Natural Hair Wash Regimen + Henna Treatment

I recently completed my new natural hair wash regimen and a henna treatment! It was a total success! Here is the revised breakdown of my natural hair wash day:

Step1

Prepoo: I sectioned my hair in twists and slathered it in coconut oil. Additionally, I also added some raw honey to my natural strands. I covered my hair with a heated cap and left this in for 30 minutes. 

Step 2

Shampoo: I shampooed my hair with Shea Moisture's Coconut & Hibiscus Curl  & Shine Shampoo. I mainly concentrated on cleansing my scalp, but I also let the shampoo slide down my strands.

Step 3

Condition: I conditioned my hair for 15 minutes with Shea Moisture's Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Conditioner. While this should have only been left in for 3-5 minutes, I accidentally left it in for 15 minutes.

Step 4

Henna Treatment: I used the following ingredients:

1 package of Jamila Henna

1 cup of coconut milk

1/4 cup of olive oil

I actually prepped my henna mixture the night before to allow plenty of time for the dye to release. The next morning I applied the henna to clean strands. I wrapped my hair in a heating cap and left the henna mixture on for 3.5 hours. After this time expired, I rinsed my hair out with water and there was still some henna left in my hair. With this said, I knew the next step would remove the final traces of henna. 

Step 5

Deep Condition: I deep conditioned with Eden's Body Works Jojoba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner. I left this on for an hour and when I rinsed it out, all traces of henna were removed.

Step 6

I then followed with the LCO method, which I will discuss in a future post. You can check out my past post on the LCO method here.

The Results:

Overall, I was impressed with this natural hair wash day and henna treatment. My natural strands actually felt moisturized, thicker, and stronger after the wash regimen and henna treatment, which is not always the case! I will definitely be doing this again in another month! 

Don't forget to check out my previous post here on habits for natural hair growth!

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken 

Healthy Habits for Natural Hair Growth, Part 2

Hey all, 

Before reading today's post, make sure you check out last week's post, which is part 1. It can be found here. 

Last week's post dealt with habits for healthy hair growth from the scalp! So today's post is part 2, and it will deal with habits for length retention! 

Without further adoo, let's get to it!

Part 2: Habits for Length Retention:

In addition to healthy hair growth from the scalp, most naturals want to retain and maintain the current hair they have. Here are some habits you can do right now to help retain  the current natural hair you have. 

1. Moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize some more! Even if you spritz your natural hair with water or actually do the LCO/LOC method, moisturize those strands. In a future post, I'll be discussing my LCO method, and I can't wait to share those details (as well as results) with you!

2.  Low manipulation and protective hair styles are key. The less you manipulate your hair, the fewer instances you will have for hair breakage! Examples of low manipulation/ protective hair styles includes buns, twists, flat braids/flat twists, braids, wigs, and weaves. And even when your hair is in these styles, you still have to care for your hair so shampooing, conditioning and moisturizing should still be taking place! 

3. Being gentle with your hair is the last habit. If you have to manipulate your hair, then take your time and be gentle as you work with it. Often times, when I am most tired, I am the roughest on my hair. I have learned to put it in a puff and leave it alone. Also, I typically use my fingers rather than styling tools like combs and brushes. Nothing against them, but my fingers create less wear and tear.

Let me know your thoughts for length retention! Definitely share them below.

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken 

Healthy Habits for Natural Hair Growth, Part 1

For many naturals, healthy hair growth is a common goal, and personally, I am one of those naturals. My hair growth goal is not necessarily for length, but it is for the overall benefits of healthy hair. With healthy hair growth, hair can be thicker, stronger, and shinier! Who doesn't want that!?!

In addition to getting healthy hair to grow from the scalp, one must also know how to maintain the current hair they have to see the maximum results for overall healthy hair. There is nothing worse than experiencing 1/4 to 1/2 an inch of healthy hair growth, and losing that growth to poor hair maintenance and practices. Therefore, length retention practices are vital to maintaining healthy hair as well!

