Bye Bye Braidies

Finally taking my braids out this week....

Thought I'd show em off before I say my goodbyes.

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend.

Kurly Kichana Mail: Wambizy Asks

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I am a newbee but i researched kidogo through your blog before i BCed so not to worry my questions are not too many. And again i really love the blog; this one time when i was still transitioning, was washing my hair then came detangling time and my hair was so tangled then i remembered your hair 'le puff' photo n i grabbed me a pair o scissors n down went my permed hair....i really FREAKED out right after but a couple of months later I'm just over one and a half inches long and I LOOOVVVEE IT!! Everywhere I go guys are like 'wambo your hair is so nice, your hair is so thick' i smile but inside am like mmmmhhh! :)

So here goes the questions:

1. after co-washing, detangling, three-strand twisting and sealing my hair with shea butter n olive oil, when i wear it out after it is completely dry at the end of the day, the ends don't feel as soft as the root of the hair... how can I fix this? and how can i make sure that after the twists are dry, they are as moisturized and as soft as possible?

Hey, what you are doing wrong here is not using a leave in conditioner and moisturiser. The reason for sealing is to lock in moisture, the moisture you should be locking in is a water based moisturiser such as the one in the picture below.Doing this once or twice a day will keep your hair super soft and banging!

Kshs 495

2. recently watched a video of how to do bantu knots, she has type 4c hair n she did them on blow dried hair n she used curl activator. was wondering if its necessary n how it helps? If yes could you kindly recommend a good curl\activator as well as a leave-in conditioner and moisturizer. n also do you know if the bantu knots look as nice on non-blow dried hair. really trying to avoid heat as much as i can.

The reason she blow dried her hair is to show some length and to make sure she can actually knot the hair, bantu knots look good on mid to long hair. When you have a bit of length to your hair, you can easily knot the hair. A good curl activator is ecostyler gel which we have talked about here, here and here. Suave conditioners are great as cowashing conditioners and leave ins, check them out at major Nakumatt stores.Bantu knot outs look great as long as you make sure they are relatively tight and completely dry before you take them down

3.when washing hair with ACV, do you simply just pour it in and rub the scalp gently ama? and also how do you wash hair with backing soda? and can both methods be substitute to co-washing as often as i like?

Please see the answers to this here and here, we have covered it in the archives which can be found here

All the best with your hair Wambizy, gotta love the name. Keep in touch and let us know how your hairs hanging.

Happy Thursday

The Girl With The Red Bicycle

I am getting myself a red bicycle.

It will have a basket.

Fancy handles.

An ear piercing bell.

A bit of flare and shazzam!

And after that......

I am going to teach myself how to ride a bicycle. Yeah you read that right, I don't know how to ride a bike. BUT! I most definitely will in no time.

I will fall, tumble... and cry at the sight of my own blood.

But it will be worth it

Because soon, I'll be the girl in the pretty sun-dress, red lips, high heels and fresh flowers riding her red bicycle as she pleases.

Enjoy the week lovelies.

PS: Good news, our holiday braids are coming off soon, and you know what that means... The 2012 Hair Challenge begins.

Kurly Kichana Abs on Abs on Abs Challenge!

After racking our brains trying to figure out how to creative an interactive playground for our Ab challenge, Maria a loyal follower suggested the following

MariaJan 19, 2012 03:11 AM

Better yet, create a Kurly Kichana group on http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups

So that you don't have to manage stats by email.

I'll be the first to join!

We have since launched the group which you an find here,

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/2536-kurly-kichana-2012-abs-challenge.

Through myfitnesspal, you can log in how many calories you have eaten, log in your measurements and track progress and through the group we can chat on recipes, struggles and victories!

We are both logged on with our names, so please make sure to add us as friends and join the group. For inspiration, please do not forget to check out our tumblr page http://kurlsontherun.tumblr.com/

Happy Thursday!

Challenge time!

Source

Our beloved followers have decided to challenge us, we throw it right back to them! This post , has sparked a lot of motivation in the comments!

Mary's New Years resolution involves the attainment of Abs, those famed muscles that require so much work to get. Through this resolution, Kurly Kichana has decided to come up with a Challenge that will involve a lot of working out of both body and hair.

How shall we go about this?

Firstly sit down and write down what you would like to achieve. In this case,

• Mary would like rock hard abs
• Nyachomba would be happy with firm, toned thighs!

Secondly, How will you go about this? There are a few options here.

Mary has to up her cardio, eat food that helps attain flat abs, work on getting her body fat percentage low so that her abs have a chance to shine, work her transverse abs and obliques by doing a variety of abdominal exercises

Cardio will become Nyachomba's best friend as well lots of squats and lunges and adding these moves to her workouts

We shall both have to come up with strict schedules of 5-6 workouts a week of no less than 40mins as well as a great eating plan, see this post. We shall also have to choose whether we shall pay dreaded gym memberships or work out in the comfort of our living rooms.

