Friday, August 7, 2009

Biracial Hair Care

Serenity's OOAK upcycled dress is handmade by the original courtneycourtney!


Serenity is my beautiful biracial baby girl, and one of the very first things people notice about my Darling Stinker is her wonderful curls!
Let me tell you, she doesn't jump up from bed every morning with her hair in perfect little ringlets!
It takes a little time, effort, and some awesome products to create those lovely curls!

When she was a baby, she had big soft, fine curls.
Her hair is still wonderfully soft and very fine, but as she's gotten older her hair has become more tightly curled.
When her hair is wet, it actually reaches the middle of her back!

As her hair has gotten curlier and longer, it's become a challenge to find hair care products that will work with her hair and not send it into some kind of knotty revolt.

Traditional "black" and "white" hair products don't quite do the job - certainly not in the regular way one would use the products.
After a bit of online research, I found a few products that I LOVE!

BTW, people are always asking me how I care for Serenity's hair.
I've had black and white Grandparents and Parents ask me for hair care tips for their own biracial children.
When people see Serenity's head full of pretty curls, they seem to think her hair must be easier to manage or something.

It's not!

But it's not exactly hard either - it's just takes a little bit more effort and care.
You just need to find a daily routine that will work for you and/or your child.
It's a learning experience - a valuable learning experience that you can pass down to your child once she/he is old enough to do their own hair.
Don't be afraid to try something new if you're not totally satisfied with a product's results.
Remember also to use products that have the best ingredients (like organic), and stay away from too many harsh chemicals if you can.
Fresh, homemade hair products are excellent and you can save a lot of money making them yourself.

And remember, depending on your child's hair - washing less is usually best.



I'm teaching Serenity to be proud of her beautiful curls.
Curly hair may take a little extra time and effort to style, but the results are well worth it!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Please feel free to leave comments about your own curly experience or advice and recommendations on hair products you like best!


Below is an extensive list of products I've tried and my favorites.
Near the bottom of this post, I share with you how I wash, comb, cut, and style Serenity's hair.


BTW, using a satin pillowcase for your child to sleep on helps to keep those tangles to a minimum at night.
Cotton pillowcases not only creates tangles, but it sucks the moisture from the hair too.
You could get a satin bonnet (Sally's has them too) - but a satin pillowcase is more practical since it's very hard to keep a satin bonnet on any child's head over night!
You can get them anywhere (Amazon usually has pretty good deals), but I like the little travel pillowcases at My Time Creations.
She has kid themes, they are well-made, shipping is fast, and you can custom order standard size pillowcases too.
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Hair Products:


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Overall, Curly Q's For Kids has some of the best biracial hair products I've tried.
It has a wonderful light coconut scent that is perfect for kids.
But it can get pretty expensive.
I've tried their entire line for kids and I love all of it, but my favorite is Curly Q Milkshake.
This stuff is priceless.
It conditions Serenity's hair, defrizzes her curls and leaves hair easy to brush and style.
I usually order the larger 32 ounce bottle every three months.

Another favorite is Curly Q's Moist Curls Moisturizer/Detangler.
It's better than anything you'll find in the store.
It will not dry out your Darling Stinker's hair - I promise!
It has a wonderful scent too - not that overpowering smell of alcohol like store-bought detanglers.
My friend's little girl (who's Caucasian), has the some of the thickest, curliest hair ever and when she used Moist Curls, she had no problem combing her hair!

Moist Curls works on ANY curly hair type - it's not just for biracial children.
Actually, so will Milkshake.
If you (or your children) have curly hair, your hair might be a little drier than straight hair.
Consider trying Curly Q's.
They have samples of their products that you can buy too!




Curls also created a line of products especially for babies called It's A Curl.
It's organic and it works beautifully too!

UPDATE:
Target now carries Curls!
It's their adult line, but they told me their children's line will be available soon!
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Mixed Chicks makes wonderful products for biracial/curly hair too.
I've tried a sample pack of all their products and liked them.
My favorite was their leave-in conditioner.
I would mix it with water - too much of it left Serenity's hair "crunchy", but it would soften after a while.
The smell of their products is nice too, but more for adults than children.
I didn't think it was a very kid-friendly product because of the smell BUT it did work in Serenity's hair just fine.





UPDATE:
Since writing this post 3 years ago, Mixed Chicks has released a new kid's line!
I haven't tried them yet, but they have wonderful reviews on Amazon.com.
The line is mostly odorless, except for the shampoo which has a faint orange scent.
I really liked Mixed Chicks - but I had a problem with the strong smell of the adult line.
Looks like they solved that little problem!
Mixed Chicks is also available at Target stores.
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Blended Beauty is another online store that offers high quality products for biracial/curly hair.
I've tried a sample pack of their stuff too.
Not only did their products leave Serenity's hair beautiful, I think they smelled the yummiest!
My favorites Blended Beauty products are Curly Cake Shake and Light Down & Out Styles.
The Stain Style Reviver is very good too.
But check your child's hair type to find the best Blended Beauty products to use!
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Be Mine is another product line that sounds very promising.
It's 100% natural and organic.
All the ingredients are pronounceable and most of them I know what they are - well all except Guar Gum, I had to look that one up!
I haven't tried these products in Serenity's hair - yet, but I plan too!
I'll update this post when I do.

UPDATE:
I've finally tried Bee Mine's Luscious Cream Moisturizer, Hair Milk, and Juicy spray in Serenity's hair.
I must say like them all - but Juicy is my favorite.
They have a wonderful yummy scent (totally okay for kids) and worked beautifully in Serenity's hair.
I do have to use them sparingly, or they will leave Serenity's hair feeling a little too oily.
Be Mine Moisturizer is actually perfect to use when she's having a very dry period (like now) or especially in the Summer when she's is in the pool a lot - I just add a little extra to moisturize.
Overall, Be Mine is an excellent all natural and organic hair product that I'm very glad I found!
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I've tried a lot of Miss Jessie's products lately since they are available at Target now.
It's so easy to pick them up while I'm shopping in town verses buying them online.

