Curly Hair Care

It took me awhile to love my kinky, coily 4C hair. 

When I was a young girl, I always wondered how my hair was so curly when it was wet, but then “nappy” when it was dry. 

Before the natural girls rock movement, most black women were wearing their hair all natural with minimal products, straight with a relaxer, or curly with a texturizer. 

The minute your relaxed hair started to take on its curly natural state, you were clowned by classmates about having “nappy hair.”

I saw afros as outdated styles from the 70s and never had a desire to have one. 

Fast foward to my late twenties, and I was sitting in the dermatologist office being told that my scalp would feel so much better if I stopped getting relaxers. Because it was a black women suggesting it, I listened to her advice, but it fell on deaf ears. There was ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I was walking around with a big afro. 

At my next dermatology visit, I had made it 12 weeks without a relaxer, and I was still alive. I torture I had endured for relaxers no longer seemed worth it. I “sacraficed for beauty’s sake” but my scalp was irritated, peeling, itchy and scabbed over. 

After cutting my straight hair off and doing the big chop, I slowly started to embrace the new me. The learning curve was tough, but now I’m so in love with my kinky, coily 4C hair.

Here’s why:

You Can Shock People With the Length

My daughters are 7 & 5 and they love commenting on things that are similar and different about us. My oldest daughter loves to tell me how short my hair is compared to hers. What she doesn’t realize is that 4C hair has major shrinkage. 

So even though my hair looks short, it actually has a decent amount of length!

Styles for Days

When I first went natural, the thought of maintaining a thick head of hair was very overwhelming, so as my hair grew, I cut it. I kept it short on the sides and long on the top. 

It was easier to maintain while raising 2 toddlers, especially on wash days. Now I”m trying to grow my hair as long as I can, just to see what it will look like. 

Now I wear my hair in a variety of styles–braids, buns, puffs. You name it, I’m willing to try it!

Your Afro Can Get as Big as You Want It To Be

I love experimenting with different protective styles to manipulate the looks of my curls. Twist out provide amazing definition, and the opportunity for your hair to get bigger as each day passes. 

And with 4C hair, bigger is always better!! If you don’t feel like rocking the super defined look, you can wear your afro as is!

Less Frizz

Kinky, coily 4C hair is very forgiving when it comes to frizz. If an older protective style begins to frizz, it only makes the hair bigger and more fabulous!

 

Share this with another person who loves their 4C hair!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you subscribe or purchase something through the links on this page.

I have 3 curly haired kids and using leave in conditioners is a part of our everyday routine. Find products that worked for the 3 of them was a challenge because I’m black and they are all biracial with 3 different textures. I’ve also learned that just because a product is marketed for mixed race hair, it doesn’t mean that it will work.

Are you a total loss when it comes to finding the best products for your curly haired kids? Purchase my e-book, <—-(click here to purchase)

Why should you use leave in conditioners?

Because curly hair needs moisture! Whether your child is biracial or not, curls need a different maintenance routine than straight hair.

The right leave in conditioners have a combination of oils and other natural ingredients that keep the hair shaft healthy and moisturized.

They are also great for detangling! They are best applied to wet hair after it has been washed & conditioned, but can be applied to damp or dry hair.

Some leave in conditioners are light weight, while some are in cream form and heavier. Knowing your curl pattern will help determine the kind you need.

4C hair (kinky, coily curls) typically loves the heavier creams, and wavy curls prefer light weight conditioners and are often weighed down by the heavier creams.

If you aren’t sure what your curl pattern is, stretch your curl and compare it to the chart below.

I have 4C hair. It is kinky, curly and my curls are teeny tiny. My curls are prone to major shrinkage, but hold protective styles really well. It took me awhile to fall in love with my 4C hair. Read more about more hair journey here.

Babies can use leave in conditioner too! Since caring for baby curls is a much simplier process, using a leave in conditioner keep your baby’s hair moisturized while they sleep and play.

What’s the difference between deep conditioners & leave in conditioners?

Deep conditioners add moisture back into dry hair, reduce frizz and are washed out. Deep conditioners can sit on the hair up to 30 minutes and applied with heat for a deeper strengthening treatment.

