Mixed-race Hair: 5 Hair Care Tips For Your Child
Looking after your mixed-race child’s hair can be quit intimidating, particularly if their hair type is very different to your own and you’ve never dealt with that texture before. The type varies from very frizzy/afro to straight and every variant in between.
There’s always the issue of what products to use and some people consider relaxing the child’s hair using harsh chemicals to remove the kinks/curls. If you follow these five tips, you’ll find that managing your child’s hair need not be so difficult and can actually be a time of bonding for you both.
1. Use products specifically for your mixed-race child’s hair
Afro products tend to be too oily and European products tend to be far too drying. Use products specifically for mixed race hair. Curls has a children’s line called Curly Qs and Blended Beauty has a children’s line called Blended Cutie – they are a fantastic organic range of products specifically for your mixed range child’s hair.
2. The curlier/frizzier the hair, the less often you should wash it.
Afro hair tends to be very dry and shouldn’t be washed as frequently as straight hair. The wash hair once or twice a fortnight depending on how curly the hair is.
3. Comb the hair whilst conditioner is in it.
Always condition your child’s hair after shampooing as it needs to be more moist than straighter hair types. Conditioner makes the hair very slick, so this is a good time to use a wide toothed comb to comb knots out of your child’s hair. Gently rinse all of the conditioner out of the hair, taking great care not to create more knots
4. Use a moisturising cream/spray after towel drying
Ensure that your child’s hair is maintained in a (very slightly) damp state using a moisturising cream/spray. The hair must not be allowed to get to a dry/brittle state as this encourages breakage
5. Practice looking after your little one’s hair
Practice, practice, practice looking after your little one’s hair. After watching and learning how to look after your own hair, you had to practice until you got it just the way you wanted it. The same is true for looking after your mixed-race child’s hair. You may not get to the stage you’d like to be at with it straight away, but don’t give up! Be proud of your child’s curls and instil a sense of pride in your child too. If you want to learn advanced hair techniques like cornrowing/canerowing then find the resources and practice either on your own child or on a or hairdressers manikin or Girl’s World doll – that’s how most people who use these techniques learn at first.
If you have any more tips (or would like some more!), we’d love to hear from you. Please post your comments below.
Yours naturally
Xina
Tags: bi-racial, biracial, child, children, curly, Hair Care, Mixed Race
These are great tips Xina! Have you ever tried the Mixed Chicks haircare line? Their conditioner is the best! I am coming over to visit you more often. Best, Jen
Reply to JenHey there Jen, it’s great to hear from you!
Yes, I’ve heard of Mixed Chicks but here in the Parlour we showcase natural & organic products only, and when I was checking potential products Mixed Chicks didn’t fall into either category.
I know you know about beauty products though, Jen
I’ve subscribed to your blog and will be looking into the Baby Quasar too!
I’ll also be checking to see how you ladies get on at Cosmoprof
All the best, Xina
Reply to XinaSome very good tips there Xina. I’m sure the natural product range will prove a real hit!
Reply to PeebeeAs the mother of three mixed-race children – each having more Afro type hair than European and until I come across the more natural hair products, I used to use a combination of Vitapoint (leave-in cream conditioner) and L’Oreal For Kids Detangle Spray (both widely available in Boots stores) in my childrens hair. However, since becoming more conscious about the ingredients in hair care and beauty products and really not wanting to unnecessarily use such things on my children, I have found the Curly Q’s products to be wonderful and they smell good too.
Reply to GayMy son (aged 5) has his hair cut at the barbers every 3-4 weeks and I wash his perhaps once a week or sometimes more if he has been particularly active around sand at school.
With my elder daughter (aged 7); I wash, condition & cane-row her hair into fairly intricate styles (only because she hates having her hair combed daily) on a fortnightly basis. I use the Curly Q’s Custard and the Princess Glaze combined to add both moisture and hold to her braids. I make sure I cover her hair securely each night with a scarf (the netted sort that they put on you in hairdressers before putting you under a hood hairdryer), so that her hair stays neater for longer.
My youngest daughter (also aged 5) hates sitting around for hours to have her hair braided, so I brush and comb through Curly Q’s Custard together with a little Curly Q’s Moist Curls or failing that L’Oreal for Kids Detangle Spray, so that I can put her hair into pigtails each morning before school. Doing her hair this way means that she can end up with an awful lot of product (and sand) in her hair, so I find that I have to wash and thoroughly condition her hair slightly more often than I do with my elder daughter – so maybe 2-3 times each fortnight.
Hope was able to help someone on this subject.
Great blog by the way – keep up the good work.
Gay
Hi – I’d just like to say that my daughter is of mixed black African and white British (me, her mother). I have bought a cream called Baby Love but think it may be a bit too greasy. I feel like I am failing my daughter as I do not know what shampoo or hair products to use. She is 18 months and hair is growing FAST! Her hair is not so afro but very curly and soft. I manage to put her hair up in little nodules/ringlets or bunches (I can plait but only plain ones). Where can I learn to corn row or French plait??? We are based in London. Any advice would be gratefully received!!
Reply to RebeccaRebecca
Hello Rebecca
Baby Love will be too greasy as it’s not made for your daughter’s hair type, it’s made for afro hair without the European influence.
You are not failing your daughter – you are finding out the best way to look after her which is what caring parents do
I would recommend Blended Cutie and Curly Qs products for your daughter. The products are superb and are made from her hair type. Have a read of the comments here by the parents who use the products to see how well received they are.
There is a lady in Hackney called Ade (pronounced Aday) and she has said that she will teach people how to canerow their children’s hair. She is based in Hackney at a salon called Eftal. The address is 232 Graham Road, Hackney, London E8 1BP. The telephone number is 020 8533 6611.
Tell her you heard about her through Nature’s Parlour and let me know how you get on.
Good luck!
Xina
Reply to XinaThanks Gay! That was very helpful, especially as you have 3 mixed race children with different hair styling routines. Many thanks.
Reply to XinaI am having a great time trying some of the Curls and Curly Q line. So far I really have enjoyed the milkshake leave in!
Reply to Jenhi there,i have a 7 month old mixed race (african & polish) baby boy and close to his scalp the curls are lovely tight glossy curls . but at the top he has a big frizzy mass so his hair just looks fluffy. His hair is also stright at the back of his head so the effect i mullet like lol! However his hair isnt afro its def more european but tight glossy curlsJust wanted to know how often to wash it- and what to use on his hair as he is a baby i dont want to use any chemicls styling products etc….?Any advice would be greAT!many thanks
Reply to evahello i have a 3 year old who is of mixed race. and i use mixed chicks in her hair. it works great to define her curls but it has no shine to it.her hair always looks dull.i also think the product has to much build up to it, and i dont like the fact that i have to wet here hair before putting the product in. i have never tried curls because theres another product called blended beauty that sounds like curls so i didnt know which to pick.please help if you have tried both products i would like to know whitch is better. also if anyone haves tried carols daughter or miss jessies or even ojon let me know how they worked for you.
Reply to casheHi Eva, welcome to the Parlour!
Believe it or not, your baby has hair that’s very typical to both mixed race and black babies. When they are very young, black babies have loose curls, very similar to mixed race hair. Sometimes it is straight, sometimes very tight curls, sometimes loose curls and often a combination of all of the above! Your baby would be fine with a shampoo once or twice a fortnight (more if he gets food/milk, etc in it). Curlie Q’s would be fabulous for your little one as the range is organic and gentle. You won’t need to put much of the moisturiser in his hair after washing it – a little goes a long way. I hope this helps!
Reply to XinaHi Cashe, welcome to the Parlour!