To discuss the habits, I have broken healthy hair growth down into two categories: 

1.) Habits for healthy hair growth from the scalp 

2.) Habits for length retention 

In today's post, we will discuss habits for healthy hair growth from the scalp, and the next post will serve as part 2, covering habits for length retention.

Habits for Healthy Hair Growth from the Scalp:

1. Cleaning your scalp is critical to hair growth. Hair can't grow as effectively when there is dirt and gunk clogging the pores on your scalp so keep your scalp clean. In the past, I didn't shampoo my hair. Instead, I would clarify my scalp with an apple cider vinegar and water mixture (You can see more about my natural hair wash regimen here). But lately, with working out more, I have been reaching for Shea Moisture's Coconut Hibiscus Curl and Shine Shampoo. This shampoo is gentle so it doesn't strip my hair and make it feel dry. It leaves my curls soft and smelling oh so wonderful. Not to mention, my scalp game is on point! 

2. Scalp massages are the next habit, and a daily scalp massage can help to stimulate the blood in the scalp, increasing circulation and promoting hair growth. Just grab your favorite oil, employ those finger tips, and get to massaging! To help pass time as a I massage my scalp, I like to watch YouTube videos and let my fingers do the work! Check out my post here on natural hair Youtubers you should be watching!!

3. Drinking water is the third habit, and honestly, everyone knows about the benefits of water. However, most people still don't do it. Drinking half your body weight of water can help to moisturize your strands from the inside out and also helps to flush out any toxins in your system that might be hindering healthy hair growth. 

4. Eating healthy is the next habit. We hear the phrase: "You are what you eat", but have you truly accepted it. Whatever you put in your body is what comes out of your body. Simply stated: If you eat junk, your body produces less than stellar results, which may be evident in your overall health, weight, skin appearance and hair. Your body needs its share of carbs, proteins and other nutrients to help it repair and grow. So stop and evaluate the things that you are putting in your body. Ask yourself: "Will this food be beneficial to my body and hair growth?"  Now, in all honesty, I ask myself this question, and sometimes, I still give into whatever sweet treat it is that I may be craving. Everyone is entitled to a treat every now and then! I'm not saying you have to eat healthy 100% of the time, but I am saying to make better choices so that your overall food choices reflect healthy eating habits! One of my favorite ways to consume multiple nutrients at once is through a smoothie (You can read  this post here on one of my favorite go to smoothies that has a multiple vitamins and nutrients to promote healthy hair growth). 
5. Exercise is the final habit! Exercise is known to increase blood flow and again, increased blood flow promotes hair growth! NUFF SAID!!!!

These were some practical habits that can help promote healthy hair growth from the scalp. Of course, there are other methods that can also help with healthy hair growth and if you have some additional methods, please feel free to comment down below. 

Also, check out my past post on healthy hair growth and length retention (HERE), and stay tuned for part 2 of this post! 

Until next time,

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken 

Natural Hair Youtubers You Should Follow for your Natural Hair Life

I love Youtube because I am a visual learner and Youtube has allowed me to do just that: Learn through visuals and tutorials. When I first went natural, this was one of the biggest resources I used to help me learn about how to care for natural hair, and to this day, I still use it to help me stay up to date with new natural hair products, practices, and trends. Below, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite 4a/4b/4c natural hair Youtubers:

1. Ambrosia Malbrough

Whether it's natural hair or her overall sense of fashion and style, she has got it. She recently cut her hair and has been wearing protective styles to aid the "grow out" process. Below is one of my favorite videos of her natural hair with a flawless flat twist out.

