Kids N Curls Event in Maryland

Just sharing:

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Our 1st Challenge of the Year: KLK 2013 Protective Style Challenge

For those of you who don't know we have been participating in a protective style challenge hosted by KandyLand Kurls since January.  The challenge started January 7 and runs thru March 4th...we are still in full effect, with a couple weeks to go!  We have really enjoyed the challenge as there are many benefits to wearing your hair in protective styles! Here are our weekly submission photos to date:

WEEK 1  - Two-Strand Twists w/ Flat Twists on the side

 WEEK 2- Chunky Two-Strand Twists

 WEEK 3- Mini Two-Strand Twists (I did a little dusting of the ends)

 WEEK 4- Mini Two-Strand Twists (from Week 3 after washing)

 WEEK 5- African Threading

WEEK 6- Chunky Twists

WEEK 7- Mini Two-Strand Twists

WEEK 8- Mini-Two Strand Twists (From Week 7)

BG "M" Box Braids with a Curl

Today was picture day at BG "M"s school today...good old Cap & Gown pictures!  Well, after a fun-filled weekend of water play for her 6th Birthday at Great Wolf Lodge, we successfully managed to keep her hair dry with a Speedo Critter Creeps Swim Cap (Combo Pack)...that is of course until we got home and my husband decided to let them play with the water hose! So the first thing that pops in my head is, what am I going to do with her hair?!  Taking the box braids out was not an option as I was completely exhausted from the weekend!  So I thought why not curl them...which is what I did.  I used my perm rods that I use to get my locs curled.  I first sprayed her hair with Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner (w/ added Sweet Almond Oil) and then began to roll each braid.  I kept them in overnight, took them out this morning, applied Carol's Daughter Hair Balm and pinned some braids to the side and this is what I got! :-D

Picture Ready!

Box Braids before Curling

This kept her hair completely dry at the Water Park!  Awesome swim-cap! (Target)

**pH Balance and Hair**

When I first began educating myself on natural hair, I ran across YouTuber KimmayTube and became an instance fan!  I learned so much from her as it pertained to understanding the science of natural hair.  The thing that stuck out the most for me was her video on "pH Balance".  I was so anxious and excited, I watched all her videos that spoke on the topic and ordered pH Balance Test Strips (the exact strips she used) from Amazon to start testing all the hair products I owned and products I made (please don't judge me, smile)!  They are very easy to use.  Learning about pH Balance has become an important part of understanding why hair responds the way it does to products.  This is how the infamous "kimmaytube leave-in" came about.

What is pH?
pH is a scale measuring the acidity and alkalinity of a product. It is calculated by determining the number of hyrogen ions. The scale goes from zero (strongly acidic) to 14 (strongly alkaline), 7 being neutral.

Helpful pH Balance Charts

How To Control Your Hair with pH Balance (KimmayTube)

pH Balance TEST Results (KimmayTube)

Here are some products I tested along with the results of the pH Balance Test Strips:

Shampoos Bert's Bees Baby Bee - 5.0 Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention - 6.5 Cara B Naturally - 5.0

Conditioners Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition (Old Formula)- 4.5 KimmayTube Leave In w/ Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner - 4.5 Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut - 5.0 Shea Moisture Black Soap Masque - 5.0 Curls Coconut Sublime - 6.0

Homemade Products Detangle Mix (Conditioner and Distilled Water) w/o Apple Cider Vinegar - 6.0 Detangle Mix (Conditioner and Distilled Water) w/ Apple Cider Vinegar - 5.0 Homemade Shea w/o AVG - 7.0 Homemade Shea w/ Aloe Vera Gel - 4.5 Homemade Moisturizer Spritzer - 4.5

Stylers Shea Moisture Curling Souffle - 4.5 Barry Fletcher Twist Putty - 5.0 Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey - 7.0 Curls Passion Fruit Curl Control Paste - 6.5 Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque - 6.5 Carol’s Daughter Healthy Hair Butter - 8.0 Dr. Miracles Soft Hold Creme - 6.0

Moisturizer Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk- 6.5 Shea Moisture Yucca & Baobab Volumizing Hair Milk - 5.5 Cara B Naturally Leave-In/Daily Moisturizer - 5.0 Cara B Naturally Hair Mist - 5.0 Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream - 5.0

Other Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)- 2.0 Qhemet Biologics Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee - 6.0 Aloe Vera Gel - 4.5 Oils Most oils tested - 7.0 (Neutral)

I have not discontinued using products because the pH Balance fell in a certain range. (SN: Most products used are not over the 7.0 range-neutral). I simply use the information collected to educate myself by understanding why hair responds different ways and how to adjust the pH Balance of products for desired results. An example of "desired results"would be if you want the ends of the hair to curl up or remain bushy. It really depends on you!

I will be ordering more pH Balance Test Strips soon because I used every single one and I still have more products to test. :)

~Happy Curls~