In the Parlour we only use natural/organic personal care products. For the mixed race children in my family we use Curly Qs and it’s great. Why don’t you try both Blended Beauty and Curly Qs and see which one you prefer? Our little darlings have very individual hair and mixed race hair is so diverse in type and form. What works for one mother and her child may not work for you and yours. Good luck and be sure to drop by and let us know how you get on.
Reply to Xinawell i think most of the products i named are natural.and i would try both if they were cheaper. thats why i asked if anyone has used both products so i dont have to buy both.also i understand that everyones hair is different, but i think i explained my concerns in my post. i like her curls defined but not dull looking, so if anyone out there has the same concern as me please let me know.
Reply to casheHi Cashe
I might be able to assist with the dull hair issue. It could be due to product build up – to see if this is the case, use a good clarifying/deep cleansing shampoo on her hair. Also, if your daughter’s hair is closer to the afro side of her mix, then her hair may not shine very much; the more frizzy the hair, the less it shines as there’s less smooth surface for the light to reflect off of.
There is a chance that the products you’re using are making your daughter’s hair a little dull but I’m sure if anyone who visits the parlour has tried the products you’ve mentioned they’ll drop a line to advise you.
Reply to Xinamy babys hair is about a 3a at the root but a 3c from mid to tip. she has straw type curls. i dont think that its that afo but i dont know. dylynne’s hair is very soft and silky but it looks dry. see why i need help.my mom said its her hair color that makes it look dry, but i just dont know.most of my friends say that her hair is mostly european. again can u see why im confused. but thank you for your help i will try a clarifying/deep shampoo. thank god for web sites like yours. much love cashe.
Reply to cashehi my son is 15 moths and i dont now what i should be doing to his hair,his dad was black with afro hair.i have been told to shave it all off to let the afro hair in and what should i use on his hairplease help me
Reply to rhonaHello Rhona, welcome to the Parlour. How long is your son’s hair? If it’s quite short, I’d recommend just leaving it “out” ie unplaited. If it’s long enough, I’d recommend plaiting it. However, this is very much personal choice as some people do chose to cut their child’s hair instead. I suppose it very much depends on your cultural leanings as well as what’s practical for you in terms of daily maintenance.
The products you use are very important too. It’s best that they’re natural/organic and are made specially for your child’s hair type. At Nature’s Parlour we use Curly Qs products for the mixed race children in our family and they just love them.
If you cut your son’s hair, it is still important to keep it moisturised, but you won’t need nearly as much product.
Reply to Xinawith the curls line, will it promote hair growth for your kids? thats also a concern with my child.
Reply to cashenobody get mad at me but i just ordered the blended beauty sample pack for kids. there 98% natural so i thought i would give them a try. let you know how it works out.
Reply to casheHi Cashe.
Reply to XinaAny moisturising, clean product (ie not laden with petrochemicals, etc) that reduces dryness/brittleness will promote hair growth for mixed race/afro hair. Hair growth depends on many factors including the health of the scalp, diet and genetics. Brittle hair is one of the number one reasons that mixed race/black hair doesn’t achieve it’s optimum length. A good moisturiser such as those made by Curly Qs would assist with this. It’s important not to ignore the aforementioned factors though.
Oh, and no-one here will be mad at you for trying out different natural products for your child’s hair – good luck!
Hi Rhona
Reply to GayCan I suggest that if your son has more afro type hair; you don’t have to shave his hair all off (leave that until he’s a little older and is less likely to be traumatised by a barber)> Unless you are able to plait it yourself or can get someone to do it regularly for you and your son is able to sit comfortably for any length of time, then I would recommend that you just keep it fairly short or at least make sure the ends are neat and are trimmed regularly. Comb or brush moisturised hair daily. Please do not wash everyday, it should preferably be done once or twice a fortnight and of course when he gets chlorine, sand or food in it. The most important thing is that you keep it moisturised (with a product specifically for mixed race/children and is preferably made from natural ingredients) especially after contact with water.
Hope this helps.
Gay
i got my samples of the blended beauty, and let me say great product! only problem my babys got a red rash on her scalp so i had to stop using it. major bummer, so my next order will be to curls and i hope i have better luck.
Reply to casheHi Cashe, thanks for your feedback! It’s good to hear that you’ve tried them out for yourself, it really is the way to go, isn’t it? I’m sorry to hear that your little one developed a rash on her scalp. I’ve only ever heard great things about Blended Beauty and gave the director of Blended Beauty some feedback on your behalf. I was advised that a small amount of people didn’t get on well with the old scent so they’ve discontinued using it – they’ve switched to a new one instead which has been even better received than the old one. You must have had one product in your sample pack which hadn’t been switched over yet.
Not to worry. you can always get your Curly Qs products here in the Parlour and (thanks to you!) we’ll also be supplying Blended Beauty products here from next month so you’ll have the option to try it again should you choose to. Blended beauty also has plans for an infant range in the near future.
Reply to Xinaive just found out am have a mixed race baby (english/african) and i dont no what to wash their with or the body
Reply to leanneHi Leanne
Congratulations on your fantastic news!
As far as washing your baby’s skin, I would recommend using a good natural/organic soap followed by a natural/organic moisturiser or oil once your baby’s skin has been gently patted dry.
You should use hair products which are specially made for your baby’s hair type. Curly Qs is a very popular range which we sell here. We will be expanding our range next month so be sure to check back then.
Yours naturally,
Xina
Reply to XinaGlad to help. and maybe i will try again, thanks xina.
Reply to casheHi Guys,I’m a 28 yr old mixed race girl who’s had to learn the hard way how to style and look after my hair. Like many white mum’s, mine struggled to manage three girls’ hair – each slightly different in curl and texture. Thankfully there are so many more products available for styling and caring for semi-afro hair today! I care for mine using a mixture of products. Shampoos for dry and brittle hair are good - John Freida is good. I use two conditioners – sound odd by my hair needs it. I use a deep treatment conditioner, then rinse, followed by L’Oreal Anti-Ceramide conditioner, which is a great de-tangler – the best I’ve found (even better than expensive salon conditioners). With this on my hair, I use a wide toothed comb to gently take out any knots. I always leave some conditioner in my hair – especially when styling it curly, or spending time in the sun. A Mason Pearson bristle brush (or similar) is ideal for smoothing the hair and beating frizz. For kids, you could try styling the hair with a mix of leave-in conditioner and small amount of moisterising hair gel or other styling product. For an easier life, it’s good to pull girls’ hair back and plat the rest. Again, leave-in conditioner is great for the bulk of the hair, and even a little gel around the hairline to tame frizzy bits. Unless mixed race hair is very curly – afro texture, it’s quite easy to blow-dry it straight. Long hair takes around 1.5 – 2 hours – sounds very time-consuming, but if you run hair-straighteners over it and avoid rain/humidity, because of its dry nature, you don’t need to wash it again for around a week. To straighten: on wet, well-conditioned hair, part down the centre and smooth Frizz Ease Serum and then Wind Down Cream through hair. Put one side in a bun and start with the other. (Hair will straighten from wet to dry but if it starts drying while it’s loose you can’t pull out the curl and it will frizz. The idea is to keep the hair moist until you’re ready to work on that section). Parting hair from the centre parting down, take a small strip of wet hair, and put the rest back in the bun. Using a large round bristle brush (natural, tightly packed is best), pull the hair taunt from the roots, and concentrate your hairdryer (medium-high heet setting) on the roots, and move it along as each section is dry. When you get towards the ends, curl these round the brush and dry gently. Repeat the process in strips. Practise makes perfect but I do a better job at a straight but bouncy blowdry then any hairdresser. For a final touch smooth a little serum over the hair and then run the straigheners over each section. Straight hair is best for teens rather than kids. Wish I’d known how when I was 14 and struggling with a mop of bushy curls!Good Luck!