2. Angela Lauren

I came across Angela Lauren's Youtube channel earlier this year, and when I saw her skills, I knew I had to follow her. She gives off  "utter dopeness"! Check out this on a quick and easy perm rod updo:

3. My Natural Hair Sistas

These sisters have been in the game for a long time, and honestly, every time I see a new video posted by them, I get excited because I know it will be good. This channel features three natural haired sisters with a variety of lengths and textures, but each one slays! This is the newest video on their channel:

4. Kaydee TV

Kaydee TV is an up and coming Youtuber that makes you truly feel like you can grow your natural hair and look cute doing it. She provides a variety of low manipulation styles that look good and help you minimize breakage. Check out her video below:

5. Unearthed Amber

Unearthered Amber has a head full of gorgeous natural hair. I first came across her originally on naturallygg's channel as one of the sisters, but she now has her own channel full of natural hair, healthy eating, and lifestyle videos.

6. BeautifulBrwnBabyDol

BeautifulBrwnBabyDol was another Youtuber I watched when I first went natural. While her hair videos are information packed, she also provides information on her weight loss, healthy diet, exercise, and much needed inspiration/motivation. You will love her channel as well because she keeps it real.

7. Shlinda1

Shlinda1 is also someone I recently discovered, but let me say, she makes natural hair easy to understand, providing practical tips for natural hair and low porosity chicks too.

8. Journey To Waist Length

Journey to Waist Length is another recent discovery, but she really has helped me to understand my own hair better. Plus, you can literally watch her natural journey, including her transition, big chop, and her current head of lush natural hair. She is another low porosity Youtuber as well, and she does a great job of providing practical tips on general ways to manage low porosity hair:

These are just a few of my favorite natural hair Youtubers! Please share below if you plan on checking out any of these Youtubers or if you have some natural hair Youtubers that you believe should be checked out! Share the wealth!

Until next time... 

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

I AM BACK!!!

So...it happened again! I up and disappeared!!! Truthfully, I had to utilize some major laser focus to complete this final semester of coursework. As most of you know, I am completing my PhD, and I needed to wrap up my internship placement, begin dissertation, complete my neuropsychological round of coursework, and teach my undergraduates PLUS manage my personal life. So....I disappeared BUT for good reasons! I am grateful because after a very prayerful and successful semester, I can truly see the end in sight. PhD, here I come! Stay tuned for future blog posts on natural hair, skin care, and other great topics!

Until next time...

Stay faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

Product Review: ORS Replenishing Conditioner...A Naturalista's Dream

I am shocked as to why no one told me how great the ORS Replenishing Conditioner is! I recently purchased the small sample like packs from Sally's Beauty Supply and had it on stand by for the wash routine following the take down of my most recent protective style, box braids.

ORS Replenishing Conditioner (Sample Pack)

I pre-pooed with coconut oil, clarified with a bentonite and apple cider vinegar mix and then followed up with a ORS Replenishing Conditioner! Baby--- let me tell you! My hair was soft, and my hair literally took that conditioner for every bit of moisture it had to offer. I actually ended up leaving the conditioner on my hair for two hours while I went out to grab a quick bite to eat with the hubs. When I returned, I washed my hair out, and I immediately congratulated ORS Conditioner for making it to the next ranks as a " product staple", meaning ORS Conditioner will be a product in heavy rotation!

The End Results of My Hair

If you are considering ORS Replenishing Conditioner or you are looking for a new conditioner to try, here are some of the pros and cons of ORS Replenishing Conditioner:

Pros:

1. Deep penetrating conditioner enhances the moisture in hair

2. Leaves hair soft and revitalized, which is great if your hair needs a "boost" or repair of damaged hair

3. Easily accessible, found at most stores like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Target, etc.

4. Inexpensive with sample packs less than $2 or full size bottles less than $6

Cons:

1. Definitely not an organic product and if you are a fan of reading and understanding every item on the ingredient list, this is not the product for you

Let me know your thoughts on the ORS Replenishing Conditioner. Also let me know if you have used this conditioner with certain oils. 

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

Natural Hair and Exercise: My Top Three Tips to Natural Hair Maintenance while Exercising

I love working out!!! I love how my body looks after I work out! I love to sweat when I work out! I love how working out makes me feel; there's nothing like that rush of energy and instant mood boost following a workout!

