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Quick Summary Hair transition is the process of moving from straightened and chemically treated hair to natural, healthy, curly hair. In 3 steps:
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Have you always had curls, but years of straighteners, relaxers, and chemical treatments have gradually made them disappear?
You are not alone. Thousands of women in Morocco and around the world face the same challenge: how to rediscover their true curls, without cutting everything off overnight, and without getting lost in a sea of products that don't suit them?
The good news: a successful hair transition is within everyone's reach. All it takes is understanding the steps, adopting the right practices, and choosing natural care products adapted to your curl type.
This is exactly what you will discover in this guide.
What is Hair Transition? (And Why Do You Need It?)
Hair transition is the period during which you gradually move from straightened and chemically treated hair to natural, healthy, curly hair, while allowing your original hair texture to grow out.
In concrete terms, it means saying goodbye to straightening, blow-drying, and heat, to welcome natural and healthy hair.
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Why it's important: Chemical treatments and repeated heat alter the hair fiber and prevent your hair from expressing its true texture. At the same time, certain ingredients like silicones can imbalance the scalp and weigh down the lengths. To better understand how silicones and sulfates concretely affect the hair fiber, consult this scientific insight. Hair transition therefore allows you to start over on a healthy basis, gradually eliminate these accumulated effects, and let your hair regain its natural state, stronger, more supple, and with curls that truly redefine themselves. |
To better understand your hair texture and adopt the right care, it is essential to know the nature of your curls.
Who can do a hair transition?
Anyone with naturally wavy, curly, coily, or kinky hair can make a transition, including children! Whether you've straightened your hair for 5 or 20 years, it's never too late to start over.
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Type 2 — Wavy Slightly wavy, often fine |
Type 3A/3B — Curly Loose to tight spirals |
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Type 3C/4A — Coily Tight corkscrew curls |
Type 4B/4C — Kinky Very dense zigzag, fragile |
Step 1: Big Chop or Gradual Cut, which strategy to choose?
First and foremost, the first decision to make in your transition: should you cut? The honest answer: cutting damaged lengths significantly speeds up the transition. Two approaches are possible:
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Method |
What it involves |
For whom |
Advantages |
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Big Chop |
Cutting all treated lengths at once |
Those who want a radical fresh start |
Immediate results, curls visible faster |
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Gradual Cut |
Cutting a few centimeters every 8 to 10 weeks |
Those who wish to maintain length |
Less stress, smooth transition |
In all cases, the gradual cut remains the preferred method for most women: it allows for maintaining a certain length while progressively eliminating treated and damaged ends.
Step 2: Prepare Your Hair — Clarification
Once your cutting strategy is chosen, your hair needs a reset. Years of chemical products, silicones, and pollution have formed an invisible deposit on the hair fiber.
This second step is called clarification (or hair detox)...
How to clarify your hair?
Clarification is an essential step that aims to deeply eliminate residues accumulated on the hair fiber (film-forming agents, excess lipids, environmental particles), while respecting the biological balance of the scalp.
To be truly effective and safe, it must be performed using a specifically formulated clarifying shampoo, such as Naturiam Clarifying Shampoo.
Its formulation allows for deep purification of the fiber while preserving the physiological pH, which guarantees the integrity of the cuticle and the overall health of the hair.
To learn more about the occlusive effect of silicones and the need to eliminate them, discover this detailed analysis.
Conversely, certain alternative methods often used (clays, baking soda, homemade mixtures) have an uncontrolled pH.
This imbalance can disrupt the structure of the hair fiber, lead to excessive opening of the cuticles, and permanently weaken the hair (dryness, breakage, loss of definition).
Controlled clarification is not limited to "cleaning": it restores an optimal environment, allowing subsequent treatments to penetrate effectively while maintaining hair strength and elasticity.
To start your transition on a good basis, our Natural Protein Treatment is ideal as a post-clarification treatment: it closes the cuticles and strengthens the hair fiber weakened by years of chemical treatments.
Discover the Natural Protein Treatment:
Step 3: Building Your Natural Hair Routine
This is where it all happens. A well-constructed routine is the key to seeing your curls reveal themselves month after month. It unfolds in three main moments: washing, caring, styling.
- Wash: without aggressing
During hair transition, washing is not limited to cleaning: it must both purify and preserve hair balance.
It is essential to integrate a clarifying shampoo into your routine, in order to regularly eliminate residues that prevent the fiber from returning to its natural state.
Ideally, perform a clarification every 2 to 3 weeks using a clarifying shampoo formulated to respect the physiological pH of the scalp, such as Naturiam Clarifying Shampoo.
Between these clarification phases, opt for a gentle sulfate-free shampoo, designed to cleanse without disturbing the hydrolipidic film or weakening the fiber.
This alternation must be maintained during the first 6 months of transition, a period during which the hair gradually rebalances.