The Creme de la Creme shampoo and conditioner are nice.
However, they are very expensive and I probably won't buy them again.
They did work great though, but nothing I can't get from a cheaper alternative.

My favorite Miss Jessie products are Quick Curls and Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo.
These are two products that I will buy again and again!

Quick Curls is amazing!
It will detangle the hair and offers a very light but effective hold to define curls and help it stay frizz-free.
It's a great product!
It's sorta expensive, but it only takes a little and the bottle will last a long time.



Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo is the best detangling shampoo that I have ever tried!
I love this stuff!
It doesn't dry out Serenity's hair and again, a little goes a long way.
I made the mistake of using too much the first time I tried it and quickly realized I only needed a small amount.
This one bottle will last months - especially considering you don't need to shampoo curly hair nearly as often as you do straight.



I've tried both the Curly Buttercreme and Stretch Silkening Creme.
In the beginning, I felt they did okay but I noticed it sorta dried Serenity's hair out a bit and had a tendency to clump.
So I've stopped using them.

I decided to check out a few online reviews, and found that a several people had the same drying problem.
They also complained about it containing mineral oil.

I'm not sure how much of a big deal mineral oil really is in hair products.
Since reading about the complaints of mineral oil in Miss Jessie's products, I've done a little research online.
 It's a refined and purified product that helps seal in moisture (but doesn't penetrate the hair shaft like other oils), and simply gets a bad rap from "all-natural" companies.
Ktani's Hair Sense describes how she uses only a couple of drops in her hair and has gotten great results.
Curly Nikki has an interesting blog post about mineral oil vs. coconut oil.
I haven't done any experiments using mineral oil alone (but I might try it soon) in Serenity's hair, so I can't say if it works or not.

But as far as the two Miss Jessie's products above, after using them for a couple of months (like I usually do when I'm testing new products), they did dry Serenity's hair out a bit and leave clumps.
I believe there are other products that do a much better job in her hair.



Curly Pudding is also a styler that is supposed to help stretch out curls.
I didn't find it stretched out Serenity's curls that much (her hair curls very tightly), but it does offer a nice light hold and scent.
It's not something I would buy again since Quick Curls, in my opinion, works better and lasts longer.
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Serenity's hair is very temperamental, some days it's extremely dry - other days it's not.
A product that I've been using for days on her hair and getting awesome results, will sometimes suddenly stop working!
It's one reason why I keep trying new product lines and/or rotate different products I use in her hair.

But after trying different products,
 all of Curly Q's products (and not just a few) worked in not only Serenity's hair, but my friends' biracial children - and each of them have hair completely different than Serenity!
I feel it's more versatile AND totally suitable for young children.

Buying quality products for Serenity's hair on the Internet can get very expensive.
I had to stop ordering the Curly Q shampoo and conditioner - it just got to be too much!
But I still buy Curly Q's Moist Curls and Milkshake when I can because they work best with the most consistent results.
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I've tried lots of different inexpensive store-bought shampoos and conditioners too, but most of them dried Serenity's hair out.
Here's a list of some that didn't:


Suave Tropical Coconut Suave and Refreshing Tangerine are great, inexpensive conditioners.
I like using these instead of shampoo every other day - or less, and it can be cut with water.
It all depends on how dirty her hair gets, swimming or how much product build-up Serenity has in her hair.


Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner is okay too.
It leaves Serenity's hair clean, soft and silky and doesn't dry it out.
I like to cut this with water too for a quick cream rinse every other day.

Suave 2-in-1 Smoothers for kids is a wonderful product and worked best when Serenity was younger and her hair was more loosely curled.

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UPDATE:
Lately I've been using TRESemmé Naturals Conditioner as a cleaner and a leave-in conditioner.
I LOVE this product!
You can read my in-depth review about HERE.

I followed a leave-in conditioner tip I found over at Measured by the Heart using TRESemmé conditioner (less than $6 for 25 oz. bottle) and it does a great job in Serenity's hair!
I put the conditioner in an empty Blended Cutie Satin Style Reviver spray bottle.
Satin Style Reviver is awesome - but $16 for an 8 oz. bottle!
I go through an 8 ounce bottle in no time, so I can't always afford that price.
Making my "own" using TRESemmé conditioner is much cheaper and it works!

I use about 1/8 cup (2 tbsp) of conditioner in an 8 ounce bottle.

That mixture is just right for Serenity's hair - which tends to be dry.
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UPDATE:
I'm trying something new again!
It's Rite-Aid's Renewal sulfate-free conditioner.
Check out my review HERE!
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Palmer's Olive Oil is another product I use in Serenity's hair. It's very light and doesn't leave her hair greasy. Even extra virgin cooking olive oil is good to use, but the Palmer's has a nice pleasant scent added to it.
Jojoba oil has lots of different uses (acne, dry lips, hair, sores, dry scalp, skin, etc.) - I used it when I got sunburned this Summer! It worked better than aloe! I like to apply it on Serenity's and directly to her scalp.Coconut oil is good for hair too, but it's expensive too. Here's a tip: trying buying the coconut oil (LouAna brand) from your grocery store or in the grocery department at Wal-Mart - it's exactly the same as the coconut oil in the cosmetic department, just much cheaper!
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Monoi Tiki Tahiti oil is good too and I've been using it in Serenity's hair recently. 
We both love the pretty scent! Monoi oil is coconut oil infused with Gardenias. 
Every bottle comes with a dried Tiare flower. 
It's an excellent oil for your skin too!
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Avocado oil is awesome for hair. It penetrates the hair shaft to soften, condition and promotes growth with plenty of proteins, vitamins, amino and folic acids. It can be used in various homemade hair treatments too. I've just started using it in Serenity's hair and I love the results. It doesn't leave her hair feeling greasy at all - just soft and manageable. Remember though - a little goes a long way!

