The Sequel.

Many of you have asked how I restored my curl pattern and how I maintain my hair.

There were days where I would wash my hair and the only parts that would curl were my roots, leaving the rest of my hair straight. I would constantly beat myself up over it because I knowingly damaged my hair on my own. I dyed it light brown, which already hardened my hair texture, and then I made one of the worst mistakes of my life: I dyed it red using bleach one month after! In addition, I would also add constant heat to my hair- only worsening my hair’s overall health. My hair was no longer curling, so what else was there left to do to it?!

Almost two years later, I finally woke up from that nightmare and finally woke up everyday to hydrated, curly hair. I don’t mean to sound cheesy but my life literally turned around. I was so happy to have my natural locks back and just being able to wash-and-go.

In a time where natural hair is now being appreciated, it’s virtually essential to love the crown you wear on your head. So if you’re currently transitioning, you’ve come to the right place.

1. To start off, you must stop bleaching and coloring your hair.

We should all know that bleach and constant hair coloring will ruin your curl pattern. Your curls will resemble a noodle-like pattern and your hair will become dry and brittle. Bleach and hair dye also give your hair a brassier color (especially if you don’t use a toner or moisturize your hair), which makes your damaged curls look even more unhealthy. This may be a difficult change for those who love color, but it’s a must if you want to begin your healthy hair journey.

2. Stop adding constant heat to your hair.

You don’t have to cut off all heat use, but you should definitely minimize the amount of times you straighten your hair in a month. Whenever you do blow dry your hair, make sure to do a roller set first and go in the hair dryer. Blow drying your hair right after you wash it will irritate it, take away all its moisture, and even worse- leave you with the split ends from hell. And please- don’t use flat irons! They are curly hair’s worst enemy and they’re the quickest way to ruin your curl pattern. Besides, they produce a fire-like smell- not pleasant at all.

3. Research your hair products before use- and stick to healthy oils!

I stick to hair products with healthy oils like coconut oil, argan oil and jojoba oil simply because they deeply moisturize my hair and smell amazing. Coconut oil is my favorite ingredient because it replenishes my curls and keeps my scalp healthy. Others take a liking to argan and jojoba oils as well because they tackle dry and frizzy hair and minimize fly-aways. Your hair should never have to beg for moisture which is why it’s important to do your research on a product’s ingredients.

4. I have to make this very clear: THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL ACHIEVE YOUR NATURAL CURLS IS BY CUTTING YOUR HAIR.

I can’t stress this enough. There is no other way around it. There is NO curly hair product that can retrieve your curl pattern. I’ve spent a lot of money on useless products in hopes to get my curls back and they were all unsuccessful. There are products that enhance your curls, but don’t expect to achieve curls through these products if your hair isn’t curling. After all, your natural hair is natural, so if you have bleach or color in your hair, the only real way to get rid of it is to cut your hair as it grows out. I know the process can be overwhelming because hair doesn’t grow super fast (if it did, the transition process would be much easier.) I would cut my ends every 3 months because I didn’t want my hair to be too short. Some people cut their hair every 6-8 weeks, but it’s up to you to choose a timeframe. After slowly cutting my hair, I finally decided to do a bigger chop, and my curls literally began to bounce right after. My hair only had about 2 inches of straight hair left, so I knew this chop was going to be it, and it was!

5. PATIENCE IS KEY!

The transitioning process isn’t the easiest, but it’s worth it. I really thought my transition process was going to be much longer, but I took the appropriate steps to restore my natural hair and I got rewarded at the end. They say if you’re sad, then your hair will be sad too- very true! I would literally look at my damaged curls in the mirror and I would cry sometimes- that’s how serious it was. I’m much more happier now and so is my hair. What I love the most about my curls is the convenience I have with them. All I have to do is wash my hair, add product, air dry and go. Definitely much more convenient than adding heat and styling. Patience, young grasshoppers.