7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (2024)

Posted by Aalap Shah ·

Your whole life you wanted curly hair and now you have it—on your kid. That’s the good news. The bad news is that you have no idea how to manage it. The frizz! The tangles and knots! The bushy, brittle battles with the brush! This is not what you had in mind. AT. ALL. No worries. Curly hair isn’t hard to manage when you have the right tools and info. We got this. 7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (1) Let’s start right at the root of the issue: what causes curly hair? It has to do with shape of the hair follicle and the fibers in the individual hair. Straight hair grows out of a round follicle, but curly hair grows from a flatter, asymmetrical follicle. The flatter the follicle, the curlier the hair. It’s similar to curly ribbon—when you pull it through a flat, pressed surface, it curls right up! Now let’s tackle the most important do’s and don’ts for curly hair with some tips.

TIP #1: Stop Over-Washing

That’s right, put the shampoo down and step away slowly. This is true of all hair, but I find that curly hair suffers the most, because over-washing dries out hair, strips it of the natural oils and causes dryness and frizz. Parents of curly headed kids often think that daily washing will keep tangles and frizz under control, but it does just the opposite. The hair never has a chance to help itself. Leave at least 2-3 days between washes to allow those natural oils to coat and nourish the hair. And don’t worry about those tangles—we’ll get to that. 7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (2)

7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (3)

TIP #2: Use the Right Kids Shampoo and Shampoo the Right Way

SoCozy Curl Shampoo is specially formulated to gently wash curly hair and fortify it with plum seed oil, hydrolyzed keratin, and olive oil to prevent breakage and improve the elasticity that gives curly hair it’s wonderful bounce. Depending on the thickness of hair, use a dime-size to quarter-size (that’s right, not much!) of shampoo to gently massage through hair and scalp with fingertips. Don’t scrunch or bunch the hair together—this unsettles the cuticle and leads to breakage. 7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (4)

TIP #3: Use the Right Conditioner

Using the right conditioner the right way gives hair that softness and bounce that you’re looking for. After rinsing hair of shampoo, work a dime-size or quarter-size of SoCozy Curl Conditioner into hair, starting with the tips and working your way to the scalp. Use your fingers to comb tangles out, starting at the tips and working your way up. (If you start at the root, you’ll cause a traffic jam of tangles along the hair.) Add more conditioner as needed until hair is lightly coated and soaking in all the super-hydrating mango butter, soybean oil and papaya extract. If necessary, use a wide-toothed comb to help remove tangles and distribute the conditioner evenly. Allow hair to sit for several minutes before rinsing. And—here’s my best bath time tip—leave a little conditioner in the hair when you rinse. This makes all the difference!

TIP #4: Choose Fingers Over Combs and Brushes

You’ll see more shiny, defined curls and less frizz if you toss out your combs and brushes in favor of your fingertips. While hair is still wet, gently finger-comb the hair from root to tip. (This should be very easy since you’ve left a little conditioner in.) Use a towel to gently scoop and scrunch handfuls of hair to remove excess water. You’ll start to see those beautiful curls come to life, but we’re not done yet… 7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (5)

7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (6)

TIP #5: Add Curl Gel Cream to Define and Shine

You’ve brought the curls to life and now it’s time give them staying power with SoCozy Curl Gel-Cream. This wonder product is the perfect balance of control without stiff, crunchy curls and moisture without weighing hair down. While hair is still damp, section it and work a small dab of cream first into your palms and fingers and then into the hair, gently scrunching hair and lifting at the root. You’re telling the hair what to do as you lift and curl and this product will help it remember to stay that way. Repeat with each section and then allow hair to air dry for gorgeous, soft curls that last.

TIP #6: Once Hair is Dry, Leave it Alone!

No more combing, brushing or fussing with curly hair once it has dried. That’s the fast-track to Frizzville! The only thing you’ll need to manage curly hair once it has dried is your finger tips to gently comb or lift curls. The more you leave curly hair alone, the more it will behave itself. Trust me.

TIP #7: Add Curl Gel Cream to Dry Hair in Between Washes

Okay, back to the beginning. You might be wondering how this curly head of hair is going to look on Day 2 or Day 3 without washing. Sleeping can cause some frizz and flatness, but again, resist the urge to wash and style all over again. Give hair a chance to “wake up” by using your fingers to gently re-shape and lift the curl. Work a dab of SoCozy Curl Gel-Cream into any frizzy areas to smooth the hair and give it support. You’ll be amazed at how just a little bit of product and finger-combing can bring curly bed-head back to life. And the more you resist over-washing and over-combing curly hair, the better it will look and behave over time. See? It’s not so hard at all. Pretty soon, people will be stopping you on the street or in the grocery story asking how you get your kid’s curls to look so great. And you’ll know just what to say! XO, Cozy

7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair (2024)

FAQs

7 Tips for Taking Care of Kids’ Curly hair? ›

Additional tips to keep your curly haired kids frizz at bay

Try a diffuser when blow-drying. Avoid touching hair often. Never detangle hair when it is dry, always wet. Use a wide tooth comb, fingers, or special detangling brush to detangle curly hair.