Check out a wonderful Butter and Avocado Oil Hair Treatment for dry hair I tried recently!
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Another good idea is to soak your ponytail bands in any one of the oils above before putting them in your child's hair. This will give added moisture to her hair and keep it from breaking too much. Also, most of the time I like to cut the ponytail bands out of Serenity's hair. She does have a few ponytail ribbon streamers that I don't cut - but I'm extremely careful taking them out of her hair. I don't recommend using rubber bands too often, and when you do use them soak them in oil before putting them in your child's hair!

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Brushes & Combs:

Use the best.
Period.
It's better to invest in a good brush and comb that will last for years, rather than a cheap one you have to replace over and over.
Don't use cheap hair brushes in your Darling Stinker's curly hair!
I believe that using a good brush is just as important as the hair products you put in your child's hair.
I mostly use two different brands - the Tangle Teezer and the Denman's Tangle Tamer (both kinds listed).
All the brushes I've reviewed I have bought and tested.
The Kakakiki comb is the only one that I would not use in Serenity's hair.
But that doesn't mean it isn't a good brush (because I think it is), it's that I don't think it's made for her type of of hair.
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The Denman brush (I would recommend using a real one - NOT a copycat) is a high quality brush that's been around forever.
I use this brush to put ponytails in Serenity's hair and for curl definition - but only after her hair has been detangled!

Watch the video below to see how amazing the Denman brush works for curl definition.




Also, if you find that the Denman brush gets tangled in your Darling Stinker's hair, try removing a few of the bristles.
Watch the video below to learn how!


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To detangle her hair I use the Tangle Teezer.
It was invented by a hairdresser named Shaun P from England.
The brush can only be ordered from England.
I got mine on Ebay from an authorized seller.
Shipping was fast both times I placed my orders.

UPDATE:
The Tangle Teezer is now available at Sally's!
And Amazon.com!

I can't even begin to describe this brush - it's got to be seen to be believed.
It will go through any hair with ease - wet or dry!
Serenity's hair looks like spun cotton candy when she wakes up and because of this brush - it only takes five minutes (and not 30 minutes or an hour) to get her locks looking beautiful!
I like the soft plastic bristles too - it doesn't break her hair like other brushes might.
I'll have to post a demo video of it one day.
BTW, even though the Tangle Teezer will detangle wet or dry hair, I never brush Serenity's hair "dry"!
I'll explain further down.

Do you have a Tween?
Then you know they do not brush their hair - unless you make them!
Most of the time their hair is a mess of tangles.
Hey, I'm not criticizing!
I have two nieces that are 9, and most of my friend have girls all around that same age.
For Christmas last year, I got all the girls a Tangle Teezer - and they like it!
No more hurting when they pull that brush through their hair!
could go on and on about the Tangle Teezer - I think it's the best brush!-------------------- 

I've also use the Kakakiki Kombbrush.
That's a mouth full!
It does an okay job of detangling Serenity's hair but I have to be much gentler using it compared to the Tangle Teezer (and Serenity doesn't like it) so I don't use this brush.
I don't believe it's the best brush for her hair type.
However, it does do a great job in different hair types as you can see in some demo videos on YouTube.

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The Denman Tangle Tamer is made specifically for kids and I think it does an excellent job.
I've never had a problem with it and it goes through Serenity's hair fairly easily.
It's perfect for ponytails too!


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We also have the Mebco Tortoise Shower comb and it works okay.
I use it only when Serenity's hair is wet or damp.


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Natural and handmade combs are supposed to be better than plastic.
I bought Serenity an ox horn comb after reading how wonderful they are for your hair:

Renowned for their anti-static and hair beautifying properties, Ox horn Combs have been used for centuries in South and East Asia as a method of keeping hair healthy and beautiful.

* Better than plastic combs since ox horn is made of Keratin, the same material as human hair, allowing the comb to glide effortlessly through, avoiding paindful snags.
* Due to less friction than normal combs, you avoid drying out hair and damaging static build ups that cause split ends.
* Ox horn combs distribute hair nourishing natural oils, leading to healthier shinier hair.
* Can be used to smooth out tangled and matted hair more easily than conventional combs
* Like other high quality combs, these are made and polished by hand since ox horn would deform if shaped by high temperature machine.

I find it works pretty good, but those small tines are hard to get through Serenity's curls - but useful on tiny tangles.


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Recently I came across the Remington Tangle Tamer.
It's a rechargeable (cordless too) detangling comb.
I never seen this before!
I found it on Amazon.com - and although it only has 9 reviews - it's a solid 5-star.
Okay I just had to try it!




UPDATE:
The Remington Tangle Tamer now has 42 solid 5-star reviews!


It's very loud, and you should take your time and follow the instructions exactly, but it really does work!
I used it to detangle Serenity's hair after her nap the first time, and it didn't hurt her at all.
Even though at first she can't stand the loud noise, she's gotten used to it.

I love this brush/comb and I use it everyday now. 
Of course, I still use the Tangle Teezer (love it too!), but mostly on really bad knots.
The Tangle Tamer is indispensable and I couldn't imagine tackling Serenity's curls without it!

