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 

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. 

My Secrets Revealed: My Homemade Moisturizing Cream

Hey Kurlies,

I am finally dishing the goods on my homemade moisturizing cream/mixture. It's super simple. For the most part, I use the same oils and definitely the same cream. I may supplement one or two oils depending on my hair needs, but in the end, my natural hair is moisturized. 

 My recipe includes the following ingredients:

OKAY African Shea Butter

Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Louana Coconut Oil

Sunny Isle Jojoba Oil

De La Creme Sweet Almond Oil

Now, when I combine these ingredients, I never use exact measurements. I "eyeball" it everytime.

1. First, I start with the shea butter, and I use a substantial amount of this. 

2. Add the olive oil. This is about a teaspoon amount. 

3. Add the coconut oil. I add a large amount of this. The amount of coconut oil is typically more than the Shea butter. Coconut oil has been working really well on my hair as of late so I always include it in this mixture.

4. Jojoba is added next. I literally add a quarter size of this.

5. The last thing I add is the sweet almond oil. I typically add a table spoon of this. I love the way this oil smells. Pure sweetness.

I whip up all the ingredients and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then...Ta-da! I have my mixture. On this day, I placed my hair in large twists and pinned them up. I'll keep these twists in for the week.

My hair is moisturized and protected. This will also cut down my time preparing for school and practicum this week. At night, I'll spray my hair with the aloe/ water mix and then I'll apply my homemade cream to my twists as needed. Simple and easy!! My hubby loves this hairstyle on me, and I get a ton of compliments from others when I wear this style as well. Perfection!

If you have any questions or comments regarding my concoction, please comment below.

Kurlies weigh in: Do you have a DIY mixture you use on your hair? If so, feel free to share. If not, are you thinking about creating one? What would you include in this mixture? 

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

Did I CUT my HAIR!?!?! How I achieved this FAUX Tapered Look!

Absolutely NOTTTT! I won't be cutting my hair anytime in the future. I will, however, do a Bantu Knot Out. A Bantu knot out is the perfect way to achieve a short hair look with medium length tresses! I had about 14 Bantu Knots all over my head.

To do bantu knots, I sprayed my hair with water until it was slightly damp. I didn't saturate my hair too much with water because it would take my low porosity hair forever to dry ( To find out about your hair porosity, check out this post). Then I lightly applied these two products to the ends of my hair.

My homemade moisturizing cream and Naturally Athena Goddess Curl Creme

The next morning, I quickly took them down, separated a few curls, and fluffed my roots before dashing out the house. 

I love the short crop of this style!!! 

The shape of this style is FAB-U-LOUS!!!!

It definitely provides the illusion of a short cut! 

If you don't know how to do Bantu Knots, check out this Youtube tutorial by NaturallyGG. She makes it very simple to understand. 

This hairstyle was perfect for the look I had for the day! I feel like I got similar curls when I did my twist and curl. For information on my twist and curl, click here to read the post.

Until next time,

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken 

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

Five Tips to Winterize Your Natural Hair Regimen

Winter is upon us. In Texas, winters can be extreme and brutal on the hair. In today's post, I wanted to provide five tips to help winterize your natural hair regimen. If you are anything like me, you want to maintain overall hair health as well as length retention throughout the winter months. These five tips will help you achieve just that.

Five Tips to Winterize Your Natural Hair Regimen

1. Increase your use of heavier oils. My oil of choice is Castor Oil. It can be regular distilled Castor Oil or Jamaican Black Castor Oil. Castor Oil is an excellent emollient and humectant for the hair. It is also great for hair loss and hair thinning. In addition, olive oil and avocado oil are heavier oils that are beneficial as well. So if Castor Oil isn't your cup of tea, try olive oil or avocado oil.

2. Butters are best. Butters are most definitely a staple, and they are part of the LOC/LCO method as well. Choose your butter from shea, mango, and cocoa to intensify your moisturizing treatment. I personally love shea butter. It's a great moisturizer for your hair and skin.

3. Moisturize your hair more often. Whether you moisturize your hair in the morning or at night, daily moisturizing is key. Even if you are protective styling, moisture is vital to ensuring your hair stays healthy while it is tucked away.

4. Deep condition more frequently. Indoor heating and extreme outdoor temperatures can leave hair feeling dry and brittle. Conditioning the hair more frequently will help to restore and maintain moisture levels in the hair. You may even use a steamer or some sort of method to promote steaming to intensify your conditioning treatment. Remember, healthy is hair is moisturized hair!

5. Protective styles. Protective styles, where your ends are tucked away, can be helpful in the winter months and can be essential for length retention. Braids, twists, top knots, halo braids, and the list goes on of common protective styles. Some of my past protective styles i have worn can be seen in the following posts:

My Marley Twist Installation + Top Five Reasons to Love Marley Twists

Oh chic! My mini-twists are back and more than just fabulous!

Creative Hairstyling Options for Box Braids

I hope you enjoyed this post, and you are inspired to incorporate additional protection against the harsh winter elements. If you have others ways of winterizing your natural hair regimen, feel free to share them below.

Until next time...
Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,
Kurly Ken

The LOC/LCO Method + My Homemade Moisturizing Cream/Mixture

Hey Kurlies,

The LOC method is one of the most popular ways to moisturize and seal hair among naturals. LOC is an abbreviation for liquid/water based leave in conditioner, oil, and cream. I swear by this method-
sort of! I'll tell you about the LOC method in general, and then I'll share my version of the LOC
method at the end. Without further adoo, let's get started.

What does the LOC method entail?

