Transitioning Curls: Julian

PC: What is your name, age, and how long have you been transitioning?

J: My name is Julian Gravesande, I am 27, and I’ve been transitioning for 17 months.

PC: How long do you plan to transition?

J: I don’t know how long I’ll be transitioning, maybe until my relaxed ends look too thin to hold on to. I think 24 months would be ideal as I’ll be just about armpit length. I have had problems with getting from shoulder length to armpit so I at least want to be a little past armpit before I big chop. I also had a goal of getting to waist length while transitioning. I've been there since last summer so I've been wearing my hair out a lot, maintaining it at that length, and enjoying it. I'm pretty comfy where I am. I have no urges to go longer at this moment.

PC: Why did you decide to transition?

J: Well I was natural before for about 18 months then got bored and sick of single strand knots. Immediately after relaxing I realized it was mistake and that I should have gotten a weave. I wasn’t broken up about it though so I just made the decision to transition that same year after enjoying the relaxed hair for a few months. I touched up about 2 or 3 times after that, my last relaxer was the first week of September 2010. I decided to transition because I found that I missed my natural hair and that I preferred it over my relaxed hair. I love big, large, poofy hair plus I was reminded of how relaxers wreak havoc on my edges which I’m still working on.

PC: What products do you use?

J: My products:

- Castile soap for shampoo

- Nexxus emergencée for protein

- Suave Professionals for deep condition and cowash

- CHI flat iron

- Kid’s organics moisturizer

- IC Fantasia heat protector

- Split ender for trims

- Grape seed, castor, olive oils

- My own herbal oils that I steep
- Scunci No-Slip Grip Evolution Hair Elastics Assorted Colors

PC: What is your hair care routine? How do you deal with the two different textures?

J: I wash every 3 weeks.

 Wash day

-  Section hair in about 15 pony tails

- Wash with unscented castile soap

-  Apply Nexxus Emergencée, shower cap, leave in for 20 to 30 minutes under steam cap

-  Apply Suave Professionals Humectant Conditioner for dry hair

-  Overnight DC for about 6 to 8 hours.

-  Rinse and check scalp for conditioner build up.

-  If there is buildup, take my very soft tooth brush and scrub my scalp gently to remove as much conditioner as I can.

-  ACV rinse if needed for porosity. 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 64oz of water. This is what works for ME. It may not be standard for someone else so try at your own risk.

-  Air dry to about 70% or 80%.

-  Blow dry and flat iron, or detangle and braid back up. I finger comb when I blow dry to detangle. I use a comb only if I feel it's needed. This was achieved with a Revlon Amber Waves Professional Ionic Dryer RV672AW and FHI flatiron.

Now it is imperative that I do all this in sections because the minute I let my hair loose while wet there will be problems. Plus my blow dry/flat ironing is always more organized. When I do the latter, I use Fantasia Heat Protector.

If it weren't for this method I would not have lasted this long through this transition and would have had to big chop sooner. I also finger comb 95% of the time because it lowers the chance of breakage. I also do this in small sections.

Daily Blow dry/Flat iron maintenance regimen

Daily maintenance of these styles is pretty simple. I put my hair into 4 to 6 sections by finger combing. I never use a comb unless I feel like I need to which is about 1% of the time. About two times a week I apply an herbal oil mix to my scalp only and massage. Most times I don't bother to add to my ends because the oil applied to the scalp makes its way down the strands. When I do I use coconut oil or grape seed oil. I wear a satin head tie to bed but sometimes I do fall asleep without one. This is how I wear my hair when I'm not in protective style mode. When styling to go out it take out the braids and finger comb into the style I want. I use a comb if I feel I need to.

Daily Protective Style mode regimen

When I am in protective style mode I wear my hair in about 10 or 12 plaits. Once a day I moisturize with Kids Organics Moisturer and seal with an oil mostly coconut or grape seed. If I run out I'll use whatever oil I have in my stash of products to use up. I add Mega-Tek to the length once a week to keep up with the protein balance concentrating mostly on the demarcation area. I also finger detangle each section twice a week. When going out I wear either a wig or a head wrap. I prefer to use a du-rag instead of a wig cap.

PC: What are some of your favorite transitioning hairstyles?

J: I’m pretty simple when it comes to styles. I normally wear my hair loose and flowy when I’m not in protective style mode. I don’t use a lot of product, just minimal oils. I also wear pinup styles and ponytails. 

PC: Can we see your transitioning progress?

J: I don’t have many pics but here goes.

PC: What is the hardest part of your transitioning journey?

J: The hardest part of my journey was holding getting through the summer. So I got a weave for a bit and then just washed and blow dried and styled my hair as I mentioned in question 6. Then there was last month when I wanted to wash and the thought and of blow drying then flat ironing made me tired I wanted to big chop. Oh and there was last March/April when I bought a relaxer and neutralizing shampoo because I was thinking about relaxing again. I was living in Georgia and the new growth and Georgia heat were messing with my head man. I still have them and still didn't do anything. I'm strong aye? I'm back in New York and that relaxer has been sitting on my dresser for months to the point where I barely even notice it anymore.

PC: What tips/suggestions do you have for other transitioners?

J: Tell anybody who opposes your transition to kick rocks. You know why you want to be natural; whether it's as extreme as relaxers making your hair fall out and you don't want to be bald by the time you're 30, or you simply just want to work with your natural hair; because if you continue to relax and end up bald those same people will laugh at your bald head. People ask why I could cut off all this hair but it will grow back!!! I've also been told by a family member that I have "n----- hair" and that it wouldn't grow back. Hello? I refuse to have my hair called that and have you forgotten my big chop in 2008?

Protein and moisture are your friends. I suggest a reconstructing protein treatment as those are very strong and in my opinion needed for long term transitioning, especially if you plan on using heat regularly. I have used heat a lot in this journey and apart from washing my hair in ponytails I would not have made it without my nexxus. My relaxed ends would have been gone a long time ago.

Once you learn the protein and moisture balance for your own hair you should be fine. Just listen to your hair. I routinely use protein treat and deep condition if I’m going to flat iron. If I’m just going to blow dry I only use nexxus every two washes. I wash every 3 weeks.

If you plan to transition long term, when washing make sure to work the protein and deep conditioner into the demarcation area as this is the weakest area, same thing when doing your daily moisturizing. Also watch those relaxed ends and trim when needed, those ends can start to get on the thin/scraglely side. Not sexy.

Additionally I recommend that you always work with your hair in sections especially if it's not blown out. DO NOT let all your hair tangle up for any reason, you will experience potential mega breakage at the demarcation area. Also finger combing as much as you can even after a wash and air dry reduces breakage immensely. I have seen the major difference it made compared to using a comb even if it was a big tooth comb. It takes longer but it's worth it for me.

These are the basics for me and many others but the best thing I can say is maybe build from this if you want to but most importantly, listen to your hair. Remember that everyone's hair is different and what may work for one may not work for all.

Julian actually recently did her big chop! Check out her post about it here!

I am loving the transitioning styles as well as your natural hair! Thanks so much Julian for sharing your transitioning story and congrats on your recent big chop! Be sure to check out her blog here!