My Blow Out Process for Natural Hair + OOTD

Hey kurlies,

There is nothing like a blow out! Blow outs equal full, stretched hair and tons of fun! In this post, I'll describe the steps I take to blow my hair out. 

 The products:

Wide tooth comb, hair clips, a dollop of my homemade moisturizing hair mix, Fantasia IC Heat Protector Straightening Serum, and a very old Gold N' Hot blow dryer (it's definitely time for an upgrade but it will do for now)

This is an up close look at the Fantasia IC  Heat Protector Straightening Serum. I really like the way this feels on my hair. It gives my hair a soft, moisturized feeling.  

The Process: 

#thetwists #shrinkageisabeast

1. I started out with freshly washed and detangled hair. See my wash regimen here.

2. I let my hair air dry for thirty minutes while I polished my toe-sies! 

TIP: Letting your hair air dry first will cut down on the amount of time you have to use on your hair. Less heat, less opportunities for heat damage! 

3. My hair was slightly damp after 30 minutes. I left my hair in the twists and placed my twists in four sections using the hair clamps to hold them in place. 

4. To blow dry, I would undo one twist and apply my homemade moisturizing cream and the heat protectant. Then I would hold my hair tightly to use the tension method as I blew my hair out. No combs or brushes were used during the blowdrying processes!!! Also, I would alternate between hot and cold air when blow drying my hair. 

5. When the section was dry, I would use a wide tooth comb to comb the section of hair. 

Results of Blow Out: 

Big hair, don't care

I placed my hair in four Bantu knots while I got dressed, which took about 45 minutes. When I took my hair down and fluffed it, I got this...

Wait for it!

Wait for it! 

BAM!!! Got compliments all day! 

The bigger the hair, the harder they stare!  

Quick outfit of the day: Kimono (thrifted), tan spaghetti strap top (Forever 21), 
and black bodycon skirt (Forever 21)

#fluffyhair #headingouttogomeetupwithhubby 

Bonus: 

#2nddayhair #bangingit #alittlepompadeuraction

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

Style Post: How to Wear One Graphic Tee in Multiple Ways

Hey Kurlies,

One staple item that should be in the closet of every woman is a graphic tee. Graphic tees can be worn in a variety of ways. In this post, I will show you several ways to style a graphic tee. This graphic tee comes from Nicole of Naturals Knack. 

I absolutely love this tee because it depicts the beauty of natural hair. Descriptive words are included in the hair of the model on this shirt, and the phrase "I woke up like this" seals the deal (for all my fellow Bey Hivers). Check out the shirt in a variety of colors and sizes here.

Without further adoo, let's move on with this style series.

Look 1: Back to the Basics with Jeans and a Blazer

In the first look, I show you how to wear a graphic tee and add structure to it with a blazer. I'll style a simple black blazer with dark denim jeans in one look, and to add color, I'll pair the tee and black blazer with cobalt blue jeans in another look. 

Outfit Details:

Black Blazer: H & M

Dark Denim Jeans: J. Crew Jeans (thrifted)

Cobalt Blue Jean: AG Jeans (thrifted)

Necklace: Rue 21

Earrings: Rue 21

Look 2: Rough and Edgy with Camouflage

In the second look, I show you how to switch up a graphic tee by tucking it in. I can't really describe this look, but maybe you can! Edgy is definitely one word that comes to mind!

Outfit Details:

Camouflage Pants: ???.... Sorry

Necklace: thrifted

Earrings: B. Supply

Look 3: Midi Skirt Mayhem

In this look, I took a basic black midi skirt and paired it with neon heels. As for the graphic tee, I knotted it on the side. 

Outfit Details:

Black Midi Skirt: Forever 21

Earrings: Forever 21

Bracelet: Giftes

Shoes: Gifted

Belt: Forever 21

Look 4: Who wears Short Shorts!?!?! 

Me... I became really enthusiastic about cutting off the neck of my shirt to give it an off the shoulder look. Below are some pictures of my DIY moment. 

Placed dots around the neck so I knew where to cut

Snip, snip, snip, and done

A few minutes later, a curly Fro, natural hair tee shirt, and 

some high waisted shorts emerged. 

Outfit Details: 

High Waisted Shorts: H & M (these were a DIY project too)

Tribal Necklace: Rue 21

Hoops: Rue 21

Look 5: All White Everything

This last ensemble is all white. White graphic tee! White pants! With an all white outfit, any shoe would go. Orange lips courtesy of MAC Morange. 

