Ask Lisa Price how to transition to natural hair.

Once you let go, embracing natural hair (open in new tab) is an empowering experience. However, the transition to natural hair is not easy. Understanding the beauty of trying curls (open in new tab) is the first step. The transition to natural hair happens when you choose to fully extend the chemical relaxers that change the texture of your hair. (opens in new tab) To guide you, I consulted the incomparable Lisa Price, founder of the hair empire Carol's Daughter. (opens in new tab)

"Everyone's hair is different, everyone's lifestyle is different. Each person has to look at their situation and decide what they feel comfortable doing, and it's much easier to make those choices now than it was 10 years ago."

The natural hair movement has gained significant momentum since it emerged to shift the industry more than a decade ago, when naturalists were documenting their transitions on YouTube. The good news is that there are more resources now," Price said. 'And there's a lot of trial and error by others. Read Hair Guidance by Carl's Legend.

Step 1: Hold your heart and hair goals together. Instead of rushing the process, give yourself patience and plan accordingly. Take time to learn about your hair throughout your journey instead of yearning for instant gratification.

"If you've never done this before, you don't know what your natural curl pattern is," Price notes. 'People who have been relaxing since childhood or puberty have never styled their hair in this way, so they don't know their own curl pattern or how their hair grows.' Everything is new, there is no right or wrong. Don't ask yourself why your curls don't look like her curls. Because it is your hair and it is your personal journey.

If patience is not your virtue, the most tried and true way to speed up your natural hair journey is to "big chop."

"If you want to start from scratch, it takes about the same amount of time as it would to trim your hair with clippers. And you're right in the middle of it, with the Big Chop," Prince says.

You have to weigh your options and decide what is more important to you, such as how long the transition will take or how much length you have left during the transition process." Doing a "big chop" can speed up the migration process. But in that case, no length will remain," Price explains.

Transitioning without a big chop is possible. There are several styles for the natural hair journey. According to Price, no one style is better than another; it depends on each person's patience, lifestyle, and budget. If you are not willing to cut off all of your hair, consider trying alternative and accessible protective styles such as braids, twists, faux locks, and braiding.

"The decision to transition is entirely up to you," Price says. 'Depending on how much length you want before cutting your hair, the full transition process can take two to three years. If you want to transition with length before cutting your hair, keep your hair in a style that protects it at all times. Every time I release a protective style, I can determine how many inches my hair has grown," she said. When Price was transitioning personally, her intermediate styles were braids and twists.

With protective styles like braids, plaiting, and crochet twists, you want to make sure you are not braiding with excessive tension. Says Price, "You don't have to take pain medications or ibuprofen to braid your hair tightly." 'Tension alopecia is common. Once the hairline falls out at the roots, it will never grow back. You can make hair grow back, but you can't make the follicles grow back, so it's important to take care of the edge.

When styling, it is easy to overuse products, but using too much heavy pomade or gel on the scalp can lead to damage. Heavy pomades clog pores," Price warns.

"Gels contain a lot of alcohol, which dries out the edges.

Price suggests making a day of not putting any product on the hair at all. 'Skip the gels and leave-in products and see what your natural hair does on its own,' she says. Sometimes we use so much product that we don't even know if our hair needs all of it."

Anything that can damage your hair should be avoided. If you can't put down hot tools, heat them safely and keep it to a minimum. Another way to transition is to stop heat styling altogether and apply natural curls with the intention of extending relaxers.

"Some people relax just for the convenience of caring for their hair, and the difference between relaxed and natural hair is simply that it is easier to care for," Price explains.

"They avoid heat styling until they get length, so moving to curly hair may not make much difference."

Understand that you don't have to do this alone. Instead, you can go to a skilled stylist who specializes in natural hair transitions. Hair is vulnerable to damage because it is in a sensitive state. A hair stylist can determine where new growth will begin after you stop putting relaxers in your hair and can determine exactly when and where to condition your hair.

"There is a boundary between newly growing and relaxed hair. It becomes fragile and can lead to breakage," Price notes.

"Over a decade ago, when we were following people's natural hair journeys on YouTube, they were talking about blowing out their hair and having whole clumps come off. They were shocked and thought they had done something wrong in their routine, but that is the line between relaxed hair and new hair growth, which weakens over time. It is easier for the stylist to identify it before it actually does and advise when it should be cut."

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Deep conditioning provides the hair with a good amount of moisture and minimizes the amount of attention paid to the hair. Deep conditioners provide the hair with a good amount of moisture, so the attention you pay to your hair is minimal.

"Using products that deeply moisturize the hair is key," Price notes. If you're going to blow-dry, you want the borders of your hair to be as supple as possible. If you're curling, you want the relaxed ends to match the roots as closely as possible. Deep conditioning is an important part of the routine for anyone transitioning their hair."

Price continues: "Our Monoi Mask (opens in new tab) ($32) and Coco Cream Velvet Hair Mask (opens in new tab) ($12) are two very strong Candidates. It is ideal for moisturizing the scalp and hair. Scalp care is very important when transitioning to a protective style. You don't want to stress your scalp or edges. Moisturizing your scalp during protective styles can help with comfort and reduce itching."

Your health is directly related to your curls. It is important to nourish the inside of your body, which leads to healthy hair on the outside.

"On a personal note, I take vitamins and supplements for my hair, skin, and overall health. I exercise regularly, drink lots of water daily, and eat a primarily plant-based diet. The healthier I am overall, the better I feel and look."

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