I do not co-wash in that manner, When I co-wash I actually wash my hair- with conditioner of course.
This is how I do:
1- Rinse hair with cool or warm water
2- Apply conditioner on roots usually parting my hair in three from forehead down to the neck (nape)so it gets to my roots and scalp- each part with about a dime size amount of condish.
3- Apply another dime size amount or more to the rest of hair and ends(especially)
4- Massage head for a min or two- with hands
5- Use a Shampoo Brush to scrub my scalp for a min or two - helps in cleansing the Scalp for real. (when I do this I don't feel product build up the next day or 3 days)
6- Put a dime size or more of condish on palm and add equal amount of water and massage to Hair, this provides a little foaming not like a shampoo lather but good enough for a mild and effective cleansing. if you don't get foam add a palm full of water and massage to foam. this part of the process helps in cleansing the hair for real
7- Rinse hair thoroughly (don't leave a little this is the cleaning/wash part of co-washing) and then use a good or moisture based conditioner (preferably not protein- but if u need protein go ahead) for 10 or more mins and rinse ( you can leave a little as pleased)
8- Done- clean and conditioned hair and scalp.
Things you'll need:
-Conditioner with slip- not all cheapie conditioners can be used for co-washing especially this method
-Water
-Shampoo Brush
Conditioners Reviewed and effective for this process:
Tresseme- Vitamin E, Moisture
Pantene- Hair Fall control
Pantene- Total Care
More to come.
Importance of baggying to Transitioners. (What is Baggying?)
Baggying is when you apply a Moisturizer or Leave in conditioner to your hair(dry hair) then cover with a plastic shower cap or plastic sandwich bag for a period of time of about 1-4 hours preferably not over night.
The cap traps the body heat generated through ur scalp (I think the secret to this is that the heat is exactly the amount of heat ur hair needs)
My experience with baggying, after baggying for about a week stretch i found that my ends have never been healthier, my ends became moist, thick and strong. That is why I feel that baggying will benefit us Transitioners very well, Healthy ends equals less or no breakage and hence no drastic shedding and breakage during our journey.
Importance of baggying:
-Retaining moisture
-Hydrates hair
-Thickens and strengthens ends
-Retaining length
How to baggy?
Apply favorite moisturizer or leave in conditioner, cover with shower cap or plastic bag, leave on for 1-4 hours.
List of Leave ins and Moisturizers:
Bed Head Tigi- Ego Boost (reviewed- Good)
Giovanni: Direct Leave in weightless moisture conditioner ( reviewed-Very good)
Body Shop- Amlika Leave in Conditioner(reviewed- Very good)
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship- Leave-In Split End Protector Treatment
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Leave-in Creme
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Leave-in
Herbal Essences Break's Over Strengthening Leave-in Creme
Herbal Essences None of Your Frizzness Leave-in
Nexxus Humectress
Pantene (pro v)- Smooth and silky moisture leave in (reviewed- Not bad)
(Best to use moisture based creamy Leave ins or moisturizers)
The cap traps the body heat generated through ur scalp (I think the secret to this is that the heat is exactly the amount of heat ur hair needs)
My experience with baggying, after baggying for about a week stretch i found that my ends have never been healthier, my ends became moist, thick and strong. That is why I feel that baggying will benefit us Transitioners very well, Healthy ends equals less or no breakage and hence no drastic shedding and breakage during our journey.
Importance of baggying:
-Retaining moisture
-Hydrates hair
-Thickens and strengthens ends
-Retaining length
How to baggy?
Apply favorite moisturizer or leave in conditioner, cover with shower cap or plastic bag, leave on for 1-4 hours.
