Texturizing to Transition with the BC....Your Thoughts? All Heads Welcome.

[MonPetite]

Texturizing to Transition without the BC....Your Thoughts? All Heads Welcome.

THE TITLE SHOULD READ: WITHOUT THE BC! MY APOLOGIES!


[/COLOR]My thoughts go along these line:

My 4" TWA shrinks down to 1 inch on a good day. Love natural/curly hair...not in love with shrinkage. Can't imagine relaxing again...ever.

So...texturize/texlax 4a/3c hair to a set 3c -length shows more, curly texture remains. One that is very similar to natural texture of 4a/3c (intentionally).

Never get a touch up. Let hair grow naturally.

Enjoy the length initally gained after a BC by texturizing -but not so much your natural texture can't mesh right in with it.

No need for touch ups, no over lapping, no over-processed ends.


Would this be a way to have your mochi and eat it too?


I ask because the grief I get over being natural is wearing away at me. I'm tired of the looks, off comments, and down right negative ones I get all around. It's easy to say "Do you", but I'm not as obsessed as I was about being natural. I am against MY (read, only my head, I'm only talking about ME here, I was relaxed for years) head ever being relaxed or texlaxed again...and I can't stand chemicals on my scalp.

For the first time using chemicals would be a style choice (I miss all my long hair terribly). I must have curly hair on my head. I can't see myself with straight hair anymore, it feels like a costume to me. It's as if going natural has given me the ability to see relaxing/texturizing/texlaxing as a style choice...not a lifestyle choice as it was for me before.

Thus my experiementing with natural ways to texturize lately.

Doing this would give me back some of my length which I loved far more than I realized when I BCed, get my family off my back (somewhat, straight hair still reigns around here), and if this worked...I'd enjoy transitioning to being fully naturally without BCing again.

It CAN be done, at least when there is a greater amount of natural hair to texturized hair, which I found out while transitioning. At the time I was texlaxing my 4a hair to 2a, so the textures were obviously too different. But I kept a curly fro of 3a hair next to 3c/4a hair without issue and it looked cute. It only became an issue when my natural hair caught up to it in length and the difference in textures became in issue, because again my "3a" was too far from my natural texture.

My thoughts would be if the texturized hair is so very close to the newgrowth in texture it wouldn't be a serious issue.

No...I don't like weaves, braids, phony ponies, quick-weaves, etc.


I'm just thinking of a variety of things at the moment. More than likely I'll forget about this for a couple weeks as I did two weeks ago. And the two weeks before that.

But I would like to hear more experienced ladies' thoughts. I've been relaxed, texlaxed, and now natural...I've never been texturized. Now that I'm no longer on either extreme of straight/wavy hair is better or natural hair is better....I'm wondering just where DO I stand?


Or maybe I should order some Megatek and call it a day?

 

[Platinum]

I feel you! I'm transitioning (24 weeks post). I love my texture (I can't keep my hands out of my head now) but the shrinkage is a beast. I'm discouraged but it so I'm considering a texturizer or texlax.erplexed Maybe I'll braid it back up so I won't have to worry about it for another 2 months.

 

[LadyEuphoria007]

I understand where you are coming from about the looks and comments.

IMO screw those that don't like your decision to go natural (this is my motto). When I lacked confidence I faked it and faked it well. Realize that you are sensitive during this time and try not to over analyze every comment or gesture.

For the texturizing thing...it seems that you'd have in the long haul 3c ends and 4a roots, but if you didn't process it long enough then it wouldn't even work...

IDK. erplexed

{{Hugs}} it's frustrating when others give you grief over your hair choices.

ETA: I love your hair though...I stalk your fotki often lol

 

[CHEEKQUEEN]

Hey Lamb,
I don't have much time to elaborate or give my thoughts because I about to step out. I have seen this done. Check out this album http://public.fotki.com/simnicity/ . I know what you mean about the shrinkage. Good luck!

 

[ImFree27]

r u transitioning? if you are and you want to texturize, it doesnt make sense to do the bc....

