Mixed Chick Hair Dictionary? What is this you ask? Well, having curly hair puts you in a category all by yourself. Since becoming natural, I’ve had to learn several new terms myself. If you are raising “mixed chicks” or children of other ethnicities with curly hair, there are a few terms you ought to become familiar with. Here’s my cheat sheet for you:
Co-washing:
The use of conditioners to wash in lieu of shampoos. If you need a list of great conditioners, check out my post on my favorite conditioners. Shampoos can be drying, while conditioners moisturize. Shampoos also don’t do a great job of detangling.
Detangle:
Okay, you may think that everyone knows what this means, but having curly hair adds a whole other twist on the term. The thicker and coarser the texture, the more work it takes to keep the curls from intertwining and creating tangles.
Wide Tooth Comb:
Having a naturally curly texture means that you can’t pick up any old item to style your hair. A wide tooth comb glides through your curls instead of creating tangles.
Protective Styling:
Any style that allows your curly hair to have a break and allows minimal stress (braids, wig, etc).
The purpose of protective styling is to give curly hair a break from the stress of daily wear and tear.
Natural:
Natural means you are wearing natural curls without any chemicals to alter the natural state (i.e. relaxers/perms/texturizers).
Wash and Go:
Now this was deceiving to me because I thought I could literally wash my hair and go. This just means you can use a product to run through your hair to bring out the natural curl.
I have 4C hair, which is the tightest, kinkiest curl pattern. My favorite product to perfect the wash & go is Creme of Nature Argon Oil Pudding Perfection.
Depending on the texture, this could take anywhere from 10 minutes to 45.
Big Chop:
Some women decide that they no longer want to use chemicals to straighten their hair, and the process of returning to the natural curl can be sped up by cutting off the relaxed ends and allowing the natural curl to come back.
I hope this post has helped you understand naturally curly hair a little bit better. Do you have questions about any other terms that you’ve heard that I didn’t mention here?
Ask away! Are you raising biracial children?
Hashtag pictures of your children on Instagram with #arethoseyourkids. I can’t wait to see them!
I don’t have a biracial child but we still do all of the above. I did the big chop a year ago but did it before. I just love short hair and keep cutting it all the time. I also stopped using shampoo and now only cowash Madison’s hair. To be honest I wash her hair maybe 4 times a year and do a LOT of protective styling with hers and mine. She has a mixed texture due to my family being mixed. This is great for those who are always confused by the way us naturals talk about our hair. 🙂
Thanks for sharing Amanda! I love short natural hair too. It’s versatile & fun.
Love your short cut. It looks fabulous on you. Your tips for mixed chicks are great and so informative.
Thank you!
You all have such beautiful hair! I love all of your hairstyles.
Thanks Diz!
I have to say that of all the styles shown, I love your natural curls the best! You have such a beautiful smile and your natural beauty just shines 🙂
Kait, you just made my night!
You have such amazing hair! You are truly beautiful inside and out!
Thank you Debra. You are too kind!
Love this I have a mixed child half black half white and these products will be amazing she has great hair bit I like to be proactive
Yes, you never know if her hair may change.
That is the greatest name…. mixed chick! Love it! All of your hair looks great, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading!
I love your hair. It looks great.
Thank you!
Your hairstyles look great. I was going to comment on a favorite but I like them all.
Thanks Jill!
I have big, huge, frizzy natural curls. I pay a small fortune for keratin treatments every 12 weeks to get rid of them.
Oh no! I hate to hear that. Is that because you struggle with styling?
Growing up my hair was pin straight. I used to wish for curls! Then one day boom…frizzy, wavy out of control hair. No idea where it comes from. But, here it is! lol I don’t have biracial children, but lots of friends who do and are always struggling to keep their kids hair detangled and moisturized. I’m sharing this post with them!
Thank you! I have naturally curly hair, and many of the techniques I’ve shared here work in my own hair. I appreciate you being willing to share with your friends!
I love your hair short, it really suits your face. Unlike me, I have a round face and can’t pull off short hair.
I bet you could! I was very self conscious the first month. It took a but to develop the confidence I have now.
I have super straight hair and always wanted some nice curls. I love your tips. BTW your hair looks great short!
Thank you Krystle! I used to always want straight hair. I guess we always want what we don’t have.
Detangle is RIGHT! I have extremely thick and curly hair, although it is not ethnic, it’s still a pain and detangling is my worst nightmare!
Shannon you should try cowashing with conditioner.
I have wavy/ curly hair and it can be a pain to manage too! Yours is beautiful though!
Thank you Ana. I’ve definitely learned by trial & error.
From a natural hair girl, thank you for this! We are product junkies…and sometimes we s e even get overwhelmed by all the terminology.
Yes Toni! I’ve learned so much in two years.
I’ve got naturally curly hair myself, so I know the value of a great product! Love your styles in this post!
These are great tips! I love the way that Loreal conditioner smells too – so good!
Thanks Skye! It does smell amazing!
I love your hair! It looks gorgeous! I have extremely frizzy and thin thin thin hair. It is completely unmanageable and I always throw it up in a bun.
Thanks Heather! You may have to find some products that add volume.
What great products. I can see where they would be good for the hair! I’ll recommend this to a friend who has two mixed girls.
Thanks Amber!
I have naturally curly hair so maybe it would help me too. It sure does get tangled up for what seems like no reason and is so frustrating. btw – your hair is adorable short 😉
Thank you Laura! You probably need a good leave in conditioner & a touch of gel.
I love your hair! I always wanted to have curly but was granted straight hair.
Your selection of hair care products is amazing
Thank you! I’ve spent a lot of money trying different things to see what would work. I’m sure your straight hair is beautiful!
Ah hair! With only girls in the house, hair is a very big topic in the house. We try to use oil to add moisture to the dry hair usually! I like your tips and tricks!
Thank you Koninika! I love Jamaican black castor oil!
This is the second time that I have heard co-washing today, and never knew what it was. And, I know the magic of the wide tooth comb all too well.
Yona, it will change your life!
I have never heard of cowashing before. I have stick straight hair and use hot curlers every single morning. I love the look of the short natural curls.
It’s amazing that we learn something new everyday! I didn’t know about co washing either until about 2 years ago when I started embracing my natural curls.