Below is a video I took with my iPhone.
I'm not showing y'all the full effect of the brush since I really should be using two hands and Serenity's hair is already detangled.
But I wanted you to get an idea of the loud noise it makes and how the tines on the comb spin - and how it goes through Serenity's hair.



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Serenity's Hair Care:

Okay, now that you know what products I prefer for Serenity's hair, here's how I take care of it on a daily basis.

I wash her hair every other day with a cream rinse conditioner.
I use way more conditioner than shampoo - I only use shampoo if she has a lot of buildup or usually just once a month with Miss Jessie's Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo.
So unless I'm trying out a new product, I mostly use Suave conditioner since it's inexpensive and does a good job.
I like to do a "cream rinse" in hair every other day - or less. 
It all depends on how dry it is.
A cream rinse helps to keep Serenity's hair clean without removing too many essential oils that will make her hair dry and brittle.

To clarify: cream rinse is when I use only conditioner in Serenity's hair.
I wet it as normal, add conditioner, work it into her hair, and then use the Tangle Tamer (or Tangle Teezer) to get all the tangles out of her hair.
Then I leave the conditioner in for around 15 minutes, and rinse her hair in cold/cool water.

Sometimes I do a quick cream rinse by adding conditioner and water to a bottle, put it in Serenity's hair, comb out the tangles and then rinse.
This is great to do if you're in a hurry!
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UPDATE: 
I've edited this post a few times since I've changed Serenity routine.

But I've decided to keep her old routine (below) up since it might help someone else.
She recently chopped off one side her hair to her scalp (yikes!) and I had to cut it to even it all out.
I totally blame Rapunzel!
But I guess a lot of kids do it when they are around Serenity's age - I was so upset!
Her hair grows slowly - or rather it appears to grow slowly because it curls so tightly.
She's been taking her Princess vitamins and I'm taking extra special care of her hair so it's growing back very nicely!
And ever since she cut it, it's been a lot easier to mange - probably because it's so much shorter now!
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I...
Wash her hair with the 2 in 1 Suave Smoothers (I like Cowabunga Coconut) once a month.
Conditioner her hair with either HE Hello Hydration or TRESemmé Naturals. 
Grab sections of her hair and sort of squeeze the conditioner into her hair and comb out the tangles in her hair using the Tangle Teezer or wide tooth comb.
Leave it in for 10 to 15 minutes then rinse well in cold/cool water.

I...
Squeeze Serenity's hair so it's not drippy wet - but not completely dry.
Add TRESemmé leave-in conditioner all over her curls.
I like to brush Serenity's hair in sections. Starting on the ends of her hair, I brush sections of her hair using the Tangle Teezer (or a wide-tooth comb, or one of the other brushes I've listed above) until it's completely detangled.
Then I warm a little bit of Olive, Jojoba or Monoi oil (starting with a dime size and adding more if needed) between my palms and apply it all over her hair to lock in the moisture.
I like to use Bee Mine's Juicy too.Style.
Right now with her hair so short, that means putting on a pretty rolled flower headband that I made!

When Serenity wakes up in the morning, her head looks just like fluffy cotton candy! It doesn't help that Serenity has a habit of twirling her hair 'round & 'round her finger as she falls asleep either. So here's what I do to tame that mane.

I...
NEVER brush or comb Serenity's hair dry!
Add as much TRESemmé leave-in conditioner (mixed with water) as needed to detangled it.
Add a little bit Olive, Jojoba, Monoi oil or Juicy to the ends if they are really dry.
If she's having a very dry period, I lightly apply the oil all over her head too.Starting on the ends of her hair, detangle using the Tangle Teezer (or Tangle Tamer). It takes about 5 to 10 mintues.
If needed, I'll add about a dime size of oil over her hair to lock in the moisture.
Depending on what style I do in her hair for the day, I can get awesome curl definition by using the Denman brush - or just throw on a pretty flower headband!



You can see a picture demonstration of how I Tame That Mane by clicking HERE!

Also, I would suggest never blow-drying your child's hair if you can avoid it.

Instead of a terry cloth towel that will leave tiny fuzzies in her hair, use a t-shirt (or jersey material) to absorb most of the water by carefully squeezing her curls.
You could also wrap her hair up in the tee until it's mostly dry.
Either way, you'll find it works a lot better than using a regular towel!
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Hair Cuts:

I know when it's time to cut Serenity's hair because the ends become very dry and hard to manage.
I only trim the very ends when her hair is almost dry.
I cut only a teeny tiny bit off the tips, and right now I'm not really worried about giving it a "shape" - I just follow the natural shape her hair is growing.
Cutting curly hair can be very forgiving and you might not be able to see a couple of little mistakes - but remember to try to cut it dry (or almost dry) or you could end up cutting too much off!
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Children's Books:

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While you're brushing your Darling Stinker's hair, she might like reading, I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley.
It's a book about an African-American girl getting her hair combed by her Mother.
Sometimes it hurts, but the little girl's Mother comforts her, telling her how beautiful her hair is and how many different ways it can be styled.
The book has beautiful watercolor illustrations that your Darling Stinker will enjoy too!



A new book by Nicole Updegraff called "I Love My Cotton Candy Hair" is one I definitely belive your child will love!
The sweet illustrations show the many different hair styles that you can create with curly hair.
I'm grateful for a book that's filled with children who look and have hair like my daughter's  - but I think it's a wonderful book for girls of all colors!