 

[tatiana]

Have you tried banding, twisting, braiding or products that "fight" shrinkage such as Miss Jessie Curly Pudding, Kinky Curly Curling Custard?

Even if you texturize your hair you would have to get a touch up because sooner or later your hair will start shrinking again.

 

[Platinum]

r u transitioning? if you are and you want to texturize, it doesnt make sense to do the bc....

She's rocking a TWA, she BC'd a while ago.

 

[kblc06]

r u transitioning? if you are and you want to texturize, it doesnt make sense to do the bc....

She's already natural & bc recently. But she is thing of using a natural texturizer to regain some length and sway off the negative comments...at least I think that what she was trying to say

 

[DozenRoses99]

Have you tried banding, twisting, braiding or products that "fight" shrinkage such as Miss Jessie Curly Pudding, Kinky Curly Curling Custard?

Even if you texturize your hair you would have to get a touch up because sooner or later your hair will start shrinking again.

I agree with this completely. After several months, the new growth is going to have a lot of shrinkage and the ends are going to be looser.

I know that you mentioned that you do not like weaves, but if you are really unhappy about the length then you may want to look into weaves and wigs on a temporary basis.

 

[discobiscuits]

My thoughts would be if the texturized hair is so very close to the newgrowth in texture it wouldn't be a serious issue.

I thought that too but the texturize method was a failure for me. However, everyone's hair is different so what did not work for me may work for someone else. I just know that I would not do it again.

 

[Napp]

this is a bad idea. texturized hair is nothing like natural hair

 

[hopeful]

Some people only texturize twice a year which wouldn't be so bad. Also, I think you can texturize starting about an inch from your scalp to avoid chemicals on your scalp. I think you and your hair are beautiful. I say go for it if you can't stand the shrinkage, but please don't do it because of other people's reactions. The people looking at you crazy are stupid.

 

[Soliel185]

I kinda did this by accident. I stretched for 7 months, and then texlaxed, as soon as I did it I regretted it and wished I'd just kept going b/c I'd be so much further along now. My ends before the stretch were bone straight from a stylist incident last June. I noticed that the demarcation line btw my bone straight and natural was way more stressed and breakage prone than the line between text and natural. I'm working on trimming off the bone straight ends, and then I will probably let it grow for another 14 months before getting rid of the texlax. The texture is looser, but not too obviously different, so I'm hoping to do some WnG or Puffs once the bone straight ends are gone.

 

[MonPetite]

{{Hugs}} it's frustrating when others give you grief over your hair choices.

ETA: I love your hair though...I stalk your fotki often lol[/quote]

It is. Thank you for your support though! And the shout out!

Hey Lamb,
I don't have much time to elaborate or give my thoughts because I about to step out. I have seen this done. Check out this album http://public.fotki.com/simnicity/ . I know what you mean about the shrinkage. Good luck!

OMGOSH! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I WILL TOTALLY INVESTIGATE!

Have you tried banding, twisting, braiding or products that "fight" shrinkage such as Miss Jessie Curly Pudding, Kinky Curly Curling Custard?

Even if you texturize your hair you would have to get a touch up because sooner or later your hair will start shrinking again.

Yes. SOME shrinkage is fine. Even 50/50...not the 90% I have now.

She's already natural & bc recently. But she is thing of using a natural texturizer to regain some length and sway off the negative comments...at least I think that what she was trying to say

YES. Save I'm considering chemical texturizers I KNOW will work as well.


Thank you everyone for your imput!

 

[MonPetite]

Re: Texturizing to Transition without the BC....Your Thoughts? All Heads Welcome.

Some people only texturize twice a year which wouldn't be so bad. Also, I think you can texturize starting about an inch from your scalp to avoid chemicals on your scalp. I think you and your hair are beautiful. I say go for it if you can't stand the shrinkage, but please don't do it because of other people's reactions. The people looking at you crazy are stupid.

They also share my DNA...do you know of anyone who does this? If they can do it twice a year that's interesting. No monthly touch ups. They can't be texturizing too much from their natural texture.

