Originally Posted by Titi Branch (Post 162)

Here are five tips:

1) Deep conditioning is a must because there are two disparate textures that
you want to soften. The natural texture and the relaxed texture. The point
at which they join or the line of demarcation needs to be mositurized and
conditioned or it is prone to breakage.
Rapid Recovery is excellent for this.

2) As you grow your hair out it's going to become more challenging to style
your hair because of the disparate textures. Our best advice is to do a
twist set to get the textures to be similar. That means take small sections
of your hair and twist while damp. You will have to use a rod at the ends of
the hair to get it to curl because this is relaxed. Allow it to air dry or
sit under an overhead dryer and then untwist. THe result will be a
consistent twist pattern from root to end. This is a good styling method
because it avoids keeping direct heat off the hair. Use Curly Meringue for a
twist set.

3) If you're not ready to do the big chop yet gradually cut away your
relaxed ends. Sometimes cutting those ends will give your hair enough body
so that you can scrunch in a curl. Use Quick Curls for scrunching.

4)If your hair is too challenging to style while growing it out you can do
braids or weaves to take your mind off of it until you are ready to do the
big chop. Remember hair grows at a rate of 1/2 inch per month. So after a
year of braiding and rebraiding or weaving and re-weaving you will have at
least 6 inches of natural hair so that you can then do the big chop!

5) If you are really brave you can always do the big chop and go natural
right now. THat means cutting off all the relaxer now and you wil be left
with a cute short fro or TWA (teeny weeny afro)!Curly Buttercreme of Baby
Buttercreme is good for this.