How to maintain a child's curly hair? ›

Additional tips to keep your curly haired kids frizz at bay

Try a diffuser when blow-drying. Avoid touching hair often. Never detangle hair when it is dry, always wet. Use a wide tooth comb, fingers, or special detangling brush to detangle curly hair.

What to do with kids curly hair at night? ›

Protecting the hair at night:

Having your child sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase will reduce breakage and maintain their curls better for multiple day wear. Before putting them to bed you can try Pineappling longer hair, or try putting their hair into a BUFF or hair tube.

What are the steps to take care of curly hair? ›

6 curly hair care tips from dermatologists
  1. Only wash your hair when needed. Washing curly hair too often can leave it dry, frizzy, and hard to manage. ...
  2. Keep your hair moisturized. ...
  3. Take care of your scalp. ...
  4. Detangle your hair. ...
  5. Protect your curls from the sun. ...
  6. Care for your hair while you sleep.
Jun 29, 2022

Should I brush my daughter's curly hair? ›

Don't ever try to brush or detangle your kids wavy, curly or coily hair when it's dry, before they get in the bath or shower. To detangle without the drama, do it when their hair is wet with lots of conditioner in it.

How often should you wash kids curly hair? ›

Don't Over-wash – Aim to wash your toddler's curly hair 1-3 times per week. Washing curly hair more frequently sucks out moisture and causes more frizz. Never brush when hair is dry – Because curly hair is dry and often brittle, brushing curly hair when it's dry could cause damage, breakage, and split ends.

How do I stop my kids curly hair from matting? ›

6 tips to stop your child's hair tangling at night
  1. Take it one step at a time. Split your routine into two simple steps. ...
  2. Leave more time for drying. ...
  3. Start from the ends when brushing. ...
  4. Learn to braid like a pro. ...
  5. Invest in satin pillowcases. ...
  6. Trim every four weeks.

What is the curly girl method of hair care? ›

The Curly Girl Method advocates for minimal contact with the curls and it is best to use the hands in a gentle fashion to encourage the curl. When the hands are used, special techniques are recommended to apply products such as shampoo, conditioner and styling gel.

How to hydrate curly hair? ›

Here are key practices to ensure your curls remain hydrated:
  1. Don't wash too often. ...
  2. Protect when using excessive heat. ...
  3. Use a clarifying shampoo. ...
  4. Use moisturizing hair products. ...
  5. Incorporate regular deep conditioning. ...
  6. Protect hair overnight. ...
  7. Go for regular trims. ...
  8. Try a cold water rinse.

Do kids get curly hair from mom or dad? ›

Takeaway. Curly hair is determined by factors you inherit from your biological mother and your biological father. There's no single gene that determines the way that your hair looks.

What is the best oil for toddler curly hair? ›

In general, look for products that include: natural butters, like shea butter, cocoa butter, and mango butter. oils like coconut oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, and even argan (or Moroccan) oil. water or even aloe vera juice for moisture retention.

How often should girls wash curly hair? ›

The answer is that you should wash curly hair far more often than you think – at least once a week, and more if you're active. Pay particular attention to cleaning build up from your scalp. You can do this by picking a scalp care shampoo that cleans well and massaging it into your scalp directly.

Will my child's hair stay curly? ›

Final takeaways. It's impossible to say if a toddler's curls will stick around even if you would love to know. Infants go through so many stages with their texture and appearance as they grow. But if you keep your child's hair healthy, and wait patiently, it's possible those curls will stick around.

Why am I the only child with curly hair? ›

There isn't necessarily one single gene that causes your hair to become curly. Your hair type is the result of how your parent's DNA combines, in addition to your ethnicity. Studies suggest that people with different ancestral histories have different genes that are responsible for their hair type.

Why did my daughters hair turn curly? ›

Ah, hormones. Those funny chemicals that are introduced to us during puberty and haunt us from that point forward. For some girls, the change from straight to curly hair happens along with pimples and body changes.

Why is my daughters curly hair so dry? ›

Because it's harder for the scalp's natural oils to coat strands from root to ends, curly hair is more prone to dryness and frizz than any other hair type. Excess heat-styling is also a common culprit. Using high heat can dry out your strands and damage the hair's cuticle, causing frizz to emerge.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Arielle Torp

Last Updated:

Views: 5680

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Arielle Torp

Birthday: 1997-09-20

Address: 87313 Erdman Vista, North Dustinborough, WA 37563

Phone: +97216742823598

Job: Central Technology Officer

Hobby: Taekwondo, Macrame, Foreign language learning, Kite flying, Cooking, Skiing, Computer programming

Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.