Reply to AlexHi Alex,
I’m 22 and mixed race and have only really just started styling my hair curly as I spent most of my teens straightening it into oblivion. I am actually quite lucky with my hair as I do get some very nice curls instead of frizz if I dry it carefully and slowly with a hair dryer rather than letting it dry slowly. If it dries slowly I have no control and it will end up frizzy or curly just depending on its mood. Although drying can sometimes make it frizzy if I have enough time it usually works pretty well.
My problem is no-one tends to know much about mixed race hair – Im either offered products for European or African hair, neither of which suits. So I was wondering if you have ever come across anyone who is experienced in styling and styling tips for the various types of mixed race hair. Or even any websites/magazines which are aimed at mixed race people. I’m mostly looking for tips on how to retain the moisture so that the curls don’t go frizzy but also styling tips etc as I’m quite restricted as to the styles I go for and when I see articles in most magazines they require heavy blow drying etc which just won’t work for my hair.
Any advice you have would be great
Many thanks
Reply to SarahSo here is a curly hair
solution that she could tout…MIXED CHICKS. These products were created
by two women who consider themselves mixed chicks. They couldn’t find
products without mixing and matching so the mixed the right formula and
what they came up with is really simple. The system is three easy
steps:
1. Shampoo
2. Deep condition
3. Work the Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner through wet hair and air dry (no
towel or blow needed)
The system does not leave your hair sticky like some products. Mixed
Chicks taught me this morning ritual, and I will not look back. And
here is a trick…don’t shampoo too often. Instead, use the deep
conditioner to cleanse.
A few of the Mixed Chicks rules:
I do not shampoo more than twice a week.
I do not brush my hair when dry.
I apply my finishing product while my hair is wet.
If I must blow my hair dry, I use a diffuser or sit under a dryer.
I love who I am…so I love my curls!
When I do striaghten, I blow or iron…never chemically relax.
Can Oprah get these two women on her show…I am a diehard Oprah fan,
and now, a Mixed Chicks follower. This is more a way of thinking, than
it is a product line.
website: http://www.mixedchicks.co.uk
Reply to KarianaHi, I have a 1 year old mixed race son (african-english). it’s getting to the stage where I really need to start doing things with his hair. I really wanted to buy some of the Curly Q’s products but mosts of them are out of stock! How soon are they likely to be back?Thanks.
Reply to KerensaHi Kerensa, welcome to the Parlour. We’re expecting our next order to come in in the second week of October.
Reply to XinaHi Kariana, welcome to the Parlour.
Thank you for sharing your fantastic routine, I’m sure many people will find it useful. With regards to Mixed Chicks, although I’ve heard about the products we wouldn’t stock them in the Parlour because we only sell natural/organic personal care products – Mixed Chicks is neither natural nor organic.
Reply to XinaHey there,Please excuse me if i come accross rude, however i have just read the first sentence of this page and feel so disaponted that the word used to describe dealing with mixed race hair was “INTIMIDATING” – Would this be because European hair / Asian hair has been mixed with Afro hair? – Is European hair inviting and Afro hair INTIMIDATING. Be careful of the words that you use, especially around children. Your mixed race kids will only grow up equating their hair to being bad, INTIMIDATING,etc,etc.
Reply to RachelHi Rachel, welcome to the Parlour.
The context of the word used is purely in terms of looking after the hair and maintaining it.
To answer your question directly – No, the mixed race hair type is not intimidating because it’s afro hair mixed with European/Asian hair. In fact mixed race hair is not intimidating at all, however, I stand by the fact that looking after a hair type that is very different to your own can be intimidating.
So, for clarification: The hair type isn’t intimidating, but maintaining it – if you don’t know how to look after it or if it’s a hair type that you’re not used to – can be.
By the way, capitalising in emails and blogs is the same as shouting; so unless that was your intention I didn’t find your post rude at all. Race (or racial attributes such as hair type) can be a sensitive issue and it’s true that some people do believe that hair is inferior if there’s a drop of afro in there. I can assure you that that isn’t the case with me or with Nature’s Parlour.
Reply to Xina9yr old mixed boy has straight hair in the back and the rest only curls-up nicely when the hair is long. Does the hair need to be clipper cut to avoid cutting out the curls?
Reply to CdubHi Cdub and welcome to the Parlour. Can you please clarify as I’m not sure how clipping the hair would avoid cutting out the curls, surely clipping them = cutting the curls off? I’m sure I’m misunderstanding your question but I’m happy to answer it once you put me on the right track.
Reply to XinaI am biracial (black and white) and have always had very thick long and frizzy hair. I’ve had a chemical relaxer in it for the past 15+ years, and thought I had finally learned to manage my hair. 6 months ago I had a little girl, and since then my old products just don’t work! Now not only do I have no idea how to handle my hair, I am also lost when it comes to handling my daughter’s. She had LOTS of big loose curls when she was born, which almost all fell out. Now she has frizzy hair all around and slick straight hair on top. Any suggestions for both of us? I’d like to keep her hair natural if possible, but still manageable. I prefer to wear my hair straight, but it’s hard to get moisture in it as products tend to be to sticky or too wet. Please help!!
Reply to PigletI have an almost 2 year old mixed boy (white/african)
Reply to K's MommaHis hair is getting very long (shoulder length) and the curls are getting crazy. His hair is a bit more straight on the top than at the back (mine is the same).
I have no idea what to do for him so he doesn’t get referenced as a girl..everything I’ve found tells you what to do for girls hair but nothing for boys..is cutting his precious curls my only solution?
I have no influence in his life that can help me with his hair, show or tell me what to do with it but my family is saying I should braid it…but I always remember hearing that does more harm to their hair (plus i’d have no clue how to do that for him of it’s even possible.)
Any suggestions on brushes/combs/products would be great as well.
Help!
Hi Piglet, welcome to the Parlour.
With regards to caring for your hair and your daughters hair I would simply follow the process as instructed in the main body of this blog titled “5 Haircare Tips for Your Child”. The same routine can be used for you. The texture of your hair should not deviate from the fact that you need to take good care of it to maintain good hair health. As both you and your daughter are mixed with curly/frizzy hair there will be the requirement to add moisture to your hair. I would recommend that you use a natural product that is made specifically for your hair type. We have found that Curls and Curly Qs are very popular – we get great feedback from our customers about these products. Curls products will not leave your hair sticky or wet even though you could add more or less of the product to suit your requirements.
In terms of styling your daughters combination of straight & curly hair – I would advise you to visit a hairdresser that is experienced with black/mixed race hair dressing and who has an understanding of the combination of straight/curly hair. She should be able to advise you on how best to shape your daughters hair to cater for the two types she has.
For further information on how to style combination hair, you might want to try Intermix which is a fantastic resource for mixed people. I’m sure you’ll find other people their who have they mixed hair type and would be able to tell you what they did and even make suggestions to you too.
Reply to XinaHi K’s Momma, welcome to the Parlour.
It’s true that there are many references on the web for girls and their hair care. In black families it isn’t unusual to keep a young boy’s hair as long as a girls and even plaited like a girl’s until he is about the same age as your son or even older. You may see that it is common for black and mixed race boys to have their hair quite long compared to their white counterparts and with canerowed hair. This is why you’re likely to find that the advice for a girl, in this context, is likely to be exactly the same for a boy unless you want to cut it…this is where the huge difference lies and the choice is entirely yours as to how you should proceed.
There is a link to the right of the blog to Instructions on cornrowing/canerowing hair you might want to have a look at that and get a Girl’s World doll or something similar to practice on until you get used to it – this is how many black girls learn how to plait their hair in this way as well as practising on themselves and their friends. Canerowing hair in itself does not damage hair unless it is done too tight on the scalp. It’s unlikely that your child would allow you to do this as he will let you know in no uncertain terms if his hair is plaited too tight
Curly Qs is a very popular product for mothers of mixed race children. I’ve had no end of positive feedback and the brand is popular in my family too.