"I Won't Comb My Hair!" is a silly book about a little girl who...
of course won't comb her hair!
Her hair get longer and completely crazy, and then birds and wild animals move into the tangled mass.
Finally she decides she needs to comb her hair and tries lots of adorable ways to style it.
A fun way to remind kids they should brush their hair!
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Videos:

Here's a cute video called "I Love My Hair" from Sesame Street:


Serenity loves that video!
Here she is singing and dancing to it:


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How-To Books:

The number one thing to remember about biracial/curly hair is HYDRATION!!
Curly hair tends to be naturally drier than straight hair (but not always!) - and that goes double for biracial curly hair!
Drier hair means it is more fragile and brittle.
So make sure you always use leave in conditioners, and oils when necessary, and never brush the hair while it's dry!
You could break and severely damage your little sweetie's hair.



The book, Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey shows you how to care for, cut and style curly hair.
It even has a few cool recipes for homemade hair products!
I highly recommend it.
I'm always thumbing through it for tips.


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Clothes:

You can celebrate your child's beautiful hair with some of these cute shirts with the little puppet from the Sesame Street, "I Love My Hair" video.



Serenity's adorable, "Yes... it's all mine" t-shirt is from Baby Big Hair!
You can purchase one for your Darling Stinker HERE:


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Websites:

Tighly Curly is a wonderfully detailed website that will help you learn so much about curly biracial hair.
There is even a section for little kids.
Go check it out today - you'll be very glad you did.
She just released a brand new book too!
It's called, Curly Like Me.
I bought it and it's great!
The website is very nice too - I like looking up the ingredients in shampoos and conditioners to see if it's okay for Serenity's hair.

Another great website is Bead, Braids & Beyond.
Nikki has two little kids and she's always showcasing some amazing and beautiful kid styles!
I wish I was better at braiding.
When Serenity's hair was longer, I tried it out a few times.
I did alright, but I need a LOT of practice!
Nikki also does excellent product reviews too.
I highly recommend her blog - I'm a big-time BBB stalker!!

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Hair Type Chart:



To determine what hair type you or your Darling Stinker has, check out the chart above.
Serenity's hair type is now somewhere around 3c - I think!
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Just for Me!



Just For Me! has a line of very affordable products.



I've only tried the Curl Smoother and found it worked pretty good.
It has a light yummy strawberry smell, and I really liked the pop-up cap on the bottle - very easy to use.



Just For Me! now has a soy milk and honey line called "Hair Milk" too.
I haven't tried it, but you can read a mixture of good and bad reviews on Amazon.com.

Just For Me! also sells relaxers - but I would stay well away from them!
I do NOT recommend putting relaxers or perms in any child's hair!
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Questions and Answers:

Jacklyn's question: "How do you wash your daughter's hair with adult shampoo and manage not to get it in her eyes?"

Answer: Boon Flo Water Defector! Love it!

Jacklyn's question: "I've seen before about putting oil in the hair. As an overly oily haired person, this is just so foreign to me. Do you just put it in your hands and fluff it though their hair? Does the hair not look really oily and greasy afterwards? And, how do you apply it to the scalp? Thanks in advance!"

Answer: I start with about a dime size of the oil (either olive, jojoba or Juicy by Bee Mine) on the palm of my hair and rub my hands together a little bit (it warms
it up), then run my fingers through Serenity's hair to get it all over. Usually, it's the perfect amount for her hair. Sometimes though it needs a little more. To apply it directly to the scalp, divide your daughter's (or son's) hair into sections and then use the tip of your finger to apply it.


Leslie's question: "I do have a question, Her hair is very short, barely get it it in a pony tail, and when i do the back ends up falling out and gets all puffy, so I was wonder what product you woudl suggest to help her hair grow."

Answer: I would suggest not putting it in one ponytail until your daughter's hair grows longer. Try several little ponytails. To stop your daughter's hair from getting so poofy during the day, try Curly Q's Gel-les'c. It works great - a little bit goes a long way! Although I have to say it's very hard to completely stop a child's hair from getting puffy after a long day of play - it's been almost impossible for me to do that with Serenity's hair. You could try spraying a little homemade Lavender Hair Mist throughout the day to help with puffiness too. To help her hair grow, I would say just keep taking the best possible care of her hair and make sure she takes her vitamins and drinks lots of water everyday!


Amandiy's question: "I decided to try the suave smoothers 2 in 1 just as shampoo since 2 in 1's should usually be considered just shampoos; and the herbal essences conditioner/just for me hairmilk option, but i'm just not sure if it is ok to use herbal essences hello hydration conditioner or just for me hairmilk on my 15 month old is there any age restriction on these products?"

Answer: I don't think there is an age restriction. But I understand your concern. Try using Curls' products for babies - they are totally organic!




Have fun!

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45 comments:

Crafterella said...

Wow, what a comprehensive list! I am actually feeling really lucky right now. My daughter has naturally curly hair, but it just curls perfectly into little ringlets (people think I curl her hair with a curling iron) I just wash and go!
Your daughters hair looks fabulous, I'm sure she'll appreciate it a lot when she gets older!

Anonymous said...

Gosh, she is just too adorable for words! Loving the dress!!!

Heather said...

I am black and my daugter is mixed like your daughter. I have hair like your daughters but my sweetie didn't get hair like mine, its more like her fathers. You also might try to comb out your daughters hair while she has conditioner in it. Its so much easier sometimes. I also used to use the just for me hair products when I was younger. I'd put them in while my hair was soaking wet and they worked pretty well. They smell really good too, but your little pumpkins hair looks pretty . You do a good job. Nothing bugs me more, than when I see these pretty little mixed babies with a head of crazy, dry, poofy, curls.

erin said...

New to you, love your blog and had to say- your daughter is absolutely adorable!!!!

Rachael said...

Great post! I've been looking, testing and hunting for mixed hair products for years. Most recently, I am enjoying the Carol's Daughter line. The hair smoothie is a dream for dry curls and tangles. I also use California Baby calming conditioner, it's really great for mixed hair type and one of the ONLY tear free "conditioners" I've found.