List of Leave ins and Moisturizers:
Bed Head Tigi- Ego Boost (reviewed- Good)
Giovanni: Direct Leave in weightless moisture conditioner ( reviewed-Very good)
Body Shop- Amlika Leave in Conditioner(reviewed- Very good)
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship- Leave-In Split End Protector Treatment
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Leave-in Creme
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Leave-in
Herbal Essences Break's Over Strengthening Leave-in Creme
Herbal Essences None of Your Frizzness Leave-in
Nexxus Humectress
Pantene (pro v)- Smooth and silky moisture leave in (reviewed- Not bad)
(Best to use moisture based creamy Leave ins or moisturizers)
My Story
Hi and welcome to VirginHair.Inc.com ,
I want to share my story with you and I know there is nothing strange about it because I know a lot of ladies have done the same. I decided to go natural and had my Big Chop (Cut off my hair) back in Feb, 2007 (before then i had a perm since the age of 5 and i only remember all my sister being sad that my mum relaxed my beautiful already soft hair), I was loving my short hair and I had fun with it. I was able to grow my hair back to shoulder length in less than 18months, this growth came with no effort and that is what I thought having natural hair meant, that your hair will grow no matter what since the damage from relaxer was no more, well as you know I could not be more wrong.
After moving to a more humid environment I was washing my hair more than once a week after every 2-3 days, this was too much for my hair, it made my hair very dry and my hair was breaking at an alarming rate. I blamed it on my natural hair comparing it to my relaxed hair (that is limp, scanty and “tamed" AKA damage and restructured) and I believed it soaks up more product and hence it is dry no matter what I put in it. Mind you I was using a 100% cotton (woolly cotton) to wrap my hair at night, how stupid of me. (If you don't know, cotton scarf or hats soaks up moisture from the hair-effectively). I deep conditioned with a medium protein DC any time I deep conditioned at all, which I suspect (too much protein and super lack of moisture) contributed to that super breakage. I didn't moisturize and seal daily plus I didn't have a good leave in or moisturizer to begin with, my breakage problem began in late Sept, 2008. I decided I would not be able to take care of my very curly very dry hair that God gave me. I relaxed my hair in Jan, 2009 what a setback and mistake, my hair is not damaged Yet but I don't like it.
As at yesterday I decided I want out again and this time I’m going to do it right.
I want to invite everybody with a similar story or interest to join me at VirginHair.com and let's do this together.
I will be sharing information and tips to help us all and I hope you all will do the same
I want to share my story with you and I know there is nothing strange about it because I know a lot of ladies have done the same. I decided to go natural and had my Big Chop (Cut off my hair) back in Feb, 2007 (before then i had a perm since the age of 5 and i only remember all my sister being sad that my mum relaxed my beautiful already soft hair), I was loving my short hair and I had fun with it. I was able to grow my hair back to shoulder length in less than 18months, this growth came with no effort and that is what I thought having natural hair meant, that your hair will grow no matter what since the damage from relaxer was no more, well as you know I could not be more wrong.
After moving to a more humid environment I was washing my hair more than once a week after every 2-3 days, this was too much for my hair, it made my hair very dry and my hair was breaking at an alarming rate. I blamed it on my natural hair comparing it to my relaxed hair (that is limp, scanty and “tamed" AKA damage and restructured) and I believed it soaks up more product and hence it is dry no matter what I put in it. Mind you I was using a 100% cotton (woolly cotton) to wrap my hair at night, how stupid of me. (If you don't know, cotton scarf or hats soaks up moisture from the hair-effectively). I deep conditioned with a medium protein DC any time I deep conditioned at all, which I suspect (too much protein and super lack of moisture) contributed to that super breakage. I didn't moisturize and seal daily plus I didn't have a good leave in or moisturizer to begin with, my breakage problem began in late Sept, 2008. I decided I would not be able to take care of my very curly very dry hair that God gave me. I relaxed my hair in Jan, 2009 what a setback and mistake, my hair is not damaged Yet but I don't like it.
As at yesterday I decided I want out again and this time I’m going to do it right.
I want to invite everybody with a similar story or interest to join me at VirginHair.com and let's do this together.
I will be sharing information and tips to help us all and I hope you all will do the same
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