My name is Jackie, and I am interested in adding to
you suggestion section. I recently started using a
new shampoo and conditioner called "Biotera" and it
can be purchased at Sally Beauty Supply. It is a
moisterizing shampoo and a reconstructive
conditioner that is essential for relaxed hair ...I
don't think I will ever switch. My hair is so
wonderful to comb after conditioning that detangling
is really simple! This conditioner is so good that
I can go a full 12 weeks between relaxers.
I also like to use Wanakee's (now Beverly Johnsons)
Verifen Complex products (hairline essential creme
and constant care for ends at night)
(www.hairoil.com) that are a blessing to African
American Hair. During the day I use a light dab of
Kemi oil and I'm on my way to a fabulous hair day!
1. As for cutting hair, I asked my hubby who is AA and he says there is no set in stone age to cut their hair. You can cut it any time you want. As for relaxer, they usually say 5 or 6 years old but you can do it younger just don't leave it on as long and make sure that you use a relaxer kit for kids. Some people will wait to cut hair for religious or personal reasons but there is no health or safety issue with cutting it when they are little.
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2. My dh is AA and we have several with AA hair. When our first girl was born we were attending a church where I was the only white person. The mom's took me under their wing and showed me how to do hair! I learned to braid, corn row, hair care, cutting, you name it!
I agree with what you have said. I wouldn't cut girl's hair until very much later (7-9yo) just learn to do it and do it early on in age so they get used to the sitting time it takes to do it. As for the boys, we usually cut younger, and keep it cut... the reason that you would wait is that it stays fine and soft until you start cutting it. So to keep it fine and more manageable don't cut it. As for the relaxers, definitely the longer you put it off the better... I have a 14yog who has asked for one for her 15th b-day... will probably do it then, but wouldn't do it before now, it really makes the hair brittle and dry as well as the chemicals are not good for children at all.
Hope this helps!
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3. My 14 year old girl, is AA/C also, and her hair is like that too. I put a regular perm (for white folks) on it, and comb it through for about 6 minutes. It doesn't take the curls out, but relaxes it enough to keep the knots to a minimum. She really likes her spiral curls, so she is very picky about how long we leave it on. Also, the new defrizzers that are out, are good. They are basically like perms. I love the Creme of Nature shampoo's and the Parnevu Leave In Conditioner.
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4. I have 3 bi-racial girls and their hair is all so different it's incredible!! I have one who has hair like this and I use Parnevu shampoo and leave-in conditioner with tea tree oil. The tea tree really helps in keeping it from getting so dried out and frizzy. I can even leave her hair down for several days after I put the leave-in on her hair. I would never use a relaxer on her hair because it would probably fall out and I spent lots of time and money trying to find something so her hair didn't have to be braided all the time. This is some of the best stuff that I have used and I don't have to use it everyday either. On the days that I don't put it on I use a spray bottle to wet it and brush it out.
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5. I would not recommend relaxing a young girl's hair BEFORE she starts
her
menstrual cycle. Why? Because this drastic change in hormones also
affects her hair (it can thicken, become thinner, more fragile, etc.),
therefore, I recommend waiting until after that point to see how her
hair changes. Also, instead of completely removing the curl (which
takes much longer, requires more chemicals - thus is more damaging), I
recommend getting a texturizer - it requires the same chemicals used
for
relaxers, but it is only combed through the hair and rinsed out just to
soften and lightly loosen the curl.
12 months or older is the recommend age for a child's first hair cut.
This is standard for all kids.
Hello. I happened to come across your webpage while looking for
articles for
african americans haircare for newborns. I first must say that you have
a very
nice site and it is great what you are doing. My only concern is about
some
of the comments made on the site about AA hair care. In your section
"Extensions or not?" someone made a comment that AA children are often not
ready to take
care of their own hair until they are 16. I am a 23 year old African
American
female who has been taking care of my hair since I was about 9 or 10
years old.
My sisters and I learned at an early age how important it was to take
care of
our hair. Growing up in New York I knew many girls in school who also
did their
own hair. Some dared their moms to try to do their hair because most
mommies
want their little girls to have those cutesie styles with all the
ribbons and
ponytails. I know my mom did and I have the pictures to prove it! lol
My
mother encouraged and allowed me to do my own hair but she was always
there to
assist and teach me when I needed her or she just felt something didn't
look
quite right or was too wild.
