Going Natural? Or Stretching Your Relaxer? Try A Transitioning Kit!

Product lines are stepping up their game by creating products geared toward women that are transitioning from relaxed-to-natural. Transitioning kits are giving women the tools they needed packaged all together to combat breakage, soften new growth and maximize moisture during the grow-out phase. Most women bumped the transition phase and just go straight for the big chop (BC) instead, to prevent the frustration and the breakage that happens while transitioning.

Transitioning kits could be helpful to your hair journey (HJ). Now, if I would have found info on these two months ago, I would not have resorted to texlaxing to wean my hair out of my relaxer. Oh well. I'm still happy with the results of my hair, however, I will be trying these bad boys out and put them to the test.

I am so feeling the idea of transitioning kits! Now, I haven't tried any of them as of yet, but I'm definitely game to try one of them out and give yall a review. One thing, I've learned about my tresses is, it luxuriates best when I use products from the same product line. It needs that consistency in order to thrive, so a kit that provides a shampoo, conditioner and everything else it needs to be luxurious in it's own way, works for me. I really think my hair would do-the-damn thang, with one of these kits.

First up, we have Carol's Daughter 1-2-3 Transitioning Kit. Now, Carol's Daughter is claiming to the first-and-only hair solution kit for transitioners, but, I was able to find more transitioning kits out there, so I don't know about them being the only, but they could be the mastermind behind the transition kit. I'll have to do some research on that. Let's get down to business.

    The Carol's Daughter Transitioning Kit includes:

     Purifying Extra-Gentle Cleanser, 4 fl oz

     Renewing Scalp Spray, 4 fl oz

     Restoring Anti-Breakage Treatment, 5.5 fl oz  

Price: $40 can found purchased at Carol Daughter's stores or www.carolsdaughter.comwww.carolsdaughter.com

The promise: This easy 3-step kit offers a solution to the 3 problems transitioners face: product build-up, scarred scalp & breakage at the points of demarcation. Now big choppers, long grow-outs and protective stylers can transition from relaxed to natural hair with less shedding, a healthier scalp and softer hair.
The facts:  93% Less Shedding, Healthier Scalp & Softer Strands* *independent study results


 Shea Moisture Hair Repair & Transition Kit.

The Repair & Transition Kit includes (4 oz. each):
• Moisture Retention Shampoo – Cleanses, softens, moisturizes and helps repair damaged, over-processed hair; sulfate-free. Winner of an Allure Best of Beauty Award.
• Restorative Conditioner – Moisturizes and helps restore dry, damaged, over-processed hair. Winner of a Natural Health Beauty Award. May be used as a leave-in or rinse out conditioner.
• Reconstructive Elixir – Natural oil-based treatment intensely hydrates and repairs hair and scalp while adding sheen; acts as a sealant to lock moisture into hair.
• Deep Treatment Masque – Deeply nourishes moisturizes and rejuvenates hair and scalp. May also be used as a leave-in treatment or styling cream.

 Price: $21.99. You can find this at your local Walgreen's or Target stores and online.

The promise: SheaMoisture Repair & Transition Hair Kit, which deeply moisturizes and help heals and strengthen dry, damaged hair, provides a protective barrier from environmental elements, heat and styling aids. These all-natural formulations include raw shea butter, which moisturizes and nourishes with fatty acids and vitamins, argan oil, heralded for restoring shine and rebuilding elasticity, and sea kelp to detoxify hair follicles and scalp of impurities and residue


**FYI,I have used the Deep Treatment Masque. My girlfriend tried it on her hair and she didn't like it, so she passed it on to me to try and I was pretty satisfied with the results. How I used it was, I mixed it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) deep conditioned on dry hair. I dampened my hair little with some Aloe Vera Juice and applied. Left it one for 1 hour with heat. My hair came out soft, moist and strong too, but I must admit, I was not absolutely in love with it.


Karen's Body Beautiful Healthy Hair Transitioning Kit

The Healthy Hair Transitioning Kit includes:

• Luscious Locks Hair Mask: Nutritious Deep Condition Treatment. Softens, Moisturizes, & Detangles 
• Mane Makeover Hair & Scalp Treatment: Promotes a healthy scalp environment that supports hair growth
• Secret Weapon Restorative Hair Treatment: A balm that strengthens, repairs and restores your tresses.     

