Help me with child's curly hair

[Floridasunset]

Hi,
My daughter has beautiful red curly hair. However as she has gotten older (she is still only 3) it has become frizzier and quite thin. And my goodness the knots!
I use sulphate free shampoo and conditioner which I saw recommended online. But it always looks really messy. It is a mix if tight curls, loose curls and an odd straight bit at the front!

Any tips on how to deal with it so it stays in good condition an looks a bit tidier?

Are you brushing/combing it? If so stop now and get an Afro comb and use that only. Brushing is the enemy of curly hair.

When you wash it, you should be using enough conditioner that you can ease all the knots out with your fingers and can run your fingers through it.

Basically lots and lots of product.

You may need to swap to a different shampoo and conditioner if yours isn't cutting it - you need one designed for curly hair.

As above. Drop the shampoo too. Just scrub her scalp with a little bit of conditioner rinse then condition with a big handful. Leave it on for a few minutes, comb with a wide toothed comb then rinse but not completely, leave a little bit in.

Don't comb or brush unless there's conditioner in it. Look for a detangling spray for day to day or mix some conditioner in water in a spray bottle and finger de tangle.

To start with you'll find it hard to detangle so may need to wash more often, but eventually it will get easier.

Look for conditioner with no sulphites or silicones. Child's farm do one as well as a detangling spray.

It's not just about the products you use but the way you use them. There are YouTube videos on how to apply the Curly Girl Method with children, they might help you. There are also CGM groups on Facebook that have lots of information that you might find helpful.

Yup throw away your brush! Only comb it thru when it has conditioner in. Wish my mum knew this when I was a kid 🤣

Johnson and Johnson detangling spray is a lifeline in our house. I have a special brush that I got online, but my DDs hair doesn't sound as fine as yours so an afro comb might be better for you. I'll see can I find a link for my brush incase it's any use to you.

Curly Ellie, have a look on Instagram and Facebook.

I use childs farm products on DS. I don’t brush his hair at all, only finger comb it when washing. I only wash it when it has houmous and things in it. Otherwise I just leave it alone but for a daily spritz of childs farm detangling spray.

Yep, I have curly hair and only finger comb it.

Also wish my mum had known this as I hated my hair until I was in my 30s when I started using products designed for black hair - a revelation! Curly hair needs moisture and to be treated with care.

Now I use Only Curls and have lovely hair.

Ooh I've used Curly Ellie - they were great products

Yes don’t brush, comb when wet. I’ve also found if you have to comb it when it’s dry, spritz it with water after to encourage the curls back. If you google it there are a lot of websites/videos with tips for curly hair.

Thank you everyone lots to try. I do spray it before brushing but will try an afro comb or the brush Ifixbrokenthings uses.
Her hair is matted in the morning so not sure if a comb will do it. Will a detangling spray and comb sort that? I definitely think I have damaged her hair with brushing

The shampoo and conditioner are for curly hair and sulphate free.
Will have a look at the products and YouTube videos.

Thank you again!

Get the ends of the curls trimmed a bit helps the tangles I have found. If swimming wash after with anti chlorine shampoo.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but you need to get her a silk pillowcase. My 3yo has had one since she started using a pillow, she is mixed race and her hair gets matted very easily, a silk pillowcase prevents the worst of the knots.

I am on a mission today...combs and detangling spray ordered and just text hairdresser to book her in for a trim. nocluewhattodoo I have just read that on a blog. She is definitely matted in the morning. Off to look at silk pillowcases...

You can also get satin sleep bonnets quite cheaply. They are good at reducing the back of the head ‘birds nest’ frizz that often happens when you cave curly hair and are a restless sleeper.

*have not cave

My 5 year old has ringlets. I follow the curly girl method with her but I have to brush it. It gets too knotty especially overnight if not tied up or plaited. But it does just get knotty during the day and finger combing wouldn’t be enough.
I used a tangle teezer hair brush but I bought from home bargains or Poundland for a couple of quid. Basically a brush with no little balls on the end of the bristles.
I use a water spray bottle and wet her hair through every morning before brushing the knots out then put a curly girl friendly conditioner through it. Currently the white garnier naturals conditioner.
I co wash with conditioner only once a week.
There is a great curly girl Facebook page and I also bought the book.
I never use any heat on her hair so try to do her hair as early as possibly so her hair has time to dry naturally.

Thank you everybody. Amazon have just delivered combs, silk pillowcase, microfiber hair towel (discovered this tip from curly ellie) and child's farm Detangler spray. She is already in bed so will try it all out tomorrow.
Hair cut booked for wednesday.

Ah yes micro fibre towels are great, my hair is way less frizzy since using that and sulphate free products. Still need to get a pillow case.

squirrelnutkins1 I confess I did get a towel for myself too.

So I washed DD's hair with just conditioner and a lot of it and then used the microfibre towel. When I combed it after there were no knots whatsoever. It is probably wishful thinking but her hair looked shinier and curls bouncier. She has gone to sleep on her silk pillowcase so we will see what the morning brings.

I washed dd2's hair as normal and used normal towel so I could compare and there were a few knots in hers. Although she only has curls in the ends of her hair and no frizz so completely different hair types.

Good luck with it. We are on this journey with my 12 year old after years of brushing. We find ourselves having to wet it every day because it still gets so tangled, almost matted. And soaking it every day just to comb it feels wrong. I'd love to hear how you get on.

Try Cantu products (usually in Boots) or any of the products for Afro Caribbean hair. I have caucasian hair but Cantu is way better than other ranges that claim to be for curly hair.

Hi everyone. I have been following your advice for the last 2 weeks and it has made such a difference. DDs hair looks so much healthier and we hardly have any knots. Beautiful curls restored! I really wasn't sure about not using shampoo but hair doesn't look dirty or greasy at all.

Thanks everyone

If her hair is long enough try putting it in a very high ponytail/pineapple at night it stops the hair rubbing on the pillow and knotting.

I haven't brushed my hair in probably 20/30 years (excluding headline checks thanks kids).

For a few years if been doing the LOC regime which has made a big difference it stands for Leave in/lotion ( I use my regular conditioner) then oil (one with argan in seems to work best) then Gel (my favourite is eco).
Doing that on wet hair seems to keep a lot of the mouisture in.