Leave in conditioners help to detangle hair & add moisture that can be lost after using shampoo to strip the hair of grease & dirt.

Keep in mind that the first 5 ingredients are the ones that pack the biggest punch. Try to steer clear of conditioners that include harmful ingredients like sulfates, parabens and ingredients that you can’t pronounce.

Here are some great leave in conditioners that are perfect for curly kids:

Many Ethnicities

Many Ethnicities  makes a wonderful cream based leave in conditioner. It works wonders on my daughter with 3c hair, and my husband won’t braid her hair without it.

What I love about this brand is the founder, Dr. Ena is biracial and wanted to create a product for mixed race hair.

The Mane Choice

The Mane Choice is personally one of my favorites. In my house, it works for my daughters with 2c & 3c hair. Their leave in also works for me. I love that they make leave in creams and sprays, so you can find a variety of leave in conditioners that fit your specific hair needs.

             

 

Taliah Waajid

Taliah Waajid Children Tangles Out Today Leave-in Conditioner & Detangler, 8 Ounce is good for all hair types. It’s lightweight, but leaves a nice sheen on the hair and is easy to apply on either wet or dry hair.

Honey Baby Naturals

The wonderful thing about this brand is that it was created by a mom of three who wanted a product that would work for her kids’ different hair types. Necessity is the mother of invention right?

Want to learn more about getting baby curls to grow? Keep reading here.

Mielle Organics

Mielle Tinys & Tots Sacha Inchi Detangling Conditioner is a light weight leave in conditioner with great slip. It’s made with certified organic ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals.

Need more help finding products specifically for your child’s hair type? Then check out my Amazon storefront! Everything is categorized easily for you!

 

The Frustration-Free Guide to Curly Hair will  answer all your curly hair questions + you’ll receive a guide to products by curl type! 

This post is sponsored by Many Ethnicities, but all opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase something through the links on this page.

Black women spend an estimated 7.5 billion dollars on hair care products in the U.S. I can’t even begin to imagine how much women in general spend on products–especially curly hair products.

As a curly haired woman with 3 curly haired children, it has been exciting to see that several black owned product lines exist specifically for curly kids.

The Mane Choice

The Mane Choice is one of my favorite product lines. I met the founder, Courtney at the Natural Hair Show in 2015. She is just as beautiful, knowledgeable & kind in person as she is online.

I love their products because despite the 3 curl types in my home, The Mane Choice works for each of my curly kids. It leaves my kids curls moisturized, shiny & soft to touch. My girls even ask for the Mane Choice by name. It doesn’t get better than that!

Shea Moisture

Shea Moisture has such a vast product line that is curated to solve a variety of curly hair problems.

Their curling gel souffle is a favorite of mine, but the kids line doesn’t work as well for my children.

 Miss Jessie’s

Around since 2004, this brand was formed by two sisters, Miko & Titi Branch. The name from the brand came from their grandmother. 

Miss Jessie’s is a more expensive brand, but I absolutely love their Multicultural Clear gel. It is light weight and provides the perfect amount of hold and curl definition for my curly kids.

Curls

Mahisha Dellinger launched her brand, Curls, in 2002. Frustrated with the lack of brands for natural curly hair, she singlehandedly built her empire.

This brand has a product line for curly kids & babies.

Eden Body Works

I was first introduced to this brand at a natural hair show. The facinating thing about Eden Body Works is that is was created by Jasmine Lawrence when she was only 13 years old. 

Many Ethnicities

As a mom of multiracial children, I love that this brand was created by Dr. Ena Hennegan, a mother, a board-certified, practicing family physician in suburban Chicago. As a multiracial woman herself, she knew the needs of other multiracial, curly haired individuals.

She has 3 daughters with 3 different textures of hair, so her line of children’s products aims at solving the unique challenges that come with having multi ethnic hair.

The best part about these products is that my husband loves them! He doesn’t complain about braiding the girls hair at night when he’s using the Many Ethnicities Kids Leave In Conditioner.