I also wanted to let you know that short
hair is
just as acceptable in AA culture as it is in yours. My niece, who is 2,
had some
breakage a few months back. She picked up the habit of sucking her
thumb and
while she does this she plays in her hair. She rubs the sides and
sometimes
would pull her ponytails. This habit became so bad she did it in her
sleep( she
is also a crazy sleeper, she tosses and turns which helped rub her hair
out).
Before we knew it her hair had broken off badly. We weren't able to put
her
sandy brown hair into those darling ponytails or beautiful cornrows. We
ended up
deciding to cut her hair even and let it grow back right. There weren't
any
hang ups about her having short hair. Infact it actually gave us a
break from
trying to figure out ways to make her damaged hair look decent.
Also
the
hairstores here in SC have the prettiest headbands that went great with
some of her
outfits. I must say she looked like a doll and got many oohs and ahs
over how
cute she was. Her hair has grown in wonderfully and we can braid it
again.
Sunday she even got to wear ponytails to church. She thought she was
too cute as
she showed off her hair and dress, making sure she turned ALL the way
around
so you could see all of her. lol
My point is lots of AA children and
adults
sport short hair. It is VERY acceptable. I think it is just the fact
that when
hair is longer you can do more with it, you can try more styles. I
think that's
with any child whether they are black or white. If a little girl who is
white
has a short hair cut, such as a pageboy, then she couldn't possibly get
a
style like two french braids with bows at the end. When her hair grew a
good
lenghth then it might be possible for that style as well as others.
It's the same
for AA little girls.
Well I just had to write and give my opinion. I
think
you have a wonderful site but just a little misguided on some things.
God bless you,
Riya
PS. I don't know what "friend" someone asked about how much they charge to
do
hair but they shouldn't have gotten upset about that. If you didn't
know then you
didn't know and were very right to ask. It wasn't rude or bad manners.
I do
hair myself sometimes and people ask me how much I charge for certain
styles. I
sometimes see a women with a cute hairstyle and ask who did it and how
much
they charged but sometimes the person that did their hair might have
charged
them less than they normally charge( it might have been family or a
friend). In
that case you HAVE to ask the person who will be doing the hair what
his/her
prices are. I'm sorry she got the wrong idea about that. Who ever gave
her that
idea was wrong has some hangups they need to deal with.
I wanted to help the mother who was concerned about the dry skin. My three daughters have dry skin. We were prescribed a hydrocortisone as well. We also use a moisturizing lotion and cream called Cetaphil. It can be bought at Walgreen's. We were instructed to to put the lotion on the body, then rub on the cream and then the hydrocortisone. The hydrocortisone locks in the moisture from the lotion and cream. This process helps teach the skin how to keep moisture in. It has worked for my first two daughters. If I could only get the third to catch up. It does take at least a year before the skin can adapt so be patient. We would do this twice or three times a day. It may seem like a lot but it does help. I hope this helps. I understand the caution of being dependant on the hydrocortisone. It is possible but my pediatrician informed me that teaching the skin how to keep moisture will eliminate prolonged use of the cortisone.
Tam
P.S. I love your site and am glad that you are helping others through your strengths. Keep being you and Thanks.
I am an AA mom who just happened upon this site while seardhing the net
for skin care products. I am very much impressed with the level of
researh that many of your moms have done in order to understand AA hair
and to present it at its best. I have two daughters of my own who have
thick, long, curly, kinky, often dry natural hair. Yheir hair is much
different from own, and while they share some similarities in texture,
the care required for all three heads of hair is vastly different.
I've had to take the same trial and error approach to our hair care
just like the other moms on this site. Here's what has worked for us so
far:
Pantene Relaxed and Natural Shampoo (bronze bottle) - This is a MUST
HAVE!!! This shampoo softens and detangles our hair like no other.
The conditioner work great on my 7year old, but doesn't do much for my
20month old. The shampoo works great by itself. BTW Walmart has the
most competitive pricing on this shampoo compared to other stores.
