Help! How do I encourage the curls?

[YouAreTheFocus]

I am in need of some guidance/advice on my child's hair. When it is good, it is very very good (beautiful ringlets), and when it is bad, it is horrid (poofy, fluffy, flat). I feel like I have no control over which way it turns out! We've had a couple "photo ops" where the hair looks awful. Having photos taken this Friday, need a surefire method to put the spring in the curls!

[amldaley]

1) Never wash curly hair the day or the night before pictures. It is always better a day or two later.

2) Don't wash more than every other day...we wash every third day.

3) I brush DD's out every morning and spritz with a detangler that serves as a curl revitalizer. I really hated Loreal and Suave's. We use Kiss My Face Orange Detangler.

http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-My-Face-Detangler-8-Ounce/dp/B001GIOVWI

4) We use a coconut based creme conditioner just at the ends and a very light shampoo.

5) When it came time to get it cut, to get the split ends out, I made sure the stylist knew what to do with curly hair.

[Roleysmom]

I'll add one more to A-M's list. Don't use a brush (will make it poofy) only use a comb. But comb in the shower/bath when wet because it will hurt on dry hair.

[larig]

I agree with all of this, especially the do not brush recommendation.

With DS I don't wash his hair often, sometimes i don't shampoo and just use conditioner, or just water. I use a very wide-tooth comb when wet I don't use anything product-wise on his hair, except i have a spray bottle with water to use to spray and scrunch when it's looking scraggly.

[daisymommy]

You need this book! There is a section for curly kids too.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/076115678X/ref=asc_df_076115678X1616173?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=076115678X

[ellies mom]

My daughters both have ringlets. DD1's are between sharpie and sidewalk chalk width and DD2's are pencil width.

In the morning, I wet their hair down with a spray bottle then work a dab of leave-in conditioner straight into their hair. I comb it out with a very wide tooth comb (or the tangle teaser). Then I work a bit of Aveda's Be Curly Curl Enhancer and Aveda's Confixor into their hair with my fingers. After that, I leave it alone until it dries. If necessary I may gently compress the ringlets to "de-crunch" them.

A lot of people use a clear hair gel, but I haven't found one I like more than what we use although it would be nice to have a cheaper option.

I almost never use shampoo. I use use conditioner instead. With DD2, I do use oil on her hair occasionally. I usually just rub a small amount of warm jojoba oil into her hair at night. It is typically gone the next morning, if not I just rinse it out. I don't do it with DD1, because her hair doesn't really need it.

I really recommend the book "Curly Girls".

[essnce629]

I almost never use shampoo. I use use conditioner instead. With DD2, I do use oil on her hair occasionally. I usually just rub a small amount of warm jojoba oil into her hair at night. It is typically gone the next morning, if not I just rinse it out. I don't do it with DD1, because her hair doesn't really need it.

I really recommend the book "Curly Girls".

I just started this with both my and DS2's hair. It's called co-washing, as in conditioner washing. It's popular with those who have African American hair. Google it for more info. I find that it really helps both my hair and DS2's hair. Just use conditioner like you would shampoo. Rub it into the scalp for a good minute or two and add some water to make it lather, then comb it all through, leave it on for the length of the shower/bath, rinse out, and then add a little back as a leave in conditioner. They even sell "cleansing conditioners" now for this purpose. Wen is a popular brand that I like a lot, but it's expensive. Sally's Beauty supply sells one as well called Hair One, that is one third the price as Wen. Amazon has both Wen and Hair One and both get great reviews. People who co-wash tend to only use regular shampoo (usually a clarifying shampoo) about once a month. They usually use inexpensive conditioners, like Suave, for co-washing since you use a lot of it. With the cleansing conditioners you don't ever need to use a separate shampoo. I also use Jojoba oil on both my and DS2's hair.

[amldaley]

I am in need of some guidance/advice on my child's hair. When it is good, it is very very good (beautiful ringlets), and when it is bad, it is horrid (poofy, fluffy, flat). I feel like I have no control over which way it turns out! We've had a couple "photo ops" where the hair looks awful. Having photos taken this Friday, need a surefire method to put the spring in the curls!

BTW, I just got your nursey rhyme reference in your OP :)

I think you have some great suggestions throughout these replies, but I would try one or two things at a time. It makes a difference if your daughters hair is soft or course, thick or fine. Not all curls need the same treatments.

DD's hair is very fine and soft and curly with big ringlets (tightly wound when she is out in humidty or when I use water or a curl activator, about the size of magic marker). I MUST use shampoo on her as the front/top get oily from sweat and with soft/fine hair, that oil shows up.

Others have mentioned using conditioner only. There are some products on the market called "cleansing conditioner". I tried it on DD but could not get it to rinse out well. I know others who have used it and love it. It can take a few washings like that to become effective, so if you experiment with it, be patient for the results.

Also, others have mentioned not brushing. Again, it make a difference what kind of hair. I use a wide tooth comb on her wet hair, but I have to brush it out dry once a day as she gets rats nests in the back every. single. day. Vicious knots that must be brushed out. I find on her hair, a comb ends up stretching and tearing her hair. So, again, it totally depends on the type of hair, not just the curls. I know others hair would be worse off for the brushing - it would make it even more poofy.