 

[hopeful]

Re: Texturizing to Transition without the BC....Your Thoughts? All Heads Welcome.

They also share my DNA...do you know of anyone who does this? If they can do it twice a year that's interesting. No monthly touch ups. They can't be texturizing too much from their natural texture.

Yes, I think the ladies that texturize seldom are still close to their texture. Sorry about the folks who share your DNA making you feel bad--sorry I didn't mean to insult your family either--I just hate it when people try to make others feel bad about their hair. Try not to take it too personally though, mostly it's just ignorance. I think they miss your longer hair too just like you do. Whatever you decide to do I wish you the best.

 

[MonPetite]

Re: Texturizing to Transition without the BC....Your Thoughts? All Heads Welcome.

Yes, I think the ladies that texturize seldom are still close to their texture. Sorry about the folks who share your DNA making you feel bad--sorry I didn't mean to insult your family either--I just hate it when people try to make others feel bad about their hair. Try not to take it too personally though, mostly it's just ignorance. I think they miss your longer hair too just like you do. Whatever you decide to do I wish you the best.

Thanks! I appreciate it!

 

[OneInAMillion]

My only comment: Just because you are texturizing 4a hair, this does not mean you will end up with with 3c hair. I believe my natural texture is prototypical 4a and when I texturize my hair, I end up with 4a hair stretched out.

Point is, the curls might not get "fatter" or increase in width. You'll get the stretched effect, but the best thing to do is a strand test to see how your hair will respond.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[MonPetite]

My only comment: Just because you are texturizing 4a hair, this does not mean you will end up with with 3c hair. I believe my natural texture is prototypical 4a and when I texturize my hair, I end up with 4a hair stretched out.

Point is, the curls might not get "fatter" or increase in width. You'll get the stretched effect, but the best thing to do is a strand test to see how your hair will respond.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

Mine got fatter with a crash use of baking soda and when I texlaxed they got fatter as well, I just kept going until the curls became waves. I've seen that my hair does consistently just produce a wider and wider curl until it becomes a wave. Thank you for the suggestion though. If I ever do tex I still will just to see how quickly my hair responds to that particular one. I'm still very undecided....

I may just...fiddle with baking soda for a while. Not sure.

 

[discodumpling]

If you're transitioning to texturized hair in lieu of relaxed this will work. It will not work if you wanna be or stay natural.

I'm not sure how old you are OP but with maturity I have learned to not let other's opinions of my personal decisions matter. Listen to your heart....seriously. In the end you only have to please yourself & God.

 

[DozenRoses99]

Littlegoldlamb,

I'm not sure whether you are still thinking about texturizing, but I wanted to know whether you thought about Curlaway. I copied one of the lhcf threads which talks about this product. You can also find other threads by performing a search. HTH

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=179191&page=5

 

[Eisani]

Re: Texturizing to Transition without the BC....Your Thoughts? All Heads Welcome.

They also share my DNA...do you know of anyone who does this? If they can do it twice a year that's interesting. No monthly touch ups. They can't be texturizing too much from their natural texture.

I currently 8 months into my transition but before making that decision, I texlaxed 2-3x's a yr at the most. I think it does depend on the person, but moisture is absolutely vital. Cowashes w/a moisturizing cond, water and JBCO are my BFF's. Everything else I vary.

 

[Rain20]

Texturizing has been great for me. However, I am not against chemicals at all. If you've been texlaxed you already have an idea of what to expect, except you leave the relaxer on for a shorter period to texturize. I hate shrinkage and this is why I do not want to be natural again. I also like having a few more styling options. I'm not really great at twisting and braiding and I really do not want to wear my hair to work in these styles (my personal choice). I have read some of your other threads and it seems as if there may be some other issues you are overcoming about skin color and hair type. Also I think you are used to length. I have never really had short hair until recently and I really do miss my length. Maybe once your hair grows a bit more you will not be as concerned. Also maybe buying the Mega-Tek wont be such a bad idea if it helps your hair grow while you are trying to decide what to do. HTH and I am not judging you in any way. I wish you the best.