Tagged: kids hair care
How To Look After Kids Mixed Race Hair
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to look after your child’s mixed hair, this article was written for you!
The first thing to note is that mixed race hair is diverse- some mixed people have hair that is bone straight whilst others have hair that is tightly coiled or afro textured (think Lenny Kravitz).
It’s therefore important to know and understand your child’s hair so that you can determine the type of hair care regimen they need. There are lots of things to take into consideration when dealing with mixed race hair and sometimes the information can be a little bit overwhelming. To build the right knowledge and know-how, follow these simple steps.
Step 1.
Familiarise yourself. In other words, take the time to really feel, touch and understand your child’s hair so that you’ll know what it likes and what it doesn’t like. For instance, does it tangle easily? Does it get super knotty when shampooed? Does it shrink after being washed? Does it love being conditioned? The more you know about your child’s hair the better equipped you’ll be to look after it.
Step 2.
Avoid over-shampooing. If you’re a white mum with a mixed race/bi-racial child, you might be used to washing your own hair several times a week. That’s of course very normal because straighter hair textures need to be shampooed more frequently. However, most mixed race hair textures are different and can for the most part take on the characteristics of curly/afro hair. As a rule of thumb, the curlier your child’s hair is, the less often it needs to be shampooed.
The reason being that the body’s natural oils (called sebum) can’t pass down your child’s hair easily because their hair is curly. In comparison, with straight hair, it’s easy for the oils to come down the hair strands because they only have to flow downwards. However, because mixed race hair is often non-straight, the body’s oils can’t travel down. This means that your child’s hair is likely to get dry and can be prone to breakage if not managed properly. If you over shampoo your little one’s hair it will cause it to become incredibly dry which in turn leads to breakage. This leads me to my next point…
Step 3.
Moisturise. Moisturising simply refers to the products and techniques you use to stop your child’s hair from becoming dry. Thing of moisture as being the opposite of dryness. To moisturise mixed race hair it’s important to condition often (ideally one ever 2-3 days or so). Conditioning is vital for strengthening your child’s hair, preventing breakage and replacing moisture loss. If possible, always opt for a silicone free conditioner (most high street conditioners contain silicones that potentially damage the hair so it’s important to read the labels of bottles and know what’s in the products you’re using).
The second step to keeping your child’s hair moisturised is to apply a lotion or cream to their hair on a daily basis. Once again avoid lotions that contain harsh ingredients or damaging chemicals. Because we understand that it’s important to use the best hair products on your child’s hair, we don’t use harsh chemicals or silicones in any of our hair products. Furthermore, all of our products are paraben free!
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How To Care For Your Child’s Curly Hair: Q&A
Have you ever felt as though caring for your child’s kinks & curls is difficult?
kids hair care
You’re not alone.
Many parents with curly & afro haired children struggle to understand how to manage their child’s hair.
Whether you’re a parent with textured tresses or totally straight hair, understanding your child’s hair and its needs
will make the world of difference in terms of improving their hair.
Today’s post will answer three main questions regarding children’s hair care.
‘Who’s the best person to do my child’s hair?’ ‘
The simple answer to that is- you are the best person to care for your child’s curls.
Whilst going to hair stylists/hair professionals isn’t a bad thing, there’s no need to
go to a professional IF you’re willing to learn how to take care of your child’s hair.
The reason I say that you’re the best person to look after your child’s hair is simple: you’re their parent!
You know your child’s needs, you love them, nurture them and protect them. There’s no one else in the
world who can understand their hair needs like you can. Take time to educate yourself about
curly hair care and be patient because it’s a learning curve.
Should I take my child to a hair salon/ hair professional?’
That’s really down to you.
One thing that many parents do is that they manage their child’s hair in terms of moisturising it, combing it, oiling it etc.
However, when it comes to complicated hair styles they’ll visit a hair professional.
Whether you choose to take your child to a salon, it’s still important
to understand the basics of healthy hair care practice especially in relation to children.
How do I stop my child’s hair from breaking?
That’s a great question!
Firstly, stopping hair breakage isn’t about finding a magic pill or potion.
It’s about the willingness to follow healthy hair practices and use quality curly hair products.
Should I keep their hair in braids/extensions?
Because braids/extensions can pull on the hair line and cause excessive damage, they’re best suited
to children aged over 8. Ideally, your child should avoid wearing any form of extensions (braids, weaves etc) before they’re 10
years of age.
Instead, opt for styles that look great and don’t cause damage like plaits, twists (twists are great!) and cornrows.
Make sure that your child’s hair is never pulled excessively when it’s in any hair style.
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My Curls 