Help! Transitioning but Scared.

Hi All,

I'm a newbie and I'm transitioning. My last relaxer was in August 09. I didn't do a BC just stopped relaxing and started wearing braids. My 4a hair now is between SL/APL (when straight) with about three inches of relaxer at the ends. I want to be fully natural but I have some challenges.

1) I'm finishing law school and joining a conservative law firm this year. I'm concerned that my natural look won't be accepted (even if no one says anything directly).

2) I swim for fitness 3 times a week. I need to be able to wash quickly and frequently. Wash N Go has not worked due to shrinkage (though I didn't know about stretching until recently).

3) The shrinkage is killing me. I go from SL/APL straight to EL when air dried w/o product. With a leave in and braid out, it will go down to CL but I am not accustomed to such short hair and I don't feel I look my best with it.

Basically, I don't want to relax, due to issues with damage in the past. I also want to grow my hair to MBL. Is there any natural style or regimen that I can do quickly that will help me show off my length? I want to keep swimming, as it is my passion.

HELP!

Prettypithy,

First of all, congratulations on finishing law school and joining a firm!! That is really awesome, girl!

My career presents similar hair dilemmas because I work with yuppy-type surgeons. I love them, but they are yuppies. Anyway, I'm still learning and deciding the best "conservative" natural look. I used to straighten my hair for the whole work week, but I'm trying to grow it out for my wedding now, so I want to skip the flat iron for a while. Here are my thoughts:

Shrinkage cannot be avoided easily. Stretching with a BO is the best answer, but obviously you don't have much time for that everyday. I think an updo is the only option for the days that you swim. Make sure to prep your hair well by applying coconut oil and wetting your hair in the shower before you get in the pool.

Don't ever air dry without product. There's no coming back from that, haha. A chignon or french twist can be smooth and sleek with a creamy leave-in and a good styler. It's hard for me to make good recommendations without knowing a little more about your hair, but I love Alterna Hemp Straightening Balm. It gives good hold to keep frizz from popping up midday. Look through the Styling Products for Natural Curls in the shop at Hair Liberty for some other good options.... http://hairliberty.org/shop . Whichever product you choose, make sure to apply it generously to soaking wet hair. That will make a big difference in how your final style turns out.

I'm also fond of banana clips, chopsticks, and hair clasps. Hair clasps/barrettes are nice bc they look sophisticated and keep your hair hidden at the same time. I love stuff like this from Etsy... http://www.etsy.com/listing/59089465/stunning-organic-horn-hair-clasp

I'm biased, but I think you will love Hair Liberty ( http://hairliberty.org ). The site is full of factual info and step by step instructions for our hair. Perfect for professionals who need to look top notch everyday as a matter of livelihood. I'll be posting a pictorial of how I do my twist outs in the next 48 hrs.

HTH! Give yourself some time to practice with updos and accessories before you start at the firm. Good luck with everything!

Thanks for your reply! Very helpful! Hopefully, I'll post hair pics soon for more specific advice.

Hey chica. I saw a video today on YT about banding by blackonyx77. You may wanna check it out. Maybe you should try cornrows with a bun. Best of both worlds I think. Can't wait til my hair is long enough for that...