And this isn't new for me! Honestly, I've always loved working out since I was in elementary school, completing the Cindy Crawford fitness tapes my college age sister left behind. I would also ride the stationary bike for an hour or so (Don't judge me;-). Even beyond elementary school, I stayed pretty active, playing basketball (although I wasn't good at it) to running track to simply completing a routine gym workout. I like to keep my body in shape, and I love the overall benefits that exercised has on my physical and mental health!

With that said, it's no secret, that I work out at least four to five times per week!  I typically run 1 to 3 miles per day, and I lift weights according to what body area (i.e. arms, chest, back, legs, abs) I'm focused on for the day! But sometimes working out with natural hair can be difficult. I can walk in the gym with natural hair hang time or a twist out that flows in the wind and leave looking like "who done it and why". 

I'm not willing to compromise the overall health of my body just for the sake of my natural hair style. In fact, I'm sure working out/exercise helps to stimulate hair growth. So here are some of my top three tips to help exercise and maintain my natural hair:

1. Rock a protective style. You can wear braids, Marley twists, Senegalese twist, flat twists, buns, roll and tucks, and the list goes on, but a protective style is key for maintaining your hair during exercise. I personally love box braids because I am able to exercise and still maintain a nice hairstyle. I can go to the gym one way and rest assured my hair will look the same when I leave.

2. Clean that scalp, girl! I sweat a lot when I work out! I mean, I sweat on my face, arms, legs, and yes, my scalp sweats too!!! So you can imagine how much sweat and dirt build up on my scalp after a five day work out routine!?!?! This is one of the main reasons I like to clarify my scalp. Clarifying the scalp helps to remove the sweat, dirt, and excess sebum that can clog pores and prevent hair growth. So my clarifying treatment of choice is apple cider vinegar. I simply take a spray bottle and mix 1 part Apple cider with 3 parts water. I then spray the mix and massage my scalp to loosen any sort. I rinse. Wash out with warm water and repeat.

3. Moisturize you hair. Exercise and sweat go hand in hand. Sweat running down the strands of your hair can actually cause dryness so it is essential for you to moisture your hair strands. Keep them hydrated with a spray bottle of water and your favorite leave in. If you are a lover of the LCO/LOC method, moisturize with your favorite products, but keep your hair moisturized by any means necessary. 

Since health is the new wealth, you really can't compromise your health for the sake of your natural hair. You have create a plan for your health and natural hair that work in conjunction with each other. You don't want to have cute natural hair with a body that looks like______ (You can fill in the blank)!  So, I encourage you to review some of these tips above and concoct a regimen that works for your body and natural hair. 

Until next time... 

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken 

My Top Five Tips for Low Porosity Hair

A while ago... and I do mean a while ago, I did a blog post on hair porosity (You can read it here). In this post, I discussed my own hair porosity, which you might have already guessed by the title, is low porosity. Being a low porosity girl is interesting. It definitely takes work--- mainly a lot of trial and error, but I have come across several tips that have made the difference in my low porosity hair. I figured I would share them with you whether you are newly natural or a natural hair veteran like me (Whoop! Whoop!).

Kurly Ken's Top Five Tips for Low Porosity Hair:

1. Clarify your hair. Low porosity hair typically accumulates product build up. Remember, low porosity hair can be stubborn in a sense that the hair shaft doesn't easily open up so there is an increased likelihood that products are sitting on top of hair causing build up. 

The best way to clarify your hair is to utilize a clarifying shampoo or treatment. Now, I love bentonite clay. It is a great clarifying treatment for your hair-- not to mention, it works well on your skin as a facial mask!!! Another common treatment is an apple cider vinegar rinse. And lastly, any shampoo that boasts "clarifying" properties is another great option when it comes to removing buildup. Remember, removing build up will allow the hair products to penetrate the hair shaft and do their job!

