For most of us, our hair is an
expression of ourselves, our personalities, and our culture. For many of
us, however, our choice of hairstyle is shaped by societal “norms,” which are
usually influenced by mainstream culture. These “norms” leave little room
for acceptance and appreciation of a beautiful, culturally diverse world.
Because of this, your child of color is in great need of increased affirmation
and intentional reminders of her hair’s beauty. Below are five tips on to help
you bond with your child through understanding, appreciating and helping her to
appreciate her unique hair texture, as well as ways you can boost her
self-esteem through hair care. For newborn and softer curls, we
recommend our own Coconut Cream Oil (at 4KidsLikeMe.com). Download a
free African American and Biracial Children’s Hairand Skin Care Guide,
courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Child Welfare.
1. Focus on Cleansing the Scalp When Shampooing Your
Child’s Hair
Because curly or tightly
coiled hair is easily tangled and very fragile, special care should be taken
when shampooing. When shampooing, seek
to cleanse your child’s scalp and clean hair will follow. This way, you avoid knotting the hair. You should also massage your child’s scalp
while shampooing to assist in sebum (oil) production.
2. Comb Hair in Sections (Preferably While Wet)
After shampooing your
child’s hair, part the hair in four sections.
Braid each section into one big braid resulting in four braids (braiding
the sections while wet will help retain the moisture in your child’s hair
making it easier to comb). Next, take one braid out at a time and, using a
widely spaced brush with plastic bristles or a wig brush, detangle your child’s
hair from end to root (refrain from using a brush, as detangling can be painful and can cause
breakage if not done with care). You may also spray the hair with a mixture of
lavender (a natural hair softener) and water to make the detangling process
easier.
3. Moisturize Your Child’s Hair
Tightly coiled hair is
prone to dryness because the oil (sebum) produced by the scalp does not easily
travel down the hair shaft to (due to the hair’s textured pattern). Therefore, it is very important that the care
be taken to moisturize your child’s strands.
Products like Shea Terra Organics Coconut Cream Oil, or other oils
which use a variety of natural moisturizers like castor oil, almond oil and
shea butter, can be used to help penetrate the hair shaft and moisturize your
child’s scalp.
4. Keep It Simple
When styling your child’s
hair, a general rule of thumb should be followed – keep it simple. Elaborate hair styles that include many very
small braids and possible tension causing styles should be avoided. Most children do not have the patience to sit
for such elaborate hairstyles. Too much tension is not good for any head of
hair. Suggested styles for children with
curly hair are large two-strand twists or pigtails, large cornrows (at least the
size of your middle finger) or large single braids. Lastly, after styling your child’s hair
remember …
5. Cover Your Child’s Curly Hair at Night
Use a satin or silk scarf
to cover your child’s hair at night to help prevent breakage caused by cotton
pillowcases.
Remember when following the
above tips that your child's hair is special and unique to her. Taking an
active role in her hair care will not only boost her self esteem, but create an
everlasting bond between you and your curly-haired child.
Meet Our Expert
Nyema "Nye" Taylor is our expert on hair
care for African American and biracial “curly-haired” children. Nye founded
HairLift HairCare in a cozy Philadelphia apartment in September 2002. A native
New Yorker, Nye has been a hair professional in and around the Philadelphia,
Atlanta and New York metro areas for 20 years. She has also styled heads in
London. Nye has received extensive training from some of the nation’s top
salons, is a graduate of Philadelphia's Berean Institute, and is a past winner
of a cosmetology scholarship from the Aveda Institute in Soho. She has
parlayed her training and her love of hair styling into a career creating
cutting edge styles for progressive women and entertainers. Nye is also
president of HairLift HairCare Products – all natural haircare products for
adults and children. Additional information and HairLift products are available
at www.hairliftonline.com. The HairLift HairCare Salon is located
in Newark, NJ. For appointments or consultation, call Nye at 862-224-2647.
