My daughter has beautiful curly biracial hair, and yes, it’s a task every day to take care of it. She has tight coils. When her hair is wet it fails all the way to her lower back as it dries it becomes shoulder-length. My daughter is now 5, and for the last 4 years, I’ve been trying different products to find out what works best in her hair.
I think I’ve tried every hair product on the market. She has thick, very tight curly hair and the texture is dry. It also looks like I layered it even though she has never had a haircut, just a very tiny snip of the ends.
I’ve been successful with some and others did nothing. I’m always looking for new products to find out what will work best. Right now of all the products I’ve tried, these are the products that have worked best.
Why are sulfates, parabens and mineral oil bad for your hair?
Before we get into our list of the best hair products for biracial curly hair I wanted to talk about sulfates, parabens and mineral oil. You will notice that a lot of the products below mention that they are free of sulfates, parabens and mineral oil but why? Why is it important to check hair product labels to make sure they do not contain these ingredients?
Sulfates – Sulfates are a common ingredient found in many hair products especially shampoo. Sulfates create a lot of soapy suds you find in shampoos when washing your hair. Suds sounds good, right? It makes us feel our hair is getting really clean, so what’s the problem? Sulfates can be good for your hair. They help clean your hair and scalp form dirt and oils. The problem is they can take too much of the oils out of your hair leaving it dry. They can be especially harsh is your hair is already dry.
Parabens – Parabens are a type of preservative that is found in many beauty products. It is used to prevent bacteria growth in these products, making them last longer. The problem is that some studies have shown that parabens have been found present in breast cancer tumors. Currently, there is no scientific evidence saying there is a link between parabens and breast cancer. Still, anything you but on your scalp or skin does seep into your pores. When possible you should avoid parabens, especially when using products on your children.
Mineral Oil-Mineral oils is made from petroleum. It is also known as liquid petroleum or paraffin oil. Mineral oil can clog pores and cause scalp irritation. Long term use can cause hair to become dry and brittle.
Just for Me Hair Milk
I had to update this post and add this product because I simply love it! It works wonders on my daughter’s hair. It holds in moisture and defines her curls. It is not sticky at all and it makes her hair a lot less frizzy! From day one, it made a big difference in her hair. It’s an every
day must.
It features a triple blend of shea butter, soy milk, and honey. It’s lightweight and keeps her curls bouncy and smooth all day. Using this, she can keep her hair down without getting frizzy and full of knots. It has a light smell and does not weigh her hair down. Leaves no residue.
To use: wash then towel dry your child’s hair, add about a quarter size amount of the hair milk to your child’s hair and comb through. You will notice a significant difference in your child’s hair.
Another plus is the price. The Just for Me Hair Milk is a lot less expensive than some of the other products out there. I am overall extremely happy with this product.
Product claims Results
Lightweight Check, this product is like a light cream for the hair.
Moisturizes Check, This product left my daughter’s hair soft and frizz free.
Holds style Check, When using Hair Milk my daughter’s hair keeps her style without it being weighed down or sticky
Mixed Chicks Products
Mixed Chicks Kids Quad Pack 8 oz
Mixed Chicks hair products worked pretty well in my daughter’s hair. I used the shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner and tangle tamer. What I liked about Mixed Chicks was that it made my daughter’s hair a lot less frizzy.
The conditioner was light and wasn’t greasy. Her hair also didn’t break off as much when using it.
I also love that this product was made in the USA. I bought the Mixed Chicks Quad Pack on Amazon. It comes with all 4 products in 8-ounce bottles, which is great.
The only downfall is the price. After a while, using all these products got kind of expensive. It’s great that you can buy the products separately. I started just using the leave-in conditioner by itself.
I liked the way it worked. However, I did notice that the products worked best when they were all used together.
Unfortunately, due to the price and how many products I use, I cannot afford to keep buying all the products all the time. If you have the money to spend then I do recommend using Mixed Chicks hair products.
Product Claims Results
Gentle Cleansing Check, I found that the shampoo and conditioner were gentle on my daughter’s hair.
Soft Manageable Curls Check, Mixed Chicks hair products left my daughter’s curls soft and manageable
Detangles Check, The detangler worked well.
Tames Frizz Check, My daughter’s hair was less frizzy when using this product.
No harsh products Check, Mix Chicks hair products do not contain any pabarens or sulfates.
Cantu Hair Products for Kids
Care for Kids Leave-In Conditioner
Cantu leave-in conditioner for kids claims to repair and condition hair without harsh ingredients leaving hair more soft and manageable. I have used this product on my daughter’s hair and have had some good results.
It left her hair soft and manageable. I have to use a lot to get a good result.
