Curly hair requires a different set of rules than straight hair. Your child needs you to understand their hair so they can master it themselves as they get older.
Should you comb it at all? Should you dry it with a t-shirt or a towel? These questions and more will be answered for you in this article.
Whether you need all the help in the world or just a few tips, have no fear, you’re not alone. Having an extensive cosmetology background in all things hair, I have compiled important information for you all in one place.
Following these easy tips will make doing your child’s hair a pleasure for both of you.
About Curly Hair
Curly hair can go longer in between shampoos than straight hair. So, there isn’t a need to shampoo once a day or even every two days.
The reason is those with curly hair have fewer follicles on their head than the average person without curly hair, which means fewer sebaceous glands. Fewer sebaceous glands mean less oil is produced, thus less need to shampoo.
There are several different types of curl patterns (coily, corkscrew, s’wavy, etc).
The interesting thing is that you can have more than one type of curl on the same head of hair. This can sometimes make styling difficult.
Curly hair requires special shampoo. Some normal shampoos have ingredients that strip moisture out of the hair leaving it dried out. Having dried hair can result in frizziness. It’s important to get curly hair friendly shampoo. I’ll talk more about this later.
If you’ve ever wondered why hair curls in the first place, it’s because the hair follicle is asymmetrical. The result of this is an oval-shaped hair strand that twists. Understanding why curls form isn’t as important as understanding what to do with them.
Tips for Curly Hair
These 13 tips will help you make styling and managing your child’s beautiful curly locks hassle-free.
1. Forget the Comb
Using a comb on tightly coiled curls will cause them to separate and become puffy and frizzy as they dry. The best thing for tighter curls is to simply use your fingers like a comb on damp hair to remove tangles. Using a wide-tooth brush or comb on looser curls is okay when damp.
2. Lots of Conditioner
Curls love moisture, so use more conditioner than you think you need. A leave-in conditioner is also a great option even if you skip the shampoo that day.
3. Detangle Wet Hair
Don’t attempt to detangle hair after it has dried. Combing through dry curls creates puffy hair and you lose the curl definition. If you must detangle hair that is already dry, simply spritz it with water and use a detangler spray.
4. Rinse with Cool Water
Warmer water will open the cuticle of the hair. Open cuticles will snag on each other causing tangles and frizz, which means more tears when it’s detangle time. Cooler water will help close the hair cuticle which helps combat both frizz and tears.
5. Section the Hair
To make detangling easier, section the hair into 4 sections, parting from the middle of the forehead back to the nape of the neck and from ear to ear. Focus on one section at a time as you move around the head.
6. Start at the Bottom
Start by combing out the tangles at the bottom and slowly work your way up the head. If you hit a tangle too big to comb out, start at the bottom of the tangle and comb down 1/8th of an inch at a time until you get to the top of the tangle. This makes detangling so much easier and hassle-free.
8. Use Product
Just like conditioners, products are your friend. They help add moisture and definition to unruly locks. Using a curl cream, mousse or gel helps the curls form with softness and shine.
9. Don’t Blow Dry
Either let your child’s hair air dry, or use a diffuser. Never blow with the nozzle end of the dryer because all this does is blast concentrated hot air at the curls, which causes tangles and frizz.
10. Avoid Sulfate
Steer clear of shampoos and products that contain sulfates or silicones. Those strip the hair of natural oils and leaves hair dehydrated. Since curly hair already tends to be drier than non-curly hair, this is a bad combination.
11. Silk Pillowcase
Traditional pillowcases rub around on your child’s hair at night as they toss and turn and cause tangles in the morning or after nap time. Silk is so slippery, the hair just slips around and doesn’t become tangled. So let your kids sleep in luxury with silk bedding.
12. Mousse Over Gel
Mousse is more lightweight where gel tends to be heavier. Unless you have very tightly coiled curls, which can handle the weight of a gel, use a mousse to prevent the hair from being weighed down and looking too gelled.
13. Don’t Scrunch
Try twisting in small sections around your finger instead. Twisting will preserve the curl pattern as it dries, where scrunching encourages frizz.
The Best Products for Curly Hair
These 5 products cover all the bases you will need for your child’s curly hair. I’ve included a shampoo, conditioner, detangle spray, mousse, as well as a brush to help you gain control and feel confident when dealing with your little one’s beautiful curls.
Fridababy Curly Hair Detangling Brush
While it’s better to finger comb tight curls, it’s okay to brush through looser curls with a detangling brush while the hair is wet. This brush is specially made with wide-set bristles that bend and flex to prevent pulling and tearing through tangles. It also includes a slide-on cover to protect the bristles from getting damaged or bent. The handle also stands upright for faster grabbing.
Snip-It’s Morning Miracle Mousse
This is a great lightweight mousse for your child’s curls. It’s alcohol-free so it doesn’t dry their hair out. This mousse is in a spray bottle to make it non-aerosol but still sprays out in a mousse form. You and your child will love the tropical smell. Also, being UV protectant for the scalp is a bonus.
Curly Kids Curly Creme Leave-In Conditioner
A good leave-in moisturizing conditioner will be your best friend. This one is for tight, coily, and frizzy curls. Apply to damp hair and either finger comb it through or use a wide-tooth comb. It will moisturize those curls and help combat the frizz. This alone isn’t a styling product, however. For younger children, a leave-in moisturizer may be all you need to use. For older kids, pair this with a styling product.
Fairy Tales Curly-Q Hydrating Shampoo
This hydrating and clarifying shampoo is sulfate-free, paraben-free, and gluten-free. Its plant-based ingredients will cleanse your child’s scalp as well as hydrate and detangle their curls. A mild pear scent will leave your child’s hair smelling fresh and clean.
The Honest Company Detangle Spray
Being sulfate, silicone, and paraben-free makes this detangle spray a safe option for daily use on tangles. The spray can be used on both damp and dry hair. It will help to eliminate those hard to manage curly, knotted up tangles. This has a light, pleasing orange and vanilla scent that leaves your child’s hair smelling great.
Final Words
Keep it simple. Children have a natural beauty that should be celebrated. The less fussing with their curls, the better. Don’t layer on the products, just a moisturizing leave-in followed by a mousse or a gel will usually suffice. Anything more tends to weigh the hair down.
If you want to put your child’s hair up, stay away from traditional hair ties, and go with something like a PuffCuff. Normal hair ties pull too tight, which causes breakage and with curly hair that means more frizz. This is a good way to keep their hair off their face without compromising the hair’s integrity. There are also other hair products out there to keep your child’s hair off their face.
Another technique that curls love is to use a t-shirt towel. You can either buy one here or use a t-shirt of your own. It’s more gentle on curls than a terry cloth towel. After a good wash, wrap the hair up in a t-shirt rather than rub dry with a normal towel. It will absorb more moisture and also helps with frizz and tangles. Mom to mom, this works great on any hair type.
Braids are another fun way to control curls. Be sure not to pull them too tight, keep them loose to prevent breakage. Part the hair into manageable sections and spray with detangling spray as you go around the head braiding. Do several smaller braids or one big braid. Your child can even sleep in them for a different curl pattern in the morning.
The most important part about handling your child’s curly hair is to tell them how beautiful it is. Don’t ever complain about how hard their hair is or how much you dislike having to deal with it. Make sure they only hear positive messages about themselves and their unique hair to build their confidence in knowing how to take care of it themselves as they grow. Curly hair is amazing and fun and as moms, we have the power to foster that love.
