Help with preschooler's dry, wavy/curly hair

[Anonymous]

My 3 year old has very dry hair and it is inconsistently wavy and curly. She's had it cut once, but it was shorter and my stylist cut it dry to "preserve the curls" and shaped it up so she no longer had a mullet. It's now shoulder length (just below her shoulders when wet, just above when dry). I tried to take her to get a haircut recently but she wasn't having it, so we gave up. We're going to try again this weekend after watching Daniel Tiger so maybe having a good cut will fix the issue, but her hair is kind of wild. My question is --- does anyone have recs for a good shampoo/conditioner (preferably combo, since she hates getting her hair rinsed off) and maybe even a product to tame her hair? We're currently using Suave free and clear, I've also tried Honest company shampoo and conditioner separately. I tried Coconut oil but had the hardest time washing it out, so it just looked greasy the next day. What would you try?

[Anonymous]

Try a leave in conditioner and comb only when soaking wet, never while dry. I have a toddler with curls and we comb with a wide tooth comb right after rinsing out conditioner, and then rinse once more with water.

[Anonymous]

I used to put curl cream in my DS's curly hair. Garnier Fructis Butter Cream and Not Your Mother's Curl Cream were great - lightweight and not sticky/greasy. They also make some more expensive ones "for kids" but I didn't see the point.

Don't towel dry her hair, either. You can use an old t-shirt to get the water out but let it air dry. Towels cause frizz.

[Anonymous]

I use Not Your Mother's Naturals shampoo and conditioner on my DD. I use a wet brush. In the mornings, I wet it with a spray bottle, brush it, then apply a little bit of Hip Peas gel and scrunch it to bring out the curls. A good haircut will help, too.

[Anonymous]

For hair that's dry and curly, you don't want to use a combo shampoo+conditioner bc you don;t want to shampoo so much and wash out the hair's natural oils. Most of the time you can skip shampoo and use conditioner only.

[Anonymous]

I'd go with a shorter hair cut (e.g., closer to chin than shoulder) if she's amenable. A good cut is important for curly hair. As for upkeep, get a detangler comb, and brush hair only when wet. My kid also hates rinsing out hair, so we use fairy tales tangle tamer--it works well, but I haven't really compared it to others. Spray it on while the hair is still very wet, then leave the hair along. You can use the spray (maybe with some water) to revive curls too.

[Anonymous]

Don’t wash the hair more than twice a week. Just don’t tell the crazies on the bath thread.

[Anonymous]

Longer is better, only brush when wet and use a good leave in conditioner and gel.

[Anonymous]

Ignore all the PPs. She's already had the Deva cut (a dry cut for curly girls) why would you not purchase the Deva products? You can get 32 oz bottles on Amazon for cheaper than the 12 oz bottles in the salon. Buy One Condition and No Poo. Wash with the No Poo 2-3 times a week, and condition with the One Condition Daily (or as often as she bathes). Do not brush her hair - fingers only! If you must dry her hair, use a micro fiber towel or a tshirt.

[Anonymous]

First of all never brush curly hair. Only use a comb from now on. A tiny bit of coconut oil will do workers to help de tangle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ignore all the PPs. She's already had the Deva cut (a dry cut for curly girls) why would you not purchase the Deva products? You can get 32 oz bottles on Amazon for cheaper than the 12 oz bottles in the salon. Buy One Condition and No Poo. Wash with the No Poo 2-3 times a week, and condition with the One Condition Daily (or as often as she bathes). Do not brush her hair - fingers only! If you must dry her hair, use a micro fiber towel or a tshirt.

Ignore this PP. Amazon sells fake products.

[Anonymous]

I recommend Carol's daughter products. They are in the african american section of beauty but work amazing.

[Anonymous]

Get a Wet Brush brush and comb. The brand is called ‘wet brush’ and they’re amazing. Echo the PP suggestions about only shampooing 2-3x a week and focusing your efforts on conditioners. There are a ton of leave-in conditioners geared toward curly girls, so it will take some trial and error to find what works. Both Walgreens and CVS have generous return policies so just save your receipts. You could also start simply with some conditioner and water mixed in a spray bottle, especially if you have a conditioner she likes.

You need to get her used to getting her hair styled right after the bath when it’s wet, so practice wetting and combing it, and being gentle. Bc it can really hurt !!

[Anonymous]

Try Shea Moisture curl milk, I think it is light and will help you out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Shea Moisture curl milk, I think it is light and will help you out.

Shea Moisture also has a great leave-in conditioning spray and detangler.