I applied a good amount to the ends of my daughter’s hair, adding more by starting at the roots. next, I brush through her hair. Since it is a leave-in, you don’t rinse it out.
Product Claims Results
Leave hair soft and manageable Check; it made my daughter’s hair soft and manageable.
Uses no harsh ingredients Check contains no pabarens, no sulfates
Less Frizz Check, my daughter’s hair was less frizzy.
Cantu Care for Kids Conditioning Detangler, 6 Ounce
Of all the products I tried, this one is one of my favorites. I use the leave-in conditioner and the detangling spray. It works wonders.
My daughter’s hair is very soft when using it and a lot less frizzy. The leave-in conditioner contains no sulfates, silicones, parabens, or mineral oil. It makes my daughter’s hair soft, and it smells really good. I use it in her hair after washing and conditioning.
If I wash her hair at night, in the morning, I add a tiny bit more to touch it up.
Then I will use the detangling spray. I love the detangling spray too. It contains shea butter, coconut oil, and honey. It makes combing a lot easier and reduces breakage.
It really does make it very easy to comb through my daughter’s hair, and believe me to say that means it really works. I’ve had my terrible days as a toddler screaming, “mommy, stop your hurting my hair!”
Curly Cuties Hair Products for Kids
Curly Cuties makes good products for curly hair. My Style Pudding is designed to work with curls and waves. It contains shea butter and almond oil to keep curls hydrated. Is another good product.
It claims to moisturize and define curls gently. I’ve used the shampoo, conditioner, Style Pudding, and detangling spray. The products do not have petroleum, petrolatum, mineral oil, or parabens, which is always good.
It’s a little cheaper than Mixed Chicks, which is a plus. The detangling spray did make my daughter’s hair a bit greasy.
To fix that, I bought a separate spray bottle and poured half of the Curly Cuties detangling spray in, then I added water to make it less concentrated. The Style Pudding left my daughter’s hair a little sticky.
Overall Curly Cuties products work well. I do prefer Just for Me hair milk and Cantu products.
Product Claims Results
Moisturize Curls OK, it moisturized curls but left my daughter’s hair a little sticky.
Define Curls Check, my daughter’s curls were well-defined.
John Frieda Unwind Curl Calming Creme
John Frieda Frizz Ease Unwind Curl Calming Creme, 5 Fluid Ounce
I love John Frieda’s Unwind Curl Calming Crème. It is designed to tame puffy hair and elongate kinky, frizzy curls, leaving hair soft, tame, and manageable. I use it to make her curls less tight.
It works great. I use a quarter size amount and rub it throughout her damp hair, sometimes adding more.
Then I pull on the curls to loosen them. Because the curls are looser, her hair looks longer, and she loves that.
The products also help with controlling frizz. I always use this product when my daughter wears her hair down. It is available on Amazon, our local drug stores, and Wal-Mart.
Product Claims Result
Tame puffy hair Check, this product tames my daughter’s curly hair so she can wear it down.
Enlongate Kinky frizzy curls Check; this product loosens my daughter’s hair. It makes her hair look longer.
Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie
Shea Moisture Coconut Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie-12 oz
I am really enjoying using this product and had to add it to my list. I recently started using it and am having great results.
When I use it, her curls are well-defined and less frizzy.
This product leaves her hair soft, it does not leave a greasy residue, nor does it leave her hair stiff. Another plus is the smell. She and I both like the soft scent of this curl-enhancing smoothie.
I also like that this product uses natural organic ingredients. Some key ingredients include certified organic shea butter, coconut oil, mango, avocado oil, carrot oil, and silk protein.
It does not have any sulfates, or parabens.
Product claims Result
Reduce frizz Check, my daughter’s hair was noticeably less frizzy.
Detangle curls Check, This product left my daughter’s curls much more manageable.
Add Definition/Volume Check, My daughter’s curls were much more defined.
Non-greasy, soft hold Check, My daughter’s hair was not greasy, and her hair was very soft. It also wasn’t stiff.
L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil Curly Shampoo and Conditioner
Let’s face it using special shampoos and conditioners can be extremely expensive, and if you’re like me, it’s not always in your budget to spend over $10 on a bottle of shampoo for a little girl.
This is why I love this product. Even though this product isn’t advertised for ethnic hair, it works wonders. I’ve been using L’Oreal Extraordinary Shampoo and Conditioners since I found them.
While I wash my daughter’s hair, it feels silky and soft. It’s very affordable at around $2.99 a bottle. The shampoo and conditioner are infused with Amla, Coconut, Soja, Flax, Rose, and Sunflower oils. I highly recommend the shampoo and conditioner.
