Mixed-race Hair: 5 Hair Care Tips For Your Child
July 7th, 2008 by XinaLooking after your mixed-race child’s hair can be quit intimidating, particularly if their hair type is very different to your own and you’ve never dealt with that texture before. The type varies from very frizzy/afro to straight and every variant in between.
There’s always the issue of what products to use and some people consider relaxing the child’s hair using harsh chemicals to remove the kinks/curls. If you follow these five tips, you’ll find that managing your child’s hair need not be so difficult and can actually be a time of bonding for you both.
1. Use products specifically for your mixed-race child’s hair
Afro products tend to be too oily and European products tend to be far too drying. Use products specifically for mixed race hair. Curls has a children’s line called Curly Qs and Blended Beauty has a children’s line called Blended Cutie – they are a fantastic organic range of products specifically for your mixed range child’s hair.
2. The curlier/frizzier the hair, the less often you should wash it.
Afro hair tends to be very dry and shouldn’t be washed as frequently as straight hair. The wash hair once or twice a fortnight depending on how curly the hair is.
3. Comb the hair whilst conditioner is in it.
Always condition your child’s hair after shampooing as it needs to be more moist than straighter hair types. Conditioner makes the hair very slick, so this is a good time to use a wide toothed comb to comb knots out of your child’s hair. Gently rinse all of the conditioner out of the hair, taking great care not to create more knots
4. Use a moisturising cream/spray after towel drying
Ensure that your child’s hair is maintained in a (very slightly) damp state using a moisturising cream/spray. The hair must not be allowed to get to a dry/brittle state as this encourages breakage
5. Practice looking after your little one’s hair
Practice, practice, practice looking after your little one’s hair. After watching and learning how to look after your own hair, you had to practice until you got it just the way you wanted it. The same is true for looking after your mixed-race child’s hair. You may not get to the stage you’d like to be at with it straight away, but don’t give up! Be proud of your child’s curls and instil a sense of pride in your child too. If you want to learn advanced hair techniques like cornrowing/canerowing then find the resources and practice either on your own child or on a or hairdressers manikin or Girl’s World doll – that’s how most people who use these techniques learn at first.
If you have any more tips (or would like some more!), we’d love to hear from you. Please post your comments below.
Yours naturally
Xina
Tags: bi-racial, biracial, child, children, curly, Hair Care, Mixed Race
ive just found out am have a mixed race baby (english/african) and i dont no what to wash their with or the body
Hi Leanne
Congratulations on your fantastic news!
As far as washing your baby’s skin, I would recommend using a good natural/organic soap followed by a natural/organic moisturiser or oil once your baby’s skin has been gently patted dry.
You should use hair products which are specially made for your baby’s hair type. Curly Qs is a very popular range which we sell here. We will be expanding our range next month so be sure to check back then.
Yours naturally,
Xina
Glad to help. and maybe i will try again, thanks xina.
Hi Guys,I’m a 28 yr old mixed race girl who’s had to learn the hard way how to style and look after my hair. Like many white mum’s, mine struggled to manage three girls’ hair – each slightly different in curl and texture. Thankfully there are so many more products available for styling and caring for semi-afro hair today! I care for mine using a mixture of products. Shampoos for dry and brittle hair are good - John Freida is good. I use two conditioners – sound odd by my hair needs it. I use a deep treatment conditioner, then rinse, followed by L’Oreal Anti-Ceramide conditioner, which is a great de-tangler – the best I’ve found (even better than expensive salon conditioners). With this on my hair, I use a wide toothed comb to gently take out any knots. I always leave some conditioner in my hair – especially when styling it curly, or spending time in the sun. A Mason Pearson bristle brush (or similar) is ideal for smoothing the hair and beating frizz. For kids, you could try styling the hair with a mix of leave-in conditioner and small amount of moisterising hair gel or other styling product. For an easier life, it’s good to pull girls’ hair back and plat the rest. Again, leave-in conditioner is great for the bulk of the hair, and even a little gel around the hairline to tame frizzy bits. Unless mixed race hair is very curly – afro texture, it’s quite easy to blow-dry it straight. Long hair takes around 1.5 – 2 hours – sounds very time-consuming, but if you run hair-straighteners over it and avoid rain/humidity, because of its dry nature, you don’t need to wash it again for around a week. To straighten: on wet, well-conditioned hair, part down the centre and smooth Frizz Ease Serum and then Wind Down Cream through hair. Put one side in a bun and start with the other. (Hair will straighten from wet to dry but if it starts drying while it’s loose you can’t pull out the curl and it will frizz. The idea is to keep the hair moist until you’re ready to work on that section). Parting hair from the centre parting down, take a small strip of wet hair, and put the rest back in the bun. Using a large round bristle brush (natural, tightly packed is best), pull the hair taunt from the roots, and concentrate your hairdryer (medium-high heet setting) on the roots, and move it along as each section is dry. When you get towards the ends, curl these round the brush and dry gently. Repeat the process in strips. Practise makes perfect but I do a better job at a straight but bouncy blowdry then any hairdresser. For a final touch smooth a little serum over the hair and then run the straigheners over each section. Straight hair is best for teens rather than kids. Wish I’d known how when I was 14 and struggling with a mop of bushy curls!Good Luck!
