Sometimes your hair depending on the process it’s been through in the past will bounce back into shape quite easily.

But if you’ve been chemically straightening, frequently ironing or heat styling for a while, then you’re going to need a little bit of patience ,love and care for you to transition back to your curls.

 

Firstly you need to search for a curly hair stylist that is an expert in managing curls.

 

You need to find someone that makes you feel comfortable and you feel comfortable with as it’s going to be a journey and you need to have trust in person and the process.

 

What I’d suggest when looking for a stylist is book in to a couple of well-known reputable curly hair salons and have a consultation. That way you can easily determine if they are the right fit.

 

Have all your questions ready. Don’t be embarrassed about asking any questions, remember you’re just learning about your curls so no question is going to be ridiculous.

 

Have your pictures ready .The more prepared you are the easier it will be for your stylist to understand who you are ,what you like and what you don’t like.

 

Depending on what stage you’re at in your curly hair journey, you’re stylist will ask you the kind of products you’re using and also the process in which you’re using them.

So either take a picture of the products you’re using or list them for your stylist.

 

The way I manage the transition is that I customize and approach to the individual firstly we determine the potential of how much curl or curl pattern there is. This can be determined by thoroughly wetting the hair and activating the curl by squeezing and scrunching upwards into the hair.

 

This will determine quite easily where the curl sits, the curl pattern and the potential curl.

At the same time as establishing the curl pattern I diagnose the condition of the hair meaning the strength and elasticity. Sometimes the hair will need protein for strength or intense nourishment and hydration or both to bring it back to it’s natural curl.

Once we have a properly hydrated the curls l begin to dry the hair in its most natural curl.

Ok! So this is where you can get a little scary! Because the hair has been straightened for a long time the hair will obviously look the longest it possibly can.

More often than not the hair will need to be cut and re-shaped to wear into it’s new curly shape.

This is where the real expertise of the curly hair master comes into it.

It’s so important to have the right shaped haircut to suit, your face shape, because curly hair by nature is a more voluminous, so facial proportions and diagnosis is imperative.

It also will give us the chance to cut anything that looks too straight and that hasn’t bounced up in the hydration and treatment part of the process.

 

This can be a little stressful because your going to lose some length.

And I don’t know any girl that wants to lose length in the hair!

 

But be assured ,you don’t need to cut all the hair off at once ,you can do it slowly and a little more often so there’s not too much of a shock to the system.

I recommend having a small amount off every eight weeks.

 

One of the other things that I recommend you consider is not washing your hair as often,l recommend about 2 to 3 times maximum per week with one of those washes being a clarifying wash.

There are some golden rules when it comes to curly hair washing, co-washing, clarifying, or even shampooing and conditioning.

As there are so many different curl types, there are also different combinations of how to approach your curls, your stylist will definitely help you find the best combination.

 

And believe it or not ,just like it can take a little time to figure out what works well in straight hair ,it can also take as much time to figure out what works best in curly hair. It’s all about the process and the journey of understanding your curls.

 

My top tips for transitioning your hair from straight to curly !

 

Find a curly hair salon and stylist and have those dead ends gotten rid of.

 

To start with, look for products that are as natural as possible and don’t contain any sulfates, silicon‘s, parabens.

Generally speaking products that are CURLY GIRL APPROVED will definitely tick all those boxes.

 

Try doing some scalp massaging with essential oils.(Lavender, peppermint, lemongrass, and Cedar wood )are some of my favorites.

This can definitely stimulate hair growth over time.

 

I recommend taking a really high grade multivitamin and vitamins that specifically stimulate hair growth. (HAIR 369 Has the active ingredient Biotin that stimulates hair growth)

 

I strongly recommend doing an OLAPLEX or LOREAL SMARTBOND treatment to restore the hair strength. It does this by improving the strength of the bonds within the hair structure.It’s unlike a deep conditioning treatment as it works more internally in restoring the hair.

 

Sleep with a satin pillowcase, sleep cap or scrunchie this will definitely help the frizz and the hair getting into nots whilst sleeping, it keeps the hair from dehydrated it’s also great for keeping your skin healthy. Satin has been used as a beauty product for more than 50 years.

 

Don’t tie your hair up too tight this causes breakage in your hair especially around your hairline, the looser your hair is when you tie it back the better.

 

Never brush your hair when your hair is dry. This causes your hair to tear and pull and causes frizzy and broken hair.

Only detangle your hair when it is absolutely wet and has conditioner or treatment in it.

Best to detangle your hair with your fingers then a brush, remember start from the ends and work up to your roots.

When drying your hair with a towel it is important to use the right fabric, using a smooth cotton or even a T-shirt can do the trick. One of the best towels you can buy is an AQUIS towel.

 

This is the time to give up on heat styling or brush drying your hair, the more you can avoid doing this the quicker your curls will come back to life.

Using a diffuser on a low speed and low heat is the way to go if you’re going to you use heat.

 

If you have overly co loured hair you may need to transition out of coloring, especially the lighter colors as they are the more damaging to the hair generally.

Semi permanent, demi permanent or acid colors are best for curls as they have the least amount of damage on the hair.

They only tend to lift half a shade to one shade lighter, add depth,shine and gloss.

You can achieve some really lovely reds, Coppers , chocolate’s and chestnut colors with minimal to no damage..

I wish you the absolute best on your journey to discovering the natural beauty of your hair.Do a deep conditioning treatment at least once per week, (this can vary depending on the type of curl pattern)

 

Some recommended and products l use and recommend . https://innersensebeauty.com/  www.ethicalbrandco.com.au/products/clever-curl 

 

​