Can anyone recommend something to tame DD's wild hair

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Dd (5) has hair that is neither curly nor straight, I have to brush it to get the tangles & knots out but by brushing it it seems to take out any of the natural curl & leaves it looking like a giant ball of frizz.

Can anyone recommend something I could put on probably after brushing to leave to pony tail part looking less wild?

Or if there's a different method I should follow after washing maybe? Tbh it looks fine after washing on an evening it's when I brush it on a morning that the giant frizz ball appears.

I was thinking of a curl cream of similar but having had poker straight hair since the year dot I don't really know where to start.

Never, ever dry brush hair like that.

Comb when wet. If the next morning you need to do something dilute some spray on leave in conditioner and must that through and gently comb through with your fingers or a wide tooth comb.

The curly girl method is worth checking out, although as the (curly) mother of a tightly curled 5 yo boy, I've never not used shampoo. But honestly, dry brushing ruining everything and is likely to hurt!

Look up the curly girl method on Facebook. It’s conditioner only washing and is perfect for semi-curlies.

Not if you use a Maison Pearson children’s brush morning and night.

I have this kind of hair. I brush it, then wash it and then apply Sebastien Molding mud (just a bit on my fingers and then pinch through the hair). It will never really go straight, so going for some waves or curls is the easiest option. Don't brush or comb it afterwards. People with straight hair tend to comb it more often, that doesn't work for this, it will just frizz till the next shampoo session.

I concur.....never, ever brush her hair dry.

To get tangles out comb it with a tangle teezer when it's wet. Then scrunch it with your hands into curls and leave it to dry naturally.

My daughter has very fine, neither curly or straight hair. She just needs to put a tshirt on and it becomes a massive, knotty mess.

The only fail proof solution is keeping it in a plait at all times she has to wear it up for school, so it's not that much of an issue.
When we wash it (once a week after swimming), we do conditioner first, comb through, rinse, shampoo, brush, towel dry and plait.

She does wear it down sometimes, but by bed time it's well on its way to dreadlocks.

Hopefully someone will be along with a better solution!

Thanks all, some good suggestions to read through.

So the majority seem to say not to brush it but how would I get it up into a ponytail (her preferred style for school) without brushing it?? I openly admit hairstyling has never been my string point

*strong

Sounds like my hair, I brush it before I shower.

I don't brush it to put it up, I will use a brush to smooth it when I'm putting it up but don't actually run it through with a brush. Sorry If that doesn't make sense.

I highly recommend the ogx argon oil serum.
Wash her hair, condition. Comb with a wide toothed comb when still wet. Then apply the ogx serum from mid lengths to the ends.
It becomes much smoother and more manageable.
I find to put hair up into a ponytail use a brush to help scoop it up but don’t pull the brush right through to the ends, stop at the mid lengths then move to the next section and secure with bobble when all the hair is where you want it.
Then to tame the pony tail just put a tiny bit of the serum onto your fingers and run them through the dry hair.

Wet the brush first and then comb into a pony tail so hair is damp but not wet

Or wet brush the pony part only

Sounds similar to my daughter’s. I use a spray-on detangle product (L’Oreal Kids Super Pear) on her dry hair before brushing, so it isn’t really dry any more. Also started using a leave-in serum type thing after brushing to help keep the frizz down. I can’t remember the name, sorry (I’m out of house and can’t check just now).

Also most nights I put it in a plait so it’s not an impossible haystack by the morning.

Get a water spray/mister from a garden centre, give a few sprays of that then just one or two of a detangler, spray/condition spray (I like twisted sister) then brush. Stops you using too much detangler which can make it sticky and weight hair down.The 'wet brush' is better than a tangle tease imho....

I had curly hair and had to suffer through the indignity of having it brushed dry. As an adult I comb it in the shower when it's wet and when dry just give a quick going over with a brush (not detangling).

If frizz is a problem than it needs moisture. Look up CG

What texture hair does your daughter have OP? What type of curl?

I wear a wool that in my head overnight after I've washed it, to help flatten it a bit (low tech).

Oh gosh Highs I'm not really sure how I'd describe it. This is what I'm working with.....

Hat not that. I wear a hat.

I definitely think the ogx serum would help. I have this kind of texture to my hair.

Twisted sister curl cream. Cheap as chips and amazing...

She has gorgeous hair. Wash twice a week. Do not dry brush!

Pull it up into a pony with your fingers and then finger comb the tail, separate curls and put a tiny bit of serum in

Are you anywhere near Birmingham? There a special curly salon that would help, with the right cut and right products.

I think she needs a good bit cut off and then a really decent conditioner used before blow drying straight if you want to brush it (paddle brush)

Mine was v similar as a child and agony to brush/complete frizzball/random straightish bits/easily knotted in the slightest wind.

Now I brush before washing, use Kerastase conditioners, a tangleteaser, part blowdry and use a babyliss big hair and have quite swishy hair but toooooo much for a little girl!!!

That looks the same as my DD’s. Use fingers instead of a brush when it’s dry, use a tangle teaser when it’s wet.

We only wash hers 2x/week but that’s enough to keep the tats at bay.

We use loads of cheap conditioner and no styling product.

That looks a lot like my hair. Tbh I rarely brush it when dry, only just before I wash it (twice a week). Then gentle comb through when still damp. Generally don't brush again until next wash apart from getting any knots out when putting it up - I tend to wear it in a messy bun mostly. I find letting it dry naturally rather than with a hairdryer makes it easier to manage, with a bit of serum when dry.