Hi Alex,
I’m 22 and mixed race and have only really just started styling my hair curly as I spent most of my teens straightening it into oblivion. I am actually quite lucky with my hair as I do get some very nice curls instead of frizz if I dry it carefully and slowly with a hair dryer rather than letting it dry slowly. If it dries slowly I have no control and it will end up frizzy or curly just depending on its mood. Although drying can sometimes make it frizzy if I have enough time it usually works pretty well.
My problem is no-one tends to know much about mixed race hair – Im either offered products for European or African hair, neither of which suits. So I was wondering if you have ever come across anyone who is experienced in styling and styling tips for the various types of mixed race hair. Or even any websites/magazines which are aimed at mixed race people. I’m mostly looking for tips on how to retain the moisture so that the curls don’t go frizzy but also styling tips etc as I’m quite restricted as to the styles I go for and when I see articles in most magazines they require heavy blow drying etc which just won’t work for my hair.
Any advice you have would be great
Many thanks
So here is a curly hair
solution that she could tout…MIXED CHICKS. These products were created
by two women who consider themselves mixed chicks. They couldn’t find
products without mixing and matching so the mixed the right formula and
what they came up with is really simple. The system is three easy
steps:
1. Shampoo
2. Deep condition
3. Work the Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner through wet hair and air dry (no
towel or blow needed)
The system does not leave your hair sticky like some products. Mixed
Chicks taught me this morning ritual, and I will not look back. And
here is a trick…don’t shampoo too often. Instead, use the deep
conditioner to cleanse.
A few of the Mixed Chicks rules:
I do not shampoo more than twice a week.
I do not brush my hair when dry.
I apply my finishing product while my hair is wet.
If I must blow my hair dry, I use a diffuser or sit under a dryer.
I love who I am…so I love my curls!
When I do striaghten, I blow or iron…never chemically relax.
Can Oprah get these two women on her show…I am a diehard Oprah fan,
and now, a Mixed Chicks follower. This is more a way of thinking, than
it is a product line.
website: http://www.mixedchicks.co.uk
Hi, I have a 1 year old mixed race son (african-english). it’s getting to the stage where I really need to start doing things with his hair. I really wanted to buy some of the Curly Q’s products but mosts of them are out of stock! How soon are they likely to be back?Thanks.
Hi Kerensa, welcome to the Parlour. We’re expecting our next order to come in in the second week of October.
Hi Kariana, welcome to the Parlour.
Thank you for sharing your fantastic routine, I’m sure many people will find it useful. With regards to Mixed Chicks, although I’ve heard about the products we wouldn’t stock them in the Parlour because we only sell natural/organic personal care products – Mixed Chicks is neither natural nor organic.
Hey there,Please excuse me if i come accross rude, however i have just read the first sentence of this page and feel so disaponted that the word used to describe dealing with mixed race hair was “INTIMIDATING” – Would this be because European hair / Asian hair has been mixed with Afro hair? – Is European hair inviting and Afro hair INTIMIDATING. Be careful of the words that you use, especially around children. Your mixed race kids will only grow up equating their hair to being bad, INTIMIDATING,etc,etc.