Using your choice of LOC method products, you should apply your liquid/water based leave in conditioner first, oil second, and cream last. Sometimes the order of items is rearranged to create the LCO method, where the leave in is first, cream is second, and oil is last. Regardless, the moisture in your natural tresses is sealed by two well known sealants, oil and butter. 

Oil and butter are well known for their ability to create a moisturizing layer along the hair shaft, which prevents water from being evaporated from your hair. When water does not evaporate from your hair, your hair will stay moisturized longer. 

How do I complete the LOC method? 

1. Apply a moisturizing liquid/water based leave in conditioner to freshly washed hair
2. Apply a thin layer of oil to your hair for moisture
3. Apply a butter based, creamy moisturizer to your hair to seal that moisture in

What are some of the best products to use in the LOC method? 

Moisturizing liquid/water based leave in conditioner can include pure water (lone of the most moisturizing liquids EVER), Giovanni Leave In Conditioner, Cantu Leave In Conditioner, Karen's Body Beautiful Leave In Spray, and Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave In, and many more.

Oils that are great for sealing are Jamaican black castor oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, argan oil, macadamia oil, and grapeseed oil; however, there are plenty of other oils you can use.

Your cream/butter can be your styler if you are placing your hair in twists or bantu knots. If you like 
to rock wash and go, a cream can help define your curls or coils a little more. Examples of creams/ 
butters could be shea butter, mango butter, or cocoa butter; commercial creams you can use include Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Alikay Naturals Shea Yogurt Hair Moisturizer, just to name a few. 

How frequently should one complete the LOC method?

The answer to this question is totally dependent on you and your hair's porosity. High porosity hair may have to moisturize more frequently. Low porosity hair may need less. 

My personal account on the LOC method....
Now, I personally have tweaked the LOC method to work for me. My liquid/ leave in is my water and Aloe Vera juice mix, which consists of a spray bottle filled with 1/3 Aloe Vera juice and 2/3 water. For my homemade moisturizing mixture, I use several oils, which include olive oil, castor oil, and several others. The cream I use is shea butter. I mix my shea butter and oils together to create my
homemade moisturizing mix, technically, combining steps 2 and 3 of the LOC method (See post on how to create moisturizing mix here). I moisturize my hair every day or every two days, depending on how my hair feels. Since I have begun using this combination, I have seen a major difference in the moisture levels of my hair. My hair was already soft prior to using this method, but since the use of this method and products, my hair is truly moisturized, easier to detangle, and overall, more manageable.

The products for my current LOC method

Kurlies Weigh In: Do you use the LOC method or some other variation of this method, like LCO (same products in a different order)? If you use the LOC method, what are your favorite staple products to moisturize and seal? If you don;t use the LOC method, what do you use to keep your hair moisturized?

Until next time...

Be faith-filled,fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken

So you just went natural, part 2

Hey Kurlies,

Hopefully, you have read the initial post to this series. If you haven't read it, read, So you just went natural, part 1. This second post is dedicated to providing my hair care tips for the newly natural. In the initial stages of being natural, it's very easy to become a product junkie, and I'm not judging. However, there are certain products/techniques that are staples to the newly natural, and I will discuss these products/ techniques below. Let's get right to it!

Hair Care Tips for the Newly Natural:

1. Moisturizing Conditioner. You need a moisturizing conditioner for co washing (conditioner washing) your hair. When I first went natural, my hair was very dry. Often times, I co-washed two to three times a week, and this was relatively easy since my hair was so short. Co-washing helps to restore the moisture levels of the hair. I used conditioners from Giovanni and Garnier mostly. While the Giovanni felt great on my hair, it did not sit well with my pocket book, especially since I co-washed so frequently.  I know other naturals who cowash with VO5 and Suave, which are less than $2 at most stores, and they still get the job done. 

2. Clarifying Treatment. A clarifying treatment will cleanse and remove scalp buildup, and this should be done at least once a month. When you are co washing frequently, it is very important to clarify your hair at least once a month to remove excess buildup from your pores. Some clarifying treatments can be found in the form of clarifying shampoos while others use apple cider vinegar (which I love) to clarify. 

3.  Deep conditioner. A great deep conditioner will allow you to nourish, moisturize and strengthen your hair. I used (and still use) Elasta QP-DPR and/ or Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise as my deep conditioner. There are so many deep conditioners out there, from Shea Moisture to Carol's Daughter to Oyin to Cantu Naturals. You get my drift! And if you can't find a deep conditioner you like, make one. Avocado with olive oil make a great deep conditioner! 

4. Styling Tools. Styling tools like a wide tooth comb, satin bonnet/cap/scarf/pillow case for night time and spray bottle for a moisturizing spray are staples when you first go natural. 

5. Items for the LOC method. The LOC method is the process of using a leave in/ liquid, oil, and cream (in that order) to moisturize your hair. This method is great for keeping your tresses moisturized and healthy. 

6. Hair Accessories. You hair will undergo a lot of changes within the initial months of being natural, and you may not always be fond of the changes. Keeping some cute hair accessories on deck, such as hats, bows, scarfs, and headbands, will help you get through those awkward hair moments and keep you from slipping back into creamy crackdom.

I dare add this next item to the list again, but this item is essential to being natural. Patience! Patience! Patience! Patience is truly a virtue that will be practiced throughout your natural hair journey. Be patient in how you handle your hair- no yanking, pulling, and other harsh measures with your hair. Also, be patient in your expectations for your hair. Don't expect your hair to go from shoulder length to bra strap length over night. In the end, your patience and care will pay off. We all have to start somewhere. Remember, with patience, comes growth.

Until next time...

Be faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous,

Kurly Ken