When beauty is a topic explored by anyone there is always a segment spent on hair as part of the complete package. It is a complimenting accessory used to highlight any choice of style. A hairstyle can complete or confuse any look, the former being the desired. Therefore, when a person decides that they want to “go natural” there is a choice of doing a ‘Big Chop’ or ‘Transitioning‘. For those that do a Big Chop, it’s typically straight forward and the expectations are different than Transitioning. With a Big Chop, it is understood that we will have an entirely different look and that every style will be a new venture. However, when some of us decide to Transition, there may be an expectation that we will simply continue what we’ve been doing, as far as styling is concerned, until our hair gets to the desired length where we then cut off all remaining relaxed/damaged hair.
LOL!!! Yeah, that is not the case AT ALL!
Eventually, dealing with the two textures and potential scab hair growth can leave a new natural feeling confused and/or frustrated. Even thoughts of just going back to the creamy crack or damaging processes may be entertained. However, I think having a transitioning plan could be one of the best things to have in place to prevent old habits.
The way I transitioned was through protective styles for a year. I would do hot oil treatments, deep conditioning, and sealed in moisture heavily for my braids, weaves, and other hair tucked styles. This is the transitioning plan that worked best for me since I wanted to perform the least amount of hair manipulation while I focused more on other factors happening in my life at that time. But this is not the only way to transition, obviously. I had the opportunity to meet a woman at a natural hair convention who shared her story with me on how she transitioned. When she told me, I told her that it was one of the best transition stories I have ever heard because of how it allowed her to explore her creativity, gave her a chance to understand how to manage her hair, and also how perfectly well it allowed her to display her hair as a well-managed accessory to her overall look.
How It Happened (The Transition)
One day after researching and realizing the overall benefits that come along with being natural by ending the use of hair relaxers (chemical hair straighteners), my associate decided she wanted to transition. The first official look of her transition resulted in her shaving off one side of her hair creating a half-hawk (Mohawk) style.
As you can see this is a very popular and attractive style. She even had it faded and designed, which would have created a very neat and creative look. I also imagined how much more tolerable it would have been to learn about and maintain a smaller portion of natural hair for a time frame. She literally was able to become familiar in a small controlled experimental type way with her newly found natural hair. And considering the fact that she had relaxers from the time she was young, this would’ve really impacted her transition in an extremely positive way. She spoke about how she was able to use sample products to determine how they would act and/or react with her hair as it grew in, so not to feel obligated to a full-size portion of a product. And of course she talked about how she was introduced to and able to examine her curl pattern as well, which can have an effect on product and styling choices.
The second stage of her transition was when she decided to try another popular style in order to learn how to manage a greater portion of her hair. A Mohawk was her hairstyle of choice. This particular time with a long Mohawk style. This style allowed her to begin to see how different parts of her head could carry different types of natural textures. Therefore giving her the opportunity to see how a product could be received differently by her slightly different textures.
After a short while with this Mohawk style, she decided to go ahead and shave down the backside of her hair. This gave her a little more hair to manage than the Mohawk. It also gave her the choice to kind of ‘start over’ with the understanding, managing, and styling to accessorize her newly explored natural hair.
As her hair grew in she got a chance to understand and manage her hair growing in at seemingly a different texture since her ‘scab hair’ was going through its healing process. And yet, again being very stylish with little effort.
While she explained the way she transitioned I realized that her various styles basically allowed her to become familiar as well as provided a level of comfort for her, as she eased into her look of having very short hair. And sure enough, when I asked her, she confirmed just that. When she decided to go into her final transitioning look of a TWA (teeny weeny afro) it did not come as a complete shock in her psyche. Also, the practice that she had with her own hair in smaller sections allowed her to immediately have a feel for what works and how to accomplish a few styles.
I know that there is only so much that can be done with a TWA, but having an actual feel
for what products will help manage and create certain styles sure would create a higher comfort and confidence in our overall ‘beauty’ efforts. Wouldn’t you agree?
More Questions
- How did you ‘go natural’, or how do you plan to ‘go natural’?
- Why did/would you choose that route?
- What did you find most liberating and/or challenging about your transition?
- Which would you recommend?
- What styles did you use in your beginning processes?
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you want more choices of protective styles, TWA styles, transitioning styles, et cetera, then check out our inspiration books on our social media pages. Don’t forget to Like, Comment, and Share this article, as we love to hear from you and others. Also, when you choose to shop in our online store you can get a ‘first time visitor’ 10% purchase discount by entering COILY1 at checkout. Be one of the first to know about additional discounts by connecting with us on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
Until next time, Peace, Love, and Hydrate!
Precious
| References
Featured Photo: Pedro Botelho.(2019). Woman Behind Plant [photography], retrieved from: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-behind-plant-1972030/ Side hawk photo: @1Carrothers.(2018). Side hawk cut with red and blonde highlights[photography], Retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/p/BlauvlkAFaR/ TWA photo: Luana Bento. (2019). Close-up photo of a woman wearing black top [photography], retrieved from: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-a-woman-wearing-black-top-2515086/ Mohawk cut: SalonPK. (2018). Mohawk colored cut [photography], retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/p/BhnDCV5Ao6G/ |
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