Thirdly, Take before measurements or pictures. Monitoring progress is essential to this challenge. We would like to share our measurements, and wait for it, we would love if you guys can send in pictures/measurements as well. We promise not to misuse your photos, however we could use them to motivate others

Here's the Plan!

1. Take before measurements/pictures
2. Come up with a goal; Lose 10lbs before Valentines Day, Fit into that LBD thats been hanging in your wardrobe for 3 years, Do more push ups than your boyfriend can. Goals will keep you motivated and on track to progress.
3. Create a workout schedule that you know you can stick to and pin it up on your wall and even use this as your desktop background
4. Monitor your daily food intake by writing it down in a notebook or using this app that we both use MyFitnessPal, remember to use this everyday. Calculate you BMR, basal metabolic rate. This will help you figure out how many calories you need a day, to make sure you are losing weight.
5. WORKOUT!

Rules to join the challenge:

• Send us your measurements on kurlykichana@gmail.com, we shall help you track your progress
• You can send in weekly updates on the same email, to track progress. We may post these on our tumblr.

We shall do this for the first 6 months of 2012 and then review after this.

Send in any measurements submissions to kurlykichana@gmail.com

Mary's New Year Resolution: No.6

I confess that I am one of those sops who loves to write new year resolutions - with out fail - every New Years Eve. With my wine and pen in hand, I scribble away with wild determination and promise that this year will be different on whatever surface that is available to me at that time. This year, it was a tear and makeup stained paper napkin, which I still have mind you.. I love it!

the usual...

Sure, I agree that half of the items on my alcohol inspired, self-improvement binges will never come to fruition, but the way that I see it, that list is engraved in my mind, so throughout the year I will try and more often than not fail (miserably at that) at accomplishing my resolutions. As long as I tried right?

So aside from the usual, Floss My Teeth Every Day, Go Rock Climbing, Find a Religious Denomination, Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya (guys, I so need to do this) Knit a Poncho.... yadda yadda, this year, I have one MAJOR task that I need to cross off my list - this specific Resolution ties up with one of my top must-haves for 2012, the ultimate accessory for anyone really, male or female. It won't be easy but hot damn it will be worth it...

Ladies and gents, I present to you No. 6 on Mary's New Year Resolutions 2012; the one thing that makes anything and everything you wear look good....

6. I WILL get Rock. Hard. Abs.

Now, this is only my humble opinion, but frankly, I don't think there's anything sexier than a girl (or boy for that matter) who has killer, defined abdominal muscles. Ladies, if you ask me, it doesn't matter if you are super slim or petite or mad thick and curvy - everyone looks sexier with a tight and defined tummy.

ABZ ABZ ABZ ABZ ABS....

The thing about abs though, is that you really have to work to get them - I'm sure this is no new revelation - but it's a fact that needs repeating.

DON'T:

Most of us think that the road to a decent six pack is paved with doing 200 crunches everyday; not so. Your abdominals are similar to any other muscle in your body (triceps, quads etc) and you MUSTN'T work them out everyday. All your muscles deserve at least a days rest in between works outs, your abs are no exception.

DO:

Another thing I can't stress enough is the need for cardio. A good cardio regimen is actually one of the most important steps to trimming down and building definition around your abdominal region (not to mention the rest of your body). Failure to engage in cardiovascular exercises and over-dependence on crunches and ab exercises might result in you simply gaining muscle under a layer of unwanted fat.

DO:

Eat right, eat clean... get lean! Say no to processed foods, avoid sugar - completely - and go easy on the red meat. I'm officially off empty calories... huzzah for me!

Let's face it, everything you wear will look hella mean with the perfect abs to go with it!

Before I go, I have two questions for you:

1. What are your New Year Resolutions (if any!)

2. What are your thoughts on defined/ toned women? Do you personally find that muscles are sexy or unsightly on a woman? Yay or Nay? I'm dying to know!

Peace out. Happy Monday.X

Kreativ Blogger Award

Shout out to Onyx Rose for tagging us!

So....

These are the rules for the award:

1. Link back to the person who gave you this award

2. Complete the form below

3. Award 10 other blogs and let them know in a comment or email

4. Share 7 random thoughts about yourself

Our answers:

1. NAME YOUR FAVORITE SONG: Ummm between our ipods we have so much music, its virtually impossible to choose just one.

2. NAME YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT: Chocolate covered Idris Elba

3.WHAT TICKS ME OFF: Internet trolls.