Price: $39 can be purchased at www.karensbodybeautiful.com.The Promise: This trio can minimize breakage, stimulate hair growth and promote a healthy scalp


Curls Transitioning Diva Kit

The Transitioning Diva Kit includes:

• Curlicious Curls Cleansing Cream without worry. This super hydrating, sulfate free cleanser with gently cleanse without stripping essential nutrients.
• Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea conditioner is the deep treatment your transitioning tresses need. Formulated with natural botanicals, exotic extracts, and nourishing emollients designed to moisturize, condition, and strengthen. 
• Quenched Curls Moisturizer!Prevent breakage by restoring elasticity & keeping your tresses moisturized, daily with  This super hydrating, detangling leave in conditioner/moisturizer is now formulated with sunscreen to help protect your hair from damaging UV/UB rays.  
• Curl Souffle is the perfect product for transitioning. This rich curl cream hydrates, defines and locks in moisture required to prevent breakage during your transition. An ideal "new growth smoother" as it naturally softens and relaxes kinky hair and helps to "bridge the gap" between your natural and relaxed tresses.
• FINISHING - Formulated with certified organic coconut oil and pure Champagne & Caviar extract, Champagne & Caviar Curl Elixir imparts brilliant sheen, and repairs and moistures dry, damaged tresses. 

Price: $72 can be purchased at  http://www.curls.biz/about-curls.html

No promises for this kit!

Again, I haven't tried any of these kits, but they are definitely on my wish list. If I had to pick which one I would try first, I would go with Carol's Daughter. What attracts me to Carol's Daughter's kit is that there are only 3 products to use. Since, a wash day with transitioning  hair can be overwhelming 3 easy steps is wassup!

Have you tried a transitioning kit? Share your thoughts with me.

Hair Journey CONFESSION #1

The bad news is the summer is whisking away rather rapidly.

The good news is I'm alive and in good health.

The hair news is I'm in a protective style. I am wearing wig cap. It's my go-to when I don't want to be bothered with my hair. The difference with wearing them now is I take much better care of my hair, than when I wore them before my hair journey (HJ).

Confession #1 - I started this blog with the idea to grow out my short cut and my relaxer at the same damn time (shout to 2Chainz!). Well, yeah um, what had happened wuz.....I got frustrated with the two textures and did not know how to control it, so I texturized my hair. I experienced some breakage during the process and that's when I said something has got to give. My stylist suggested a texturizer. At first I was like, "wait does that mean I'm going to have a like a jheri curl type look?" Hey I'm an 80's baby so that's my definition of a texturizer, but she broke it down for me and said a relaxer straightens the curl pattern and a texturizer softens the curl pattern. She was the one to convince me to give up perming but she also convinced me that texlaxing will be helpful with transitioning out, since I was struggling with the growing out phase a lot. So, the ultimate goal of going natural is still very much there, BUT I'm going to wean my way out of the transitioning phase by texlaxing.

Although, a texturizer can make your hair bone straight like a relaxer if you let it sit long enough, however, the applying time is way shorter than a relaxer so the results will not be bone straight. In the hair world, its called texlaxing. You can achieve a texlax by using a no-lye or lye regular relaxer by cutting your applying time in half OR you can achieve a texlax by using a texturizer.

The actual definition of texlaxing is the process of purposefully under processing one’s hair in order to loosen the texture of the hair without completely straightening it. This method is less damaging and leaves the hair thicker than a relaxer.

Texturizing is still a chemical process, but I must admit I like it waaaaaay better than relaxing, for my hair at least. The texturizer my stylist used is Linange Shea Butter Texturizer. She mixed it with a little conditioner and an oil.

Here's why I love my texlaxed hair:
1. The chemical does not stay in my hair that long literally under 5 mins. How my stylist applies it is she parts in four sections BUT she is working on each section separately. For instance, you know when you are relaxing and your hair is parted in four sections and you work on section by section but you rinse out the relaxer when all four sections are completed. Well, my stylist applies to one section and then rinses out that section and on to the next one. I love how she does it. Less prone to overprocessing, it's easier on my tresses and my hair is not bone straight. Luvs it!

2. I love having a bit of a texture. My hair looks fuller because it is not bone straight the texture adds some fullness and body to my hair.

3. Healthier tresses. yes yes texlaxing is a chemical process but a less-stressing applying process. When I would get relaxers I would do this over dramatic fake my-scalp-is-burning act with fanning my hands and tapping my feet and all, in order for the stylist not to relax to bone straight. Ask me why I went through all that trouble to put that act on because it was the only way the stylist would get it out of my head. Now, I have a totally new stylist who understands my tresses and the importance of the chemical process so that act I have retired.

Are you texlaxed?