[septmama2b]

I have fine thin naturally curly hair, and I learned a long time ago to embrace it. I have never straightened it, and have had one blow out in my life. I think it helped that my mom made me love rather then hate my curls from a young age.
I highly recommend "Curly Girl" you can check it out at your local library. The writer has a line of products called DevaGirl, and once I found them I tossed out every single other thing in my bathroom.
I only wash every 3rd day, my day 2 and 3 hair is always beter then day 1. I don't even own a brush. There is also a great online community at www.naturallycurly.com they have product and salon reviews, a very active bulletin board and I know there is a section for kids.

[weech]

I have fine thin naturally curly hair, and I learned a long time ago to embrace it. I have never straightened it, and have had one blow out in my life. I think it helped that my mom made me love rather then hate my curls from a young age.
I highly recommend "Curly Girl" you can check it out at your local library. The writer has a line of products called DevaGirl, and once I found them I tossed out every single other thing in my bathroom.
I only wash every 3rd day, my day 2 and 3 hair is always beter then day 1. I don't even own a brush. There is also a great online community at www.naturallycurly.com (http://www.naturallycurly.com) they have product and salon reviews, a very active bulletin board and I know there is a section for kids.

:yeahthat: I use Deva products and haven't owned a brush in more than 10 years. The best thing for curls, typically, is moisture (as in conditioner, not humidity!) and gentle hands. Curly hair tends to be dry because oils don't move as efficiently down the shaft of the hair.

I'd recommend you find a conditioner you like, only shampoo once every few days at most, and "comb" her hair with your fingers, scrunch and let air dry.

Yay for curly girls!

[RunnerDuck]

Everyone seems to be different... DH has curly hair and can only comb his hair wet. DD1 has "his" curls but if I come her hair wet it gets straight and big and awful looking. SO I comb her hair dry, with a wide tooth comb, to get the knots out, then hit it with some pantene detangling spray, and comb through again, and it boings right up into nice curls. Pretty simple. She has big boingy curls, not tight curls. DH's curls are a bit tighter, if that matters.

[septmama2b]

:yeahthat: I use Deva products and haven't owned a brush in more than 10 years. The best thing for curls, typically, is moisture (as in conditioner, not humidity!) and gentle hands. Curly hair tends to be dry because oils don't move as efficiently down the shaft of the hair.

I'd recommend you find a conditioner you like, only shampoo once every few days at most, and "comb" her hair with your fingers, scrunch and let air dry.

Yay for curly girls!

I just found a Deva stylist this year, she introduced me to the products. I have never loved my hair as much as I do now. The combination of having a stylist with curls, who knows how to cut them, and the products that aren't filled with a ton of silicones and sulfates has made a huge difference in my hair.

[Jo..]

We use conditioner only (no shampoo). Curly hair is dry hair because the oils can't travel down the shaft. Shampoo is too drying for dd's hair.

I try to brush only when wet, with conditioner in it. Try a wet brush, Tangle Teezer, or Knot Genie. I can and do sometimes brush when dry, but it pulls some of the curl out.

I have recently started to use an argan oil product on our hair when it is still damp. It helps to keep the moisture up a bit.

[Roni]

I recommend the book "Curly Girl--The Handbook" by Lorraine Massey.

[ellies mom]

I recommend the book "Curly Girl--The Handbook" by Lorraine Massey.

I have the original book but I really want to check this one out.

[YouAreTheFocus]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions and advice! I am a straight hair girl, so I have no idea what to do with this mop of curls :) As amldaley advised, I am making a list of all the options and will try them one by one. I am a bit overwhelmed by all the different products & techniques!

So, I tried our first product last night, and unfortunately it was a failure :( I went out in search of Aveda's Be Curly Curl Enhancer, as suggested by ellie's mom. The salon that carries Aveda near me was sold out, so they gave me samples of another similar product. It seemed to be doing it's thing on the wet post-bath hair, but this morning I was greeted by a big fluffed-out poof-head! I tried working a little more into the dry hair, but it just made it worse (seems to weigh/drag it down). It seems like the ONLY time we get the nice tight curls is right after a bath, and then the next morning/after nap the hair is flattened/poofed out.

Is the only way to revitilize the curls the next morning to completely wet it down w/ water and/or detangler spray? Those of you who use detangler spray, do you completely saturate the hair with it?

For our pictures tomorrow, I think I'll just have to do a bath in the morning, since I am running out of time to practice different options. But normally baths have to be at night, so I'd love some more "next morning" help :)

Thanks!

[weech]

Is the only way to revitilize the curls the next morning to completely wet it down w/ water and/or detangler spray? Those of you who use detangler spray, do you completely saturate the hair with it?


In my experience, yes. The only way to revitalize my curls once they're flat or frizzed is to completely wet down my entire head and start from scratch. This is why my hair only looks good a couple days a week ;)

[ellies mom]

I love Aveda products but I have found their advice on curly hair to be very hit or miss. And unfortunately, when it is a miss it can be spendy.

I'm a straight hair mama too so I definitely feel your pain. I have the added stress of being a "white mama" because you just don't want to be the mom that can't take care of their biracial child's curls.

At anyrate, when I spritz their hair in the morning, I don't get it sopping wet, like it would be after a bath but I get it good and damp.

[meira]

We definitely do morning baths before photo ops. I use conditioner and water in a spray bottle in the am, but it doesn't turn out as well as post bath. Another vote for devacurl!!