*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.*
As a mom of 3 biracial children, it has been a challenge to find the right products to help me care for their curls.
I have naturally curly hair myself, but it is a very different texture from my children. Finding the right products has been a costly, and at times, frustrating venture.
Understand that Biracial actually means Multiracial
Don’t make assumptions about the hair. Just because the child is mixed with two races, doesn’t mean that their hair isn’t infused with all the other genes in their bloodline.
Parents with thick wavy hair can produce an offspring with thick, kinky curls.
Detangle, Detangle, Detangle (while wet)
I cannot say this enough. Curly hair loves water. Never try to detangle curly hair while dry (ouch!!) Often naturals talk about finding a conditioner with good slip.
Slip means that the conditioner aids in detangling and glides through the hair.
Wide Tooth Combs are a Must
Wide tooth combs assist with detangling by gliding through the hair instead of pulling. The best way to detangle a head full of curly hair is to make sure the hair is damp or wet. Detangling curly hair dry is a big no no!
Your child will thank you!
Establish a Night-Time Routine for Healthy Hair Care
Curly hair tangles easily, so having a night time routine to reduce tangles is essential.
At night you have several options: braid or twist hair, put in a pineapple (basically a high pony), or sleep with a satin cap.
Find a Good Conditioner (Leave in and Wash out)
Curly hair naturals talk about co-washing all the time. This basically means washing hair with conditioner instead of shampoo.
Even though cowashing can add moisture back into dry hair, I still love the way shampoo cleanses and makes my daughters’ hair feel squeaky.
your child suffers from a dry, itchy scalp, then a conditioner with tea tree oil may do the trick.
Don’t Fight the Curl, Embrace the Curl
I have heard of many women who are at a loss with their biracial child’s curly hair.
Find products that make the curl come to life naturally instead of finding ways to straighten it. When you find a good conditioner, the curls will respond by spiraling.
Add Gel
Gel has been a game changer in my house. I was always afraid to use it because I didn’t want hard curls. I didn’t realize that there are so many on the market made with non-drying, natural ingredients.
So how do you know if a gel works for your child’s biracial curls? The right gel holds your curls in place gently without residue. Gel is a wonderful tool to add shine, hold & definition.
It’s also great for keeping the frizz away, and to give your style staying power.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
A good deep conditioner once a week is a must, especially when your child’s biracial curly hair seems to be lifeless and lack moisture.
Hot oil treatments are also a great way to bring moisture into dry hair. Simply heat the oil of your choice (I love jojoba, almond & coconut) in the microwave for a few seconds, pour over their head and let it sit for at least 20 minutes.
Sitting under a hooded dryer will ensure the oils penetrate the hair and scalp. Then wash out.
Recently I’ve discovered a fabulous line of oils, Mammoth Oils. The wonderful thing about this brand is that it combines several natural (avocado jojoba, coconut, olive, castor, argon & almond) oils so you don’t have to!
The creator of the brand is multiracial and she couldn’t find what she needed in a product, so she created her own!
Want to try out this brand for yourself? Enter code CURLYKIDS for 15% off at check out.
Don’t be Afraid to Experiment!
What works for one biracial child’s curly hair, will not necessarily work for your child. I’ve been guilty of being a product junkie–buying different products because I’ve been scrolling through Instagram or watching YouTube videos.
When you are watching YouTube videos, try to find someone who has a similar texture to your child’s texture.
Subscribe to Beauty/Hair boxes
There are several companies that make monthly subscription boxes full of products specifically for curly haired individuals.
The boxes are full of a variety of product brands in full and sample sizes. This allows you to try different products for $25-$30 a month without going broke and purchasing products that don’t work.
Are you a total loss when it comes to styling your biracial child’s 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!
Hey girlie!
I’ve found a very nice Gel for my crazy multiracial curls. It’s called LA Bella Lots of Curls. It’s alcohol free and doesn’t leave nasty residue. It’s only $3.00 at CVS! This is the first time I’ve worn my hair curly and haven’t had it frizz in an hour!
Thanks for sharing Misty!! I’ll have to give it a try.
My kids are not biracial, but two of them have very curly hair. My toddler daughter is the curliest of them -her hair looks like your youngest daughter’s hair- and I had already discovered several ways to comb her hair which you mention here. But your tips are great, I’m going to try them on her. Thanks for posting this!
Oh my what cuties you have there. Loving all those curls.
Thank you Becca!
Where was this post 15 years ago?!? My little niece, who is biracial, came to stay a few weeks with us by herself when she was two. That poor little thing! I had no idea what I was doing! She seems to have still turned out fine in spite of my ill fated efforts.
Aw, you get an A for effort!
I love this I tried coconut oil in my son’s hair last night. He has this problem spot in the back of his hair that is always tangled and this morning no frizz! Since we give baths at night it makes curly maintenance even harder for our kidos. There hair isn’t long enough to braid or pony (2 yrs and 10 mo) satin cap wont work any tips?
Yes, I suggest using kinky curly knot today detangler right after bath or cantu moisturizing curl activator cream. If you don’t give him a bath every morning, invest in a spray bottle and spray that problem area & reapply the detangler or curling cream. My baby girl’s hair isn’t long enough to braid & she wakes up with a tangled spot too. The right shampoos & conditioners will help too. I’m going to be adding product reviews to my page too, so stay tuned!
Thank you for following! Please share what works for you as well-maybe even guest post.
I need this for my son because his hair is a daily struggle lol
Check out my product review page too! Moisturizing & detangling curly hair is a must!
For the type of hair that I have, Garnier Fructis’ Curl Sculpting Cream Gel
Oh, I’ve never tried that kind. What kind of curl pattern do you have?
Oh yeah! DETANGLING while your hair is wet is a must with curly hair.. Great post.:)
Thanks Latasha!
I love you that you and your beautiful daughters embrace your curls! You’re all gorgeous! And let’s talk about that amazing animal print dress you’re wearing!!
Such a helpful post and I am sending it to my sister for her daughter! Thanks for sharing!
My kids have dry scalp. What do I use to stop it from itching and flaking.
Sorry I am just seeing your question! Trader Joe’s makes a good tea tree shampoo/conditioner. I have a post specifically to help with this. https://arethoseyourkids.com/dry-itchy-scalp/