2. Deep condition with heat and/or steam to open up the hair cuticle. I just discussed how the hair cuticle of low porosity hair is a bit stubborn, and it takes more work for it to open. After removing any product build up with your clarifying product/treatment, you should use heat/steam to open the hair cuticle. The heat/steam will allow moisture to come in and work its magic!!! 

As a low po girl, you have a number of options you can use to incorporate heat into your wash day regimen. You can put your deep conditioner in a bowl and warm it up prior to applying it to your hair. You can also take a damp towel and warm it up in a microwave for a few seconds and apply it to your hair for additional heat. In addition to those methods, you can also place conditioner on your hair with a plastic cap and sit under a heated dryer. Many naturalistas are investing in a steamer as a means of incorporating heat into their regimen and can be quite effective at add wet heat to your hair regimen.

3. Add a little protein in your life. Some of the best proteins for low porosity hair are silk, wheat, and hydrolyzed protein. These proteins are small enough to penetrate the hair shaft. Other proteins are too large and ultimately, they are unable to enter the hair shaft to strengthen the hair.

4. Warm water over cold water. Obviously, I have talked in length about the benefits of heat, and this is no different. Rinsing with warm water allows the hair shaft to stay open, further allowing the products to penetrate the hair. Cold water closes the cuticle, and I'll just stop right there. 

5. Apply products to damp hair- NOT wet hair! As a low po girl, putting products on WET hair is simply useless. Have you ever experienced that white product residue while doing your LCO method immediately after washing your hair? Then the next day you are stuck with horrible first day hair that resembles a greasy jherri curl!!! I know I have one too many times! It's like there is literally a layer of cream cheese looking products sitting on your hair---seriously! Well, that's low po hair for you, and low po hair has difficulty absorbing product when it is damp. Why so? Well, low porosity hair already has one moisturizer on it when it is wet, which is water!!! Therefore, allowing some of the water to evaporate provides room for other products to penetrate! 

Damp hair = faster product absorption; product penetration 

Wet hair = slower product absorbption; product build up

Alrighty low po peeps, do you feel more informed??? Do you have some new tips in your Arsenal? If these aren't new tips to you, were you reminded of some things you can add to regimen? I surely hope so. If there are some tips you have learned or even product suggestions, just leave them below. Lastly, be sure to check out my previous blog posts on...

Drink your Way to Healthy Hair Growth
Natural Hair: The Afro Puff

My Wash Day Regimen

My Current Natural Hair Regimen
Natural Hair: Tips for Hair Growth + Length Retention

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken  

Drink your Way to Healthy Hair Growth

I know you picked up your wine glass in anticipation, but when I say drink your way to healthy hair growth, I'm referring to a smoothie filled with tons of vitamins and minerals that are essential to your overall health and hair growth! If you remember in one of my previous blogs on my current natural hair regimen as well as a post on hair retention methods, I talked about incorporating a smoothie into my daily regimen and the benefits I have seen in my overall health. In addition to the benefits seen in my overall healthy, my skin and the health of my hair have increased. My hair is growing in thicker and appears shinier.

To drink your way to healthy hair, you will need the following:

• 1 Handful of Kale, Chard, & Carrot (You can buy this as a salad mix)

• 2 Handfuls of Spinach

• 1 Cup of Greek Yogurt

• 1 Whole Bananas

• 1 Handful of Blueberries & Strawberries

• Almond Milk (or whatever liquid of choice)

Each of these foods is packed with so many nutritional benefits. For example....