Vigorol Beeswax - I use this in combination with a favorite pomade or
oil when twisting my girls' hair. The Beeswax holds the style neatly for
a longer period of time. Also, once you untwist the hair, the beeswax
will hold the wavy/crimped texture of the hair. My twist last for a
month---3weeks twisted, and 1 week untwisted and worn loosely with pretty
clips. Of course the results vary with the hair type.
Curl activator - If you're not having any luck with hair oils, pomades,
or moisturizing oils, try curl activator lotions instead! This works
really well on my youngest daugter's dry, kinky curls.
1. Hair should be brushed everyday; it not only helps
with tangles but also helps distribute essential oils
from the scalp to the hair. A boar hairbrush is really
good because it doesn't snag or rip the hair strands,
which can create split ends. It also really helps
flyways, and smoothing, for pulled back styles. Dampen
the brush bristles with a little warm water before
applying it to the hair, this helps calm flyways, and
helps to soften the hair while brushing.
2. Before picking out hair dampen the hair with a
small amount of water or leave-in conditioner, this
will help loosen up the tangles, be sure to
concentrate on the ends.
3. Oil the scalp, not the hair, then brush the hair
from the scalp out.
4. Don't use petroleum or mineral oil based products
on the hair or scalp, they attract dust and don't
really penetrate.
5. After a workout, rinse hair thoroughly with warm
water, to get the salt out, which can be drying
6. If you don't wash hair after exercising, be sure
to rinse it. This helps to get the salt out.
7. Always use a leave-in conditioner.
8. You should wash your hair no more than once a week
or every ten days, to avoid drying it out.
9. One of the many products that I have for S. is that 'Ginseng Miracle Wonder 8 Oil. When Sadies' hair is in the many parts, and twists, I will apply this oil with a childs' thick natural bristle paint brush. I was trying to figure out how to apply it without getting it all over my hands, and I figured, what the hey....I will put it into a medicine cup, and apply it with a paint brush to the scalp.....works for me. :-)
Hi! I have 3 AA children by adoption and it was fun and informative to read all of the suggestions. I have a suggestion to add: my 3 year old AA daughter longs for long hair that she can wear in a ponytail and feel "flipping around" on her head like her caucasian sisters. I recently went to a beauty supply store downtown, called Variety, which carries primarily products for AA people. That was an experience! I was the only caucasian customer in the entire store for the hour I was there. I swallowed my pride and asked for help at the counter, and explained to the very nice AA sales lady that my daughter would like a ponytail, and did she have any ideas for me. She showed me several small ponytail hairpieces that attach to my daughter's natural hair with a small comb and bobby pins. She helped me match my daughter's hair color, and found a discontinued ponytail in her color for only $5.95!!! It is so cute on her. She was delighted and now asks if she can wear her "fake hair" instead of her "real hair". The hairpiece is like a little beanie cap covered with hair and edged with a braid, and there are lots of wavy micro-braids coming out at the crown of the beanie cap. It simply attaches to my daughter's hair with a hair comb on the beanie, and you bobby pin it in 3 spots, and now my daughter has HAIR!
I was very,
very close to putting a kiddie perm in my little
girl's hair. I've gone through countless hours of her
crying and being in so much pain when I'm doing her
hair. I have a lot of patience and having been in the
same predicament when I was her age, I know how to
comb her hair with less hurting. I know from
experience how to comb with less hurt. But, Her hair
(when pressed) extends down to the middle of her back.
But it's extremely tangly, thick (not nappy), dry and
she's tender-headed to make it even more difficult.
I've taken her to a few beauticians that took all day
to wash and press her hair (9:30 - 3:00)...ridiculous
and painful for her. Finally, I happened to be
surfing the net to find the best kiddie perm and came
across your web site. I first tried the motions oil
moisturizer, and as one of the ladies mentioned at
your site, it helped tremendously. But, for my
daughter it didn't totally get rid of the tangles (but
it helped enormously) and once it dried, her hair was
tightened, dry and hard.
A co-worker mentioned Nexxus Humectress (leave in
conditioner which can be used daily). I tried this
and it works even better than the Motions Oil
Moisturizer. It leaves her hair soft, shinier, and we
only experienced one ouch through the whole process.