Do want to try Many Ethnicities? Then use code “Take20” to receive 20% off your order at manyethnicities.com

Are you a total loss when it comes to styling your child’s naturally curly hair?

Purchase my e-book, The Frustration-Free Guide to Curly Hair to answer all your curly hair questions + get a guide to products by curl type! 

 

 

*This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase something through the links on this page.*

I have 3 children with curly hair, and my youngest daughter has wavy, curly hair.

Learning to manage and style her hair has been a challenge because while it is not completely straight, yet not completely curly either.

I have 4c hair. It is kinky, coarse & requires a lot of moisture, while hers is between 2B/2C.

Her hair is a mixture of waves and curls.

Her hair is fine, wavy and gets weighed down easily by products that my hair craves. Learning what to use in her hair has been a bit of trial and error. Here’s what I’ve learned about wavy, curly hair:

It’s Okay To Use Shampoo On Wavy Curly Hair

There are a lot of women who subscribe to the curly girl method–a method that discourages shampoo.

Wavy curly hair often looks limp and weighed down when saturated with products, so for that reason, I don’t like the curly girl method.

Using shampoo cleanses the scalp and hair of product build up, giving you a clean slate for moisturizing and styling.

I typically only shampoo 1-2 times a week.

Most curly girls only use shampoo once a week, but when your child spends a majority of their time outside, or they go to school on a regular basis, I like to shampoo more than once a week.

Avoid Products With Toxic Chemicals & Opt For Products With Natural Ingredients

Sulfates are what give shampoo bubbles & suds and parabens have been linked to cancer. Typically if you are reading a product label and cannot pronounce most of the ingredients, they are not good for your hair. Companies add these products as preservatives, but can be harmful for your skin and hair.

Products with added fragrance are full of hidden chemicals. Plant derived ingredients can help with hair moisture and growth without the use of toxic chemicals.

Detanglers & Leave In Conditioners Are A Necessity

Curly wavy hair needs moisture. A lack of moisture often causes frizziness. I love spray leave in conditioners because it is easier to control the amount that is coming out of the bottle and it adds a nice shine without being too thick.

Using thick butters and leave in conditioner creams weigh the hair down and make it look lifeless.

Some of my favorite leave in conditioners come from the Taliah Waajid kids & Taliah Waajid kids lines & Kinky Curly Knot Today.

Using Gel Minimizes Frizz & Defines Curls

On days that we skip gel, my daughter looks like she has bedhead. Gel keeps her beautiful wavy curly hair defined and polished.

 

The trick to knowing how to manage and style curly hair is to identify the curl type. Once you have an understanding of what your specific curl type needs, you will be on the road to beautiful, healthy curls!

Are you a total loss when it comes to styling your child’s naturally curly hair? Purchase my e-book, The Frustration-Free Guide to Curly Hair to answer all your curly hair questions + get a guide to products by curl type! 

*This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase something through the links on this page.*

With two of my three kids in school, finding easy hairstyles that get us out the door quickly is a must!!

My oldest two are girls, and are often very opinionated about their hair. They both have different textures of curls, and I’m working on teaching them how to love and care for their curls.

I keep a basket of products in their closet, and they often ask me what product I’m using and why. I use this as a teachable moment, so that one day, they will know how to style their hair without my assistance.

When they were babies, I was a little lost when it came to products. I have curly hair too, but the texture of my hair is much thicker than theirs. It took lots of time (and money) to figure out what works for them.

After I learned what worked for them, I had to teach my husband—this works out great because now if I’m running behind in the morning, he is the one styling their hair!

Here are a few of our quick and easy hairstyles:

The Relaxed Bun:

Basically this style is a lazy version of a tight bun. After making a ponytail, I pull the hair almost all the way out of the band and leave a little hair at the bottom.

You can dress up this hairstyle with a bow or a headband. It’s also known as a topknot.

Do your girls like watching Sunny Day on Nick Jr? Thanks to her, my girls have started requesting different hairstyles.

Two Space Buns

This is probably one of my favorite styles. For moms who are not good at braiding or parting, this style is very forgiving.

