It took me almost a year to transition to natural and I learned so much along the way. After my type 4 coils had sprung into place, then the fun really began of figuring out the shape of my hair, the color, and how I wanted to wear it.
And as I grew into my confidence with my strands, I was able to give advice to those in my life who had considered going natural and made the decision to transition to do so.
Products are truly half the battle when it comes to making the shift as smooth and effortless as possible.
Dealing with two different hair textures can be challenging, but focusing on multi-taskers that nourish your hair will make it all easier. And you’ll likely continue using the same products and brands once you’re fully natural.
Need to figure out where to start? We’ve got you.
Here are three products you’ll need in your routine as a transitioning 4C natural.
An oil for pre-shampoo treatments and sealing in moisture
4C hair has a particularly hard time retaining moisture, so frequent infusions of hydration are needed.
This can be done in a myriad of different ways, but we have a strong belief that oil really does the trick — especially one that is organic.
And there are so many kinds that have restorative, strengthening powers from castor oil to jojoba oil to sweet almond oil.
The night or morning before cleansing, we recommend a pre-shampoo treatment in which you slather your hair with oil, tie it up with a scarf or cap and then let the oil work its magic.
Post-cleanse, you can use this same oil to seal moisture in before you start your styling process. For the ultimate versatility, you can then use this oil during the week for daily hydration touch-ups.
A deeply nourishing mask
There are a few routine steps you can swap in and out, but masking is crucial for natural hair.
It not only restores and repairs your strands from everything they encountered during the week, but it boosts definition and softness.
There are so many great ones on the market, but two I’m obsessed with come from Taraji P. Henson and Oribe.
Both formulations will sink into your curls and coils and leave them drenched in hydration.
You can also use them for overnight treatments if your hair really needs a reset, or with a steamer to help the masks penetrate.
A kink and coil-defining cream
Even before you’ve fully transitioned, you want to celebrate and amplify the texture your hair already has.
That comes easily with an amazing cream that will make your hair pop and allow you to play around with different styles, from twist-outs to updos!
You want a formulation that’s creamy and moisturizing, but that doesn’t leave a white cast on your hair for the rest of the week until you wash again. This means you’ll have to try out a few to see which responds best to your hair — I have an entire arsenal.
A few that always rank high on my list include a moisturizer from CurlMix, Pattern’s styling cream, and a heavenly-scented African Pride butter.
If you do nothing else in your transition journey, I would strongly recommend giving these 3 product types a space in your beauty shelves.
These 3 products will help you transition easily and love your hair at every stage!
Did you transition or are you transitioning right now? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments!
Originally written by: Nortina Simmons
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