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......

i have a 20 month old baby girl she is mixed ive been washing her hair every day using shampoo and con for dry hair and it seems ok. But very hard to comb and her hair is very curly and not longer anoth to do any thing with it . Cant find any were on isle of wight that does any thing for afro hair so im stuck on what i can do for her.My husband ant any help on what to do and its him thats from nigeria lol.

You really don't need to be washing her hair every day. In fact by doing this you're probably drying it out. Try using a wide tooth comb when combing, so it's not so difficult for you (and her!)

Agree, you should definitely not wash her hair everyday, you will be doing more harm than good, once a week is ample.
If you can't buy afro hair products locally you can order online, however some mainstream products are good. I find the 'Aussie haircare range great and would also, like others on here, recommend the 'Tangle Teezer' brush for tear free combing. You can buy one of these in Boots.

People! Leaving your child's hair out is not the answer as it matts and tangles so easily. You can form dreadlocks within days!

Get yourself on youtube, and teach yourself how to canerow! Buy a dolls head at first (unless your child is massively patient). If you do them well, styles can be left in for up to 6 weeks. Tell me not combing mixed race hair for 6 weeks doesn't sound nice!

my darling D is 3 and a half and was born with beautiful soft straight jet black hair, but as he got older it became brown (with blonde tips)and curls, ooohh wee. His hair is definately west indian texture like me. I guess the blonde is like his dad's. We use all Aveda products because it is natural and smells oh so good but now the warning, it is not cheap. As a baby we used Aveda curl activator which was brilliant on dry hair to define his soft curls. We have always used the following, Aveda brilliants shampoo and conditioner, especially for thick west indian style hair. Wash his hair once a fortnight and do that deep conditioning two hour comb out. Lots of conditioner a video, bribery and hoping the police don't come to my door for the shouts of " no mummy". After the comb through and the chiney bumps, I cut of the little balls of knots on the ends and breath a deep sigh of relief.:0. Every morning after a shower or a wash(when his hair does not get damp) I spray his hair with an olive oil leave in conditioner then using my hands just pull out the tigher curls, then he is good to go.
I think his almost daily showers don't help his dryness but getting a cap on his head is just not going to happened. He is modelling at the moment and the curls hanging in his face are one of the things they want. On those days just the olive oil de-tangling conditioner, especially in the back is all it takes. Although I have a routine, I would like a little more moisture in his hair. My husband thinks there might be a magic PRODUCT that will soften his very curly hair. I hope there is but the dude is already complaining about curls in is eyes, what will we do if it softens. We have no intention of cutting his hair like all our mix race friends have had to with their boys hair and I don't known any mix race girls that have not resorted to perms. I want to find something that he will be able to continue when he is older, otherwise its locs like his mother has just started. I am looking at the Vitapro Fusion Leave In Treatment Conditioner but it would be nice to see someone that has used it on the curls like my son's rather than the lovely soft curls.

by the way. it is so good to find a group I can relate to. Hope to have many more chats.

My 6 month old child is mixed race (black African and white british) and although her hair is fairly curly, it's nowhere near as tight-curly as her father's. Also her skin is not very dark. I was interested to hear from several people I know that her hair will probably become curlier gradually in time. Is this what happens generally? Do mixed race children change with time? I find this topic quite fascinating. Excuse my ignorance by the way!

Hi I'm mixed race and it took me until my 20's to truly understand how to deal with my hair. I found a brilliant product which is canadian but you can buy it here online.

I wrote a post about it. If you're interested check it out
wp.me/pS00T-7q

It's important to avoid petroleum based hair products because they actually make hair drier.

There are lots of helpful clips on you tube too that show how to look after and help enhance curls.

I'm happy to answer any questions if you need.

I have 2 girls,I have spent many years buying expensive products ordering from America, and travelling to London.
Hair combing time used to just be awful. I then found a really good website: www.tightlycurly.com
Since following her advice both my girls hair has grown and life is just so much easier and they are happier!
1: Only ever comb hair when wet an d coated in conditioner
2: Always use a Denman brush - so much easier
3: comb section at a time and from bottom gradually work up
4: You don't need expensive products, just those that say for moisture
The best are Tresemme Moisture plus
5:Wash, Condition, comb whie conditioner in, rinse then pile loads of conditioner in to absorb ie Alberto Basalm strawberry (super cheap), leave to dry in natural curls VOILA

I bought a Tangle Teezer for DC4 (DS 1&2 have locs). Its brilliant for brushing out. It doesnt seem to bother him at all.

I use it when I am conditioning.
I use it after washing when hair is wet.
I use it when hair is dry and spritz with water to bring his curls back.

I have been doing this for 18 years and all my 5 kids have slightly different hair so still learning.
Vitopoint is still brilliant but a bit expensive.

Hi I am mixed race. Just to let you all know, not all mixed-race children have hair that is difficult for their parents to manage but if you do, here are some helpful tips to make it easier for you and your child. please see : www.intermix.org.uk/pzone/FEA_07_hair.asp.

Regardless of whether you are black or white or even mixed race, we all have different hair textures which need the right care & treatment. It is just common sense.Curly hair in particular needs a quality shampoo and conditioner without all of those chemicals we find in our hair products these days. If you want those defined curls without any fizz then getting a got conditioner is the place to start - its not rocket science, just try out different products to find one that works. Aubrey Organics White Camellia Ultra-Smoothing Conditioner it is recommended for dry, hard to manage hair. Also Aubrey Organics White Camellia Ultra-Smoothing Shampoo which tames unruly hair. see website:
www.afrotherapy.com/gift-ideas-mixed-race.html.

