Caring for toddler's curly hair

[110Cornets]

My toddler has quite curly, short hair. It goes into ringlets when just washed and air dried but is quite dry and prone to frizz. I don't want to use any of the adult products I use on myself on her hair, which is still quite fine and baby-hair like. Any suggestions for how I can make sure her hair is moisturised and in good condition, especially between washes? I wash her hair once a week with child's farm baby shampoo.

[MerryChristmasToYou]

I'd use damp fingers to tease it into curls, maybe a tiny amount of coconut oil for moisture.

[SkylightAndChandelier]

DS2 has always had Shirley Temple ringlets.

We don't even wash his hair once a week these days - perhaps once a fortnight. We never brush it, every few months I 'do his curls' and put in an intensive conditioner because it does have a tendency to matt in a couple of places (at least he's stopped twiddling with it now), so I do need to comb it sometimes.

Day to day occasionally use a refreshing curl spray from Boots (depends on the weather if they need neatening up), and after a wash I put Cantu curl activator through it which is my favourite, but the pink Boots one is good too.

Oh, and he uses one of the sulfate etc. free curl shampoo/conditioners - pink again! (I have no idea why all the curl stuff is pink)

[MerryChristmasToYou]

I picked up a hair product and it said 'Come on girls...' on it. Grr!
Put it down and left it there.

I think it was in the leigh stamford range. (slightly changed the name so as not to publicise)

[Pugsley87]

Try the curly girl method. No brushes, no shampoo, sulphate and drying alcohol free products. Have a look online and there are loads of groups, including some specifically for curly children. It's a game changer!

[IDontDrinkTea]

I use the little coco range on dds hair. Would particularly recommend the curling custard

[TopBants]

@Pugsley87

Try the curly girl method. No brushes, no shampoo, sulphate and drying alcohol free products. Have a look online and there are loads of groups, including some specifically for curly children. It's a game changer!

I looked into this a while so for myself but it was so confusing I gave up!

[QueenPawPaws]

This stuff is good
https://www.curlyellie.com/collections/all
You could use the spray between washes

[TopBants]

@IDontDrinkTea

I use the little coco range on dds hair. Would particularly recommend the curling custard

Thank you- I'll definitely give this a try.

[TopBants]

@MerryChristmasToYou

I'd use damp fingers to tease it into curls, maybe a tiny amount of coconut oil for moisture.

Thanks, these are good suggestions.

[Cleverpolly3]

I use Cantu kids range on my child’s curly hair the leave in cream is good
Also organix deep damage repair coconut conditioner is a good rinse out option

Whilst it might be a “bad” idea to brush curls it is important to stimulate their scalps and make sure they’re not getting a build up of skin cells or products you use. Once or twice a week I brush my child’s hair throughout with a old fashioned bristle brush in different directions before I wash it ( he is a hot sweaty little scamp so have to wash it twice a week)

[SpudulikaSlob]

I use baby shampoo as it's sulphate free. My favourite conditioner in a spray bottle with water serves as a lovely dangling spray. One wash and one conditioner soak a week.
I've been considering trimming her ends using the deva curl method but it's not an issue right now. My children both have ringlets.

[TopBants]

Wow, loads of great ideas- thank you everyone!

[ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings]

My 2 year old has very thick tight ringlets. I do wash her hair every night because every day she finds a way to smear food/play doh/mud/paint etc into it. I also use the childs farm shampoo followed by the asda little angels spray in detangling spray and comb it with a wide tooth comb.

[TopBants]

@SpudulikaSlob

I use baby shampoo as it's sulphate free. My favourite conditioner in a spray bottle with water serves as a lovely dangling spray. One wash and one conditioner soak a week.
I've been considering trimming her ends using the deva curl method but it's not an issue right now. My children both have ringlets.

Which conditioner, if you don't mind my asking?

I've not had to cut DD's hair yet as it's still doesn't dangle at all due to the curls.

[TopBants]

Sorry, name change fail!

[SpudulikaSlob]

I like the dove repair one or just whatever comes with my hair dye. I meant detangling spray not dangling spray
My 3yo hair is almost at her bum.

[KenAddams]

I use the Aussie detangle spray on my 3 girls hair it's brilliant

[KarmaNoMore]

Avoid DevaCurl products www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-devacurl-aficionados-allege-products-cause-hair-loss-n1134316

[TopBants]

[quote KarmaNoMore]Avoid DevaCurl products www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-devacurl-aficionados-allege-products-cause-hair-loss-n1134316[/quote]
Oh, that's horrific! Thanks for letting me know, I'll definitely avoid.

[Justtickingboxes]

I have used olive oil on scalp before washing normally and had great results on dd's curly hair.

[ohpleasesleepbabysleep]

Curly Ellie range is great, although quite expensive, we use the leave in conditioner. DD is 3 and has tight ringlets. I ‘properly’ wash her hair once a fortnight, the rest of the time I wet it and use a wide-toothed comb and tons of leave in conditioner to detangle it. Never brush it when it’s dry, if it’s looking knotty in the mornings I wet it with detangler and comb with a wide toothed comb. Shampoo is generally a no no for curly hair if you are doing the proper method but there are a few mild ones which are ok.

There’s a great group on Facebook called ‘Little CG’s UK’ which has tons of advice for how best to manage curly hair on little ones. It can be done very cheaply - eg loads of the supermarket conditioners are suitable for curly hair.

[TopBants]

@ohpleasesleepbabysleep

Curly Ellie range is great, although quite expensive, we use the leave in conditioner. DD is 3 and has tight ringlets. I ‘properly’ wash her hair once a fortnight, the rest of the time I wet it and use a wide-toothed comb and tons of leave in conditioner to detangle it. Never brush it when it’s dry, if it’s looking knotty in the mornings I wet it with detangler and comb with a wide toothed comb. Shampoo is generally a no no for curly hair if you are doing the proper method but there are a few mild ones which are ok.

There’s a great group on Facebook called ‘Little CG’s UK’ which has tons of advice for how best to manage curly hair on little ones. It can be done very cheaply - eg loads of the supermarket conditioners are suitable for curly hair.

Amazing, thank you! I'll join that group immediately.

[LemonDrizzles]

I use oilatum shower gel as a shampoo for my 1 year old with a detangler brush. I'm following this thread though for more ideas

[LadyCatStark]

DS is 11 now but his ringlets are still intact, albeit styled into a trendy teenage style nowadays. The most important thing is to never, ever brush it when dry. If you really must brush it, do it while it’s wet. DS uses Palmers coconut shampoo and conditioner and Cantu curl activator.

[raskolnikova]

My DD has curly hair, I had trouble with untangling the knots as she hates it being combed. Like a PP, I washed it with olive oil the other day and it's much better now, so much easier to comb and less frizzy.