The Best of Kurly Ken, 2014 Edition

Well, it's the end of the 2014 year, and I am excited with anticipation for what 2015 will bring. But first, before I go into the new year, I thought I would do a bit of decluttering. For me, this involves decluttering my closets of clothing, makeup, jewelry, shoes, and accessories. I said good bye to old clothes, never worn clothes, and clothes that just simply don't fit. Makeup items, jewelry, shoes, and accessories that had not been worn this past year also said their farewells. It felt amazing to get rid of the unnecessary things! Highly therapeutic! Out with the old and in with the new, right!?!

But on with today's post... 

I thought I would dedicate today's post to the three of the best blog posts from Keeping Up with Kurly Ken. If you haven't had an opportunity to check them out, you definitely should. 

Cozy up with a warm blanket, hot chocolate (or whatever your warm drink of choice), and most definitely your favorite blog post of Keeping Up with Kurly Ken! 

Blog post 1: Do you prepoo?

This blog post provides helpful tips on how I personally pre-poo as well as benefits associated with the pre-poo process.

Blog post 2: Twist and Curl Pictorial 

Do you need a cute but simple holiday style? This blog post has it all for you with step by step instructions and a pictorial guide. 

Blog post 3: The LOC/LCO Method + My Homemade Moisturizing Cream

One of my most popular blog post to date, this post provides the foundational steps to follow the LOC/LCO method for moisturized healthy hair. Now, if you don't know what the LOC/LCO method is, you should definitely click the link above to find out. 

If you haven't guessed it by now, this will be the last blog post on Keeping Up with Kurly  Ken for 2014. I am excited about all the new changes that will take place on the blog, upcoming blog posts, and ventures on Keeping Up with Kurly Ken. 

Happy Holy-days and New Year to you and yours! See you in 2015!

Kurly Ken

The devil is a lie: Hair Envy

This post is about hair envy!!!! What is it? Who has it? And how do you get rid of it?

Hair envy happens to many naturals. It is especially common when people first transition to natural. When I first went natural, I stared at other naturals' hair like Naptural 85, Mahogany Curls, Beautifulbrwnbabydol, and the list goes on, hoping and wishing for hair like theirs. I was unable to see the beauty in my own texture, and I become very unhappy with my own hair. I wanted their length. I wanted their fullness. I wanted their definition. I want! I want! I want! Does this sound familiar yet? Over the time span of being natural, I began receiving compliments from my coworkers/ peers/ friends, which forced me to look harder at my own hair. I began to explore this "beauty" they had found within my hair, and I truly started caring for the individual needs of my tresses. With time, patience, and nurturing, I began to fall in love with my own tresses and see the same beauty (that others had seen) in my hair as well. Don't get me wrong! I still see the beauty in the natural tresses of others; however, I no longer reject my own curls and coils in acceptance of another naturalista's.

What is it? 

Hair envy is the when you covet your neighbor's hair or tresses, ultimately becoming disappointed with your own hair.

Who has it? How do you know if you have hair envy?

Anyone can have it. The following is some of the symptomology of hair envy:

• If you could cut someone's hair off and pass it as your own, you have hair envy! 
• If you considered scalping someone because of their luxurious curls and kinks, you have hair envy! 
• If you stare at pictures of hair in adoration, and look at your hair in frustration, you have hair envy! 

Twist and Curl 

How do you get rid of hair envy?

Hair envy is real! I know first hand! I used to suffer with it in the initial months of my natural journey. If hair envy is something you struggle with, try these tips!
1. Embrace your hair. Find several styles that work for your own beautiful texture. By doing this, you will see the beauty and versatility in your own hair.

2. When someone compliments you on your hair, accept the compliment. Even if you don't believe the compliment initially, accept it anyway. 

3. Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media outlets are great ways to find inspiration through hair pictures; however, try to follow people with a similar hair type to yours. 

4. Create realistic expectations for your hair. Realize that your hair is uniquely yours, and when you strive for a braid out, it will look differently than another natural's braid out. Your Bantu knot out or twist and curl won't look like mine! Expect that your hair will be different and embrace those differences as your hair individuality. 

5. Let the hair of other naturals serve as inspiration. Tracee Ellis Ross reacted to the fact that so many women idealize her luxurious mane: “I love that you love my hair, but I only love that you love my hair if it inspires you to love your own.” Bottom line: You can appreciate the manes of other naturals as long as you love and appreciate your own first!!!

PSA: If you or someone you know has hair envy, help them out! Don't be a victim to hair envy! Lol!

No seriously, Kurlies weigh in: Have you ever had hair envy? Don't leave me hanging! 

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

Twist and Curl Pictorial

Hey Kurlfriends,

This is a pictorial (picture tutorial) of my first time attempting a twist and curl using perm rods. My twist and curl came out shiny, moisturized, bouncy and just overall, freaking awesome! I absolutely loved this hair style, and it was super easy to maintain. 

Let's hop to it! First off, I started with dry stretched hair. Remember those medium size twist I was rocking in my recent post for Fashion Friday; I took my hair down from those to do this style. To also achieve this style, I used three products, which were my homemade moisturizing cream, aloe/water spray mix, and perm rods. 

With those three products, I completed the following steps:

1. Take a small to medium size section of hair. 

2. Spray the section with the aloe/water spray mix and begin lightly finger detangling. 

3. Apply a dime size amount of the moisturizing hair cream (or the cream of your choice) to the ends of the section of hair and then twist the section of hair.

4. Once the section is twisted, take the perm rod and begin rolling up the ends of the hair. I only rolled up an inch or so.

Twelve plus hours later, I took my hair down, and it looked like this:

Left picture: My hair immediately after perm rods were removed.
Right picture: My hair after I carefully separated the twist. 

After a little finger fluffing, my hair looked like this:

I loved the center part! It definitely made a statement! 

I took away the part on these pictures! You couldn't tell me nothing with this hairstyle!
Kurly Ken in full effect!

Now, I attempted to maintain this style for several days. 

The pictures below detail the hairstyle's progression.

The picture above is day 2 hair. By the end of this day, my hair encountered some precipitation.

The picture above depicts day 3 hair, which still had some curls, but it obviously had some shrinkage as well. I made this a fro-hawk day. 

By day 4, I surrendered and gathered my hair into a puff! I definitely think this style would have lasted longer if my hair had not gotten wet on Day 2. To maintain this style at night, I wrapped my hair up in a silk scarf, and in the morning, I would fluff and go. That's it! 

I hope this pictorial helps you in achieving this style. If you have any questions or want a video tutorial, leave them below. Happy hairstyling! 

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

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