My daughter is begging me to stock up on it. But it's
about $17.00 with taxes, so it's not cheap. But it
works and for me the price is definitely worth it. I
use Motions detangling shampoo, cholesterol
conditioner and Kera Care conditioner. I leave the
conditioner on about 20 minutes. I do plan to try the
Nexxus Ensure Conditioner detangler, just to see how
it works.
I, for one, have been through so much
with my daughters hair. And with her being a little
swimmer, before the Motions and Humectress, it was
almost impossible. I literally came to tears and was
about to take her out of swimming class (her favorite
activity) because the chlorine would damage her hair
then we would have to go through the hours of fixing
her hair and the worse was her crying. And like I
said before, I tried so hard not to hurt her when
trying to comb out those tangles. Many days my
daughter hair would be clean but tangled, because I
refused to put her through the ordeal.
What's so ironic is that she was born bald, when her
hair start coming in it was beautifully smooth. This
lasted for four years. Her hair started changing
around five when her hair started to grow..grow..grow.
I only wish I knew about this sooner. I am a very
caring and compassionate mom who doesn't want to see
anyone or thing go through any pain of any kind. I've
spent hundreds of dollars on various item. One bottle
of a conditioner cost me $55. It was good for
stopping breakage but didn't touch the tangles. In
fact, it made them worse.
I noticed that many parents work to combat dryness by using vaseline or limiting bath time. Although AA skin sometimes has a tendency to be dry, water is not the enemy. In fact, water is a natural moisturizer--the key is to apply lotions/creams while the skin is still slightly damp. I suggest that parents throw out the vaselinee as a moisturizer--mineral oil-based products tend to block skin's natural ability to moisturize itself and can actually lead to further dryness and chapping. I suggest the use of pure shea butter instead. It is an excellent emollinet that allows skin to breathe. It is excellent for eczema and has been used in Africa for centuries for all sorts of skin ailments. Shea butter can be found in health food stores, online, and even at wal-mart!
Contrary to what some say, AA hair can be washed as frequently as needed. The key is to maintain the proper moisture level. One way to prevent dryness is to avoid shampoos containing sodium laurel or sodium laureth sulfate. This is a harsh detergent that dries the heck out of hair--Cream of Nature Shampoo, Isoplus shampoo, and Aubrey shampoos are SLS-free and do not strip the hair of natural oils. I personally like to use Dr. Bronner's Almond-Hemp castile bar soap.
Hair grease, like vaseline, contains high amounts of mineral oil and can clog pores--try natural coconut oil, jojoba oil, or extra virgin olive oil instead. If you prefer to use hair grease, try Nature's Blessing Pomade. It contains Nettle, Rosemary, Sage, pure virgin Olive Oil and pure Coconut Oil as well as other natural oils. It can be found at health food stores, online, or through some street vendors in larger cities. Shea butter is also an excellent hair moisturizer. Apply it to damp hair and brush through--I often mix it with a bit of olive oil. Speaking of olive oil--add a dollop of it to conditioner. It boosts the conditioning power of even the cheapest conditioners and comes in handy when you don't have time to do a hot oil treatment. Another tip is to use a leave in condition like Infusium when you shampoo your child's hair: it helps detangle and improves the overall condition of hair. Another hint: good old curl activator is an excellent daily moisturizer--the glycerine pulls moisture out of the air and into the hair. You can also buy glycerine at the drug store, mix with water, and make your own activator.
The main reason I decided to write this is because many of the products on the market for AA skin and hair are cheaply made and ineffective. Most of them contain large amounts of mineral oil--probably the cheapest cosmetic ingredient available--that are not used in mainstream products. I am not spamming for any particular product, but instead encourage parents of AA kids to research some of the things they are using rather than take someone else's word for it (including mine!). Please don't think all AA women have perfect knowledge and insight into caring for our hair--many of us have destroyed our hair through years of perming and using inferior quality products that make promises they are rarely able to meet.
Check out the Naturallycurly.com discussion board, nappyhair.com, and longhaircareforum.com for other tips on caring for highly textured hair.
