Mixed Race Hair

[KatieMac]

If I start it here they can move it to the right place (If they decide to start a topic (& ever decide what to call it))

where do I start......

[KatyMac]

Waaaay back in October 2004 I started talking about DD & her hair

DD is 20 and a prfessional performer & still has hair issues - I wonder if it changes with the seasons/her hormones/her health as nothing works forever!

Bumping it seems sensible tonight based on the other thread.....I may have talked nonesense then....I hope I am wiser now!

[katymac]

This is a zombie thread really but it's mine

OK about 12 and a half year ago I started this - DD is now 19!!

& we just found some great stuff which really works for her hair

[mumof2luckyhairdresser1]

hi ladies Im a hairdresser of 18 years experience and I have 2 biracial children who have 2 completely different hair typed and textures. I can see it must be a suggestion for mothers out there knowing what to use as supermarkets don't supply the right hair care for your children. Help is on hand. I am holding some classes for parents to bring their children along to and I will guide and show you how to maintain your children's hair on a daily basis. It's so sad that mothers are cutting their daughters biracial hair short just because she swims. Ladies please feel free to message me with any questions in the mean time but I have a page on Facebook which I can update with venue and times for you to come and educate yourself and feel more at ease with your child's hair.X

[maygirl]

Wellie try brushing it with loads of conditioner in, using a Denman brush.
Also check out www.tightlycurly.com/welcome
I love this method and there are videos to help with the techniques. Good luck!

[WellieWanger]

My DD had beautiful blonde afro hair. But I really struggle with it. My hairdresser has curly hair but not afro.
It just tangles. Its so knotty and tangled. Combing it she won't entertain, brushing it she will let me do maybe every other day or so but with a lot of protesting that it hurts despite using a shit ton of detangling spray. I can't plait too well but will wash, brush, plait and that will stay for maybe two days then it will go into a pony tail of day 3. Then it will be wash brush etc again. I just have no idea what to do with it!! We just use normal hydrating shampoo and conditioner. Will every so often put an oil moisturiser on after washing. I feel bad because she often wants it 'down and long' but because it gets so tangled I don't let her. What can I do?

[mixedupmama1]

I agree, it's not easy. I have 3 daughters (mixed Iranian/white and Nigerian) all of whom have very different hair textures, and lengths. I find i'm sort of learning as I go and I read a lot and try to find out more. I actually write a blog about mixed race parenting and share a lot of other mum's tips and concerns about not just hair but other issues around the issue. I can't link to it but you can google mixed.up.mama.

[tanaj]

Katy, not sure if you've tried this, but I would suggest that your daughter sleep in a satin sleep cap or 'pineapple-d' with a satin scarf tied loosely around it. I have a similar hair texture and the sleep cap keeps the curls from flattening and drying out overnight.

[Sotaku]

Bumping for travel123

[DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease]

I'm mixed race and have grown my hair down to a couple of inches below my bra strap, straight at the moment.

As a child my hair wash best managed: Washed once a week; wide tooth comb whilst wet, then part head into two; two cornrows (or French plait if you can't) down each side if head, crossed over at back, tuck ends into plait on opposite side of head. Low maintenance and looks pretty.

I still do this if I'm going camping.

College age years, I'd wash and go with leave in conditioner, then recurl every couple of days with water and leave in conditioner.

Bad stage of relaxing, hated, cut off and grew out.

Singles braided phase, with or without extensions. Intensive work but once it's done 3/4 months of waking up to perfect hair.

I now wear my hair straight using Babyliss wide straighteners with teeth. Wash very infrequently, say three times a year. Use the straighteners once a week- thinner the sections, better the results; hold straightener plates at roots for 4/5 seconds then smooth down length over another 4 seconds. Use lowest heat possible to get hair straight. Smooth all hair with an oil like argon oil or macadamia oil.

[GreenMouse]

Bumping this thread for the few posters that were asking questions about caring for mixed race hair :)

[GreenMouse]

Sheila, if you advertise you need to post in the small business ads section.

[GreenMouse]

Looks interesting bumble but not cheap! How does it compare with shampoo + conditioner + leave in conditioner in terms of cost? And do you really not need leave in conditioner when you use it?

[bumbleandbumble]

Just thought I would post my new absolute favourite product...

Wen- cleansing conditioner. Transformed both my girls hair, even though they have different levels of curl and dryness.

Best stuff ever, never using anything else now in shower.

[TreasureTress]

Try ordering your products online, there are a lot of good online stores for naturally curly/afro hair e.g. www.britishcurlies.co.uk

[HeeHiles]

I've just tried Dark and Lovely Au natural Conditioner, No harsh chemicals, my DD2 has very dry, tight corkscrew curls and it it has been nice on her hair, going to try the rest of the range now. It's quite oily which is what my DD needs and smells gorgeous.

Have been using the Naked range which is fine and always a good fall back but she needs a richer conditioner and like this one so thought I would let you all know - I bought it in Boots, has anyone else tried it?

[educationrocks1]

Stunning girl, and beautiful eyes

[KatyMac]

Thank you - Not layers exactly but sort of shaped so she doesn't get too much of a wedge

[GreenMouse]

wow Katy your dd is really pretty! and her hair looks very similar to my dd's, really tight ringlets and lots and lots of it.

Not going bad actually, she's started looking after it herself more but still likes me to detangle and then either smooth the curls or blow dry the lot after a shampoo. I do find, like you, that the first day after a wash is the best.

What do you do about getting it cut? Layers or not layers?

[KatyMac]

As you can see, we have really good days (shown); but we also have really bad days (not shown)

Between washes is a nightmare - the first day is the only really good day

I'm sure there is more we could be doing & I have re-visited this thread to see if there is anything we could be doing better

How is everyone else doing?

[GreenMouse]

Monotone, I melt it in a bowl set over a pan of boiling water, together with olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, depending on what I've got. Any kind of oil really! I looked up some recipes online, there are quite a few around. Some call for a lot of different ingredients but all you need is shea butter and oil to soften it really. I do it by trial and error: melt the shea butter with some oil, let it cool down, if the consistency is not right, add more oil and melt it again, etc, until I'm happy with it. Hope that helps! :)

[monotone]

GreenMouse, how do you turn shea butter into hair butter? My DH brings it back from Togo and it's really lovely as it is for the skin, but useless for hair. My DD is 13 and has the same kind of hair as yours - likes to straighten it but would really prefer to keep it curly if only we could find the right products to keep it from 'puffing up' and getting all tangled and standy-outy... I'd love to try home made shea hair butter on it. Too many chemicals in most ready made stuff.

[Serendipity30]

My daughter is not mixed, however I would never straighten or use chemicals on her hair, please watch the documentary by Chris Rock called 'Good Hair'. Those chemicals are so dangerous to young children brain development and hair growth and yet people still do this because they think it will make their children hair 'easier to manage' with the right products Afro hair is not any more harder to manger than any other type of hair

[blendkids]

Good to see all these comments. I have started a blog dedicated to just this at //www.aidanandellie.com.
Hopefully, we can all share information on how best to look after our kids hair....
so far, the response to the blog has been overwhelming.

[HappyHair]

We are a group of hairdressers, braiders & barbers who would like to offer a hair care service (tips/advice) to children (using natural products) who are of black/mixed heritage and do not have access to this service where they live. We are targeting children in foster/adoptive care or children of mixed parentage. If this applies to you or someone who you know please could you to fill out this survey. Thanking you in advance. P.S Please LIKE our page.
www.surveymonkey.com/s/GQQXXB2