Hi Rachel, welcome to the Parlour.
The context of the word used is purely in terms of looking after the hair and maintaining it.
To answer your question directly – No, the mixed race hair type is not intimidating because it’s afro hair mixed with European/Asian hair. In fact mixed race hair is not intimidating at all, however, I stand by the fact that looking after a hair type that is very different to your own can be intimidating.
So, for clarification: The hair type isn’t intimidating, but maintaining it – if you don’t know how to look after it or if it’s a hair type that you’re not used to – can be.
By the way, capitalising in emails and blogs is the same as shouting; so unless that was your intention I didn’t find your post rude at all. Race (or racial attributes such as hair type) can be a sensitive issue and it’s true that some people do believe that hair is inferior if there’s a drop of afro in there. I can assure you that that isn’t the case with me or with Nature’s Parlour.
9yr old mixed boy has straight hair in the back and the rest only curls-up nicely when the hair is long. Does the hair need to be clipper cut to avoid cutting out the curls?
Hi Cdub and welcome to the Parlour. Can you please clarify as I’m not sure how clipping the hair would avoid cutting out the curls, surely clipping them = cutting the curls off? I’m sure I’m misunderstanding your question but I’m happy to answer it once you put me on the right track.
I am biracial (black and white) and have always had very thick long and frizzy hair. I’ve had a chemical relaxer in it for the past 15+ years, and thought I had finally learned to manage my hair. 6 months ago I had a little girl, and since then my old products just don’t work! Now not only do I have no idea how to handle my hair, I am also lost when it comes to handling my daughter’s. She had LOTS of big loose curls when she was born, which almost all fell out. Now she has frizzy hair all around and slick straight hair on top. Any suggestions for both of us? I’d like to keep her hair natural if possible, but still manageable. I prefer to wear my hair straight, but it’s hard to get moisture in it as products tend to be to sticky or too wet. Please help!!
I have an almost 2 year old mixed boy (white/african)
His hair is getting very long (shoulder length) and the curls are getting crazy. His hair is a bit more straight on the top than at the back (mine is the same).
I have no idea what to do for him so he doesn’t get referenced as a girl..everything I’ve found tells you what to do for girls hair but nothing for boys..is cutting his precious curls my only solution?
I have no influence in his life that can help me with his hair, show or tell me what to do with it but my family is saying I should braid it…but I always remember hearing that does more harm to their hair (plus i’d have no clue how to do that for him of it’s even possible.)
Any suggestions on brushes/combs/products would be great as well.
Help!
Hi Piglet, welcome to the Parlour.
With regards to caring for your hair and your daughters hair I would simply follow the process as instructed in the main body of this blog titled “5 Haircare Tips for Your Child”. The same routine can be used for you. The texture of your hair should not deviate from the fact that you need to take good care of it to maintain good hair health. As both you and your daughter are mixed with curly/frizzy hair there will be the requirement to add moisture to your hair. I would recommend that you use a natural product that is made specifically for your hair type. We have found that Curls and Curly Qs are very popular – we get great feedback from our customers about these products. Curls products will not leave your hair sticky or wet even though you could add more or less of the product to suit your requirements.
In terms of styling your daughters combination of straight & curly hair – I would advise you to visit a hairdresser that is experienced with black/mixed race hair dressing and who has an understanding of the combination of straight/curly hair. She should be able to advise you on how best to shape your daughters hair to cater for the two types she has.
For further information on how to style combination hair, you might want to try Intermix which is a fantastic resource for mixed people. I’m sure you’ll find other people their who have they mixed hair type and would be able to tell you what they did and even make suggestions to you too.
Hi K’s Momma, welcome to the Parlour.
It’s true that there are many references on the web for girls and their hair care. In black families it isn’t unusual to keep a young boy’s hair as long as a girls and even plaited like a girl’s until he is about the same age as your son or even older. You may see that it is common for black and mixed race boys to have their hair quite long compared to their white counterparts and with canerowed hair. This is why you’re likely to find that the advice for a girl, in this context, is likely to be exactly the same for a boy unless you want to cut it…this is where the huge difference lies and the choice is entirely yours as to how you should proceed.