4. WHEN I'M UPSET I: First silence ... followed by a huge explosion of blood red rage.

5. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PET: Mary's dogs!

6. BLACK OR WHITE: Grey

7. BIGGEST FEAR: The inevitable implosion of our solar system's Sun

8. EVERYDAY ATTITUDE: Just chilling!

9. WHAT IS PERFECTION: Ryan Gosling in a vest! or better yet, shirtless

10. GUILTY PLEASURE: Lipsticks, Jillian Michaels workouts, people watching, DC & Marvel comic books

7 Random Things About Us:

• We would rather be chilling at home with movies and popcorn than go out into the real world
• We are both obsessed with makeup and hardly ever wear it
• None of us have ever wanted to have children
• Mary is in love with Batman

• We both wear glasses

• We are quirky, social odd-balls and shockingly shy
• Nyachomba would love to be an extra on How I met your mother.

Amazing bloggers I'm tagging:

Alice ; http://aliceinnappyland.blogspot.com/

Curly Natural Me ; http://curly-natural-me.blogspot.com/

Bee ; http://stilettoasassin.blogspot.com/

Maria ; http://furahaproject.blogspot.com/

Imani ; http://afro-belle.blogspot.com/

http://stylifiq.blogspot.com/

Patricia ; http://patriciakihoro.blogspot.com/

Showing love to fellow Kenyan bloggers

Happy Friday :-)

Yes! Nappy rash cream

In 2012, Kurly Kichana aims to bring you more skincare and product reviews..we shall not keep any secrets from you guys! Starting off, a product that is a household name in baby care; Sudocreme. The product is marketed as a Nappy Rash cream, Yes nappy rash lol! If its good enough for baby's bottom it must be great for my face.

Here is whats its manufacturers say,

Sudocrem’s clinically proven to soothe, heal and protect your baby’s delicate skin and works in three ways:

· A water-repellent base forms a protective barrier, helping to stop any irritants (urine and faeces) coming into contact with the skin.

· It both softens and soothes sore, inflamed skin.

· It has a weak local anaesthetic to help ease pain and irritation.

So what gives Sudocrem its healing properties? Here’s the science bit:

Sudocrem contains:

· hypoallergenic lanolin, to help soothe and soften irritated skin.

· zinc oxide which reduces the loss of tissue fluid.

· benzyl benzoate and benzyl cinnamate which are ingredients of Balsam of Peru, recognised for its healing properties.

· benzyl alcohol, a weak local anaesthetic which eases pain and also acts as a disinfectant/antibacterial agent.

As a protective antiseptic cream, Sudocrem is also helpful in the treatment of other skin conditions. http://www.sudocrem.co.uk/

Scent

The cream has a strong lavender scent, which if your not used to can smell quite medicinal. However this disappears a short while after application

Price

For 125gms, you can buy the cream in Nakumatt or major baby shops for about Kshs 800. It may seem pricey but 125gms could last you at least 6months.

Consistency

It is very thick and sometimes can be difficult to apply, however once applied it sinks into skin very easily. The cream can leave a white cast to the skin especially darker skin tones hence it is best to use it at night and if you must use it during the day, make sure to wait at least 7 mins for it to sink in completely into the skin

How to use

• Use the cream every other night to keep your skin spot and blemish free
• Use sudocreme as a moisturising face mask, leave it on for 15mins then wash off
• Sudocreme on spots or mosquito bites works brilliantly to reduce the inflammation and redness. This is fully tested by the Kurly Kichana team, works a treat
• Its also works great for sunburn, minor burns and bruises

Makeup free with cleansed skin and sudocreme applied

Nuerki Stretches Her Hair... Without Heat!

How To

In her own words :-)

-Okay I prefer to do it on wet/damp hair because my hair is just a no no when it is dry. Depending on the size you want them, you part the hair just like you do for doing big twists/braids but the smaller the part the more it stretches for coilier hair.

-Next you apply shea butter to the strands all the way down so that your hair is not crinkly when it dries

-You cut a long piece of hair thread/yarn and fold it in two then tie a knot at the end.Then hold the base of your hair tightly and start wrapping the thread from there down to the ends.(the knot should be at the bottom)

-Move your hands slowly down the strands as your wrap the thread down the hair so that it stays tight and intact

(Your finished product should be quite stiff and as a result it might stick up on your head.But no worries about that)

- As you get to the end of the strand, wrap the thread closer and closer so that it does not easily unravel if by any chance you tug on it.And then cut any remaining thread.

If it sticks up too much on your head, hold a few finished thread strands together on one side and TIE them together again to the back possibly.Take the remaining threaded strands on the other side and tie them together also.In the end tie both sections together.

C'est tout simple! oh and practice makes perfect obviously xD

Gotta love this girl!!