It only requires 1 part down the center of the head, then making two ponytails. The two ponytails are then wrapped around each other and pinned down into buns.

 

And voila! Two space buns!   It’s an easy relaxed style, or you can dress them up with a scarf or headband.

Side Pony

I know what you’re thinking….

The side pony is such an 80’s style! But trust me, the side pony has made a comeback! My daughters love to dress up their ponytails with cat ears or turbans.

You can give the side pony some versatility by making it high or low. Either way, it’s such a cute and easy style!

Half Up, Half Down

If your daughters are like mine, they like to wear their hair down a lot. The problem with keeping curly hair loose is that it leaves the ends open to breakage.

Typically a style like this one is for special occasions like church or birthday parties. This is not an everyday style.

Braided Pony

Hairstyles like the braided pony are great protective styles.

A protective style tucks most of your hair away from daily manipulation.

Depending on the curl type, this style may last a few days without having to refresh it.

In order to achieve a sleek look without frizz at the end of the day, I recommend finding a gel to slick the edges down.

If you don’t have curly hair yourself, learning how to style curls can be a bit of a challenge. These 5 styles are simple and don’t require a lot of prior knowledge to accomplish.

If you are totally clueless about curly hair and need some help, then the Frustration Free Guide to Curly Hair is for you!

In it, you’ll get a FREE guide to the best products by curl type. It even breaks down the need of each curl type to make styling easier.

It’s only $8 and full of information that will change how you view your curls.

Click here to purchase.

*This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you subscribe or purchase something through the links on this page.*

Caring for baby curly hair is a little different than caring for an older person with curly hair.

Finding products that are gentle, but hydrate, define, encourage growth & moisturize all at the same time can be a bit tricky.

All three of my children were born with curly hair. The oldest and youngest  have similar thicker tighter curls patterns, while my middle child has looser, wavy curls. Finding the right products for them has been trial and error.

It’s important to know that genetics plays a role in your child’s curls. Your child may even have hair similar to a distant family member, and nothing like the people in their immediate family.

When I was pregnant, I envisioned what my children would look like, and I wondered what their hair would look like.

My husband has brown straight hair, and I have 4c hair (the thickest, tightest curl pattern). Our children got his hair color, but all of them have curly hair.

Less is More

Baby curly hair really doesn’ require a lot of manipulation. Enjoy the easy care routines while they last! Use a shampoo that is formulated for babies.

This ensures that if the shampoo gets in your baby’s eyes, it won’t burn. Finding products that are free from harmful ingredients such as sulfates and parabens can cause dryness which=dry curls.

Conditioner is Your Friend

If your baby doesn’t have very much hair, you don’t have to worry about using a lot of products.

Wash with conditioner every other day. There are many conditioners on the market with natural ingredients that are formulated just for children.

After bath, use a light cream or leave in conditioner to seal in moisture and define those baby curls. One of my favorite leave in conditioners is Mielle Organics. 

I also love the Mane Choice kids line.

Take it Easy on Their Scalp

Keep in mind that babies have very sensitive scalps. Some babies are prone to cradle cap, and that is perfectly normal! It will usually clear up on its own.

You can speed up the healing process by using a little coconut oil on the scalp, and using a baby brush to gently brush the scales out.

Use Protective Styling

Curly hair is prone to be dry and damaged when left free daily. Simple styles like cornrows, ponytails, buns and braids promote healthy hair growth.

If you do not feel confident styling hair, refer to Pinterest for ideas or enlist the help of a stylist.

Know that Baby Curly Hair May Change

What worked for baby curly hair may not work as your child grows. Their texture and curl pattern may change, so you may have to adjust the products that you are using.

If you find that after your child’s curly hair look dull and lifeless after you have used a product, it probably doesn’t work for their hair anymore.

If you are totally clueless when it comes to styling curly hair, don’t worry, I’ve got you! When you purchase my e-book, The Frustration Free Guide to Curly Hair, it will help you understand the unique needs of curly hair and take the frustration out of your day to day routine.

Want a copy of the e-book for $8? You can purchase here—> https://sowl.co/Y1ICn