Curly Hair - Shakopee,MN

There is actually a brand called Mixed Chicks. I have not tried it, but hear it is wonderful. They make a leave-in conditioner and I think a regular shampoo and conditioner.

I use Aphogee Gloss Therapy from Sally's. It is a clear gel like substance that goes in the hair, it makes it shine like a mirror almost and it keeps the frizz down too. It has some silicone in it I think which coats the hair shaft and keeps it looking nice. I also use some Pantene hair gel or mousse to help it stay nice too.

My daughter is biracial and has very fine, curly hair also. I have the straightest hair around, and I've learned a lot in the last few years about what to do and what not to do...

Keep their hair moisturized. I put coconut oil onto my daughter's hair and scalp every couple of weeks and let it sit for a few hours before washing. It moisturizes everything, and makes the tangles slip out so much more easily. Put a plastic shower cap over their heads while the coconut oil is on their hair, or it will get onto everything they put their heads on.

Avoid shampoos with sulfates - this dries out the hair (it will list sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate in the ingredients). I actually don't even use shampoo on my daughter's hair very often - I "wash" with conditioner and rinse well at least once a week, and use diluted apple cider vinegar (1 oz apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of distilled water) every once in a while if her scalp seems dry or itchy.

After "washing", rinse well and brush in a leave-in conditioner. I started using Kinky-Curly products a couple of months ago and like them so far. I've also used a regular conditioner (Aussie brand) like a leave-in, and just don't rinse it out. I usually only do this if her hair is going in to braids or a bun.

Get a Tangle Teezer ($10 at Sally's). I'd been using a wide-tooth pick for detangling, and it was just not doing the trick, and it pulled her hair a lot. The Tangle Teezer gets every last tangle out, and barely pulls her hair. We call it the magical brush now. :-) Brush small sections while wet, work some conditioner into the hair to help make it more slippery, then start brushing from the ends and work your way up to the roots. A Denman brush does a good job as well, but the tangle teezer seems to feel better for my daughter.

Keep their hair up at night - in braids or buns, to reduce tangling from friction against the pillows. Get them used to wearing sleep caps every night whether their hair is pulled back or not (the "panty" part of an old pair of hose works wonderfully - cut off the legs and tie the two holes together). Satin pillowcases should also help, as long as they keep their heads on the pillows - my daughter won't.

These websites have been very helpful for me learning to take care of my daughter's hair:
www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/GirlsLoveYourCurls
Both give lots of information about products and techniques for washing and moisturizing, and easy-to-follow tutorials for learning to style hair into braids, buns, etc.

Good luck!

I am biracial as is my best friend. Regardless of product you should know these few things about curly/mixed hair...

1) use a very wide toothed comb only.
2) don't wash it unless it's actually dirty.
3) even then, focus on washing the scalp not the hair.
4) comb wet, hair, full of leave-in conditioner ONLY.

I love a product called Mixed Chicks. It's the only styling product I put in my hair these days and it always looks amazing. www.mixedchicks.net

Other friends swear by Carol's Daughter.

You could probably use any leave in conditioner designed for curly hair.

You'll probably need to abandon your efforts to make something you do to it at night still look presentable in the morning. That's just not how curly hair works (assuming you want them to wear it curly... I mean, if you braid it or something, that could work, or if you blow it straight, but i wouldn't recommend that). If they bathe at night, just leave it alone unless you need to wash it. Either way, in the morning, spritz with water, add leave-in conditioner comb and style. You can blow dry if you need, just don't comb or brush while you do.

HTH
T.

Keep their hair deep conditioned once a week if you can. I love Africa's Best oil. Just comb it through on a Saturday morning and let her play outside and about. Then wash it out a few hours later. I fine that my hair just looks wet when I run around with the oil in it. I have very curly hair like someone mixed would have.

My daughter is also mixed and I have spent years trying to find something to make her hair look nice all day. My favorite product is Blended Beauty (and Blended Cuties). These products are made for biracial hair types and it will even show you what products to use depending on your daughters' hair type. The site is http://www.blendedbeauty.com. I will tell you that they are not cheap but it is well worth it and they really last a long time. One bottle of shampoo will easily last three months. I have tried every product I could find and this is by far the best one for my daughter. I hope you have the same luck.

I'm 1/2 black and my daughter is 3/4 black. Her hair is super thick and kinky. I'm a product junkie and have tried tons of different products to help keep her hair moist and tangle free.

