DECEMBER FEATURED QUEEN

DECEMBER CURLY QUEEN: ARIANA MORAN

HAPPY HOLIDAYS QUEENS!! It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Curly Queen Kit gives you a happy holiday with hair care products and tools for your curly hair needs.

Before this year ends, we would like to present to you our featured Curly Queen for this month! Let's give her a warm welcome for this holiday season, ARIANA MORAN (@curlyatc). 💜 Let us be inspired on her curly hair journey and let us know how she started this wonderful journey. Check her out also at our Monthly Magazine included in our Curly Queen Kit for FREE!

Name:

ARIANA MORAN

What is your Social media handle?

@curlyatc

Why do you want to be the Featured Queen and share your story?

I would love to inspire any other curly girls who want to embrace their natural texture. It has definitely been an emotional journey not only of self-care but self-acceptance. I would really like to reach younger girls and help give them the confidence to wear their hair natural! I wish I had a curly hair mentor as a little girl!

When did you decide to go natural?

About 2 years ago now!

What Made you go to Natural?

I was tired of straightening my hair any time I wanted it to look good. It was bleached, broken, and dry.

How would you describe your “Hair Type”?

I have high porosity, medium density bleached blonde 2C waves/curls. Some of my bottom layers are 3A. I have a mix of fine and coarse hair due to bleach. My natural brown hair is coarse, but many of the processed hairs have become fine.

What was it like growing up with your hair type?

My mom would brush out my curls in grade school, and middle school and I didn’t have a straightener yet. And I had a LOT of hair then. It was tough, my hair did NOT look good and people made fun of me. In high school, I straightened my hair into oblivion. None of my friends had hair like mine so I thought that was my only option.

What does a “wash day” look like for you?

Pre-poo (oiling the hair and dry detangling before shampoo), shampoo (scalp ONLY!), a deep condition in the shower for 5-10 minutes, rinse, and style! Styling depends on a lot of factors but I will typically use a leave in conditioner and custard or gel.

What is your perspective on having curly hair?

Having curly hair is a blessing and a curse. It requires a lot more effort and management than the average head of hair, none of us will deny that. But having the ability to transform your hair in so many ways is really an opportunity to show your personality and uniqueness! Curly hair is so so unique. I haven't had two identical wash days to this day!!!

What is the first thing you check when you try a new product?

I always look at the first 5 ingredients to see what effect will be had on my hair. Typically, I look for protein-free leave-in conditioners that contain oils and butters, and stylers that contain film-forming agents and proteins!

How do you manage your hair to keep it protected while doing workouts?

During low to medium intensity exercise (like weight lifting) I will put my hair in a pineapple to keep it out of my face, but still preserving the curl pattern. During higher intensity exercise (like cardio) I will twist it up into a ballerina bun to keep the mids and ends as protected as possible. As for my hairline, that will always get sweaty and I typically will refresh that if I need to by blotting out a sweat with a t-shirt, sometimes add a tiny bit of water or a styler, and diffusing the roots side to side to revive the volume.

What is your favorite hairstyle during the workout? and Why?

High ponytail/pineapple! I like to put as little tension on my hair as possible since I struggle with breakage. And I can’t stand to feel the hair on the back of my neck so a braid or low bun or ponytail would bug me!

How do you take care of your hair during Transitioning season?

Extra moisture is a major key in the transition to the colder months! Break out your most moisturizing deep conditioners and stock up on leave-in! Avoid any gel that you think could dry out your hair. The air is going to do that now that the precious humidity is gone! Boo!

What is your hair length goal? And Why?

You know, the length used to be extremely important to me and I identified with having long hair. Now that I have cut my hair (it’s still long to most people, but significantly shorter to me) I can see the effects that have on my curls. They have sprung back up in a way they never did! So I think the days of having a length “goal” are over. I’ll wear my hair as long as I can, as long as it looks healthy!

If you can tell anyone starting their journey health or hair, what would it be? Anything Else To Share?

You will never have the perfect hair or body and may gravitate to comparing or trying to achieve what someone else has. My advice is to do this for YOU. Perfection does not equal happiness! Go on this journey with the goal of making yourself healthier and more comfortable in your own skin.

What is your message to the curly girl's community out there?

My hair wouldn’t look half as good as it does without some of the rockstars I found within the curly girl Instagram community. Thank you for everything you guys have taught me! I hope that I have helped to pass on that knowledge and some things I have learned through my own experiments to the community as well!