• Kale is packed with tons of iron. Iron is essential because it delivers oxygen to the cells, and when oxygen reaches the cells, this helps revitalize and regenerate cells, preventing hair loss. 
•  Chard has biotin and MSM in it, which promotes hair growth. 
• Carrots have loads of vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes healthy hair and scalp. In addition, vitamin a promotes healthy sebum production, which also affects hair growth. 
• Spinach, blueberries, and strawberries are all packed with vitamin C, and vitamin C is essential in assisting the protein in your body and hair. As we all know, hair is made of protein, and Vitamin C acts as a facilitator for protein, allowing your hair to grow to its fullest potential. 
• Bananas are the next contender, and they are rich in potassium. Potassium promotes a healthy scalp, which ultimately affects hair growth. Remember, you need a healthy scalp to have healthy hair! 
• Greek yogurt is packed full of protein, and as I have stated, your hair is made of  PROTEIN. Having the proper amount of protein in your body allows you hair to grow at its greatest capacity. 

Now, you have my smoothie recipe so you can begin to drink your way to healthy hair growth! I love smoothies because they are easy to make. Also, smoothies allow you to consume the appropriate amounts of fruits and veggies needed for healthy daily living. So give it a try and let me know what you think! If you have a smoothie recipe, please post your smoothie details down below! 

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

OOTD: Winter Style with a Herringbone Puffer Vest

Today's post is solely focused on the herringbone puffer vest. This vest is certainly a staple piece that adds a level of class and prep to any style and can certainly take any outfit to the next level.

This particular puffer vest was recently SOLD OUT (Yep!!! I said sold out) at J. Crew, and while this vest is of higher quality, the J. Crew version costs a pretty penny too. Despite it being sold out at J.Crew, some sellers on EBay still have this vest available, and if you play your cards right, you can find it at a steal of a deal, which I highly suggest. But if EBay is not your thing, there are a number of other places that offer reasonably priced dupes, such as the vests at Zulilly's.

Today's outfit of the day was totally inspired by this picture I snagged from my Pinterest page. Follow me at Keeping Up with Kurly Ken.

Source: A Southern Drawl

Here's how I recreated the look with my own personal spin! Enjoy! 

Herringbone Puffer Vest| Gifted

Red and Black Buffalo Plaid Shirt| Gifted

Black Three Quarter Length Sweater| Forever 21

Black Jeans| Forever 21

Black Riding Boots| Nine West

Now if you aren't inspired by this vest, check out these other pictures from my Pinterest page as well.

Source: A Southern Drawl

Source: Cort in Session

Until next time...

Be faith-filled,fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

Natural Hair: The Afro Puff

Every now and then, I simply DO NOT have the energy to fool with my natural hair, and on these days, an afro puff, or puff, is the easiest thing for me!

I have thrown my natural hair into a frizzy puff like this one below.

Lazy hair

Puffs can also be more defined and polished! By simply adding bangs with a subtle center part to this simple puff, I instantly gained a more glamorous look! 

#dontmindme #shamelessbathroomselfie

There are a gajillion YouTube videos available on how to create a simple puff on natural hair. But I wanted to dedicate this post to giving you some of my tips and tricks to achieve your best puff!

Tip 1: Choose an elastic rubber band that will suit the density of your hair. For ladies that have thicker hair, you may have to choose an elastic band that has more give, or stretch, to it. I personally like to use a simple black elastic band from Goody's. And it also doesn't bother me if the band gets stretched over time because that ensures that the elastic band won't be too tight and snag any of my precious curls. 

Tip 2: Determine how you want your curls to look in your puff. Sometimes, I create a puff on my natural hair after I have recently washed and applied my LCO products to it, which gives my natural hair more definition. However, if I just want my puff to be big and thick with little definition, I don't put any product on my hair the night before I wear this style. Then next morning, I simply just wake up, untwist my hair, and place my hair in a puff! 

So just to recap: 

A. More defined puff comes from applying the products of your choice the night before.

B. Less defined puff comes from not applying products the night before.

Tip 3: The EDGES. Baby hair is on a whole new level nowadays thanks to social media but determine if you want to slick your edges down with a little gel, pomade, or cream of your choice. Smoothing your edges down is best when you are going for a more polished look when wearing your natural hair in a puff! 