Wide tooth combs are best for curly/frizzy hair as they are less likely to snag the hair as it passes through and therefore less likely to break it.
I would also recomend Intermix to you as a useful resource but if you have any more questions please feel free to come back and ask. If I can’t answer you directly, I’ll try to point you in the right direction.
Reply to XinaHi, Im 16 (Mixed-race boy)i have quite straight hair when it is short but when it gets a little longer, it becomes wavy. I usually gel my hair to make it spikey and wash my hair every other day (sometimes everyday)so when it gets longer, it curls round so it is no longer “standing up”i have been considering using a relaxer, but i don’t know where to startdo you have anything to suggest to make my hair straighter?
Reply to KyleHi,
Reply to tatobug and bunny's nanaThanks for the great instructional information regarding mixed race children’s hair. I deal with my grandbabie’s hair on a regular basis(one has very thick, very curly hair, only gets frizzy when she sleeps {her daddy calls it “surprised” hair when she wakes!}, one has very fine very thin hair but definitely curly! one on the way too!! waiting to see what the new one’s hair looks like!) I have been frustrated by their mother’s penchant for cleanliness in her children. I am all for clean children! don’t get me wrong, but I understand that hair should not be washed every day (even my poker straight irishamerican hair cannot be washed daily!) Unfortunately their mother insists on shampooing their hair nightly and it is making for very dry, frizzy hair. How can I convince her it is better to let it go for a couple days and then wash? These girls have such beautiful curly locks it’s a shame to see it all dry and frizzy! right now, when the eldest’s hair is combed wet(with conditioner) it looks great, as it dries though it tightens up and turns frizzy and fuzzy looking.
Oh, btw, I emailed the store asking for pricing for the states ,and then found a website that posts american prices for the curlyq products so I don’t need those prices after all! I will be purchasing. though I don’t know which product I need the most for these girl’s hair and I can afford only one or two of the products any suggestions would be highly appreciated!
Hi Kyle, welcome to the Parlour.
I’m afraid that I can’t suggest anything which might straighten your hair, however, Curls/Curly Qs products do relax the curl slightly although this is by no means a permanent chemical straightener. I’m not sure that this is the look you’re after though – it might be a good idea for you to speak to a hairdresser about achieving the look you’d like.
I would certainly try the Curls products before taking a major step like a relaxer though simply because if you’re not happy with the way your hair looks with Curls you could just wash it out whereas if you relax your hair you’d need to cut it off if you’re not happy with the way it looks.
Reply to XinaHi Tatobug & Bunny’s Nana, welcome to the Parlour.
Reply to XinaI suppose the way you tackle this dilemma really hinges on how you get on with the mother of your grandchildren, hopefully she wouldn’t take your advice in the wrong way. If you said you came across the article above and then ask her to try washing the grandchildren’s hair less often to see if the curls get better defined, etc.
She’s probably doing it because she doesn’t realise that it’s not such a good idea to do that with frizzy/curly hair. Maybe once she’s informed of the facts she’ll be more likely to care for the children’s hair in a way that’s kinder to their hair type.
Another way would be to have them over for a weekend and do their hair yourself. When you give the children back to their parents you might just say that the product can stay in their hair and be topped up for up to too weeks whilst it conditioning their hair, making it less brittle. Then, hand her the products. The products smell absolutely great so that will be encouraging for her when her children still smell clean.
As I said, how well the suggestions are received really depends on your personalities and how well you get on with one another. Good luck.
As for which products, I would go for the Curlie Cutie Cleansing Cream, Curly Q’s Coconut Dream Conditioner, and Curly Q’s Milkshake If you can only afford two of them, I’d go for the conditioner and the milkshake and get the shampoo when you can because it works so well with the conditioner.
I am a so called ‘mixed race’ 18 yo old woman from London. My mix is South American, African and European. I’ve tried mixed chicks products and would especially recommend the shampoo – thorough but gentle cleansing as well as a decent detangler!Here are some quick solutions that I have, over time discovered: Keep a water spray handy to help rennovate curls quicly in the morning without having to totally wet the hair.Every second day, wet the hair and use a deep conditioning treatment (Pantene do a good ‘women of colour’ range, or their ‘dry and damaged’ conditioners are good too). There’s no need to actually use a comb when the conditioner is in. Hands and fingers act as perfectly good detanglers and tend to leave a less ‘frizzy’ result.Always follow this up with a leave in conditoner (once again pantene/mixed chicks products are very effective, also still no need to comb). You can reapply this throughout the day to enhance shine, banish frizz etc…Do not wash the hair, I’d say, more than once a week! This will allow the natural oils to travel down the hair shaft and do their job. Most black people wash hair on a monthly basis.Don’t go down the relaxer route. Irrepairable damage will be done, be proud of your roots!Keep split ends at bay getting a regular trim.Before bed on a pre rinse/wash night, re-apply leave in conditioner, heavily if hair is dry. This will give it the chance to permeate over night. If you need to dry the hair fast, use a diffuser attachment as this will retain the curl. Last thing – a note on skin: black/mixed skin, as with hair becomes a lot drier than other types. Always moisturise after baths/ showers if possible. It’s also worth taking cod liver oil supplements or similar to help keep both hair and skin healthy. Lips can also be an issue, so don’t neglect them: beeswax based balms are good, or nivea lipcare.I have now imparted the beauty knowledge of my short life time. Really hope this is useful to you all.Last thing: it is so important to instill a sense of pride in your children about their hair. My parents always did this for me, but still, as a child I was desperate for straight, blonde tresses. If you don’t let your children know that what they’ve got is beautiful, then society certainly won’t, so give them a chance! On that not, I think I’d have to agree with Rachel that it might be positive to rethink the term ‘intimidating’. I understand what you are getting at, but I’m sure you’re phrasing means a lot to us all.
Reply to VivaMany thanks, good luck, give me feedback! XXXX
Hi Viva, welcome to the Parlour and thank you for your thoughtful and helpful post.
In response to your thoughts on my use of the term intimidating, I think perhaps I should say a bit about my background – maybe that would put my use of the word into context.
I am a black woman with loc’ed hair. I was raised by a well-educated woman who taught my sister and I that black is beautiful. My mother used to canerow our hair into intricate designs (with or without beads for decoration) which would sometimes take hours to do. The designs were beautiful and earned my sister and I a lot of money from friendly passers by when they saw our pretty hair.
I love black hair in it’s natural state although I don’t condemn people who relax or curly perm. My mother, my sister and I can all “do hair” although we are not hairdressers – we can canerow and start off locs. I have had my hair curly permed and relaxed in the past but wouldn’t ever do it again.
I have a son who sports an afro and is proud of his hair – he isn’t interested in learning how to canerow his hair which is a shame because I’d been canerowing my hair from the age of eleven. My family is mixed and I have always had the opportunity to care for straight hair, curly hair and afro hair whether that be due to access within my family or my friends. I know about hair care, although I hasten to add I certainly don’t know everything!
One thing I do know is that looking after hair that you are not used to looking after can be intimidating. It’s not a swear word and it’s not a lie.
As a black woman, discussions on hair and hair care is an everyday occurrence and I kid you not that many women have told me the exact same thing – when they had to look after their own hair it was intimidating, never mind having to look after a hair type that they’d never dealt with before. Women have said to me that they are worried about having to look after a mixed race daughter’s hair; not because they are ashamed of their hair or because they think it’s an inferior hair type but it’s just that they’ve never looked after that hair type before and they don’t feel they’ll have the option to cut it off as they would a boy’s hair. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the people I have these discussions with are comfortable with their race, their attitude towards race and the racial category of their hair that they can be so candid – or, perhaps it has more to do with the fact that they know me and will not misinterpret what I say because they know I’m talking from experience.