Outfit Details:
White Jeans: Marshall's

Jewelry is the same from Look 4 

Graphic tees can be worn in a variety of ways to be dressed up and most definitely dressed down. I hope this post inspires you to add creativity and style to your graphic tee.  You can also show support to the natural hair community and Nicole of Naturals Knack by purchasing your graphic tee from Teespring. 

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

Hair Porosity: What is it and how will it help my hair?

Hey kurlies,

Do you feel like your hair never stays moisturized? Do you feel like products aren't working on your hair? Today's post is dedicated to identifying your hair porosity. I'll discuss why your hair porosity is important and how it can help you figure out the best products for your hair.

What is hair porosity?
The porosity of the hair encompasses how the hair absorbs and holds moisture. The cuticle of the hair, which is the outer hair layer, determines how easily moisturizers and oils are moved in and out of the hair. Now, hair porosity differs by the individual. An individual can have high, medium/ normal, or low porosity hair. Your hair porosity is determined by your genetics as well as some environmental factors, like chemical processing or heat exposure. 

How do you determine your hair porosity?
Medium or normal porosity hair has cuticles that are raised just enough to absorb moisture. This type of porous hair stays moisturized longer. Using a moisture rich conditioner is beneficial as well as sealing the ends with a natural oil. Protein based conditioners should not be included in this daily regimen, but it can be used occasionally in treatments.
Highly porous hair has cuticles that are raised the highest out of all three types. This hair quickly absorbs or "drinks" up moisture. The hair is likely to be high porous due to damage from chemicals and other environmental aspects. Apple cider vinegar rinses have been found to be very beneficial for closing the cuticle and retaining the moisture in the hair. Additionally, conditioners that are rich in moisture are very important for this hair type. Also, using a heavier hair butters, like shea and mango, and oils, such as castor and olive oil, will allow the hair to maintain those moisture levels. For this type, protein treatments can be used on a more daily, or more regular basis, with this porous type.

Well, I'm glad you asked. You can determine your hair porosity with these simple steps:

1. Take a strand of clean hair  directly from your scalp and place in a glass of water.
2. If it sinks in less than 2 minutes, you have high porosity hair. Your hair readily absorbed the water. If your hair stays at the top (after 2 minutes), you have low porosity hair. Your hair did not absorb the water in the glass. If your hair floats at the top but eventually sinks to to the middle, you have normal, or medium, porosity hair.

My strand of hair is floating at the top of the water on the right side of the glass.

So I found out I have low porosity hair. I felt like I received a bad grade on a report card. For whatever reason, hearing the word "low" made me feel bad, but there is much hope! Now that I know my porosity level, I can begin to align my hair products to meet my moisture needs and you can too!

What products should I use?
Low porosity means that your hair is compact and typically resists opening up to water and moisturizers. Baking soda has also been beneficial with low porous hair because it lifts (opens) the hair cuticle and allows the hair to absorb moisture. Your hair will benefit from water based liquid leave ins that are light in consistency. It also likes light oils like jojoba, grapeseed, and coconut oil. It can also benefit from humectant products, like honey or glycerin, that attract and hold on to moisture. You want to stay away from heavy oils and grease because they will likely "sit" on the hair. 

I personally prefer knowing my hair porosity over my hair type. My hair porosity  is easier to identify than my hair type, but that's just me! Checkout my post on updated hair regimen to see how I integrate the best hair products for my porosity level.  

Kurlies Weigh In: Are you ready to find out your hair porosity? If you know your hair porosity, what is it and what products do you use to help maintain your hair health?

Style Post: Feeling Blue

Hey Kurlies,

This is a spontaneous fashion post. VERY LAST MINUTE! I've worked all morning and I'm headed out to see the fam as well as meet up with hubby later. This outfit is cool and comfortable! Enjoy! 

Gray Spaghetti straps: Forever 21

Blue high low skirt: Forever 21

Tan belt: H & M

Gold hoops: local beauty supply

Gold multi colored necklace: Francesca's 

And yes, those are blue and purple tips in my hair! I promise I didn't intentionally match the blue hair with my skirt. I was literally feeling the color blue today. Anyways, I used a blue color pigment and Maybelliene Color Tattoo, as seen in this post, Purple Stuff: Temporary Hair Color. 

Enjoy your weekend! 

Be faith filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken