Curly Biracial Hair• Toddler and Baby Curly Hair

Curly Hair Toddlers: Step-by-Step Curly Hair Guide

curly hair toddler, half black half mexican babies, biracial curly hair guide for toddlers

Hi, my name is Vanessa and I’m a curly hair addict. HA! If that sounds a little over the top, you would be correct; I’m crazy for curly hair! This post was originally written in 2012, when my sweet curly haired babies were tiny with ringlet curls. I can’t even believe how adorable my little girl with curly hair was at two years old! Six years later, in 2018, I’m going through all our curly hair guides to update what we’ve learned about natural hair with kids over the years, as well as our curly hair care routine. I’m also sharing our best hair products for toddlers with curly hair (requested by friends and readers!) and a few of our favorite biracial toddler hairstyles too.

Of course, you don’t have to be biracial or mixed to have adorable curly hair toddlers. These ringlet curls can be found in brown, blonde and black hair! While my mixed baby girl eventually grew to have 3c/4a curl patterns and low porosity hair, her toddler curly hair texture was closer to my 3b hair. I say that because I’ve had many friends (who aren’t raising biracial kids) ask if this routine would apply to their curly hair kids, and the answer is YES! You might not need the amount of conditioner I apply, but you could follow the same principles to improve the health your of toddler curly hair. Let me know if you have any questions! If you DO have mixed kids, check out the updated How to Manage Biracial Curly Hair for more info and product recommendations.

I know what it’s like to grow up hating your curls and watching as your mom struggles with every aspect of it. I adore my mother but feeling her frustration each morning left a lasting impact on my self-esteem and personal identity. I guess that’s why I’m so passionate about raising kids who love their curly hair and helping moms learn proper curly hair care. Babies are often born with little to no hair, and even then it’s super fine and soft, but toddler hair care is when it really gets fun. And let’s not forget our little boys with curly hair too! There’s just so much to learn.

My Sweet Curly Hair Toddlers

curly hair toddlers, biracial babies, black mexican babies, mulatto hairBiracial Hair Care for Toddlers

My mantra has always been: “Healthy hair is beautiful hair”. It’s what I tell my daughter when she wishes for “pretty” (aka straight) hair and also what I say when she starts whining about our mixed hair care routine. It’s also the reason we never stop learning what is best for our tresses! No matter the texture, healthy hair is always most beautiful and is what informs our hair goals: moisture retention, protective hairstyles to conserve length, and a priority on natural hair care products for toddlers.

My daughter’s mixed toddler hair is so different from her baby hair! I first wrote this mixed babies hair article and wow, I can hardly believe how much its changed in just two years. First off, her hair is SO much thicker! Her hair is also more coarse as the true texture begins to grow in. I’ve also noticed that she has various hair types and curl patterns on her head, with the hair on the back being super tight coils and loose curls on the top layer. She even has a few kinky strands at the hairline. She truly has a head full of mixed hair!

Before we get started on the routine, I wanted to offer a couple bits of info beforehand. First, while we often struggle with toddler frizzy hair when I leave a hairstyle in for too long, frizzy hair happens when curly hair strands separate due to brushing, touching, sweating, etc. Frizz doesn’t necessarily mean the hair is very dry or lacks moisture retention. Sometimes a simple refresh with a water bottle will get your curls back into ringlet formation.

Secondly, since we’re chatting about moisture, I wanted to share what we’ve learned about hair porosity. Turns out, all three of us have Low Porosity Hair. Check out that article to learn more, but basically, hair porosity informs how well your hair will absorb the curly hair products we apply to our hair. Ok, enough of all the talking…. let’s get down to business!

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Toddler Hair Care Routine

Step 1a: To start, and most importantly, please do not ever dry brush curly hair. You won’t achieve ringlet curls that way. Using a brush (as opposed to a comb) when curly hair is completely dry only promotes frizz. So, unless you’re going for an afro hairstyle, don’t brush curly hair. Once my daughter’s hair is dry and the curls have set, I don’t use a comb/brush at all until the next detangle session.

Step 1b: Cleansing. Every Sunday begins the start of our weekly hair care routine. It includes a shampoo (or co-wash), detangling with conditioner and ends with a deep condition. By the time Sunday rolls around, my daughter’s hair is very dry and in need of serious hydration (like the photo above). Curly hair does not get oily like straight hair does, nor does my toddler sweat or get very dirty, so shampooing only once a week is fine. We like our shampoo for toddlers with curly hair (linked below) and apply it directly to the scalp then work through the ends.

Step 2: Detangling with “Combing Conditioner”. Moisture is the name of the game with curly mixed hair, which is why I consider toddler hair conditioner to serve as a “combing conditioner” to provide slip and moisture while I comb the hair. I also don’t follow package instructions and apply as much conditioner the hair will absorb (we need much more than a dime size!).

I’ve found the best way to detangle toddler hair is to start with finger combing to remove large knots and section the hair into 4/5 sections. Start with one section and continue to finger comb while applying conditioner, then use a wide-toothed comb, making sure to work the conditioner to the ends of the hair and removing all the knots. To avoid hurting your toddler’s head, hold the hair with one hand at the base of the scalp while pulling the hair through the comb with the other. Start at the bottom and work your way up the hair shaft. Whatever conditioner is left in the hair after combing, leave. Do not rinse.

Curly Tip: Since you’re not dry brushing during the day, your toddler will experience more shedding than you might be used to in the tub. This is normal! Detangling will protect their hair from breakage and keep it properly moisturized.

Step 3: Curl Definition and Deep Conditioning. After you’ve used the toddler comb to remove tangles, it’s time to work on defining each curl into ringlet hair. I’ve linked each of our favorite toddler curly hair products below. Using a deep conditioner with sufficient slip, take the individual sections where the curls are tight and incorporated into every strand and curl.

Between your fingertips, forcibly run your fingers down the hair shaft down, from the nape of the neck to the end of the curl, squeezing the conditioner into the hair and closing the cuticle. Obviously be reasonable with the amount of pulling you do, but using slight pressure will help promote curl definition. Be sure to pull the curl in the direction that you want the curl to fall. Repeat for each section.

Curl Tip: Follow the natural curl pattern to promote the natural flow of your toddler’s curly hair.

Step 4: Prepare for Styling. And that’s it! Get your sweet, little one out of the tub and dry hair with a microfiber towel, being careful not to rub the curls (creating frizz). Band or braid the hair into sections and allow to completely dry before letting it into a loose curly hairstyle. I wrote up a detailed guide on what we do next in our Natural Hair Care for Toddlers: Night Time Routine.

mixed hair, mixed hair care, biracial baby, latino family, bicultural life

Biracial Hair Products for Toddlers

As promised, here’s a list of our favorite hair products for toddlers with curly hair. These are affilate links, so thank you for your support! Each product is not your general toddler hair product, as I’ve found most to be extremely lacking in moisture, so whatever you use make sure it’s formulated for curly hair. I’ve also listed a few other recommendations as hair products for mixed toddlers because, honestly, they just weren’t around when my babies were little! But now that they are, it’s what I would (and do) use on my kids today.

CURLS Curly Qs Products for Mixed Hair Care: We used CURLS Curly Qs products when my kids were toddlers. Back then (6 years ago!), these were the best hair products for toddlers with curly hair. Actually, CURLS was the only line of natural hair products for kids that was sulfate-free. Thank goodness times have changed, but these kids’ products continue to be great a toddler shampoo and conditioner. I used the styling cream as a natural hair gel for my toddler, too. It has enough hold and worked as an alternative to hair gel for toddlers.

Shea Moisture Kids Hair Products: We love this brand and this kids’ line is a great place to start for natural hair products for biracial kids. Especially for toddlers with super thick hair, you can feel good about using this line.

DevaCurl Curly Hair Products: I rave about this brand in my other hair posts! They make wonderful natural hair products for toddlers, kids, adults…. anyone that loves their curls! The brand wasn’t around when my babies were toddlers, but these are the products I use on their hair now.

  • Decadence No-Poo Cleanser: will get your toddler’s hair clean without any harsh stripping. Won’t bother their eyes, either.
  • Decadence ONE Conditioner: goodness in a bottle. Best hair products for toddlers with dry hair.
  • Leave-In Conditioner Decadence: This leave-in conditioner is brand new and we love it! The lightweight formula would be a wonderful leave-in conditioner for toddlers.
  • Light Defining Gel: I personally think toddlers’ natural hair is adorable, but if you insist on getting a hair gel for toddlers, this is a great option. DevaCurl’s gels are sulfate, silicone, and paraben free.

pictures of mixed race families, top mom blogger in LA

Loving Our Curly Hair Kids

I love curly hair! And I know you do too. Check out our Curly Hair Catalog of all our articles on this topic and make sure to come back often to check for updates.

Now that my kids are getting older, it’s even more important to teach them the importance of health and love for their hair, bodies, and sense of self. Everything I do is to enhance their lives and help others see the beauty of curly hair!

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  • Ash
    November 29, 2012 at 11:21 am

    This is off topic, but at one point you blogged about one of my favorites, From Marriage to Motherhood-Jessica. I haven’t been able to read her blog because it’s only to invited readers. I’ve e-mailed her, but haven’t received a reply. Do you know how I can be an invited reader?

    • Vanessa
      November 29, 2012 at 11:27 am

      Jess is a dear (and personal) friend of mine, and I don’t even have access to it. I totally get why you would want to reach out to her! She’s amazing! She is taking a break from blogging and is trying to figure out what to do with almost four years of content. I’m sure she will see your comment and appreciates your support! Thanks for stopping by!

  • Erik Huey
    November 29, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    Hi Vanessa. Thank you for sharing this info. My wife and I are expecting (we’re due in July), she is mexicana and I am African American. She wondered aloud not long ago as to if we have a girl, what on earth do we do with her hair? This is very helpful and I will share this site with her. I also didn’t realize you were in Las Vegas also. We’re neighbors. I look forward to learning more about you and your husband and reading about your tips & strategies on raising your bicultural family, from raising them bilingually to keeping them culturally-grained.

  • allie
    November 29, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    Your daughter’s hair sounds JUST like mine. With me being biracial myself,german/french mother & african-american father, my white mother with straight hair had NO idea how to care for my hair when I was Alina’s age. In fact it wasn’t until late high school when I learned how to care for it. By that time I had straightened my hair so much the curls actually loosend a bit. I would def. be interested in what you do with her hair at night as I’m always looking for better ways to care for my curls.

  • Carmen
    December 1, 2012 at 7:59 pm

    Muchas gracias! I will be eagerly awaiting your post on how you manage Alina’s hair while she sleeps. I have no idea what to do with my beautiful girl’s hair at night. She is a wild sleeper so it always ends up in knots and matted in the morning. Thanks again for helping us moms with mixed babies 🙂

    • Adelaida
      November 16, 2015 at 3:06 pm

      Depending on the length you can either put it in a bun at night or in a very high ponytail, also called a pineapple. Remember to always use SATIN pillow cases, bonnets, or scarves for night time.

  • Weather Anchor Mama
    December 4, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    Thanks for the tips. Working on a vlog for how I maintain Princess’s curls. You mention that you didn’t embrace your curls. You lost them? How? Great post!

  • Dariela
    December 10, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    Love how you explained it so throughly! You have t have so much patience! I’m sad my kids didn’t get curly hair but then I think of doing all that things I need to do to my curly hair and I’m ok with it. BEautiful photos como siempre! Besos amiga!

  • Christine
    January 16, 2013 at 2:06 pm

    When did your daughter’s curls start to drop? My little one’s (17 months old) hair is thick and very long when stretched out but the curls are very tight and we have a curly-fro going on. Just wondering …

    • Jessica
      March 26, 2017 at 7:35 pm

      Hi Vanessa-
      Thank you so much for posting this. My husband is biracial with curly hair (if he lets it grow out) and i have naturally curly hair as well. We have 3 kids (2 boys, and our youngest, a girl). Wouldn’t you know the one child to get the more “ethnic” hair is our daughter. If pulled straight, her hair goes to her shoulder blades. However, her curls are so tight she looks like she has super short hair in the back. on the top, she has longer strands that sometimes get in her face and do more so a wave than a tight curl like the back of her hair.
      Anyway, I just want to make sure I understand this correctly…do you not brush your daughters her throughout the week aside from her weekly deep condition?

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  • Rene
    February 12, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    Thank you for this information! My 2 1/2 year old daughter is biracial with very curly hair and I am struggling because I have no idea how to care for her hair. She has gergous curls similar to you daughters so I am eager to try your routine. Thanks again and I’m glad I came across your page!

    • Vanessa
      February 12, 2013 at 11:01 pm

      Thanks for coming by, Rene!

      • Trudy
        February 6, 2014 at 1:52 pm

        Thank you so much for sharing your routine. My daughter has the same curls. I had a few questions though… During the Sunday routine do you rinse out the deep conditioner and put in leavin prior to twisting the sections of curls? In reference to weekly maintenance, do you put leave in conditioner every night before the ponytail? Thanks for loving the curls, I wish I would have embraced my curls as a child. Creating a routine at a young age will help them to love and care for the natural curls. Curly girls ROCK!

  • Anna
    February 26, 2013 at 3:13 am

    Your daughter is so lucky to have you to care for her hair so lovingly and painstakinly! I’d love to have someone pamper me like that! 🙂 She is beautiful!

    • Vanessa
      February 26, 2013 at 11:05 am

      Too sweet you are! Thank you!

  • Mandey
    June 2, 2013 at 1:15 am

    So glad I found this! I’m a mama to 3 year old mixed twin boys. (My husband is Nigerian, I’m German/Irish.) I have naturally wavy/curly hair so I know about how I do my own hair, but theirs is so much curlier than mine. I’ve developed somewhat of a system for them over the past couple years but as their hair gets longer and changes, I’ve found myself needing a new system! I’m definitely going to try this. My mother in law was here visiting for the past week while my husband and I went on a much needed vacation and she did their hair a lot like this, their ringlets looked much more defined than when I do it (for some reason, they hang down more and look longer when she does it, when I do it their curls stay tighter and closer to their head). ANYWAYS. Just super excited I found this and am excited to give it a try- there isn’t much advice out there for mamas of mixed kids so thank you!

    • Vanessa
      June 2, 2013 at 10:26 am

      Thanks so much for that, Mandey! Glad the post was of some help to you.

  • Karla
    June 26, 2013 at 11:16 am

    Thank you so much Vanessa this is incredibly helpful. I have no clue what to do with my daughter’s hair, and now i can try this routine on her! Thank you so much I have been doing the wrong thing for four years! and my Sofia has beautiful curls, but i have been brushing them not knowing.
    I do want to hear about styling her hair and caring for it at night. Please write soon!!
    thank you.

    • Vanessa
      June 26, 2013 at 2:54 pm

      Thanks for that, Karla! And for reminding me to get to that styling post! It’s on its way…

  • Tina
    July 14, 2013 at 6:13 am

    Thank you for sharing this hair tip! Did wonders for my daughters hair

  • Violeta
    July 20, 2013 at 9:49 pm

    Vanessa,
    I would like to thank you soooo much for your Internet presence! Lol. One day I was dumbfounded about what to do with my daughters hair. Her father made a few less than desirable comments, including the need to take a “black hair” class… Which he laughingly joked off but struck me so painfully! That day I googled the heck out of mixed hair and came across you. Thank you, thank you, thank you! My hair is similar to yours and my daughters is almost identical to Alina’s! Finding you pointed me in the direction I needed for tips/products and gave me the confidence I needed to tackle my beautiful brown baby’s poof 🙂

  • Susan
    July 25, 2013 at 10:52 am

    Hi Vanessa,

    This information is SOOOO wonderful! You have no idea how helpful this is for me! My daughter is Bi-racial; I’m white and my husband is from Ghana. My Susanna’s hair is EXACTLY the color, texture, length and curliness as your beautiful Alina’s. I have struggled with how to care for it, but I think I’ve done OK up til now. We wash once a week, and wet & condition daily. During the day, she usually wears it tied up in three scrunchies, much the way you do Alina’s hair at night. And we use an alcohol-free gel to keep the frizz down. I haven’t had a night-tme routine, but I will try yours. Susanna is 12 and now wants to wear her natural curls, but her hair dries out so badly, by the end of the day she is a “frizz-head” (her words). I will do your Sunday night routine once a week, along woth your night-time routine. But my question is, what should I do for a morning routine that will leave her hair with the “wet” curly look all day long?

    Please help, I’m not sure how to get that look. Her hair is, as Alinas, so beautiful when the curls are wet and conditioned. Also, if you could suggest any products that I could buy locally (online products can be so expensive)that would be great.

    Thanks for your help.

    • Vanessa
      August 6, 2013 at 10:48 am

      Hi Susan,
      So sorry for the delayed response (your comment was stuck in Spam- darn it!). Alina’s hair will dry into a “fuzz head” if I don’t keep it super conditioned. I use water and more conditioner when styling her hair in the morning as well. Protective styling would also help. Have you tried styling agents that have just a bit of hold, but are really conditioning? Don’t get stuck on labels or proposed purposes, just experiment. So, Mixed Chicks leave in condition has a bit of hold, so I add it in the morning. Some products I use are Mixed Chicks, Curls and Shea… all products I buy at Target. I don’t buy online because of the inconvenience, but do try to stay with these specialized products because they offer me the best result. I am working on a detailed post soon (promise!).
      Thanks again for reading and your sweet words!
      Vanessa

      • Susan
        August 6, 2013 at 11:54 am

        Hi Vanessa,
        Thanks for getting back to me. I hace been very impressedwith o=how Susanna’s hair has responded to all the moisturizing weve been doing. I wash & deep condition once a week, and in the morning she rinses with water, then we use Eden bodyworks Leave-in conditioner, and Eden defining curl cream for touch up. I used a little spray gel for hold (no alcohol) and it looks fantastic!!! She is so happy with the results, and she wore her curls down the entire day last Sunday! Everyone telling her how beautiful her hair is is also a big help…God bless you so much for creating your blog. It has really blessed us! And I love your family stories, too…
        Susan

      • Susan
        August 6, 2013 at 11:55 am

        Hi Vanessa,
        Thanks for getting back to me. I hace been very impressed with how Susanna’s hair has responded to all the moisturizing we’ve been doing. I wash & deep condition once a week, and in the morning she rinses with water, then we use Eden bodyworks Leave-in conditioner, and Eden defining curl cream for touch up. I used a little spray gel for hold (no alcohol) and it looks fantastic!!! She is so happy with the results, and she wore her curls down the entire day last Sunday! Everyone telling her how beautiful her hair is is also a big help…God bless you so much for creating your blog. It has really blessed us! And I love your family stories, too…
        Susan

  • Air Curler
    August 18, 2013 at 9:48 am

    Nice post. You don’t need to be an expert to have beautiful hair. Thanks for posting.

  • Samantha
    August 20, 2013 at 9:42 am

    Do you leave the deep conditioner in at the end? Or do you wash it out?

    • Vanessa
      August 20, 2013 at 10:56 am

      Hi Samantha, I do leave conditioner in pretty much every time we wash or co-wash. Generally the conditioners I leave in are natural or plant based, so they don’t cake the scalp like other products would. I haven’t had issues with flaky scalp or anything like that. I’m working on a few updated posts that will help, I hope. Thanks so much for stopping by!

  • Shea
    August 28, 2013 at 6:54 pm

    Thank you for the post. My 3 year old has just about the same type of hair and I know I have not been doing it justice. We have a not so enjoyable once a week washing of hair. What conditioner do you use for comb through? Thanks!!!!!

  • Jenny
    September 24, 2013 at 3:49 pm

    THis is an amazing post! And whats crazy is that my daughter is also a mixed toddler, black and hispanic, and her name is Alinnaj! almost like yours. My daughters hair is curly but not as tight as i wish it were.. her hair is soft and straight at her scalp, then mid as it gets down to her neck it gets wavy and then curly at the end.. I moisturize her hair everyday with a leave in conditioner and shampoo once a week and i have tried every method to give her those ringlet curls but by the end of the day they get loose and lose shape.. any ideas on any products (natural) that will hold her curl throughout the day?

  • Vibhuti Raja
    October 3, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    Hello…after you deep condition do you wash all of the conditioner out or leave it in? I am Indian and hubby is African American…one of my toddlers has very tight thick curls and I’m at my wits end trying to figure out a way to manage it!

    • Vanessa
      October 7, 2013 at 7:17 pm

      Yes! Leave that conditioner in! It was a shock to many, but I leave a TON of condition in Alina’s hair at night and let it dry overnight in a banded ponytail or braids. Focus on the strands and end of the hair, and not so much on the scalp. Your baby’s tresses need moisture. Let me know if that works for you!

      • Vibhuti Raja
        October 8, 2013 at 1:14 am

        thank you!!! We actually live in Dubai so couldn’t find the products you mentioned but we got Avalon Organics shampoo, conditioner, and deep conditioner! Also for a leave-in conditioner we use Shea Moisture Hair Milk. It was been less dry lately for both girls so i truly appreciate your post!!! I’ll be making a similar one for blindians (black+indian) because a lot of people ask me how I manage it! Now that I know, I can share 😀

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  • Sarah
    October 20, 2013 at 5:13 pm

    Another mom of biracial children here! My two year old has such beautiful curls and I found your blog looking for posts on banding ringlet curls. I generally have been keeping her hair “done” because there is so much of it and it is so curly and gets SO tangled. We have been doing piggyback braids, flat twists, five braids/twists, etc, but I want to be able to keep it down more frequently because it is so beautiful down. I’m going to try banding and see how it goes! 🙂

  • Ina
    November 12, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    I fell upon your post after googling the Eden Works product you use. My daughter is also biracial (I’m black, her dad is white). She’s 18 months, and I’m just starting to put product on it. We just tried the Eden Works Curl Defining Creme today. It really defined her curls, so I was curious to see what other mom’s thought about it (I don’t want to irritate her skin). Anyway, I think your daughter’s hair is gorgeous. Even in the before pic. In my opinion it’s equally as beautiful there, just a different look. I hope you let her know her hair is beautiful even in the “before” state. It might look more like that as she gets older and her texture changes, so it’s important she embraces both looks…just my opinion as a black woman with similar texture to the before pic. It took years to make “peace” with my hair, and now I absolutely love it.

    • Vanessa
      November 12, 2013 at 9:50 pm

      You are absolutely right, Ina. Thank you so much for your beautiful reminder. The before pic was after a few days of not caring for her hair, but even so, I will absolutely reinforce that healthy is beautiful and not a specific look. Thank you again! I sincerely appreciate it!

  • Krystal
    November 30, 2013 at 12:51 pm

    After you’ve shampoo and deep conditioned her hair, do you put anything else in it while it air dries?

  • Tara Seward
    December 19, 2013 at 11:08 pm

    Thank you for sharing! I have been trying to find a routine for my African-American daughter, who has blue eyes, from the combination of my hazel and my husband’s hazel eyes. She also has hair identical to your daughters before picture and is very fair. Many people think she is “mixed,” but she is not. This posting is really a help for any little girl, or boy for that matter, with tight curly hair. Normally, we can manage her hair when it is wet, but it shrinks up so tight and dries out once it air dries, especially when she sleeps on it. Getting it to look nice without wetting it completely is where we are struggling. Thanks for suggesting some products. We are always in the market for anything that helps make things easier.

  • Nicole
    January 9, 2014 at 12:04 am

    Thank you so much for posting this. My daughter is mixed and has the same type of hair your daughter has. I have been trying product after product because my daughter has very dry scalp and her hair is frizzy and when combed out its an afro. I never thought about a deep conditioner. Thanks for the information

    • Vanessa
      January 9, 2014 at 10:40 am

      Hey Nicole, thanks for the comment! Mixed hair is super dry, by nature, so conditioning is a must! Email me if you want to know our favorites, but I’ll be posting a list on the blog very soon.

  • Shanisha
    January 11, 2014 at 2:19 pm

    Hi, this is very helpful for me. My daughter too has this kind of hair and i drive myself crazy trying to deal with it, but my question to you is what hair products do you use for her hair? I would really love to try something that actually works!

  • Erika
    January 23, 2014 at 12:01 pm

    Hi Jessica, this is the first time I am visiting your website and I love the information about how to take care of curly hair. My daughter is 2yrs old and has curly hair and I still feel like I don’t know what I am doing. I am going to start trying this routine with her on Sundays when I wash her hair, once question do you leave the deep conditioner on after you form the ringlets, or do you first wash out the deep conditioner and use a leave in conditioner to form the ringlets. Also, the one issue that I have is when my daughter wakes up in the morning, her hair is all over the place and usually a tangles mess, she won’t keep on a scarf so any suggesstions to bringing the curls back to life without water which I keep thinking has to be drying her hair out.

    • Vanessa
      January 24, 2014 at 10:00 am

      Hi Erika, thanks for the comment! At our girls’ young age, I choose not to use a head scarf or cap. Fabric so close to her face, and the risk of suffocation just kind of freaks me out, so I choose to tie in banded pony tails and have her sleep on a satin pillow case. Did you see my night time routine post? As for the conditioner, I keep lots in there. I wash out the comb-through conditioner, but leave in deep condition when I use it. I often use leave-in conditioner to style the next day after wetting it down a bit. Hope that helps!

  • Natalie
    February 4, 2014 at 10:41 pm

    Hi, Vanessa,

    I love your photos in this post. This is super helpful and so clearly written. Thanks for writing it.
    I have a 6 year old adopted Latina daughter with nearly waist length, curly hair. As a baby, it formed shiny ringlets with minimal care and it has always been so beautiful, but as she gets older, it is getting coarser and wants to form dreadlocks. I only wash it every 7 to 10 days and use a fairly heavy conditioner when I wash. But I find that her hair dries out so fast and products for African-American hair are way too heavy for her hair between washes and totally flatten out her curls. Products seem to either be too light and drying or too heavy and oily. The day after wash day, she has such beautiful ringlets.
    What do you do between washings to keep her hair looking nice? Thanks

  • cem
    March 12, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    hey – i have a 6 year old son and i let his hair grow out, i’m white (blonde, straight hair) and his dad was jamaican/puerto rican and so dj’s hair is curly but smooth, i had a lot of trial and error trying to figure it out when he decided he wanted to grow his hair long. now that he’s not cutting it short anymore i’ve learned that if he bathes at night and i do his hair it looks WILD the next day – i figured he’s six so whatever as long as he’s happy – until his teachers and other students (all white or hispanic school) started talking about how CURLY his hair is and giving him a lot of slack. i’m glad your daughter has you as her mom to help her be proud of her hair and show her what to do with it (i was totally lost when i started to try to figure it all out). you get a high-five!! i use luster’s pink or argan oil or any number of other moisturizing styling stuff, but i love the idea of having a weekly ritual!! i just let him build legos while i’m doing it (takes fooooreeevverrr as i’m sure you already know!!)

    i know this is long – but i’ve spent his whole life feeling like an alien trying to learn about earth, so i’m kinda psyched to find someone who has a shared experience. sorry.

    • Vanessa
      March 12, 2014 at 7:35 pm

      Girl, you rock! Thanks so much for the comment! I’m working on a post on when to cut my little man’s hair… so cool that you’ve let your son’s grow out. Not cool that he’s getting teased.

  • Crystal Kolb
    March 17, 2014 at 11:39 am

    My son is 9, I’m white and his dad is black. He started out with soft silky straight hair when he was born which slowly turned into soft curls & kinks over time. I went through all kinds of trial & errors as well. For awhile I used to use Johnson &Johnson shampoo, conditioner, detangle spray & leave in cream FOR CURLY hair. It used to work great. Then somewhere between him getting older & barbers using clippers on his hair, it has gotten much more coarse & kinky &frizzy over time. His softer “curlier”curls are also at the back of his head with the driest parts toward the front. I started googling ways to care for his hair because I’m tired of it always being just a big afro puff ball instead of these cool curly looks I see on other mixed kids. I actually like his hair long, but I always get to a point I can’t take it anymore & get it cut.

  • angela
    March 24, 2014 at 10:14 am

    My daughter is very tender headed and HATES getting her hair done. What I did was cut her hair short. She likes it alot better and as it grows out again I am praying it wont be as bad at it has been. Family members are upset with me about cutting her hair but it makes doing her hair so much easier. Instead of 1.5 hrs now its only 35 min.

  • Melissa
    April 12, 2014 at 6:22 pm

    My daughter is 5, she is biracial and seems to have gotten more of the white texture. She has loose curls but I want to try and give her more curls I.e spiral, ringlet. I have to be careful of the type and amount of conditioner I use on her hair because sometimes it’s too heavy. Any suggestions on now I can maximize her loose curls?

  • Tamera
    April 12, 2014 at 7:29 pm

    Hi Vanessa,
    My daughter is 20 months old and i am so stressed out about her hair. She is mixed with Caucasion and african american. I am having an issue with the back of her hair looking like it had bald spots. I have been told to use baby oil and that didnt work, then i was told to use pink lotion and that did not work as well. I dont know what else to do. Her hair has tight curls and it looks really short but its not. I dont know what else to do. Could you please help me?

  • Michelle
    April 27, 2014 at 8:04 pm

    Vanessa I am so GRATEFUL for your tips & advice. I am currently careing for both my nieces ages 8 and 6 both Mexican and Black and BEAUTIFULLY BLENDED….And being mixed comes with it’s challenges of how to properly care and treat a head full of hair and curls. YOU ARE AMAZING!!! THANK YOU FOR THE STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS…

  • Amanda Kessens
    May 1, 2014 at 1:23 pm

    I found your blog via Sixsistersstuff blog when I googled ground turkey recipes. I clicked on the ground turkey rolled tacos and it directed me to this blog. OMG!! I am so glad it did. The first thing I noticed was the beautiful picture of your family. The second thing I noticed was your daughter’s amazing hair! I immediatly thought, I wonder what she uses in her hair :). I have two bi-racial daughters with very curly hair. I was so happy to see that you talk about her hair on this blog. I have looked around and I am just in love with your blog :). Hope you are still working on a styling and products post.

  • Amanda
    May 4, 2014 at 6:37 pm

    Do u leave he conditioner in her hair??

    • Vanessa
      May 5, 2014 at 2:23 am

      Hi Amanda, yup. I leave the leave-in condition in her hair, but also often leave in the deep conditioner as well. I’m working on an update to this post. This week! Fingers crossed 🙂

  • nyjal
    May 17, 2014 at 8:34 am

    is that lsat photowhat 3 photos combined a pic of natural define hair wow wet

  • nyjal
    May 17, 2014 at 8:35 am

    i mean the last photo of alina is that her natural define curls

    • Vanessa
      May 19, 2014 at 1:49 am

      HI Nyjal, Yup.. those are her naturally defined curls after a deep condition and gentle handling of the curls. I do my best to not break the curl pattern when styling and never ever brush her hair.

  • Lerey
    May 18, 2014 at 4:56 am

    Hey Vanessa I love the fact that you put so much time and effort into your daughters hair. I am also mixed like your daughter.My family didn’t really know how to care for my hair, because no one had hair like me.As you say I wish someone taught us these things about our curly hair when we were younger..I hated my curly hair and was ashamed of it and never Imbraced it.mostly because I could never style it properly.I’m pregnant now with my first baby and luckily still have time and some curls left,to treat my hair with care.I’m going to use these tips on me and my little girl when her hair is long enough. Thank you for your lovely in detIl blog.

  • nyjal
    May 23, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    so the last 3 photos combined together are the pics of her her defined curls while wet

  • nyjal
    May 23, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    do you mind doing a page of your natural curls i love your hair and your daughters please when you have time do a page on your hair with pic of your curls an a update on your texture

    • Vanessa
      May 25, 2014 at 12:09 pm

      Absolutely, Nyjal!

  • nyjal
    May 25, 2014 at 12:34 pm

    thanks

  • nyjal
    May 26, 2014 at 4:15 pm

    when will u be able to post the page

  • nyjal
    May 27, 2014 at 7:59 am

    when will u post page

    • Vanessa
      May 28, 2014 at 4:04 am

      As soon as I can, Nyjal! It’s a one woman operation over here 🙂

  • nyjal
    May 28, 2014 at 8:59 pm

    is is going to be this week im leaving to california to take my family and i would really love to see it this week but if not i can wait a while no pressure

  • tracy
    May 31, 2014 at 10:37 am

    I’ve been trying to find something that holds my daughter curls when her hair I completely wet her curls are long n perfect. But after her hair Drys quick n fro up. Wat would be best to use.

    • Vanessa
      June 1, 2014 at 9:41 pm

      Curls are going to shrink up when dry. That’s just going to happen naturally. But if the hair seems dry to you, make sure it is properly moisturized. Use leave-in conditioners that offer some hold. We love Mixed Chick’s. Hope that helps!

  • nyjal
    June 8, 2014 at 3:15 pm

    are you working on it

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  • venny
    June 15, 2014 at 5:34 pm

    I luv u!..u jos saved my baby’s hair. Tanks a lot.

  • Karen Niang
    June 28, 2014 at 4:20 am

    Hi thank you for this post, my son and daughter both have mixed hair, hubby is African and I am English. I have super fine straight hair and have absolutely no idea how to care for curls. Mayan (my daughter) is 2 & a half, has gorgeous soft curls but her hair is quite fine for curly hair and does dry out. It is now just about long enough to plait which I do at night otherwise her hair is matted in the morning and looks like it could easily go into dreadlocks. Unfortunately by doing a plait her curls are then flattened. I scrunch water through to bring the curls back but she doesn’t like it any suggestions? Would you do anything differently in your routine for fine curls? Thanks again Karen

    • Vanessa
      June 30, 2014 at 11:37 am

      Hi Karen, Alina’s hair texture has changed considerably since the age of 2.5 years. It was very fine at that age, too. I found that by braiding her hair at night, I was creating an unnatural curl platter. That’s why I started to simply band the hair, or even kept in a bun, instead of braiding. I didn’t want to separate her natural curl pattern. Hope that helps.

  • Chantilly Patiño
    August 15, 2014 at 3:46 am

    Such a great post Vanessa! I share this one often with family and friends. Thanks so much for all the great tips! 🙂

  • Orika Carty
    August 17, 2014 at 10:04 pm

    How old was your daughter in these pics? I just wanted to know when I should start this regimen on my almost 2 yr old. Also, you leave the conditioner over night so howdo you style it in morning?

    • Vanessa
      August 18, 2014 at 10:22 pm

      Alina was one month shy of three years old when I wrote this post, but it really depends on your little one’s hair. Does she have a ton like my girl? If so, consider adding more moisture to her hair. At almost two, I was using strictly Curls products (the kids line) and it was sufficient at the time. I definitely have a good time styling her hair now, but I really love the look of well hydrated curls. There is nothing more beautiful! At 2, I would hydrate, maybe spritz with some water to activate the leave-in conditioner and throw in a bow or flower headband. Hope that helps!

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  • Diana
    September 29, 2014 at 11:17 pm

    This is very good for people who don’t know what to do with mixed hair but I’ve been doing almost exactly this for almost 20 years with my kids. They have hair exactly like whats pictures e. The only difference is I don’t waste time defining each individual curl. my steps are, comb the hair while the conditioner is still in, rinse out only about half, towel dry, spray in olive oil detangler and comb out tangled that might have happened from towel drying, apply a generous amount of hair moisturizer and finger comb it through. Done in 10 minutes from shampoo to the end with exact same results No need to to waste time defining every single curl and they still fall perfectly in place

  • Michelle
    October 7, 2014 at 11:34 am

    Love this!! I love my babies curls and want to keep them as long as possible!! I have been looking around to see how to care for his hair and how to keep it healthy. This has helped a lot! I recently just purchased the Mixed Chicks products and am excited to see how they work! He is just 7 months old but has a full head of curls. Glad I cam across this!

  • Brenda
    October 26, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    I want to thank you for posting this. It has saved my life. OMG in the last month I have been following your hair care and my 8 year old’s crazy curly mix hair is so much easier to deal with on a day to day basis. Her hair is almost to her lower back when wet and pulled straight but the curls up to her shoulder blades. I just wish I would have known about this 8 years ago.

  • maryam
    November 7, 2014 at 12:56 am

    Hi dear
    Would you please tell me thay why you dont use milk shake cream (curly Q’s product)anymore?

    • Vanessa
      November 13, 2014 at 8:36 am

      Hi Maryam! I haven’t gotten my hands on any lately and I like to test out other products as her curls and texture is constantly changing.

  • Sandra
    November 27, 2014 at 9:55 pm

    I have a mixed son and I have no clue on what I need for to care for his hair and even how to care for his hair what products do you recommend I’ve tried asking people and searching the web for answering and I’m not getting anything please help
    Thanks
    Sandra

  • Cindy
    December 4, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    Love this thanks for sharing my daughter’s hair is a handful especially because she won’t let me do it but when she lets me lol it looks so beautiful

  • ashra
    December 16, 2014 at 12:53 am

    Hi dear,
    I am sri Lankan n with long straight hail. bt my litl 1 who wil b 3 next month has curly hair. unfortunately here in sri lanka we do not hav any products for curly hair. so just explain to me wut products u use n also do u use a leave in condishnr daily?

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  • Keshena Watson
    March 20, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    As a fellow mixed girl ( one who is older…25!), may I suggest that you try the devacurl line. I have tried EVERY product and my hair has never been as healthy as it is now. No sulfates, silicones, or parabens.

    • Vanessa Bell
      March 23, 2015 at 11:37 am

      You can always suggest! Thanks, Keshena! I’ll be checking out devacurl asap 🙂

  • Kathy
    April 11, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    How old was your daughter when you started your routine? My 16 month old has hair i am trying to manage bit she hates me messing with it and we cant keep her still to do much!

    Thanks for your posts… i am new to curly hair!

    • Vanessa Bell
      April 12, 2015 at 11:04 am

      We started doing an actual routine right around your daughter’s age, but every year the routine changes as her texture changes. When she was a toddler (and she had much less hair), I would do the routine in the bathtub to keep her contained. Be as quick as possible and start a tradition that she loves that you only do when you’re doing hair together… for us it was storytelling. I was really engaged with her (she loves attention) and she loved when I made up silly stories about puppies (another favorite). I only did this during bath time, so she began to expect and excited about that reward versus hating our hair time. Hope that helps!

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  • JOANA
    June 4, 2015 at 2:43 pm

    QUICK QUESTION, IM USUALLY GREAT WITH UP DOS AND HYDRATING MY DAUGHTERS HUGE, THICK, CURLY SPIRAL MIXED HAIR, ME BEING CUBAN AND DADDY BEING AFRICAN AMERICAN, I DONT MIND DOING HER HAIR OR ANYTHING, BUT ITS FUSTRATING WHEN WE HAVE AN EVENT AND SHE LOVES HER HAIR DOWN BUT I CANT BECAUSE IT WILL NOT STAY I JUST CANT FIND A PRODUCT THAT WILL KEEP HER HAIR HYDRATED FOR A WHOLE EVENT AND HER PRE-K GRADUATION IS COMING UP, I LITERALLY WANT TO CRY HER HAIR IS SO GORGEOUS I JUST WANT THOSE CURL TO STAY DEFINED WITHOUT IT ENDING IN A SUPER DRY FRIZZY MESS, I DONT PUT HARSH CHEMICALS OR GELS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN IT, I RARELY SHAMPOO AND I WEEKLY CONDITION, DEEP CONDITIONING AS NEEDED

    • Vanessa Bell
      June 14, 2015 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Joana, So sorry this reply is so late. How did her pre-k graduation go? Our girls are the same age! Anyway, we’re loving Miss Jessie’s soft jelly and SheaMoisture Argan Oil Leave In these days. And we always have Mixed Chicks Leave In around too. You want something that doesn’t dry out the hair, but also adds some hold. That’s the trick! Hydrated, with hold, but not crunchy. Does that make sense? Ha!

  • Kim
    June 11, 2015 at 2:03 am

    I have a daughter who’s hair was also naturally curly, and it still is. It once was very curly but she decided to straighten it often and etc now she misses her long curls. It’s not 100% damaged out, but it’s not even close back to it’s original form. Any ideas on how we could work on getting it back? and any ideas on products to put on it in the meantime nothing works to make it even look decent, she currently wears it in a bun!!! everydayy

    • Vanessa Bell
      June 14, 2015 at 5:40 pm

      Oh man, poor baby girl! Other than a healthy diet with plenty of water and keeping the hair moisturized, I’m not sure. I lost a lot of my curl after my son was born and have been working to bring them back too. Give her plenty of love from me!

  • Shanon Martin
    June 24, 2015 at 1:35 pm

    We adopted a little girl who is biracial & I don’t have a clue so I’ve been reading up & I love your site. My question is my daughter is now 17months & her hair is very curly. Its soft everywhere except the back & then its kinky curly, very tight. Her hair is long if you hold it out but it bounces right back in place. I guess my question is will it ever start growing down or continue like an afro?

    • Vanessa Bell
      July 1, 2015 at 11:27 am

      The texture changes a ton around that age! Just keep it moisturized and happy, banding at night when it gets long enough.

  • Saifyyah Scott
    July 14, 2015 at 5:36 am

    Thanks for this post, I have 2 biracial children a 51/2 yr. old boy with very straight thick hair and a 41/2 yr. old girl with very long curly hair, waist length when wet and stretched but once it’s dry it shrinks in ringlets above her shoulders. I find myself having to detangle her hair every day, I never use heat in her hair so not to damage it and ruin the curl pattern. From her roots to about 1/2 way down her hair is more wavy and silky but Her ends get extra dry and get very frizzy and I find myself buying all different kinds of products for moisturizing her ends….I’m tempted to get it trimmed, but she cries she doesn’t want her hair cut, so what do you recommend and what are some of the products you use?

  • Shea
    July 17, 2015 at 1:26 pm

    I have been doing this to my 3 kids since they were babies, including my son who is now 8 and has beautiful hair down to his behind. My two girls have the same tight curls where as my son has the larger pipe curls. The only thing that I do differently is I actually use Blue Magic… gasp I know lol! Between the 3 of them I have to use so much product, Blue Magic is very affordable and I don’t care what anyone thinks it works great and their hair is super healthy. So for those with multiple kids on a budget this might work wonderfully for you as well… also I don’t need to wrap the curls around my fingers I just brush the conditioner through, I do rinse it out but not to thoroughly, one quick rinse to get the bulk of it out and then thats it since the Blue Magic is a leave in conditioner itself. Then I take the blue magic warm it in my hands by rubbing together and smooth through the hair, then brush through again, I can then style any way I want and they have perfect ringlets that stay! This routine is a bit simpler and the results are just as good as anything that I have seen so far. 🙂

  • Gabby Smitj
    July 26, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    First thinks first: what a gorgeous doll have!!!!!! My daughter Allyson is 2 yrs old and has the tight curl. I am Mexican American and my hubby is African American. Right now her curls are amazing. I have been using Johnson &Johnson leave in…but i noticed u use a different shampoo. ..I couldn’t make out what shampoo u use. Also….have u noticed that rhe leave in is being slowly pulled from the shelves?!?!? (In Dallas) Ahhhh! I hope they bring it back lol blessings for u and ur family! Thanks u for sharing what u know with us!!!!!

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  • Jessica
    November 14, 2015 at 7:25 am

    I don’t have that kind of hair but I do have curly hair but not as curly as your daughter’s but here is some tips. I can imagine that takes hours on end, even I wouldn’t have the patience for that. Also you said that it doesn’t stay curly like that at the end of the week but I use this thing called mouse every day it works super well, you should try it, it keeps shape of your hair and it keeps it from going frizzy and it doesn’t take that long, to use, you can find them at Publix it works awesome for me and it’s pretty cheap so… Try it!

  • Diane
    January 9, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    My daughter had more the African American side texture hair and she is 5. Her hair has not dropped. I’ve tried ever product out there her hair dries out in 2 days. I most def going to try your way. Question when you put in the deep conditioner this may be crazy question do you rinse that out or rinse but leave some in? I call her hair clown wig curly hair. Lol

  • Anastacia
    January 20, 2016 at 11:03 am

    My son is 1/4 African American when he was born he had mostly the African American texture to his hair. As he got older it had turned more to my texture of hair when I was younger. He had/has really curly spirally type hair. Recently his memaw took him to get his har cut. He has had it trimmed a few times before that and it never seemed to change anything about his hair. This last time she took him to get his hair cut it looked and felt different. His hair used to be really curly, now its these weird loose curls and in a way it looks dry and brittle in a sense. I don’t know how else to explain It honestly . My real point I’m trying to make, can anybody help me on how to get his tight curls back and to stay. As well as what curl product, shampoo conditioner etc. I’m kind of at a loss because I don’t know the true texture of his hair and how I treat it or care for it in a sense because I don’t know what shampoo along with product is good or bad for his hair. Thanks so much in advance!