I remember when my mother had said that I was now old enough to look after my own hair – OMG!!! I thought “what am I going to do when it comes to washing it????” my hair used to shrink into a short bunch of knots!! Even though my mother knew how to look after our hair she didn’t comb through conditioner when our hair was wet or anything like that. I remember once when she dried our hair with a hair dryer it until it was bone dry and then attempted to comb it *wince* Can you imagine that? Still, my mother never did that again (thankfully) and we all know that looking after our hair can sometimes be down to trial and error but it’s much easier now with so much information readily available on the internet.
I’m just keeping it real – there is room on this blog for (polite) plain talk. It was intimidating for me when I had to look after my own hair and I understand when people tell me they feel the same about looking after a hair type they’ve no experience of. By the way, all the children in my family are proud of their natural hair – and so are the adults
Reply to XinaThanks for getting back to me. As I said, I do understand where you’re coming from. I’d just use a different term. Interesting to hear that you were scared of looking after your own hair! I was relieved (not because my mum was awful), just because I was better
Think your doing great work on this site btw, good idea!
Reply to VivaWhere do you buy this stuff, I just tried the naturesparlour website and it seems they are sold out, is it carried anywhere else? I live in Cardiff. Thanks
Reply to SallyHi Sally, welcome to the Parlour.
Yup, these products are very popular indeed, but don’t despair, they’ll be back in stock by the end of the week. Would you like to recieve and email when they’re back?
Reply to XinaYes please, what products do you recommend. My daughter is 4yrs old half african and half british and hair hair is quite dry from using many bad products, it gets really frizzy, its more like african hair for sure. When we lived in the US I used a product called Deva curls which was expensive and worked the first month and then nothing. Also her hair seems to have stopped growing. She seems to have loose curls in the back and more kinky curls in the front. Please help, I thought since I am a black woman, it would be easy but boy is her hair different from mine
Reply to SallyI would recommend Curlie Cutie Cleansing Cream to wash & Curly Qs Coconut Dream to condition her hair. Once you’ve washed her hair I would strongly recommend Curly Qs Moist Curls Moisturizer to comb through and detangle her hair and/or Curly Qs Milkshake, which is great for thirsty hair.
All these products will be available by the end of the week. I’ll send you an email to let you know when they’re in.
Reply to XinaHi Xina,I searched for this website today because my grandmother purchased something from the HSN for my 2 year old mixed race daughter’s hair . I’m not exactly sure what she purchased, but I have a question. Is the only kids line of products from natures parlour Curly Q’s? Because about 2months ago, I purchased the Cleansing cream, Coconut Conditioner, Moisturizure, the Milk Shake and the Custard. (All Curly Q brands) for her. I got the Custard after I realized that the Milkshake wasn’t really doing anything. I purchased the Denman brush too. However, I noticed that her normally very thick curly hair has thinned out considerably. I can now see her scalp where as before I used to not be able to. (No bald patches or anything, just considerably thinner) and I can just tell its thinner. She would also get blister looking bumps on the bottom part of her head down by her neck. Of course, I am very concerned about it and I have stopped using the products. Now, I am not saying that its definately from the Curly Q’s products, but do you think she may be allergic to the natural ingredients in the products? Since I have stopped using the products, I haven’t seen any more blister looking bumps. Its only been about 2 weeks since I stopped using the products so I’m not sure if her hair is still thinning. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your help.
Reply to R. E.@R.E. …
I hate to tell you … but not all the ingredients in this line are natural, many are synthetic and have a very strong chemical component. Have another look at the synthetic ingredients from the labels – below. Something as simple as ‘fragrance’ is a chemical additive to improve scent can be very irritating.
I would suggest you do not use the products on your daughter anymore.
Milkshake Ingredients: cetrimonium chloride, soyamidoprpylkonium chloride, methylisothiazolinone, fragrance.
Cleansing Cream Ingredients: Polyquaternium-7, Fragrance, Dimethicone Peg-7 avocadoate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine.
Conditioner: Stearalkonium Chloride, Dimethyl Stearamine, PEG/PPG-20/6 Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Polyquaternium-72, Benxophenone-4, Fragrance,Yellow 5.
Custard Ingredients: octyl palmitate, dimethicone, sodium carbomer, ethyl hexyl, fragrance.
Reply to kimmyHi Kimmy, welcome to the Parlour.
I saw that you’d omitted all of the certified organic ingredients in your lists so I thought it might be helpful for you to have the full up-to-date ingredient list for the products you’ve listed in case you’d like to distribute it to anyone. There are also some explanations for some of the larger words in the ingredient lists:
Cleansing Cream: Purified water, Sodium Cocyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, cocamidopropyl Betaine, Steric Acid, Glycerine, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Fragrance, Silk Amino Acids, Panthenol, Daucus Carota, Sativa (carrot) seed oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Aesculus Hipocastanum (Horse Chestnut) extract, Salvia Officinalis (sage) leaf extract, Dimethicone Peg-7 avocadoate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caramel.
Key Ingredient Breakdown:
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate – a mild, high-foaming surfactant derived from coconut oil, leaves the skin and hair with a soft afterfeel.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate -Mildest detangler available. Derived from grapeseed oil. Provides superior detangling without buildup. Due to its mildness, it is recommended for use in leave in baby products.
Silk Amino Acids – provides curly hair with moisture, natural shine and smooth control.
Cetearyl Alcohol – A fatty alcohol that acts as a gentle humectant (promotes the retention of moisture) and is naturally derived from fatty acids from coconut oil.
Panthenol is a nutrient (vitamin B complex) and an important ingredient for healthy hair that adds strength and body to hair.
Coconut Dream Conditioner: Purified Water, Cetyl Alcohol (derived from coconut) Stearalkonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol (derived from coconut), Polysorbate 60, Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos Hucifera), Panthenol, Certified Organic Arnica Flower Extract, Certified Organic Chamoile Flower Extract, Certified Organic White Tea Extract, Monoi de Tahiti, Methylheptyl Isostearate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Benxophenone-4, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Natural Fragrance,Caramel.
Key Ingredients Breakdown:
Cetyl, Stearyl, & Cetearyl Alcohol – Fatty alcohols that acts as a gentle humectant (promotes the retention of moisture) and emulsifier and. Naturally derived from fatty acids from coconut oil.
Soybean Oil – Complex mixture of five fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids) great for providing maximum slip and detangling.
Panthenol – Vitamin B complex that adds strength and body to hair by filling in cracks on the hair shaft.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract – Green tea – Soothes and moisturises dry hair and scalp.
Coconut Oil – Natural oil rich in lauric acid and full of triglyerides (great moisturising fatty oil).
Benxophenone-4 – Sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays
Caprylyl Glycol – One of the most, if not the most, effective humectants available today.
It is a liquid preservative formulation that protects against antimicrobial growth from bacteria and yeast while giving the finished product exceptional feel.
Curly Custard: Purified water, certified organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, cetearyl alcohol, behentrimonium methosulfate, jojoba oil, cetrimonium chloride, soy protein, soyamidoprpylkonium chloride, allantoin, soy lecithin, beeswax milk, coconut milk, aloe vera milk, milk amino acids, buttermilk, arnica extract, lavender extract, certified organic chamomile extract, certified organic white tea extract, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, fragrance.
Curls & Curly Qs products are made from natural and organic ingredients. The fragrance is also naturally derived. To help you understand what this means, here are the guidelines we follow here at Nature’s Parlour which run parallel with the NIRC
100% Natural
All ingredients are natural
Natural
95% of the ingredients are natural
Made with Natural Ingredients/Made from Natural Ingredients
70% of the ingredients are natural
We believe that these products from the above three categories will always be preferable to the mainstream alternatives.
