If this is your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 10th attempt transitioning to natural hair, know that you are not alone. When everyone was going natural in the early 2010s, I can remember how brave it seemed to make that transition.

Everyone embraced the big chops and mini afros, which we called TWAs (tiny weeny afros) back then. In 2012, I had one. Though it was new and scary at first, I embraced the freedom that came with it.

Although I was never afraid of shaving my hair off, it can be a big deal for you if you aren’t ready to go that route yet. If this is true, HEY SIS! I see you and understand you.

But girl, we are living in the 2020 era, and now, you don’t have to do a big chop to go natural. Now, we have full lace wigs and frontal. You can also wear protective styles and silk presses to help your transition journey easier.

Now that you’re ready to take the journey to embrace your natural curl pattern, here are 4 great options to transition to your natural hair today.

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Protective Styles

One of the most popular ways to help transition to natural is doing protective styles. Braids, faux locs, Marley Havana twists, goddess braids, you name it is a great way to secretly go natural. 

A protective style will give you and your natural hair time to grow to the length you’re most comfortable with before you show it off to the public. 

I’ve seen clients who wear protective styles for 6 months to several years before they are ready to reveal their natural hair to the world. And honestly, that’s perfectly fine. 

My girl DaBrat is the queen of protective styles. I can’t recall a time when I saw her hair in an afro. Wait, yes I have. There was one time on her and her wife Judy’s show, Brat Loves Judy and I’ve seen her wear her hair in an afro-like ponytail. Other than that, DaBrat keeps her hair protected in braids, so you will be in great company. 

Products To Maintain Protective Styles

Speaking of DaBrat, I have to mention her wife’s product popular Kaleidoscope Miracle Drops that has helped promote major hair growth for their customers. You can apply these drops on your scalp to help keep your scalp hydrated and nourished while rocking your protective style.

Goiple Braid Mousse

When wearing protective styles like braids or twists, you will want to preserve the freshness of your style without any frizz. The Goiple Braid Mousse is perfect for keeping your braids shiny and frizz-free.

Hair Care Tips for Protective Styles

Note that you have to take care of your natural hair in between getting those protective styles.

It’s important to keep your hair moisturized because you don’t want your hair to become too dry or stiff. Because when transitioning from relaxers, you have a line of demarcation to consider. 

The line of demarcation is most vulnerable to breakage due to being a weak spot. If your hair isn’t properly taken care of, it can start breaking off right at that line. So be mindful to create a healthy hair care routine while wearing your protective styles. 

Wig Installs

If you want to cover your hair completely, a wig install will be your best option. Wigs from back in the day, compared to now, have come a long way.

Even though lace front wigs have always been a thing, now the lace is so advanced they are seamless and melt into the skin. When installed correctly, they look absolutely flawless. The idea is that your hair will be braided down underneath and covered with a wig cap. Most stylists are now gluing the wig cap onto your forehead, nape, and ear area for full support.

Even though it sounds crazy, this will help the wig stay in place when glued down on top of the wig cap. I know this could sound a bit scary, but when done correctly, it makes the removal process a breeze.

RELATED: 10 Beautiful Bob Wigs From Amazon Under $160

Hair Care Tips for Wig Installs

When your hair is underneath the wig cap, it is considered protected. Just remember to always deep condition and moisturize your real hair between wig installs.

And if you like oiling your scalp, this is the perfect time to do so. While your hair is protected underneath the wig, your hair and scalp will have all the moisture it needs to thrive.

Also, remember to always keep your hair blow-dried while underneath the wig. You’ll never want your hair to be damp underneath a wig, because it will cause your hair to create a mold and mildew environment.

When your hair is trapped in an environment where the moisture can’t escape, it will get really funky under there. So keep it dry, fresh, and healthy at all times.

Cute Wigs To Buy

24-inch 13×4 Straight HD Transparent Lace Front Wig

I love how this 24-inch human hair lace front wig looks so natural. Most of the reviews say how soft and silky the hair feels in your hands. The hair is a 9A unprocessed and the lace is preplucked with baby hairs.

If you are looking for something a bit shorter like a bob, I found this 14-inch human hair lace front wig for you. This comes with a 13×4 Swiss HD lace with a natural toned and free part. I also love how it comes with a removable glueless band.

Silk Press

A silk press is another great style to get when you are going from relaxed to natural hair. If you want to wear your hair out without any added hair, a silk press is the way to go. 

This was one of my favorite services to perform for my clients who wanted to keep their straight look until they were ready to embrace their curls to the world. 

Hair Tips For a Silk Press

Now with a silk press, you still need to keep your hair hydrated and healthy during this process. Remember when we talked about that line of demarcation?

Well, the process of getting a silk press can make or break the health of your hair and your curl pattern. Be sure that you or your stylist knows the proper precautions when doing a silk press.

Make sure that you:

• Start with a clarifying shampoo to remove old product buildup and impurities.
• Use a moisturizing deep conditioner.
• A leave-in conditioner and heat protectant like CHI Silk Infusion.
• Proper blow-drying techniques.
• Don’t exceed the temperature of your flat iron over 400 degrees (depending on your hair type).

The heat can cause heat damage to your new curls and can cause breakage at that demarcation line. Handle with care and stay away from the rain.

RELATED: 8 Great Tips For The Perfect Silk Press

Styling Tools For Silkpress

The BabylissPro Titanium Flat Irons are the industry’s best when it comes to styling tools. The technology used for this flat iron is perfect for getting the hair as straight as possible with ONE PASS.

Even though the best way to blow dry curly and coily hair is to use a round brush and blow dryer. But when you are doing this on your own hair, it could be a challenge. So I found this blow dryer with attachments for drying curly hair.

Use the concentrator to dry your hair straight with a brush. Or you can use the comb attachment to dry your hair straight by itself. The round attachment is called a diffuser and that’s best used for wash-and-go styles.

Big Chop

If you’re ready to fully embrace your curls in the world, the big chop will be the best way to start your natural hair journey.

When I say big chop, I mean cutting all the relaxed ends off your hair and fully embracing your natural curl pattern. No matter how long or short your natural hair may be, you can cut all the straight ends off and rock it out today. So the fun thing about big chops is that you can still get a silk press, protective style, and a wig installed with it.

It all depends on the length of your natural hair. I’ve seen many women rock a silk press on their short natural hair, and it gives pixie-cut vibes. It was super cute and fun. I have done this with my big chop in the past. And once it got longer, I can remember doing individual Senegalese Twists. 

With a big chop still comes great responsibility. Now that you are fully natural, it is best to create a hair care routine that will keep your curls moisturized, nourished, and healthy. 

I hope this helps!

– Much Love, Ash ❤️