Beyond this phase, a monthly clarification is sufficient to maintain a healthy scalp and a hair fiber free from any accumulation.
- Complete routine for curly hair
Naturiam has designed an entire routine adapted to the specific needs of curly hair, from the first washing step to the final styling. Formulated with natural plant-based ingredients, without sulfates or silicones.
Do you have wavy hair instead? We have also thought of you! Our Wavy Hair Routine is specially formulated to enhance your natural waves and reveal them in all their lightness.
- Care: hydration first and foremost
Curly hair is structurally drier than straight hair: its spiral shape prevents natural oils from descending along the fiber. Hydration is therefore your absolute priority.
- A hydrating mask at least once a week
- A protein treatment once a month to strengthen the fiber
- An oil bath (olive, avocado, coconut oil) before shampooing
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💡 Tip: Apply your treatments to wet and clean hair, never dry. Curls absorb active ingredients much better when the fiber is still saturated with water. |
- Styling: defining without damaging
Styling is the step that will allow you to see your curls take shape. Some essential techniques to adopt:
Styling is the step that allows you to reveal and structure the curl, while protecting the fiber between washes.
A key element of this step is the use of a leave-in (no-rinse treatment). It continuously hydrates, maintains the suppleness of the fiber, and acts as a deep treatment between washing routines. The choice of leave-in must be adapted to your hair type and its specific needs (fine, dry, porous, etc.).
In addition, the application of a styling gel is essential to seal this hydration and set the shape of the curls. It allows for creating a lasting structure, limiting frizz, and maintaining definition over time, without weighing down when the formula is well-balanced.
During the transition phase, we particularly recommend the finger coiling method. This technique consists of wrapping strands one by one to guide the hair fiber and encourage the natural formation of curls.
It is particularly effective when the texture is still irregular, as it helps to gradually re-educate the curl's shape.
Finally, it is important to understand that there is no single universal method. Each head of hair reacts differently. Testing different styling techniques (product quantity, application order, methods like scrunching, finger coiling, etc.) is an essential step to identify the routine that perfectly suits you.
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Mistakes to Avoid During Your Transition
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Common mistake |
What to do instead |
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Brushing dry hair |
Detangle only on wet hair, with a wide-tooth comb and conditioner or mask |
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Using a cotton towel |
Dry with a microfiber towel |
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Washing too often (3-4×/week) |
1 to 2 washes per week |
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Changing products every week |
Allow 4 to 6 weeks for a product to show results before judging |
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Using a straightener 'just this once' |
Adopt protective hairstyles when needed |
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Neglecting nighttime protection |
Sleep with a bonnet or satin pillowcase |
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Expecting results in 2 weeks |
Anticipate 6 to 24 months of transition depending on hair type |
How long does a Hair Transition last?
This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is: between 6 and 24 months depending on your hair type and the condition of your lengths.
The more your hair has been exposed to chemical treatments, the longer the transition will be.
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Note: During the first few weeks, your hair may feel 'greasy' or dry: this is completely normal. The scalp is rebalancing after years of conventional products. Persevere, the results always come. |
The key to success: regularity + patience + good products. This is not a one-day transformation, but a true journey towards rediscovering your natural hair.
Conclusion
Hair transition is much more than just a change of products: it's a reconciliation with your true nature. Your curls have always been there, patiently waiting beneath layers of chemicals and heat.
With the right techniques, the right care, and a dose of patience, they will return, more beautiful, more defined, more you.
Frequently asked questions:
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How to start a hair transition for curly hair?
Start by gradually eliminating sources of imbalance (excessive heat, unsuitable products), then perform a first clarification using a clarifying shampoo formulated to respect the pH of the scalp.
Then establish a routine structured around three pillars:
1- Wash with an alternation between clarifying shampoo and mild shampoo,
2- Treat with products adapted to your hair fiber
3- Style with a leave-in and a gel to moisturize, seal and define your curls.
The regularity and consistency of this routine are essential to allow the natural texture to gradually re-express itself.
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How long does it take to get back your natural curls?
The duration of a hair transition generally varies between 6 and 24 months depending on the condition of the hair, the intensity of past treatments and the regularity of the adopted routine
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What products should be avoided during a hair transition?
Avoid products that disrupt the balance of the scalp and hair fiber, especially harsh sulfates, insoluble silicones, mineral oils, and drying alcohols.
Similarly, uncontrolled clarification methods (clays, baking soda, homemade mixtures) should be limited, as they can unbalance the hair's pH and weaken its structure.
Prefer formulations developed to respect hair physiology, in order to support the transition without creating new imbalances.
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Is it absolutely necessary to do a big chop for a hair transition?
No, a big chop is not mandatory. It is possible to gradually cut every 8 to 10 weeks while allowing natural regrowth to grow.