There is a link to the right of the blog to Instructions on cornrowing/canerowing hair you might want to have a look at that and get a Girl’s World doll or something similar to practice on until you get used to it – this is how many black girls learn how to plait their hair in this way as well as practising on themselves and their friends. Canerowing hair in itself does not damage hair unless it is done too tight on the scalp. It’s unlikely that your child would allow you to do this as he will let you know in no uncertain terms if his hair is plaited too tight
Curly Qs is a very popular product for mothers of mixed race children. I’ve had no end of positive feedback and the brand is popular in my family too.
Wide tooth combs are best for curly/frizzy hair as they are less likely to snag the hair as it passes through and therefore less likely to break it.
I would also recomend Intermix to you as a useful resource but if you have any more questions please feel free to come back and ask. If I can’t answer you directly, I’ll try to point you in the right direction.
Hi, Im 16 (Mixed-race boy)i have quite straight hair when it is short but when it gets a little longer, it becomes wavy. I usually gel my hair to make it spikey and wash my hair every other day (sometimes everyday)so when it gets longer, it curls round so it is no longer “standing up”i have been considering using a relaxer, but i don’t know where to startdo you have anything to suggest to make my hair straighter?
Hi,
Thanks for the great instructional information regarding mixed race children’s hair. I deal with my grandbabie’s hair on a regular basis(one has very thick, very curly hair, only gets frizzy when she sleeps {her daddy calls it “surprised” hair when she wakes!}, one has very fine very thin hair but definitely curly! one on the way too!! waiting to see what the new one’s hair looks like!) I have been frustrated by their mother’s penchant for cleanliness in her children. I am all for clean children! don’t get me wrong, but I understand that hair should not be washed every day (even my poker straight irishamerican hair cannot be washed daily!) Unfortunately their mother insists on shampooing their hair nightly and it is making for very dry, frizzy hair. How can I convince her it is better to let it go for a couple days and then wash? These girls have such beautiful curly locks it’s a shame to see it all dry and frizzy! right now, when the eldest’s hair is combed wet(with conditioner) it looks great, as it dries though it tightens up and turns frizzy and fuzzy looking.
Oh, btw, I emailed the store asking for pricing for the states ,and then found a website that posts american prices for the curlyq products so I don’t need those prices after all! I will be purchasing. though I don’t know which product I need the most for these girl’s hair and I can afford only one or two of the products any suggestions would be highly appreciated!
Hi Kyle, welcome to the Parlour.
I’m afraid that I can’t suggest anything which might straighten your hair, however, Curls/Curly Qs products do relax the curl slightly although this is by no means a permanent chemical straightener. I’m not sure that this is the look you’re after though – it might be a good idea for you to speak to a hairdresser about achieving the look you’d like.
I would certainly try the Curls products before taking a major step like a relaxer though simply because if you’re not happy with the way your hair looks with Curls you could just wash it out whereas if you relax your hair you’d need to cut it off if you’re not happy with the way it looks.
Hi Tatobug & Bunny’s Nana, welcome to the Parlour.
I suppose the way you tackle this dilemma really hinges on how you get on with the mother of your grandchildren, hopefully she wouldn’t take your advice in the wrong way. If you said you came across the article above and then ask her to try washing the grandchildren’s hair less often to see if the curls get better defined, etc.
She’s probably doing it because she doesn’t realise that it’s not such a good idea to do that with frizzy/curly hair. Maybe once she’s informed of the facts she’ll be more likely to care for the children’s hair in a way that’s kinder to their hair type.
Another way would be to have them over for a weekend and do their hair yourself. When you give the children back to their parents you might just say that the product can stay in their hair and be topped up for up to too weeks whilst it conditioning their hair, making it less brittle. Then, hand her the products. The products smell absolutely great so that will be encouraging for her when her children still smell clean.
As I said, how well the suggestions are received really depends on your personalities and how well you get on with one another. Good luck.
As for which products, I would go for the Curlie Cutie Cleansing Cream, Curly Q’s Coconut Dream Conditioner, and Curly Q’s Milkshake If you can only afford two of them, I’d go for the conditioner and the milkshake and get the shampoo when you can because it works so well with the conditioner.