L’Oreal also makes an Extraordinary Oil shampoo and conditioner, not for curly hair. I’ve been using that on mine and I love it.
Best Brushes for curly hair
Finding the best hair products is only part of the struggle with curly hair. Using a great brush helps; it helps a lot. At first, I used a hair brush to get the tangles out of my daughter’s hair.
Then I realized that the constant screams coming from getting the knots out of my daughter’s hair were partly because of the brush I was using. I changed my brush, and it changed my whole detangling experience. Here are two of my favorite brushes.
Flexy Brush
CURLY HAIR SOLUTIONS Flexy Brush – Eliminate Knots While ExfoliatingYour Scalp and Stimulate Blood Circulation For Beautiful And Shiny Curls
The Flexy Brush was designed for curly hair. It was also designed to exfoliate your scalp and stimulate blood circulation. It is made with multi-dimensional flexible silicone bristles that can easily detangle your hair.
These bristles are also good for sensitive scalps and detangling even the biggest knots. This brush can be used as a dry or wet brush. If you are like me, you find it a lot easier to brush your daughter’s hair in the shower.
This is the best brush for detangling knots in the shower. I usually put the conditioner in my daughter’s hair and then use this brush to brush through all the tangles before I rinse it; the Flexy Brush is a great overall brush.
Crave Naturals Glide Through Brush
This brush has a unique design specially formulated to detangle stubborn knots. The bristles are made from firm plastic and will not lose shape. The brush’s cone-shaped design was made to detangle knots using a different approach. Other brushes work by going through and pulling out knots. This brush gently separates knots and tangles sideways instead of pulling down. The result is less pulling and more separating. It was also designed to minimize breakage by not pulling on the hair, also minimizes split ends and hair loss. Using this brush will also increase shine.
How often should I wash my daughter’s curly biracial hair?
I think this answer depends on your daughter’s hair. Everyone’s hair is different, so this answer will not be the same for everyone. I currently shampoo my daughter’s hair twice a week, and I condition it every other day.
In the beginning, I made the mistake of washing her hair too often. I was making her hair dryer, and it was breaking off. When I started washing it twice a week, I noticed that it was less frizzy and dry; it also wasn’t breaking as much.
I also noticed a huge difference when I started washing my daughter’s hair with the L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil Curls Shampoo and Conditioner. When washing your child’s hair, it is important to use a product that will add moisture to it and not strip it of its natural oils. I made the mistake of using cheap shampoo and conditioner, and her hair became very dry. Little changes can go a long way.
What is the best way to prepare my daughter’s hair for bed?
As a working mom, during the week, I have to wash my daughter’s hair at night. I found the best way to prepare her hair at bedtime is to wash and condition it, comb it, then put in the leave-in conditioner, comb again, and finally put it into two braids or two buns on the side of her head in which she likes to call “polar bear ears.”
On days that I don’t wash or condition it, I spray it with the detangling spray and water comb it then put it in braids or polar bear ears. In the morning, I take out the braids or polar bear ears and spray again with detangling spray, then style. This seems to keep the screams and knots at a minimum.
Sleeping on a satin pillowcase also helps.
My Daughter wants to wear her hair down; what products do I use?
If your daughter is like mine, she always wants to wear her hair down. My daughter calls her hair princess hair when she wears it down. Princess’s hair always frightened me because, at the end of the day, I knew that it would be a mess, full of knots, and then I had to hear screaming when I combed it out. I found that using the John Frieda Curl Calming Crème helped with this. It loosened and tamed her curls and made them less frizzy. It made her hair a lot easier to leave down. Also, a trick I learned was when she took naps or we traveled in the car somewhere, I put her hair in a loose low ponytail. This helped her hair stay smooth.
Teach your daughter to love her hair!
I feel it is important to ensure your daughter knows that her hair is beautiful.
The earlier you start telling her, the better. My daughter is the only one out of her friends with curly hair. At five years old, she asks me questions about it every day.
She asks me all the time how come my hair is not straight. How come it looks shorter than everyone else? How come it won’t stay flat when I wear it down?
Not only is her hair curly, but it’s a reddish color, and she asks me why her hair has always been red. I tell her that everyone is different and special in their own way. I tell her every day how pretty her hair is.
We talk about different styles to put in her hair; I let her help me brush it. I just want her to be confident and happy with herself.
In the end, there are many products out there that may help with your child’s hair.
This is a list of what worked best for me. You may try several products to find out what works best for you. If you have any tips that worked for you and would like to add, e-mail me at kidsplayandcreate@gmail.com Just remember that whatever type of hair your child may have, it’s beautiful in every way.
Looking for the best biracial dolls for your little one? Check out our article here.