Tip 4:  Add some bangs! I already showed you (in the picture above) how bangs can change the look of your puff! Whether you rock a side part with your bangs, center part or just bangs with absolutely no part at all, it can totally change your look!

Tip 5: Incorporate accessories. You can add bandanas, scarfs, and other pieces to your hair. Don't be afraid to even add color to your hair to give your natural hair puff some personality. In addition to hair accessories, your face becomes a focal point so add a pop of color to your lips or throw on your favorite pair of big hoop earrings to add some flair to your puff.

So there you have it... Afro puff 101 by yours truly! Let me know in the comments below if this if you have any tips or if this post was helpful to you!

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

My Natural Hair Wash Regimen

I thought I would dedicate today's post to discussing the details of my hair washing routine. So... Without further ado, the steps of my natural hair washing routine are as follows:

Numero Uno

Detangle: I detangle medium size sections of hair and place each section in twists. I spend a lot of time detangling my hair in the beginning because this makes the rest of my wash routine a breeze. 

Numero Dos

Prepoo: I go through each twist, smoothing coconut oil all over my strands. I then retwists the section. I repeat the same steps for each twisted section of my hair. Once my full head is complete, I place a plastic cap on my head for 30 minutes.

Numero Tres

ACV Mixture and Rinse: I create a spray bottle mixed with 1/3 apple cider and 2/3 water. After 30 minutes of pre-pooing, I unravel a twisted section and spray the ACV Mixture on my scalp, massaging my scalp to ensure the ACV is loosening any dirt and sweat in my scalp. I then retwists the section of hair and move to the next section. After I have gone through each section of my hair, I rinse my ACV Mixture out and typically repeat the process all over my head one more time. While I know this step may be time consuming, I walk away from this step knowing that my scalp is clean from the ACV Mixture and stimulated from the massaging. 

Numero Cuatro

Deep Condition: After I rinse the ACV Mixture out, I then place deep conditioner on each twisted section of hair with Creme of Natural Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment. I make sure to only apply the conditioner to my hair, avoiding my scalp. Additionally, I make sure I concentrate the deep conditioner on my ends since they are the oldest parts of hair and need the most moisture. The directions require you to leave this deep conditioner on for 10-15 minutes, but I always leave it on for longer than that out of sheer forgetfulness.

Numero Cinco

Rinse and Coat: After a while, I wash my deep conditioner out. I then untwist each section and coat it with my oil mixture (something I randomly made up). But honestly, any oil will do. I have also used pure olive oil to coat my hair with and this works just fine.

Numero Seis

Air Dry: I allow my hair to air dry and when it's fairly dry, I complete my LCO method. In the past, I would not allow my hair to air dry before applying the products in my LCO, and the next day my hair would be over saturated with product, resulting in a slight jherri curl type look! When I learned about my hair's porosity, I was able to understand more of the science behind the importance of allowing my hair to dry a bit before applying the products in my LCO method. Check out my last post on hair porosity when you have a chance. 

Once my hair is fairly dry, I apply my LCO products, which allows my hair to better absorb the product and I can stretch my hair a bit more for fluffy first day hair!! If you would like to know which products I use for my LCO method, check out this post on my entire natural hair regimen, which includes what I am doing internally and externally to promote healthy natural hair. 

Now, I'm sure you would like to see what my next day results were, right? 

Day 1 Hair

Day 1 hair was fluffy and fairly stretched. Now, day 3 hair was even better than day 1 hair. It was defined and shiny!

Day 3 Hair

So those are the deets on my natural hair washing routine. This routine is still in the works to identify the conditioner that works best for me, but I definitely have some great contenders for top products. If you have a great deep conditioner, please list it below. Also, if you have a bomb natural hair washing routine, list that as well. I'm always looking for insight!

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

My Current Natural Hair Regimen

Well, shame on me! It's been a long time since I have provided an update to my current natural hair regimen. For the past 8 months, I have been solely focused on protective styling! I literally only took my hair out to wash, deep condition, and wear my hair out for a few days in preparation for the next protective style. However, I now OFFICIALLY miss my hair! I've been wearing it out naturally for the past few weeks, and I have slightly tweaked my natural hair regimen to include some new products and practices.

