Help with hair

[GinIsHappiness]

Hi all.

I don't know if I'm in the right place... probably I feel like I'll get some good tips.

LO is mixed. White/Caribbean (it's just me and LO)

His hair is super dry and frizzy. It's tight curls, thick and I just don't know what to do with it. He's only one. But it's so dry. I don't know what to use. Johnson's is rubbish. I'm sometimes wet it and add a small amount of conditioner.

I don't want to do to much to it as he's so young, just so dry and it breaks/snaps when dry too

TIA x

Use non sulphate shampoo, shea moisture or cantu do good ones you can get them both in Boots and Superdrug. Detangle with a wide tooth comb and a conditioner with a lot of slip, I use treseme. Rinse with cool water and style with a leave in conditioner, again Shea moisture and cantu do good ones, Jamaican black castor oil is a good one that shea moisture do. Sun kiss alba on YouTube is a good person to watch for curly hair, she does good tutorials on her son. Hope this helps! X

Also, use a good oil after styling - argan oil is really good and you can get it cheaply on Amazon. Deep conditioner every week or so will help with the dryness. I mix coconut oil with my regular conditioner and leave it on for a couple of hours x

The thing is while most afro hair is tightly coiled and/or curly it is not all the same thickness and density, so unless we see his hair we can't give specific advice. People have given me so called hair advice in the past and I've just ended up with an oil slick down my face and neck. Following that advice would be even worse for my LO who is mixed ethnicity.

I suggest you look on websites like naturallycurly.com and curlnikki.com for hair advice that suited to his hair type. The first site has a hair type tool to help you work out what products would be suitable.

You actually have it easy having a boy as most boys until they experiment with their hair at secondary age, generally just want a short shaved hairstyle.

If you are do go down that route make sure you go to a specific afro-hair/black barber shop so the edges are done properly. While non-afro specific barbers can shave hair short they cannot do edges properly as they don't have all the attachments according to the male members of my family. Barbers, regardless of the hair type they specialise in, are use to cutting the hair of toddlers.

Until he/you decide you want his hair short, then stop washing his hair everyday. When you do wash it use a non-sulphate shampoo, condition it after washing (preferably comb it then with a wide tooth comb) and then use a leave in condition every single time without fail.

Like pp have said mixed race children (and people!) can have really different hair. My son's hair is very tight but very soft curls and he has quite a lot of red/brown in his hair so seems to take after my side. I wet his hair in the bath and then after his bath I rub in some Cantu conditioning cream which is shea butter and some other ingredients. I comb it out with a wide comb and then gently comb it again in the morning and this stops it getting knotty and gives him very soft thick curls.

Hi everyone thanks for the replies

So I've been told about something called mixed chicks too, but honestly.... I've noticed that products for black hair are so expensive! I mean I'm willing to buy and have brought some to start with... but wows.

I went to a barber in my city (for Afro hair and such) and left no better off...just tried to sell me lots with no actual advice (I would of brought said products of advice was also given)

I also brought a wide tooth comb - the poor boy 😂 I need some serious lessons.

I think YouTube might come into play for styling advice tbh

Hi! I really like cantu for kids. I use their shampoo, conditioner and leave in conditioner. I like to add aunt Jackie's o la la cream as well as leave in conditioner. They are all about 3.99 each from the store I go to. They are more money but in general you don't wash as often so use less!

Also just saw your comment about the comb. Depending on his hair type you may be better off just detangling it with your fingers when his hair is wet. I don't use any tool to detangle my son's hair 😊

Join the curly girl UK group on Facebook and post a photo there, you should get lots of advice specific to his hair.

I thought I posted this ages ago

I recommend washing their hair 1-2 times a week with a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner. We use cantu - it's quite pricey but it's definitely worth it. As mixed/Afro hair is quite dry it's extremely important to add moisture. So using a leave in conditioner everyday, or some kind of moisturising spray/oil can be highly effective too. We use a Shea Moisture leave in conditioner with black caster oil - around £10-£12 for a big tub. It lasts a while though. Alternatively there are lots of natural products and natural hair masks that can be made which I've heard great things about such as coconut oil, and masks with avocado and honey. However I haven't been brave enough to try any yet! Hope this helps

Yes to Cantu products but please do not use shampoo. Use the conditioner only. Wash with conditioner and style with same conditioner or a leave in conditioner. Shampoo will dry his hair out.