ORS (Organic Root Stimulator) makes hair products that are mineral-oil free. Their Hair Mayonnaise Conditioner is awesome!
Pure coconut oil is also great for dry skin. It is cheaper than shea butter, more readily available, and works just as well in my opinion. It makes a great hot oil treatment, too.
Castor oil is a good hair and skin moisturizer. It's very thick, so a little goes a long way. Try diluting it w/another light oil to make it easier to work with.
I was reading your messages from parents of children of African descent
(to whatever degree) who were mostly of European descent.
The messages were interesting. I have had my hair in natural hairstyles
since birth. My hair was texturized and straightened for five years
between the ages of 23 and 28. I'm 30 now. I have extremely thick kinky
hair, that my mother patiently cared for when I was a child and that I
take care of now. There is no need for people to be impatient with very
curly hair.
Keep in mind, like children with straight and wavy hair, there are
generally tips to follow to take care of the hair and scalp, but
everyone's hair is slightly different. This isn't a reason to ignore
general rules of thumb, even though a person will have to make
accommodations for a child's specific hair needs.
These are general rules of thumb.
African (and extremely curly hair) does not require daily washings. It
should be washing every 3 - 14 days depending on the style and curl of
the hair. With proper hair care, it's safe to say a week for a child is
appropriate for the next hair washing.
All hair is weakened by contact with chlorine. No matter what the
style,
where a swim cap to protect hair and wash with a chlorine-neutralizing
shampoo.
African hair doesn't require heavy lathering of shampoo to clean it.
(Think of washing your hands: if you do it right, it is possible to get
them thoroughly clean, without necessarily lathering the soap a lot.)
African hair requires a good conditioner. For extremely tight curls
(like mine), make sure it also detangles. It is beneficial to comb
through the hair at this stage to remove tangles.
African hair should only by combed with a wide tooth comb when it is
wet. Never brush it when wet.
When drying the hair, towel dry as much as possible. Do not rub hair
and
do not squeeze strands. Pat the hair down with the towel in a downward
motion.
Grease the scalp. This is very important. African hair must be kept
moisturized. The curlier the hair, the more moisture it requires. Try
not to use any oils with excessive amounts (or preferably no amount) of
mineral oil, glycerin, or cholosterol (this last ingredient is good for
stressed hair, but should not be used for more than 3 washings in a
row,
as it tends to build up on the hair quickly). Try not to use oils that
are extremely thick or saturated, as this will cause blockage of pores.
Use pomades between the liquid state and solid pomades that have the
consistency of room-temperature butter. These will nourish the scalp
but
will not cause blockage.
Try to work with the texture of the curl, not against it. Depending on
the hair type and a child's preferences, naturals, coils, two-strand
twists, flat twists, cornrows, straw sets, and single braids can be a
lot of fun.
African hair does get a break when it is left in twisted or braided
form. However, too much of anything is not good. If braid are left in
too long or are not moisturised properly, breakage can ensue. Twisted
or
coiled hair can "loc up" if the hair is extremely curly (less than 1/4
inch diameter) if they are not uncombed for more than 3-4 weeks.
Continue to condition these types of hair styles after shampooing.
If you consider relaxing your child's hair, DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF. Get
a
referral from someone you know, and get someone to do it
professionally.
I found your site to be very honest and informative. I am an AA or an African American woman with two children and always on the quest for the best products. Since my children were born I always use natural products from Whole Foods (like California Baby, Burt Bee's and Carols Daughter) they were all great for the skin and non-toxic. I wanted to suggest for dry skin coconut oil applied while skin is wet. For problem skin like rashes and excema I use Evening Primrose Oil (I would just pop open one capsule and I apply it directly to the problem area) I saw great results immediately. I also recommend Shea Butter is absolutely the best for black skin or AA children, commercial brands are very expensive but if you can find an African store or online, I suggest that for hair to toe care. Shea Butter and Black soap are products from Africa the are gentle and nutritive to black skin and all skin. If you can find it locally great or online. I purchased a pound of shea butter for 10.00 or half a pound for 10.00 depends who is selling. Good Luck and continued blessing on your site. I think it is great for everyone.
