Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Many parents struggle with caring for their child’s natural hair. Between the negotiating, whining and tears, managing your child’s natural hair care can make you want to throw up your hands. Here are 12 natural hair care tips for kids.
1. Understand Your Child’s Hair Texture
Every child has a unique hair type. A light styling lotion that works like magic on Type 3 hair might do nothing on Type 4c hair—which might do better with a thicker styling cream or butter. While hair typing is not an exact science, it’s definitely helpful in guiding you in the types of products to put on your child’s natural hair. Likewise, one of the most important factors for natural hair care tips for kids is knowing your child’s hair porosity. Products and styling methods that work well on low porosity hair may not be as useful on high porosity hair. Wondering what your child’s hair porosity is? Check out this post.
2. Avoid Dryness
Dryness and tangles are the top complaints that parents have when styling their child’s natural hair. African American hair is more prone to dryness, and hair that is dry tends to be more difficult to style and more likely to tangle and break! Moisture is the key to eliminating dry, brittle hair, and moisture is one of the most important of the natural hair care tips for kids. Well moisturized hair not only looks and feels better, but it’s also more elastic and less likely to break off. Be sure that you’re frequently moisturizing your child’s natural hair (at least a few times a week—maybe daily for some hair types). Check out this post for tips on combating dryness.
3. Alternate Shampoo and Co-Washes
Hair oils and hair products can build up on your child’s natural hair over time, coating it and making it dry. It’s important to cleanse your child’s hair frequently. Because shampoos can be drying, you might consider alternating shampoo washes with co-washes. Also, try to wash weekly or every other week. Even if your child’s hair is in a protective style, you can still gently wash and condition it. A nice shampoo for kids is Shea Moisture Mango and Carrot Nourishing Shampoo. It’s sulfate free and enriched with shea butter.
If you’re looking for a co-wash to alternate your shampoo with, As I Am Coconut Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner is a good one to try.
Are you into holistic living? Consider doing a clay wash with rhassoul or bentonite clay. Clay washes are gentle, won’t strip your child’s natural hair, and help to detangle and define curls.
4. Don’t Skip Detangling
Detangling your child’s natural hair is a big part of keeping it healthy. If you’re not detangling adequately, your child’s natural hair can develop big tangles, fairy knots and breakage. A good way to detangle is on damp hair that is coated in a cheap conditioner. Suave Sun Ripened Strawberry Conditioner is great for detangling. You can buy a huge bottle very cheaply, and it makes detangling a breeze.
While some of you may be on ‘Team Finger Detangle’ for your children, others may prefer to finger detangle and then detangle with a wide toothed comb from ends to root.
Check out this detangling technique video from Halfrican Beaute:
Many also like the Tangle Teezer, which gets through natural hair easily. Check out a video of the Tangle Teezer in action on type 4 hair here.
5. Deep Condition Regularly
Deep conditioning your child’s natural hair will help to improve its elasticity, strength and moisture. And more moisturized hair will make your life easier because it will be easier to detangle and style. Try to deep condition after every wash if you can. Camille Rose Algae Renew Deep Conditioner and Shea Moisture Mango and Carrot Kids Extra Nourishing Conditioner will help enrich your child’s hair as it conditions it.
6. Add Moisture During the Week
Remember to add moisture to your child’s natural hair between wash days. Hair needs water to stay hydrated and supple. Apply some of your favorite leave in conditioner to your child’s hair and then seal with a light oil or butter like olive oil, castor oil or shea butter.
You might also try nighttime hair spritzing, which you can read about here. Lightly spritz a section of your child’s hair with water, smooth, seal with an oil or butter and then twist or gently braid.
7. Trim Regularly
Regular trimming of your child’s ends will make detangling sessions much easier, and will also mean that your child’s hair is less likely to break off. When detangling and styling starts to become difficult, it might be time for a trim.
Here’s a video from Discovering Natural on how and when to trim your child’s natural hair:
8. Don’t Use Relaxers
Relaxers can be damaging for anyone if they’re not used correctly. In general, I think that relaxers should be avoided in young children. The potential for damage to young, immature hair follicles is too great. Stretched hair can still be achieved with styles like twist-outs and bantu knot-outs, which will show your child’s length without damaging her hair or scalp. Check out this post for some videos on stretching hair without heat.
9. Get a Satin Pillowcase
Who doesn’t like the feel of cool, fresh satin against their skin? Your child will love sleeping on a satin pillowcase, and it will do wonders for your child’s natural hair. Remember, cotton pillowcases can soak up vital moisture from your child hair, and also lead to tangles and frizz. Satin pillowcases will keep your child’s hair looking fresher for longer.
10. Don’t Pull Too Tight
Traction alopecia occurs from tight hairstyles, often braids or twists, which can cause permanent baldness at your edges. Thankfully, traction alopecia can be totally prevented. Remember that if your child complains that her hairstyle hurts, you should loosen it up immediately. Pain means that damage is occurring. Check out this post on traction alopecia in kids and how to treat and prevent it.
11. Protective Styles Are Awesome
I love two-strand twist protective styles. They look gorgeous and are fairly low maintenance (once the twists are done!) And let’s face it, mom and dad are glad for the break. Protective styles are also key if your child is very active or participates in sports like swimming, where you want to keep the hair from becoming tangled. Check out this amazing 2-strand twists style on a little girl:
Remember, when your child’s natural hair is in a protective style, you still need to wash, condition and moisturize it regularly!
12. Embrace Your Child’s Natural Hair
Make sure that your child knows just how stunningly beautiful and unique her natural hair is! Make sure to show her positive images from magazines, media and your community of women with beautiful natural hair. Society has come a long way, but still has a ways to go, in terms of celebrating natural hair. Make sure that self acceptance and self love are a part of your child’s natural hair journey.
Fortunately, if you follow these natural hair care tips for kids, practice, and use the right products, styling your child’s natural hair should get a lot easier.
