Best Brand for Pressing Combs: Kentucky Maid

Over the years, there have been two brands of pressing combs that have made pressing hair easy.  Kentucky Maid is #1 because of their wider selection of pressing comb choices.  You can choose between fine and medium teeth.  As well as brass or steel teeth.  As well as copper or steel spacers.  Their pressing comb construction has maintained a higher standard than the Golden Supreme brand.  The Kizure brand comes in second place because they do not have spaces.

 This fine tooth pressing comb pictured above has copper spacers and has done nicely to straighten hairlines for about 10 years or more.

I just bought more Kentucky Maid pressing combs because I saw another artist at the hair show doing a great job pressing the model's hairline. I asked her about her pressing comb. She said out of the brands that she has gone through, Kentucky Maid wins in lightweightness and getting the job done.

In the picture above, the pressing comb on the left has copper spacers versus the one on the right has steel spacers.  Can you tell the color at the base of the comb between the brass teeth?  Steel construction is heavier and more pricey than the copper construction.

I talked about my Kizure pressing comb in a separate article on this blog.  I like it because of its oversized teardrop base.  The Kizure pressing comb has no spacers, and it's a little heavy, but the base size makes it work for me.

As for the Golden Supreme line, I love their marcel irons, but their pressing comb construction is without spacers and limited in selection.  I find them hard to press with.

If in the Charlotte, NC area, Buywise Beauty Supply off Beatties Ford Road keeps a wide selection of Kentucky Maid pressing combs.

I was happy to see more conventional stoves at the Bronner Brothers Hair Show.  Most flat irons were being used to curl hair extensions versus real hair.  Sometimes we have to go back to what was healthy and working for Black hair.

The Press and Curl Regimen to beat the HEAT!

The Summer Heat is on, and the only "Afro Circus" that you want to see is probably in the latest Madagascar III movie! (Loved it!!! in 3D! :)

On a more serious note . . . Are you all natural and want a press and curl service that will beat the heat?

I have been tweaking this regimen for years! This one is the best one yet!!!!!

Tools needed: Kizure Pressing Comb, pressing pad (optional), paddle brush, Marcel curling iron and stove.

Products needed: KeraCare 1st Lather sulfate-free shampoo, Bee Mine Botanical Moisturizing Shampoo, Mizani Moistufuse conditioner, Chi Silkeratin17 treatment, Joico Detangling Leave-in, Pureology SuperSmooth Elixir, Kayvel Creme Press, and Kayvel Curling Wave.

Technique: 1) Shampoo with KeraCare 1st Lather Sulfate-free shampoo once or twice if hair is extremely oily from a hot oil treatment, etc. 2) Shampoo with Bee Mine Botanical Moisturizing Shampoo two or three times until hair feels soft. 3) Towel blot the hair and generously apply the Mizani Moistufuse conditioner through out the hair. Comb the Moistufuse conditioner through the hair. Spray the Chi Silkeratin17 fortifying treatment through the hair layering the treatment on top of the Moistufuse conditioner. Comb through and apply the Silkeratin17 everywhere that the comb is catching in the hair. As soon as you are completely detangled from the Chi and Mizani cocktail, then sit under the platform dryer for about 15 minutes. Not much longer because most of your work is already done . . . you detangled before going under the dryer remember? 4) Rinse the treatment out and apply your two leave-in conditioners for your blow-dry service. (Joico Leave-in detangler and Pureology Supersmooth Elixir) Comb through to distribute evenly. 5) Blowdry completely, start warming up the pressing comb, and then apply your Kayvel creme press. Distribute a nickel size amount emulsified in your hands trhoughout the hair, and that is all that you need. Comb the creme press to finish even distribution through the hair. 6) Test the pressing comb to make sure it is not too hot. Grab your pressing pad if you have one. Soft press the hair all over with pressing comb and pressing pad if your comb is starting to cool down on lengthy hair. The hair should be manageable by combing through without being bone straight. Warm up your marcel irons. 7) Comb the hair into a ponytail. If there are any extremely uneven ends, clip some of the hair ends off. Apply your a nickel size of Kayvel Curl wave emulsified in your hands throughout the hair. Comb through for even distribution 8)Test your marcel iron. Begin curling your hair and clipping the curls down until they cool down.

Then voila - your core press and curl is complete! If you need smoother edges, then decide if you need a temple pressing comb (small pressing comb) or just some smooth edge styling aids.

Results: Soft, straight hair without the grease! Very humidity resistant too!

Let me know how you like this technique and product selection!!!!

Curling irons: Hollow Barrel versus Solid Barrel

Pictured are a solid barrel iron called a "marcel iron" as well as a hollow barrel iron called a "Bumper" iron. I believe the solid barrel iron holds heat longer than the hollow barrel iron. Although, the hollow barrel iron heats up faster in the stove.
I have seen some online video showing Kizure irons being hollow barrel. Golden Supreme irons are usually solid barrel. Pictured is Kentucky Maid product offerings. Their irons do not come pre-tempered. Notice the emphasis on hollow barrel and solid barrel. They define solid barrel as "marcel" and hollow barrel as "bumper." There always seems to be more to learn.

Do you remember Jason Griggers from the "Good Hair" movie? He was using marcel irons when the cameras came to his salon to interview him behind the scenes for the hair battle. Recently, he started styling for FHI Heat as a platform artist at Bronner Brothers hair show 2010. Please see my separate article highlighting FHI Heat instructions. I am going to watch his career as he transitions into more flat iron usage. I really do not think that this is a healthy direction, but we all have gotten that "flat iron" fever at one time or another!