Don't wash her hair everyday, only once a week. Our hair is like everybody else's, we just need a good hair conditioner put in it like your hair does. Also boots and superdrugs chemist sell some very good hair conditoners - african carribean shops sell good stuff as well but most are full of chemicals so be careful. For instance boots sell a wide range of Aussie Miracle hair conditioner products for straight and curly hair. "Aussie Miracle hair insurance" leave in conditioner is a good one. But as you child is so young perhaps you should buy organic range of hair care products try Aubryn organics (see web site address given my other post on this subject.

I 2nd the Aussie miracle hair insurance, it is fantastic for my DD's very curly mixed Arab/Euro hair. Use it on dry hair as a detangler as well as after washing.

I have a ds with complete tight curly hair and a dd with looser curls. On dd I use aveda's dry remedy moisture shampoo once a month or if needed for accidents, but I was her hair once week with just a moisturing detagling conditioner, aveda dry remedy or reconstructing one. I the use aveda be curly after the wash and that works. For ds, I can't find a routine or product the works as well. So I use dd's routine. It's still impossible to comb his hair without the whole street wondering what we r doing. I can do with some help finding a detangler that has little or no chemicals. So I can come his hair without him suffering so much.
Can anyone help?

My DD is half white British (me) and half black African (dad) and her hair is slightly afro but very curly and like ringlets. When it has been done, everyone comments how lovely it is and how like 'european hair' it is!! I am not really happy with this comment but for many it is ignorance. Another thing I can't stand is how many people (incl perfect strangers!) think it is ok for them to touch my DDs hair and feel it!
The ones that do have the mind to ask if it is ok to touch it usually ask as they are doing it!

OK, rant over!!

I wash my DDs hair once a week and use a shampoo and conditioner (I will have to look the name up!!). After it's been washed, and EVERY morning, I apply a de-tangler followed by shea butter (again, I will have to look the product up - sorry!!). I comb from the ends inwards - if you know what I mean - I take the ends of the hair and comb and then take a little more from the ends and comb - repeating this process until I get to the scalp. This way there is minimum unnecesary pulling (and breaking - ouch!) of the hair and subsequent pain endured!! I then style. She still hates it at times but I suppose because it takes so long and it is a ritual we have to do every single morning!! Even if she has plaits - they will need re-doing the next day.

I love her hair and I can do so many things with it

I wish white mothers of kids with curly/ringlet/afro etc etc hair would look after it though. When it has just not been combed/styled/whatever, it really annoys me. Also, please use the afro/carribean shops cos they are fantastic. Something for everyone. Don't use 'white' products cos they don't work and also, they strip the oils from an already dry hair and scalp!! Right, second rant over

Will get back to you with names of products - for some reason they have just gone right out of my mind!!!

Hi again. So, those that are still keeping up(!), here are the products I use and currently they seem to work just great.

Sofn'free n'pretty range: shea butter shampoo, cucumber conditioner followed by olive oil detangler and then shea butter.

When first started out, I bought Baby Love but found it far to heavy and greasy immediately it was applied and then as the day wore on, it just dried my DDs hair out really badly.

So, until she gets a bit older and if her hair type changes, I will keep with what i know. Or, of course, if I find something better!

Happy hair dayzzzzzzz...

Hello Bexstar5 I was just wondering how old is your DD and how long does it take to do her hair every day?

She is nearly 3 and it takes between 20-50 minutes. 10 minutes if I am super fast and only put the products on, comb it and leave it out or with clips!! Plaiting takes the longest.

I wish I could leave my DD hair out, she has gorgeous hair (I'm mixed race, white & afro caribbean, and my husband is afro caribbean), but if I do it gets so matted & tangled, she has masses and masses of hair which I have in about 7 plaits at the moment, each plait takes me about 15 minutes to do. I too use the Sofn'free n'pretty range, I've used the cucumber conditioner and the olive & sunflower oil moisturizing lotion, maybe I should use the detangler with the moisturizing lotion as I find that the moisturizing lotion just tends to sit on top the hair rather than soaking in. I would love to do her hair every day but just can't find the time - she is 7.

I can leave it out for the moment cos she is so young and it hasn't grown too long yet. Well, it is long when I wash it - halfway down her back - but once it springs back into a curl it comes up above her shoulders!! It does get tangled by the end of the day - especially the back and underneath. I was at a kids party recently and this young girl of about 8 kept ruffling and rubbing my DDs hair and it was driving me potty! I didn't know what to say without sounding cruel!

Shea butter is fantastic and I would definitely advise de-tangler!!

I am still learning how to plait properly and wish I could do it really well but I know I am getting better the more I do it.

I just my daughter to be able to have as many styles as possible and if I learn and experiment then hopefully, when she is a little older, she will know how to do her hair.

I dread the day she says she wants to straighten it!!

DD1 (6y)'s swimming teacher said to her last week 'Tell your mum not to put so much greasy stuff on your hair' (apparently her swimming hat slips off). I had a word!!!!

my dd hair is like yours bexstar. we were on holiday last year in asia and a waiter asked how we made her hair!
i have tried every suggestion on hair product
and none have been great,have about 20 bottles of stuff in cupboards.
i have been using pantene conditioner which is better than most.

Has anyone heard of and used Tangle Teezer Brush? I hear a lot of raving about it but not sure it would work my 2.

The tangle teezer brush would i think be only suitable for european hair. I have seen these & my sis inlaw uses it on her lil girl but i think mixed race hair would be to curly & course to go through the soft flimsy bristles

I use the tangle teezer brush on my hair which is short, thin & curly, (I have mixed race hair) it is also good on my sons short hair, but is no good on my daughters, she has thick course hair.

Tangle Teezer was no good on my DDs' midlength/long, corkscrew hair