For the Long Haul: Nada101

For the Long Haul: Nada101

Another treat for transitioners, naturals and those thinking of taking the plunge: Nada101! A hairlista with a gorgeous head of natural hair!

Are you natural or transitioning?
I am Natural.

What is your hair type?
Truthfully, I do not know what my hair type is, so normally I don't put my hair in a specific category unless asked. However, for the purpose of picking a hair type I would guess that I am a type 4a with maybe some 3c, but again I am not 100% sure about my hair type.

Hairzing styling!

What made you decide to transition and why long-term?
I decided to transition because I no longer desired having my hair relaxed. I began to read books like Cathy Howse, Thinning Edges and Curly Girl and I began to realize how damaging chemical relaxers are. I decided to do a long-term transition because ,for majority of my life I had a decent length of hair. I knew that if I did not have a certain length of hair, then I would not be comfortable.

How long did/are you planning to transition for?
I transitioned for a total of 2 years.

Did/do you have a goal length for ending your transition?
I did not really have a specific goal length for ending my transition. All I wanted was my hair to fit into a ponytail before I ended my transition. Reason being I was not really interested in wearing my hair down all of the time and I wanted to have the freedom of being able to either wear my hair down or put my hair up. 

Any naturals who inspired you during your transition?
Yes, there were so many naturals I was inspired by!
Here is just a few people who have inspired me along my way:

Bublnbrnsuga (former Fotki name)- She was natural for quite a few years and had beautiful long natural hair. As of recent years, she relaxed her hair and is now natural again. She no longer uses Fotki, but you can find her on Youtube under ChakaKhanian

Zhara, Velvet, Louisvuittongurl, Peachtree, Curlybear and Blackrican (all from Fotki)

Click "Read more" to view more pictures and the remaining interview!

Curlformers on relaxed hair!

What is/was your signature transitioning style?
My signature transitioning style was a bun. I kept my hair in a bun 95% of the time. Only on a few occasions would I flat iron my hair, do a braid-out or use curlformers.

 What are your top three hair products and why?
My top three hair products during my transition were: Blended Beauty Happy Nappy Styles, Silk Elements Moisturizing Deep Conditioner and Beyond the Zone Natural Balancing Leave-In Conditioner. These products became my favourites because they aid in the health of my hair by keeping it moisturized. 

*All products that I have mentioned have become my staple products. However, right now I am experimenting with various products to see if I can get others that are just as good as these but at the fraction of the cost, and that I can find locally - as it is sometimes hard for me to re-stock these products.

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Any techniques you’ve found invaluable during your transition? Do share!
Some techniques that I adopted during my transition was washing in sections- I would divide my hair into sections about 4-6 and I would take down each section one at a time and wash and condition my hair, then put it back up into those sections.

Detangling with conditioner in my hair under running water-again this was done by taking one section of hair down at a time, applying conditioner and detangling under running water with my Denman brush. I personally advocate on using the Denman brush, it helped me so much during my transition as it took all the shed hairs out and smoothed my new growth down. 

Satin scarf method-I used this method every week as I wore my hair in a bun majority of the time. On wash day I would put my hair in a wet bun, tie my satin scarf around my head and either sit under the dryer or let my hair air dry, when my hair was dry I would take off my satin scarf and my hair would be nice and smooth. I would also use the scarf daily to keep my hair smooth. In doing this I would either apply a moisturizer, brush my hair back into place and put on the satin scarf for about 5-10 mins, less or more depending on how much time I had. After taking off the scarf my waves would be popping and my hair would be nice and smooth. 

*If I did not use a moisturizer, I would use a little water and  Aloe Vera Gel, apply it to my hair, brush my hair into place and put on the satin scarf. 

How did/are your family/friends reacting to your transitioning?
Everyone embraced my transition! It was not a big deal for anyone. Through transitioning, I was able to encourage my older sister to do the same and she ended up transitioning for 2 and 1/2 years before doing the BC. 

Any words or wisdom for ladies, who are currently transitioning or thinking of taking that step?
For those who are currently transitioning:
Keep focused on your goals, if you want natural hair then don't give up. Whenever you feel as though you want to give up, you should remind yourself about your hair goals and continue to push forward. Remember, nothing comes easy without hard work. If you put in the hard work, the end result will be rewarding. 

For those thinking of transitioning:
I noticed that a lot of women who are thinking about transitioning are scared to take the step towards transitioning. Remember that change is okay and if all else fails, you can always go back to relaxed hair. All that matters is that you conquer your fears by - at least - trying to transition to natural.