Reply to XinaI have stopped using them. I did not see these ingredients listed on the labels. Did I miss them or are they not printed? I dont think they should say all natural if they are not. That was one of the reasons I bought the stuff, you know?Thanks
Reply to R. E.Hi R.E., welcome to the Parlour.
I’m sorry to hear that your daughter was suffering from irritation. Curly Qs is very popular with my customers and you’re the first person I know of who has reported any type of irritation. As you’ve stopped using the products and the irritation has stopped I think there can be one of two reasons why:
a) It is possible that your daughter is sensitive to the ingredients. Even with natural ingredients it’s possible to have a reaction. I know someone who has an intolerance to lavender pure essential oil even when it’s diluted in a carrier and then of course there are people who may have a severe nut allergy – I wouldn’t recommend they use anything with shea butter in even though it’s natural.
b) The brush you’re using for your daughter’s hair can be sensitising her skin and thinning her hair. I think this is the more likely reason. For example: If you were to pour salt water on the back of your hand, you would feel no irritation. If, however, you were to brush the back of your hands a few times with a brush and then pour salt water over them – they would sting. This is what I think has happened. You have removed the products and then the problem has stopped, I would at a later stage try using a wide tooth comb instead of a brush and then I think not only will your daughter no longer react to the products but her hair will thicken up again.
Brushes often encourage breakage in very curly hair types depending on what type you use. You said you also bought the Denman brush. We don’t sell brushes so I’m not sure what it would look like. I would recommend using a wide tooth comb and seeing if that stops her hair from thinning in any case.
I hope this helps.
Reply to XinaThank you Xina. I was only using the brush in sections to detangle after shampooing, not touching her scalp with it. It was the brush recommended to me by the administrator on that forum actually. I alwayse use a wide tooth comb on her wet or damp to get out her tangles. It would be impossible any other way
The Denman brush from the Curls website is what I purchased. Sorry, I forgot to mention that earlier. So, do you think it would be safe for me try the mixed chicks products? If not, do you have any other reccomendations? My daughter has eczema by the way, so that was one reason I purchased the Curly Q’s for the natural ingredients. She may very well have an allergy to the nuts or something. She IS allergic to egg so I guess anything is possible, huh? Thanks again for your response!
Reply to R. E.Hi R.E.
I don’t believe that Mixed Chicks are natural products and as such I wouldn’t recommend them (personally), although I’ve heard great things about them.
My nephew and niece have sensitive skin (eczema and allergies) and use Curlie Qs without problems but you know everyone is different and I understand that Curly Qs may not be for your little one.
I’ll be expanding my curly range in the New Year to include Blended Beauty and Curl Harmony. They’re both natural brands and I’ve heard great things about them too.
As your daughter has sensitive skin, have a look in the Parlour’s sensitive skin section and see if there’s anything there that might be useful for her.
All the best to you and your daughter,
Xina
Reply to XinaThank you Xina. I will just keep eperimenting, so to speak. I have gone back to my old rituals as far as what I put in her hair for now. She seems to be doing ok. Just the regular store bought products. I look forward to your expansion and really do appreciate your responses.
Reply to R. E.You are more than welcome! If you need any hair care advice please feel to drop by at any time.
Reply to XinaHi i need help with my daughters hair she just about to turn 2 and its still crazy! im white and her daddys mixed white/carribean her hair i straight at the top and not very long and then in the middle of her head she has this huge mass of pure fuzz….sometimes there is the odd curl, it looks like where the hair that fell out when she was younger was. Its very dry in this patch. When its wet it goes into big curls on top of her head….dont know what to do with it at all…..Help! Is this hair dead where shes slept on it too much? its a totally different textue to the hair at the front of her head!
Reply to LoraHi Lora, welcome to the Parlour.
Reply to XinaIt’s quite common for mixed & black babies to have hair that’s frizzier where their “baby hair” has fallen out and been replaced with stronger hair. Her hair will still need to be moisturised, this will soften the hair and prevent it from becoming brittle. For advice on how to style it, I would suggest you go to a hair dresser who specialises in black/mixed race hair types. Many women in your situation choose to plait the hair (if it’s long enough) or put it in bunches – the difference in texture is then less noticeable.
Hi, I have a 6 month old daughter and she is mixed race, her father is Zambian and I am white. Just wondering what is the best shampoo to use and how often I should wash her hair. Its frizzy on the top and long…like a Miss T Moheaken but the rest of her hair is very short and straight against her head. My partner says not to tie her hair as it causes damage but I was wondering if I can as it looks tidier when its tied in ponytails? ALso what can I use to make it less frizzy, there are no real curls just frizz!!
Reply to RebeccaHi Rebecca, welcome to the Parlour.
I recommend you use the Curly Qs range or the Blended Cutie range for her hair. We will soon have the It’s a Curl Range by Curls which would be great for her hair.
It’s OK to tie her hair as long as you don’t do it too tight, which could cause it to break or even cause traction alopecia.
The range of products for curly hair is best for fighting frizz.
Reply to XinaHi I have a baby he will be 1yrs old next month and he has thick curly hair. He is not mixed althought there is mixed people in my family, both his father and I are black.I thought his hair would change but it has not ,any suggestions on what I should use in his hair and how often I should wash it. please let me know thanx!
Reply to TinaHi Tina
The Blended Cutie, & Culy Qs range would be perfect for your baby’s hair. Have a look at the hair care tips in the post at the top of the page. It’s a simple hair care routine which really does work for curly little (and big!) darlings
Reply to XinaHi, I have two younger sisters who are half black and half white. My mom and stepdad constantly fight about the 15 year olds hair, he thinks she should be taking better care of it and my mom is kind of a moron when it comes to hair let alone mixed hair so she is pretty much useless. My sister constantly uses a product called Softsheen-Carson Optimum Care (I believe it’s a chemical relaxer) as well as straightening it with a flat iron pretty much everyday. My mom never took proper care of their hair growing up so I don’t know if that has an effect now or not.
Reply to KristinaMy sister’s hair is dry, brittle, almost every strand has split ends and hasn’t grown in about a year (I actually think its shorter). My parents argue over what she should be doing. I wish I could answer myself as I’m 23 years old but sadly I have NO idea (I suck at taking care of my own hair and it’s the easiest kind out there!). My stepdad says she needs to use something with oil or extra moisturizer and covering her hair when she sleeps, etc. I believe she shampoos and conditioners every time she showers and then blow dries and flat iron straightens it (this is on top of the chemical straightener). I’m worried my sister will be bald by 25.
She has that exactly in the middle kind of hair, very curly, tight curls, thick/almost coarse hair. It makes me sad that she refuses to learn how to care for it in its natural state because I find it extremely gorgeous! If you need anymore info I’ll be glad to give it cause I really want to help my family out! What should she do???
Hi Kristina, welcome to the Parlour.
As your sister has relaxed hair, she will have to take even more care of it than if it were natural. She should invest in a steam cap and have an intense steam treatment after each wash & condition. Your father is right in that she should moisturise her hair with a natural product whilst she tongs it to protect her hair from the heat.
Please have a look in the Afro section of the site and advise her to use products that are better for her hair & scalp, reduce the use of heat and steam treat her hair.
Reply to XinaHello Ladies!
Reply to BetI am half/half. I recently found a product line called CANTU that works wonders for my hair. They have an oil that can be used on hair or skin. A hot oil treatment in the shower and a body oil before i step out instead of greasy baby oil. I absolutely love it and fully recommend it. The oil and leave in conditioners are my personal fave, but I want to order some other products specifically for straightening hair. It’s seriously my favorite. I even read that the oil is good for eczema! Which I have, my skin is incredibly sensitive, and it helps even in the Germany winter! They are relatively cheap and my sister found them in Wal-mart at fayetteville.