The best detangler I've found so far is the Carol's Daughter Tui Leave-In Conditioner. It's a spray conditioner so I use it once I wash and condition her hair and at the point of combing through. I wash with a sulfate-free shampoo, which right now I'm using Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Shampoo and Restorative Conditioning Milk Conditioner (you can leave-in or rinse out, but it's kindof heavy so I rinse out - sold at Walgreen's) and it lather's well and feels gentle on the hair. Another great shampoo and conditioner is from Sally's called One 'n Only. (Love that line)

Once I wash and condition, while the hair is very wet, I take a medium-tooth comb and comb through the hair in sections, starting from ends to roots of hair. Remember water is a super moisturizer. Once it combs through, then I follow-up with Liv (from Sally's/Walmart) which is very moisturizing, or another great product that leaves hair moist and soft and is not so heavy is Shea Moisture Conditioning Milk (at Walgreen's).

It's always better to add a moisturizer such as the Milk or Liv to the hair at night and put a sleeping cap on before bed. This will keep their hair moist for the next day and the wash will last longer too. We're going swimming, so I'll be doing all this fun stuff tonight!!! Good luck!

You don't have to spend a lot of money on hair products. My 5 year old daughter (she is 1/4 black) has very curly, fluffy, frizzy hair. I wash her hair once a week with VO5 shampoo ($0.99). The other days I wet it and comb through VO5 conditioner (also only$0.99) and leave it in. I do the same with my own extremely curly hair (I am 1/2 black). At night I braid my daughter's hair to keep it from tangling.

you answered your own question - you need to tie it back or braid it at night. and try to find some products for black hair, or at least products that are super-moisturizing - curly hair soaks up conditioner much faster, especially at the tips. but if you're leaving it in, combing it out and then braiding it, the tangles shouldn't be as much of an issue. oh, and maybe skip the shampoo once in a while and see if that helps.

good luck mama!

You already have lots of good answers. The only thing I'd add is that I have very curly hair (I'm not biracial) and I NEVER brush my hair - don't even own a brush. I use my hands only. I wash my hair 2-3 times a week, condition it every day, then use a leave in conditioner and mousse. I like Frizz Ease products - the mousse doesn't have alcohol in it so it does't dry out my hair.

(I have the opposite problem that you have - I have tons of curly hair and I have 2 straight-haired daughters! No idea what to do with their hair!! :) )

I have to wash my hair in the morning or I look like a clown. :p

My hair is by no means as curly as some but I avoid the curly hair shampoos and use ones made for a straightener. The extra weight and conditioner seems to keep the frizz away.

I never brush my hair except in the shower while the conditioner is in. Hurts too much otherwise. :(

I know it would look goofy but could your daughters wear those sleep caps, ya know they kinda look like a shower cap? Otherwise perhaps loose braids would keep their hair from tangling but not leave that mark from the pony tail holder in the morning.

You can also try a haircut that is specially designed for people with curly hair. It's called Ouidad. I have been doing this for a year and my curls went front frizzy and puffy to beautiful. There are not many salons in MN that perform this cut. I go to Ovations Salon in Excelsior. It's kind of spendy, but the results have been worth it.

I have curly hair, which is also fine. I personally alternate shampoos/conditioners each bottle, but I generally switch between Herbal Essence and Pantene. I do not like the shampoos/conditioners for "curly" hair, I prefer the ones for "fine" hair.

My routine is this...I pick my hair in the morning, before I wash it. After washing/conditioning, I gently pick through it again, and I personally use herbal essence mousse to prevent frizz. If I want extra body I blow dry my hair upside down, but it's been a few years since I've done so because of the baby. :)

I leave my hair alone all day...sometimes, before night, I pick through it, but then it's a HUGE mess to look at...however, if I pick through and pull it back before bed, it's much easier to get through in the morning.

I have to wash/condition every day, or it looks terrible.

I actually got this advice from somene on Mamapedia- buy Beyond the Zone Noodle Head Curl Cream from Sally Beauty Supply. It is only 5 bucks! Works wonderfully. Leaves curls frizz free and soft and shiny, not weighed down and greasy. Don't have suggestions for the conditioner and shampoo, but heard the Beyond the Zone products work for that too. I just haven't tried those yet. I personally use shampoo only every 3 days because I find it drying. I've also heard good things about a product called kinky curls. It's too expensive for me though.

Wash and condition hair. Dry so not dripping. Evenly work cream through. I comb it through in sections. Dry with a diffuser till almost dry. Done!

Read the book Curly Girl - The Handbook by Lorraine Massey. It will give you very very good advice for making curly hair look its best. Her suggestions are easy and make a huge difference in how you look... I read it about 5 months ago, and my hair looks 100% better, and I've been getting compliments all the time.

Try the Shea Moisture line. You can get it at Walgreen's. I use the shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and shine spray in my daughter's hair (also mixed) & it works great.

A couple great websites that I have used.

http://www.mixedchicks.net/
This is a website for hair products for bi-racial or curly hair. They have a section for kids. Click products, then scroll down to haircare for kids. They have a really greats detangler that should help you. It's a little pricier but well worth it.

A product called Carol's Daughter.
http://www.carolsdaughter.com/portal.aspx?CN=66D76D5C38B5