Maria said...

This post had so much information that I was looking for and has great reviews on hair products. I've been researching different products to use on my daughter's hair.

Melodee (my daughter) is black and filipino and I think her hair type is close to Serenity's. She is 18 months now and her hair is starting to grow more. Her hair in the front and on top has soft tight curls but towards the back (where she lays her head down to sleep)has frizzy hair almost straight and you can't really see the curls. But when its wet her whole head is covered in curls! I think I just need to hydrate it more. I tried coconut oil but it doesn't help define the curls in the back.

Thank you so much for sharing Serenity's hair routine...I'm going to give it a try. By the way your daughter is beautiful =)

jacklyn said...

This is such a wonderful post. Thank you. My daughter was adopted and is biracial. I have been getting away with washing once a week with Johnson's and Johnson's shampoo, and putting leave in conditioner in it everyday. Now that she's getting a bit older (she's turning 18 months), I can tell that it's needing more. I want her to love her hair. This has helped me a lot.

Question: I've seen before about putting oil in the hair. As an overly oily haired person, this is just so foreign to me. Do you just put it in your hands and fluff it though their hair? Does the hair not look really oily and greasy afterwards? And, how do you apply it to the scalp? Thanks in advance!

jacklyn said...

P.S. How do you wash your daughter's hair with adult shampoo and manage to not get it into her eyes?

Q, La, and Gooner said...

This is WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL I tell you! My little one is biracial and her hair is AWESOME on the day I bathe her and very froish on days I don't. I am so excited to try this stuff. Currently I spray on spray gel after the leave in conditioner; it helps keep the curl from frizzing out. But I have a whole ARSENAL to try now. Thank you! (Oh, and we have that book too!)

onecraftalicousmomma said...

Hi, I have a 2yr old daughter that is biracial (black/white), I have naturally fine straight blonde hair and her dad has kinky curly hair, But Destinys hair is fine and curly, and dry. I have tried the JUST FOR ME, products they just make it to greasy, but white hair products just dry it out,I also tried baby oil,(a biracial lady suggested it), and its better than anything else i've tried! After seeing all the products on your blog I feel so much better about having more products to try.

I do have a question, Her hair is very short, barely get it it in a pony tail, and when i do the back ends up falling out and gets all puffy, so I was wonder what product you woudl suggest to help her hair grow.

Thank you.

Unknown said...

Wonderful! thank you so much for sharing the wealth! It bothers me too to see the beautiful babies with bad hair, that i have opened up a hair salon for them! and almost all of my customers have biracial children, so you have educated me well!... i will definitely pass the wealth on to the parents... again thank you...

Anonymous said...

The MilkShake rocks! Thank you so much for this post. It has helped a LOT :)

Unknown said...

I noticed there are quite a few people commenting on how their children got more fine type hair than they did thick shafted hair so the heavier products don't work. First of all I'm pretty impressed to see so many people in one spot talking about my particular hair type - I am a 26 year old biracial with fine type hair. Here's a solution that may work for you that I picked up from a hair stylist that figured out exactly what my hair needed.

First of all, make sure you're shampooing their hair once to twice a week. This cannot be stressed enough. Their hair's natural oils are the best defense they have against dryness, and shampoo strips that. However, keep on conditioning every day. This will also help to cleanse their hair and unlike shampoo it will not strip it.

Now, here comes the part that made a huge difference for me - if hair oil is too heavy and leave in conditioner isn't enough, try an oil sheen spray (even better if it's conditioning as well). It will moisturize and lock in moisture without being heavy or greasy. If you want to define the curl and you normally use mousse, drop it for a foaming wrap lotion, which is like a moisturizing and better sealing mousse that really plays up the shine factor.

I have baby fine spirals and ringlets that get easily weighed down and can get really dry and brittle. It's strange how my hair can feel like silk when it's moisturized but like a crow's nest when it's dry. It looks like regular curly Caucasian hair but acts like something else entirely.

Amandiy said...

Hi! Thanks a whole lot for the tips. Serenity is absolutely beautiful!I must say her name suits her. My daughter is also biracial with fine type curly hair. I decided to try the suave smoothers 2 in 1 just as shampoo ;since 2 in 1's should usually be considered just shampoos; and the herbal essences conditioner/just for me hairmilk option, but i'm just not sure if it is ok to use herbal essences hello hydration conditioner or just for me hairmilk on my 15 month old is there any age restriction on these products?

Susan Howell said...

Thanks for all the advice. I'm not sure why I didn't think to look online for haircare tips for my daughter (almost4 months old) until this weekend when I had to put a hat on her because I was so embarrassed how fuzzy her hair looked. She was born with spiky, straight hair that is turning into these wonderful curls on top when wet, however once dried and she sleeps on them they go nuts and on the sides and back her hair is much straighter and has a tendancy to go fuzzy.... I just ordered the It's a Curl line today and have high hopes that I can keep those beautiful curls in great shape.

Samantha said...

Serenity's soooo cute!!

I have biracial hair (well...my grandfather's British, my grandmother's African and my father's African). I think my hair's in the Type 4 category. I always relaxed my hair because it got so tangled every morning when I was little that I cried when someone tried to help me comb it out and I broke several combs just combing out my hair. Some times, I loved my hair, other times, I didn't. I had like really long hair, at 8, my hair was already at my back then I got it cut and then tried regrowing it and it was at my shoulders before I started relaxing it. I've noticed that once I started relaxing, my hair started breaking sooo much! I mean, practically every time I comb my hair, some of my hair's left in the comb! I'm 14 now (almost 15) and I've decided to quit relaxing my hair because of this and because I think natural's good (though I tend to straighten my hair everyday because the relaxed bits are falling off so my hair looks like I gave it an inch trim but if I straighten it, it always looks longer).
I've never used the hair products for my hair type (thanks to mum that's always used the same one she uses for me (she's a type 3)). My hair is sooo dry and like, I'm taking it back natural and I want to grow it out and do a good job with it. I've checked out some Curls products but the issue is buying them online (don't know where to find them elsewhere). Any advice for me?

