Many mothers experience difficult times trying to maintain their Black/African American daughter’s hair, some mothers often complain that the hair is too kinky, curly, or frizzy and too course to brush and style. The truth is that African American hair is actually the most fragile kind of hair, and it comes in various types of textures; wavy, curly, straight, thick and coarse etc., and with proper treatment and hair products the hair can actually be maintained and styled almost effortlessly.
Since African American hair is so fragile you want to be gentle while styling and handling it.
Wash the hair no more than twice a week, the general rule is to wash and condition the hair every 5-7 days, this is because the hair needs moisture and natural oils to thrive, and if the hair is washed too frequently the scalp will become dry and the hair will also become brittle and dry.
Instead of blow drying hair, let the hair air dry but gently towel dry the wet ends or any part of the head and hair that has excess water on it, do not vigorously rub the towel around, the head. Blow drying causes heat damage to the already fragile hair by making it extremely brittle and unhealthy thereby making it more prone to split ends. Although, if you must dry the hair, try placing a heat protective conditioner on the hair such as;
Once the hair is washed you want to place a moisturizer in it. Many parents use grease (petroleum and mineral oil) for their child’s hair which should really be avoided because it clogs the scalp’s pores, alters hair growth, and deprives the hair of moisture. The best oils for Black/ African American hair are the natural oils such as avocado, jojoba, and my two favorites, shea butter and coconut oil. Shea butter makes a great moisturizer for the hair; jojoba and coconut oil make good conditioners for the hair. I find that leave in conditioner’s work great for both my daughter’s and my hair, I often use the product, Caribbean Crème by Black N’ Sassy, a leave in conditioner is made from tropical flower flower extracts, which prevents split ends, hair breakage, while adding a great sheen and moisturizer to dry and brittle hair,. It’s also great for permed, relaxed, treated, or dyed hair. I love it! Its grease free, light, easy to work with and it smells so great! I am not a big fan of the pink moisturizer that is so often sold and used because, it leaves my hair feeling very greasy, dry, and weighed down, I think of it as a lighter version of grease. What works for one person may not work for the next, so when choosing hair products you will go through some trial and error, but now that you know what oils are best and what to avoid, choosing hair products might not prove so difficult ..
After the hair is moisturized you want to style it. When combing the hair it is best to use a detangler comb, which has significantly larger and wide spaced teeth, this type of comb can decrease hair breakage and also make hair combing a bit more enduring.Braids, beads and ponytails are the best for Black/ African American hair, when done properly meaning; braids should not be too tight, elastics should not be used to secure ponytails, and not rubber bands, the braider must always be sure to fully braid the hair to the end, making sure not to leave even the tiniest piece unbraided because this can cause split ends( which is when “the cuticle which protects your hair has been removed from the very end of your hair”) Remember to remove pony tail holders from your child’s head every night, it’s best to put some leave in conditioner in your child’s hair and then gently braid or even twist the hair just before bed.
Here are some great hair products to use for your daughter’s hair;
Black N’ Sassy Caribbean Crème
Baby Love Moisturizing Crème Hair dress
Beautiful Beginnings Conditioning Shampoo plus detangler
Beautiful Beginnings Scalp Conditioner and Hair Dress
Curly Q’s for kids (multiracial and biracial hair care products)
Parnevu leave in conditioner (it may leave a white residue in hair; it used to be a favorite until I found Black n’ Sassy Caribbean Creme)
Goody Hair Brushes- I never leave home without mine.
Here are two great (book) resources on caring for black children’s hair
It’s All Good Hair: The Guide to Styling and Grooming Black Children’s Hair- by Michele N-K Collison
Kinki Kreations: A Parent’s Guide to Natural Black Hair Care for Kids- by Jena Renee Williams