    • Vanessa Bell
      January 20, 2016 at 6:20 pm

      We’ve been using DevaCurl lately and LOVE it! It seems to really help keep my daughter’s curls hydrated and define. Hope that helps!

  • Anastacia
    January 21, 2016 at 8:56 am

    Does it help keep her curls tight he’s loosing his curls because of the hair cut and I think what I was using

    • Vanessa Bell
      January 21, 2016 at 10:02 am

      It helps retain moisture, which makes her hair feel soft and not weighed down. Made his texture is just changing? But if you’re concerned it was the products you’re using, try something with less icky stuff in it (paradens, sulfates, etc) and see if that helps. We also love the SheaMoisture Jamaican Castor Oil line. Good luck!

  • Cristina
    March 13, 2016 at 12:21 am

    Hola Vanessa! Loved reading everything!!!! What do u do for nighttime routine aside from the banded ponytail? Today I did my Sunday routine at noon. By bedtime my daughters hair obviously had tried. I went ahead and took your advise with the banded ponytail but my question is can u apply leave in to dry hair?? I just don’t want to wet her hair at night just before bed?

  • Madison
    March 28, 2016 at 8:05 am

    After your done deep conditioning the hair do you rinse it out and add a moisturizer?

    • Vanessa Bell
      March 28, 2016 at 4:04 pm

      Nope! I leave it in… crazy, right? I only rinse out shampoo. Her hair soaks it right up! Thanks for reading, Madison 🙂

  • Lyndsay
    April 5, 2016 at 10:41 pm

    Hi Vanessa!
    I just found your site. I have a 3.5 year old daughter who has very thick hair. We’ve kind of let it do its own thing, and now I’m regretting it. Today she cried the whole time I tried to get the tangles out. I struggle with having the time to sit down and do her hair as I also have an 11 month old who likes to pull at sister’s long hair when I’m trying to manage it. It makes the whole process longer and much more stressful!

    I read your night routine post also, and I’m still confused. Do you wet her hair each night to do the conditioner? Ive always had stick straight hair and my husband always had his hair trimmed so we are both clueless!

    Hoping to hear a response, thanks (;

  • Shea
    April 16, 2016 at 1:53 pm

    Hi, I have a post above that you can read. This works perfect for my kids…. I shampoo their hair, then put in conditioner. Once the conditioner is in, I brush it through their hair starting from the ends and working up. Once the conditioner is brushed through completely ( there are no tangles and the hair is silky with perfect curls) then I put product in my hands rub together to warm up and run through their hair, then I brush the product through. Once that is done I can style any way that I want (do it immediately while hair is still wet) and they have perfect curls. If I am putting in a ponytail or pigtails or braids I do need to brush through again, for example I will brush the hair into a ponytail hold in place with my hand and then brush through with the other hand… then I put the hair tie in and then brush through again. The point is to have the hair brushed through until smooth with the product in, it will stay. I wash their hair every other day, so the in between days I wet the curls and they will bounce back with no need to brush. I NEVER dry brush. I don’t know if this works for everyone but it works miracles for my kids and I am constantly asked how I get their curls so perfect. It’s actually fairly quick and easy once you learn the process. Best of luck! 🙂

  • Josie
    June 1, 2016 at 4:43 pm

    Hi, can you use it on a one year black child . And how can I get the product.

  • Savannah
    June 15, 2016 at 8:50 am

    My daughter is 5 and has hair similar to your daughters but has a lot more of it. Do you rinse out the deep conditioner or do you leave it in? I am struggling to find her perfect hair product(s). I have not been able to find my perfect hair regimen either and I am 31 years old. As a curly haired person I feel we buy every product possible for curly hair but nothing works or it works well for awhile and then gives up one day. I am currently researching high porosity vs. low porosity hair and it is all about using the proper products in the proper order in order for curls not to lose moisture.

  • Savannah
    June 15, 2016 at 8:52 am

    Just read the other comments and see my question has already been answered. 🙂

  • Tendisai
    October 4, 2016 at 1:56 pm

    Wow…Thank you thank you. I found thus post when I was desperately looking for what how to salvage my 20 month year old’s hair. I never thought I could come through it again. There were a few knots I had to cut (primarily because with a difficult newborn I just couldn’t put in the time required to work aout all the knots), but after folllowing your routine, two months later I am easily combing through baby girl’s hair. And she’s getting a bit less traumatized each time😊. Thank you for posting….saved my baby’s hair and monmy’s sanity!

  • Heather
    October 28, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    Thank you so much for these posts. Although I grew up with curly blond hair since puberty, my hair care regime is nothing like I know my biracial daughter needs. I’m glad to see I’m on the right track only shampooing once a week and wetting to add conditioner daily. ( I use As I Am products) I did not know about the deep conditioning and the importance of twirling or braiding though. I will be adding this into our Saturday night Shampoo routine.
    Can you tell me when and where you add the coconut oil? Should this go on the scalp or in the strands to help seal in moisture? Thank you again!

  • Hairstyles For Thick Biracial Hair | Trip Indo
    December 28, 2016 at 6:59 pm

    […] Mixed Hair Care: Tips for Toddler’s Ringlet Curls […]

  • Ullika Pankratz
    January 17, 2017 at 6:37 pm

    Love this post very much, i’ll try it to my 2,5 daughter because she asked me how to get her hair so cute 🙂

  • Celeste
    January 26, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    What do you use to keep curls soft and shiny and not frizzy by day 2.
    Any gel ??

    • Vanessa Bell
      February 1, 2017 at 12:19 pm

      I rehydrate with a leave-in on the following days. Now, at 7 years old (and a coarser texture), I’m starting to use a hydrating gel..but not a ton.

  • Merchon
    May 25, 2017 at 2:17 pm

    Great post! I know it was posted a while ago, but since I had my daughter a year and a half ago, I have been doing tons and tons of research on what to do with her hair, as I am white, blonde, straight haired girl and she is biracial and has curls to die for. I had no idea how much moisture her hair would need but this routine and information was really helpful. I just did a post on some of my favorite products. Also, how adorable is your daughter!!