Samantha said...

A little addition to my last post:
My friends (who've seen my natural hair and relaxed hair) describe me as a walking-talking pom pom because my hair's got very voluminous hair (and I can never tame it! lol).

Baby Shopaholic said...

Just found this on your site... no need to answer my question : ) Thanks for sharing!

Weather Anchor Mama said...

Great tips for mixed race kids and women of color in general. My little girl is black and white. She doesn't have much hair yet. But, I'm already doing lots of research. Thanks for the tips!

Weather Anchor Mama said...

Btw, I've been using Just for me products. The moisturizing lotion works wonders. I know that it's mostly used on little girls with kiddie perms, but it does work well for her type of hair. All it takes is a little dab and it does the trick!

Anonymous said...

There is a line called "Mixed Chicks" I absolutely love! My daughter is biracial and has tight ringlet curls that are absolutely gorgeous. I am white and have curly hair. I use the leave in conditioner in both of our hair and it works wonders and the frizzies stay away!

melifaif said...

Very well put together post! It is hard to get it all in there, isn't it!? Curly Like Me changed our world. And may I suggest Deva Curl No-Poo Shampoo for when you do shampoo her hair? Again, it changed our world and is fantastic. Although it is the only product I really use from their line. And KINKY CURLY!!!! Has fabulous fabulous products. Knot Today Detangler....hello, my love!!! And the Curling Custard. Exceptional. I am now only washing Layla's locks once a week. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! Hopefully these products will help you or someone else....cheers!

Angie - treasuresfortots@gmail.com said...

@Melifaif: I've never tried Deva Curl No-Poo Shampoo - but now I want to! And Kinky Curly! Okay TWO new lines that I've got to try and add to this post!! LOL! Thank you for telling me about them - I will definitely be giving them a try! I'm now a follower of your Meli Faif Life blog - OMGosh Layla is GORGEOUS! She had RED curls!! So beautiful!!!

Karenina said...

Any tips for newborn haircare? Do you just wash it as you would any newborn with baby wash or shampoo and then brush it? Just wanted to get started on the right foot!

Angie - treasuresfortots@gmail.com said...

When Serenity was a baby I just used regular baby shampoo - but I didn't always wash her curls every day. Her hair was very fine with loose curls. Sometimes I'd use a tiny bit of olive oil before brushing it with a regular baby brush. As she got older, her hair changed and I had to learn to take care of it differently. Hope this information helps you!

Monica said...

Hi Angie! I'm a new follower, and I'm so glad I stumbled across your blog...I've looked and looked for tip on combing biracial hair and just never found it too convincing. My daughter is 14 month old and her hair is changing dramatically from when she was a tiny baby. I have tried different products on her and they just end up drying out her hair. I also liked the mixed chicks but I agree it feels like it's more of an adult product. I'm going to give milkshake a try. Thanks for all the helpful information. You have a beautiful daughter. Love your blog! :)

Samantha said...

Hey Angie,
I just wanted to know what you think about this:
pre-poo treatments and
using only natural things on your hair.
I've been doing this for a while now and my hair has grown a bit longer, but it's hard to notice because I never use heat on my hair making no one notice how much it's grown till I pull it down.
Anyways, what do you think about using only natural things on my hair?

Angie - treasuresfortots@gmail.com said...

I think natural is great! I recently read a post about putting freshly made butter in your curls and then wrapping it and leaving it in awhile before washing it out. I might try that with Serenity. Have you seen my post about making butter?
http://treasuresfortots.blogspot.com/2011/06/fresh-homemade-butter.html

Samantha said...

Oooh, I can make my own butter? :) I'll try this out some time soon. I was planning on making some whipped shea butter, but if I can get my hands on a quart of whipped cream soon, I'll make the butter following your recipe. :) Thanks

Samantha said...

Hey Angie,

I haven't made my butter yet (following your recipe). I did eventually make the whipped shea butter/ shea butter mix and it's really really good. I love how it makes my hair feel and it helps my hair hold in styles and depending on how I use it, it defines my curls a bit. Also, the good thing is, I don't need to use a lot of it to get results! So... all that's in it is 100% raw, unrefined shea butter, canola oil and my homemade rosemary oil (this'll promote hair growth).

By the way, have you used your butter (from your recipe) on Serenity's hair yet? If you have, what were your results? Was it good? And how'd you use it?

Angie - treasuresfortots@gmail.com said...

@Samantha: I tried the butter treatment tonight! Great results!
http://treasuresfortots.blogspot.com/2012/01/butter-and-avocado-oil-hair-treatment.html

I think I'd like to try the shea butter next. I've heard really good reviews about it - I like how you add rosemary oil to it, I know it's for growth but I bet that makes it smell wonderful too! :)

Michelle Dowell said...

TYSM!!!! My little stinker is 4 and I've had issues finding the right products for his hair. I'm black & my DH is white & our son has hair similar to your daughter's. We're trying for our second child now & are hoping to have a little girl, so I'm loving all of the great detailed info from this blog post!!! LOVE the organic baby haircare product info, since we're planning to raise this second kiddo organically. ;-) Thanks again for cluing us in!