I wanted to see if any of you ladies have tried this new BRAZILIAN KERATINE TREATMENT. It sounds like a great alternative to getting your hair relaxed as the treatment washes out and your normal hair returns. The process in a nut shell is basically: they wash your hair, blowdry it, apply the treatment in sections with a brush (like dying you hair), blow dry your hair fully, and then using a 450 degree flat iron they straighten your hair. There is a danger though, as many of the products coming out of Brazil contain formaldehyde (used in morgues and cigarettes). I am really intrigued about this but have not been able to try it out myself as I am overseas and I’m pregnant. It’s incredibly expensive in salons ($150 average), but some sites sell to the public. I’m cheap but I would love this as an alternative to blowdrying and hot-combing my hair, the results look amazing even on afro hair!! And seriously I could do this at home ladies. The process doesn’t differ much from what I would have to do normally but with the results of getting a perm without chemically altering my hair. Oh! and a website said that it’s safe to use on kids 6 and over. The formaldehyde doesn’t scare me that much, it’s in so many products in our house now. I would be careful of course but how much worse can it be than the flouride they put in our drinking water?!? We poison ourselves and our children everyday without knowing it already. One woman died from the treatment when she misused it herself at home, but this treatment has been in Brazil for years, one mishap, which sounded like she didn’t have proper ventilation, isn’t going to scare me away from beautiful silky smooth hair!!!
Hello!
Reply to CharlotteI wondered if anyone can help me? I have a gorgeous 11 month old mixed race baby boy but am not sure what I should be doing with his hair. Up until quite recently he had dead straight quite oily hair and I was washing it daily. I’ve continued doing so but think I may have made a mistake in doing this as his hair is now loosely curly and quite shiny on top with very tight (and dry :-s) afro curls at the back. I use an organic baby shampoo but don’t use a moisturiser or conditioner and have no idea what products to use or if I should comb or brush his hair or just leave it be?! Help!
Hi Charlotte, welcome to the Parlour.
Please don’t worry about the different textures on your baby’s head. Believe it or not, this is very common for both mixed and black babies.
It is not advisable to wash your baby’s hair daily, and it is best to condition and moisturise his hair after shampooing. There are some great products here for you to choose from.
You can comb or gently brush your baby’s hair each day to keep it neat, this won’t cause a problem.
I hope this answers your question, if not, feel free to drop another line.
Reply to XinaWOW!!!!! thnkyou for all your tips and advice its really helped me learn to cope with my hair,oh and thankyou for helping me to learn to love my curls xx
Reply to naomiHi Naomi, welcome to the Parlour!
Thank you for the compliments! I think we should all learn to love our hair in its natural state whether that’s straight, curly or frizzy! I think the curly/frizzy types get a bit of a raw deal because there was so little information on how best to look after it. Thankfully times are changing and I’m happy to play my part in it all.
Reply to XinaHELP
Reply to loobysueMy grand daughter is 7, she mixed race, has hair that looks like a candy floss on a bad day, she has very dry flacky scalp and if her gets longer than around 1 inch it tangles into dreadlocks that are impossible to get out, she is very hair sore and we have to be so care full of what we use as she constantly is scratching her head until it bleeds. can any one help
Hello Loobysue, welcome to the Parlour.
It sounds as though your granddaughter has very dry hair and scalp. Please read the instructions in the post above as they are designed specifically to address and prevent dryness issues for your granddaughter’s hair type.
1. Don’t wash her hair more than once or twice a fortnight – use a moisturising shampoo
2. Use a conditioner
3. Comb her hair whilst she still has conditioner in it
4. After rinsing out the conditioner, towel dry her hair without messing it up too much (causing more knots)
5. Spray some moisturiser on her hair whilst it’s still slightly damp, this will further detangle her hair and make it easier to plait
6. Put a heavier moisturiser in her hair whilst plaiting. This will further ensure that moisture is retained in her hair and scalp, thus promoting the health, look and feel of her hair
7. Curly hair tends to be quite dry again a day after washing so simply spray some moisturiser into her hair to re-activate some of the product you’d put in the day before.
For some ideas of the types of products to use for her, have a look here. If we’re out of stock on a product you want, you can always pre-order
I hope this helps.
Reply to Xinahi im mixed race half jamaican half irish im 14 and my hair is thick curls really thick alot of people are jelous of it but i dnt see y itss long but only a few inches below my neck. i currently straighten it because i cant do anything with it
i cant buy mixed chicks because it is so expensive all products for mixed hair is because no1 sells it could anyone tell me a product fro mixed race hair thats not that expensive please!!
Reply to ShakkiraHi,Really want to buy some curling custard for my little girls hair. Where can i get this from as no where seems to have it in stock?Thanks,Louise
Reply to LouiseHi Louise, welcome to the Parlour.
At the moment there’s an international shortage of the Custard (I kid you not!) the best thing to do is pre-order it from us when the option comes available or select the option to be notified when the stock comes in.
The Curls/Curly Qs range is very popular indeed, so I would recommend that if you get your email confirmation that the item has returned to stock, you should buy it on the same day to avoid disappointment.
If you’re not on our mailing list, I’d recommend you join it because we have great sales from time to time which include this range.
Reply to XinaHi I have a wonderful 8 month old mixed race daughter (african-english) with loads of soft curly hair!!! i have found that her hair has stoped growing at about 8inchs and id becoming very brittle can curly Qs help? if so what products would be best? Can any one help
Reply to vickiHi Vicki, welcome to the Parlour
Curly Qs can definitely help with brittle hair. Use the Curlie Cutie Cleansing Cream and the Curly Q’s Coconut Dream Conditioner to wash and condition her hair and then a little bit of Curly Q’s Custard to moisturise her hair after it’s been washed. This will prevent brittleness and guard against dryness.
Reply to XinaHi Xina
I’m glad I found this website, a lof of good info. I wonder if you can tell me how can I prevent my daughters curlys to frizz after I wash and shampoo her hair, her curls look good before she goes to bed, but in the morning they look like I havent wash her hair for months. Her hair is not long, she is only 2 years, I wonder if there is a hairstye that I have to do on her hair the night before so her hair doesnt get all tangle. I will love her to be able to wear her hair down, instead of her usual pony tail She is mix (mexican/black). Thanks for any advice.
Reply to PerlaHi Perla, welcome to the Parlour.
As a rule, curly haired people suffer with knots after sleeping on hair which hasn’t been plaited or moisturised or covered down during the night – it tends to tangle. However, as with most blanket statements
there are exceptions to the rule and this is where trial and error helps a lot
Try;
a) spraying her hair with some moisturiser if it’s dry
b) cover her moisturised plaits (if it’s long enough) down with a head tie
c) covering her hair down without the plaits
d) plaiting her hair and not covering it down
The next morning, see which option has left her hair least tangled.
For her to wear her hair down without it getting tangled, use good quality moisturisers. Check out Curly Qs and Blended Beauty for great products for your little girl’s hair.
I hope this helps.
Yours naturally,
Xina
Reply to Xinahi, i have an 18month old half greek half african daughter whos hair looks fab when i put in an avocado leave-in hair styling crream by skala but when she sleeps it becomes dry and fluffy and i have to keep reapplying, i dont like the fact i have to keep putting products in her hair everyday that is for adult use. I am going to buy the custard but will i need the moisturising spray aswell? Also do i need to apply them daily and on wet hair, if i buy both which one do i apply first and and do both need to be applied everyday?
Reply to DimitraHello Dimitra
I would recommend you buy both the spray and the custard. After washing, conditioning and towel drying your daughter’s hair, you should then spray her hair and comb it through to ensure that her hair is detangled and knot free. Then, you can add some of the custard.