But before I get into my natural hair regimen, let's take a walk down memory lane. Remember, in April 2015, I cut my hair. My hair was seriously neglected, under moisturized, thinning, and desperately needed a fresh start.

New cut with a twist and curl in April 2015

Soooo.... after my hair cut, I increased the moisture levels in my hair by incorporating daily moisturizing habits and deep conditioning on a more frequent basis. Consistency was the key, and my hair truly began to bounce back. As the summer time approached, I wore my hair in braids or twists, but I still moisturized daily as well as washed/conditioned my hair while in these protective styles.

 Braids

In September 2015, I unleashed my locks for a bit. I was pleased with the overall growth and length retention; hence, the picture below. Check out my posts on some of the things I was doing to increase growth and retain length.

 September 2015

After wearing my hair out briefly, I decided to go back into protective styling for the duration of the semester. Braids, of course, were my first choice. 

November 2015

Now, January 2016, I miss my natural hair as I stated above so I am wearing it out. When I reflect over the past 8-9 months, I can see that my hair has seen substantial growth as well as retained its length. Of course, I have trimmed it, but in spite of the trims, my hair appears healthier. It's much fuller and stronger, and I am definitely pleased with the results.

January 2016

January 2016

Let's do a comparison!

Top picture is from January 2016; Bottom picture is from September 2015

Below you will see the modifications to my natural hair regimen:

Internal

1. I take one prenatal vitamin, which includes fish oil and biotin in it as well. I no longer take a separate supplement of fish oil or biotin.

2. I increased my water intake from 8-10 glasses to 10-12 glasses of water per day. 

3. My diet is still mainly pollo-pescetarian, which means my meals consist of fish, chicken, vegetables, and fruit. I eat this way about 85% to 90% of the time. No changes here!

4. I wanted to increase the daily amount of fruits and vegetables. I currently drink a 32 ounce smoothie that includes a smorgasbord of fruits and veggies. Read more about it here.

5. I work out at least 4 times per week (running in conjunction with lifting weights)

External

Wash Routine

First off, I wash my hair as needed. Sometimes, I wash weekly and other times bi weekly. It really depends on how my hair feels and my schedule.

During my wash routine, I typically:

1. Pre-poo with coconut oil and honey for at least 30 minutes under a plastic cap. Check out my post on my pre-poo process here.

2. Then I clarify with 1/3 apple cider vinegar, 2/3 water. I place this mixture in a bottle and massage it into my scalp. Then I rinse out the mixture with water and repeat these steps until I feel my scalp is clean. Since I work out a lot, clarifying helps to remove the sweat, oil, and product build up from my scalp.

3. Next up, I  deep condition with a little homemade concoction of Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque, olive oil, glycerin, and honey for 30 minutes to an hour. Other ready made conditioners I have recently tried (and enjoyed) have been Creme of Nature Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment and Eden's Body Works All Natural Deep Conditioner (Jojoba monoi).

4. Next, I rinse out the deep conditioner. Apply an oil to seal and then I allow my hair to air dry for an hour or two.

5. After 70-80% of my hair is dry, I begin my LCO Method with my 1/4 aloe vera juice, 1/4 glycerin, and 1/2 water spray mixture, followed up with Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque as a cream, and olive oil to seal

Moisturizing Routine

Now, when my hair need a little moisture, I apply Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque and/or coconut oil. I also like to do a 5-10 minute scalp massage with a little olive oil or coconut oil on my finger tips when I moisturize my hair.

And Every Now and Then....

Occasionally, like every 6 months or so, I do a henna treatment.  If you would like to know more about my henna treatment, click here to read the post.  

Well folks, that's pretty much it. If you have any questions regarding any of the products or practices, please feel free to leave a comment down below.