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to let you know that mixed chicks now has a kids line. I recently bought the trial pks and a bottle of Tangle Tamer for my daughters bed head in the mornings. I loved the kids line. I was using the adult line before and it did very well in my biracial daughters hair. Also, mixed chicks announced recently that you will be able to buy their line @ Target & Rite Aide :)

Angie - treasuresfortots@gmail.com said...

Thank you for the heads up! So glad to hear they have a Kid's line now. I'll have to try it!

Angie - treasuresfortots@gmail.com said...

@cheldowell: You're welcome!!

Susy said...

I love your blog. I have two adopted daughers. That our Full African American and I have to admit I have troubles at times with their hair. I can't wait to try your ideas out. They both have different textures to their hair. Kylie my oldest daugher has very thick curly hair and my youngest daugher has thin curly hair that knots if not taken care of everyday. Thanks again for the information.

Angie - treasuresfortots@gmail.com said...

@Weather Anchor Mama: Thank you for your wonderful comments! I'm a follower of your blog now too! :)

Isabella said...

Wow, what a wonderful list, thank you so much! I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed though with all the product suggestion. Could you help me out though, my precious little bi-racial baby girl is 7 months old with curly hair, what products are safe to use at this tender young age? Thank you so much!!

Miriam said...

Thank you for all the reviews and tips! My daughter is now 3 and her curls are getting tighter and tighter but her hair is still very fine. My son on the other hand had pretty curly hair from the time he was 7 days, his curls are already tighter than his sister's! I've been trying several products (mind you, we didn't have much selection here in ND at first!),Soft& precious baby line, which worked well when they were little, though I mainly used olive oil then. We tried Just for me but it just dried out Nia's hair and didn't really do much detangling. We had the same problems with Mixed Silk and Silken Child from Silk Elements, they just didn't work for her texture. I am now using Taliah Waajid's products and so far love them! You can tell the difference after the first use. Her hair didn't look so weighted down after I used the shampoo and the Great Detangler (leave-in conditioner) as well as the Comb it out lotion are amazing! We do have our routine with some oil treatments after washing her hair as well(shea oil, vitamin e oil, olive oil and in the winter time tea tree oil).

Thanks to you I now know which combs and brushes to use and don't have to spend an arm and a leg experimenting :)

Samantha said...

Hi :)
This was the first mixed race natural hair care thing I read. 2 years ago. I am fully natural now and loving it! Anyways, I was wondering if I could feature some of your hair care/tips posts on my blog: SammyWithTheBigHair.blogspot.co.uk

~Samantha

Anonymous said...

I have 3 kids. 2 girls (5 & 3) & finally a son (17mo....no more doing hair yeaaaaaaa). I just read through all your instructions for the 1st time and I am anxious to head over to Amazon & start ordering. My kids all have different levels of curls, but the exact same texture of hair. I say they have white hair just curly & extremely dry. Thats my problem. I cant use black products because they have white textured hair so the grease just sits on top. Cant use white products because it dries out even more. I really hope using Curly Q's inconjunction with a satin pillowcase and the combs/brushes you suggested maybe my babies can have healthy hair. Their hair looks good im the morning after I do it, but at the end of the day their hair looks like its dying for a drink! Wish their heads luck! Thanks for ALL the suggestions, hints & links.

Anonymous said...

This has been a wonderful helpful site!!! My daughter is 21 months old and a mixed baby, her hair has soft big curls on top but tight curls in the back that tend to get tangled, dry and frizzy. I have all the info saved on my phone and I'm going to order some Curly Q's products. Thank you!!!!!

jazzmyneb said...

Can I just say, I love your post. I came across it while looking for new products for my daughter. Like your daughter, I swear she wakes up some mornings and her hair decides that the products I have been using for months don't work in her hair anymore! So frustrating because it takes forever to get the right combo! My kids are not mixed but we have a mixed heritage so her hair is very curly but not kinky curly. I have been looking for a product that will hold her curls and control the frizz. Like Serenity I swear Jade could stop traffic with how much attention her curls get. She's 2 and her hair is in the middle of her back if you stretch it out but when curly it sits right above her shoulders. Your posting is probably the most useful review of products I have found so far! If you are interested I do have a product recommendation for you called, Nothing But Curl Wake Up Spray by Sofnfree. I get it from Sally's and I think I have seen it at Target too. With all the gazillion products I have tried (almost all the ones you reviewed plus a few more), this one never fails for reviving her curls once they do go to a frizzy mess! I think I will take your advice and try Blended Beauty. They have a new product called Jellycream that looks promising. I have tried the Curly Q shampoo and conditioner (love the smell) but never the styling products. I may give them a try as well. Sorry for the long comment, but just wanted to let you know how great your posting is!

Julie Asher said...

Great to know about Curly Q's. It is very tough to get good quality hair care products now a days in the market now. A lot of them can cause side effects which makes the situation worse. :(

Anonymous said...

My name is Jackie and have an 18mo daughter named Maliyah (black, Italian, german, Mexican). Since reading your post I've tried Suave 2-in-1 Cowabunga wash (I added 100% organic coconut oil) and Sauve cocumut conditioner (also added coconut oil)....I would then lightly "grease" her scalp w/ coconut/avocado oil mix and then let her hair hang out curly or put it in an up-do or braids. I liked the results and saw her hair was hydrated more, but would still dry out fast. After 3 weeks I switched her conditioner to Shea Moisture and absolutely love it! It keeps her hair hydrated for 3-4 days, smells great, and ingredients are almost all natural. I'm going to switch to the full line for me and her. Without God directing me to this post over a month ago, I would be stuck getting wrong advice from everyone and they mama (LOL). Once again thank you and God bless you and your family.

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