Each day after adding more custard, you should be able to add some spray to rewaken the curls. You will know if you need to add more custard because the curls won’t keep their hold very well.
I hope this helps.
Xina
Reply to XinaHi
I have a gorgeous mixed race (british jamaican/english) boy who is 6 yrs old.
I grew his hair from birth until he was 1, he had fine big curls but then I cut it shorter, it gradually got to the point where, at aged 5, he was having it clippered which looked nice but we have both decided to grow it to see what it looks like.
It is getting longer & when wet, curls quite tightly.
The curls look different to when he was young, it is also a lot thicker.
Does cutting it for so long make the hair change or has it changed over the years as he has got older?
What products can I use on it to keep it healthy while growing?
I havent ever used any products on it b4 as it has been so short.
Any help would be great!
Karen
Reply to KarenHello Karen
His hair would have changed over time anyway, so cutting it hasn’t created the change.
I would recommend you use natural products which do not contain any petroleum jelly, liquid paraffin, mineral oil, sodium laurel/laureth sulfate, etc. We have a superb range of products specifically for your son’s hair type here.
I would recommend you get a shampoo, conditioner, moisturising spray and a styling cream which will hold his curls without making them crispy or greasy.
Curly Qs and Blended Cutie are superb products which will assist your son with healthy hair growth and tangle free combing sessions.
If you need any more help, feel free to drop another line.
Xina
Reply to XinaHi
I am a 20 year old mixed race female – half jamaican, half scottish, I live in Glasgow which is not reknown for it’s Afro Carribean Hairdressers, however it is getting better but for years I have been going to London to get my hair chemically relaxed.
When I was younger my mum used to Cane Row my hair for me, and my brother who is 5 years younger than me but over the last 5 years she has developed Artritus in her hands so no longer can do hair as it gets too painful.
She was always encouraging me to learn to plait up my hair but I have lots of hair – unreal amounts and it was too much hard work for me, so for the last 5 years I have been getting my hair chemically straightened, now as Im older I would like to know how I can stop getting this proceedure done and if I do will my hair be ruined. I have never used a product for adults its always been children’s products I use on my hair because my hair is quite soft considering but it is really thick.
I now want to learn about my hair, now that Im older and want to take care of it better and have it back to it’s original state. I just don’t know how to go about it.
To fill in – When I wash my hair and leave it dry it does go back to being curly/frizzy it just makes it easier for straightening my hair but I would prefer if I didn’t have to put such harsh chemicals in my hair – Im open to suggestions about dealing with my hair – I would be open to any suggestions regarding my hair – would love locs but dont know if due to my treatment of my hair the last few years if it would be possible for me to do this.
Please help?!?!?!?!?!
Thanks x
Reply to EmlahHello Emlah
I have some good news for you.
We are in the process of creating courses in canerow. I’m also a loctician and can give you a consultation on locs, how they can be started, the best way to maintain them for your hair type and how to start them if you have relaxed hair.
If you decide to let me start your hair, the cost of the consultation is deducted from the cost of starting your locs.
I’m going to send you a private email now so that you can respond should you need further information.
All the best,
Xina
Reply to Xinahi
Reply to kaylaim a 21 yr old woman and i have a beautiful 13 month old mixed race son, (half english/half nigerian) and he definatly has his dad’s hair, tight curls and very dry. when my son was born i asked 4 my mother in laws advice on how to look after his hair the best way i could as it was all new to me. she advised to keep it oily so for the past year after bathing him i used to put baby oil on his hair before it started to get long. now that it is long enough to braid it has become more dry, more knotty and more curly. i have asked a few people i know (white mums) with mixed race children how they treat there hair but everyone says different products and different ways in doing it which is so confusing! so in the end i went into an afro carribean hair designing shop and asked a lady who worked there what are the best products to use on my sons hair? and she did advice curly Q’s which i am now confident in using on my son as quite alot of you on here are saying its a great product.
i do feel bad that i havent done my best to meet his needs (hair wise) so i would just like to thankyou for all the helpful advice on here and well done for making this site avalible for people like me that never had a clue about all these different products that are availble. keep up the good work! x
Hi Kayla
Can I just say that it’s clear to me that you’ve done your very best to meet your son’s hair needs and you should be proud of yourself for making the huge efforts you’ve made.
I’m glad that you find this site and the blog useful. Please recommend the site to your other friends as I’m sure they’d find it useful too.
All the best,
Xina
Reply to XinaXina,
I have mixed race hair and have for many years thought I was very unlucky, particularly when i compared my curly hair which tends to frizz terribly when dry with my mother’s long glossy straight black hair (my mother is of Indian origin and my dad is half black half indian with curly black hair – i obviously take after him in the hair department!). When I was a child combing my hair was a nightmare for both my poor mother and myself and my mother finally succumbed to my entreaties and took me to the hairdresser to have it relaxed when i was a teenager.
I am now 30 years old and I have used relaxers and various other products over the years in an attempt to tame my wild tresses – but I’ve discovered (like many people on this forum) that black hair products tend to be too oily for my hair and European hair products do not moisturise my hair enough. You can imagine my delight when I came across this website (after googling “how to handle troublesome mixed race hair!”) and discovered that there are hair products designed specifically for my type of hair! I can’t wait to try them (and to bin the hair products I’m currently using!). I’ve stopped using relaxers for my whole head now – i only relax the very front but i would be happy to stop using relaxers completely. I find that swirling (or wrapping) my hair round my head when its wet makes it dry a lot smoother than when it is left to dry naturally.
I’m now living in Hamburg Germany. Do you have any idea how I can get any of the hair products you mention here?
Thank you for all your thoughtful and courteous replies to everyone who has asked questions on this forum.
Ree
Reply to Reexxxx
Hello Ree, welcome to the Parlour!
It’s certainly very interesting hearing about your racial mix and how your hair looks as a result! I was wondering why you relax the front of your hair? Does this somehow make it easier for you to manage or is it part of a style?
You can get Curls, Blended Beauty and Curl Harmony from Nature’s Parlour and the products can be delivered to your home or your work any where in the world.
We’d love to hear back from you about relaxing the front, I’m very curious!
Kind regards,
Xina
Reply to Xinai have 2 girls (3 and 6) i am mixed race (white/caribbean) and their father is black caribbean. their hair is more afro really. but i find that afro products are still too heavy for their hair. ive tried pink moisteriser, petrolium based grease, baby love etc but none seem to do their hair any good. i tried mixed chicks leave in cond but their her is not really loose enough for it to curl. my eldest daughter’s hair hasn’t grown for about a year now ( i cornrow it) and if i dont grease her scalp, it gets dry and flaky,
should i be treating it at the hairdressers like i do to mine?
Reply to jasmine de bourgwill mixed race products work better on their hair?
i put a head scarf on them at night but it rarely stays on all night!!
i was wondering if you could recommend a hair product that will hold my hair down and make it look and feel soft. Iam mixed with black and korean (mother half black and halk korean and father black). I recently got my hair cut short, faded in the back, and short on the sides. The style i got it cut in was for straight hair so it look good until i washed it. So now im trying to find a way to hold my curls down so that they arent frizzy and sitting high on my head. If you some advice please help me..Thank you….
Reply to Toya Songhi everyone
i have a 16 month old mixed race girl and am at a loss as to what to do with her hair. i would really like to buy a book to give me ideas – does anyone know of any good books hair hairstyles for mixed race hair. i’ve seen a book called Kinki Kreations on Amazon that looks good but is selling at £67.00!!! which is slightly too much! any help would be much appreciated.
thanks
ali
Reply to alisonHere is a link to Kim Etheredge & Wendi Levy (Mixed Chicks) on Tavis Smiley’s Radio show: http://www.tavissmileyradio.com/guests10/030510/WendiLevy_KimEtheredge.html
Reply to H. Lopez