my biracial daughter's hair

Brooke - posted on 04/15/2013

Ok im most likely not going to be politically correct , so i apologize in advance.
Im a white mother of two children... my daughter is black/white and my step son is fully black. I am constatnly being told that I am not able to properly take care of my childrens hair because of their ethnicity. This bothers me in the worst way because the same people will see my children and ask where i get their hair done. Ladies...They are my children... regardless of what they are I have to figure out how to take care of their hair because i care about their appearance and want them to be rpoud of who and what they are. This is a great example of reasons not to judge others on the appearance, perception, and stereotypes...
Back to subject... Both children have very similar but different hair textures. My daughter has a mixture of my hair which is very thick, curly, and frizzy and her father's hair which is thick, kinky and dry. My sons hair is not as thick, dry, and curly. Her hair is a HANDFUL to deal with...My son actually has easier hair to deal with than my daughter!
Anyway... All parents will find their own combination of products that work for them and everyone is entitled to their preference, but a little input may help. It has taken me 11 years to figure out my combination, so dont get discouraged! I use similar and different products for both children because of their differences in hair types. I have figure this out purely on trial and error and believe i have found the combination that works for my children.
Both children start with a basic wash and conditioning every other week and get a base of oil for moisture (dime size for my son since he has short hair, and quarter size for my daughter who has mid-back length) and I apply this every other day or before each styling session. I use "Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil" if is a tan oil with a red lid and isnt very expensive and smells like skittles, so the kids LOVE it! My daughter get a special deep conditioning treatment once a month and i have recently found a product, Miss Jessie's Super Sweetback Treatment (Brown and pink label) and completely fell in LOVE with the workability of her hair after using... the tears from brushing through the knots were gone!!!
Both children get the next step of grease but different kinds... My son uses a Hair and scalp grease ("Blue Magic Hair and Scalp Anti-Breakage"...its green) since his hair is so short to keep his scalp moisturized and flake-free. My daughter uses a hair dress grease ("Blue Magic Bergamot Hair Dress"... Its blue). Both are very thick and i tend to mix both the oil and grease together before putting into their hair, but that is what works for me. I stay away from the Pink oil because since both children have dry hair it soaks it right up within minutes and doesnt give them the lasting moisture they need to cut the friizz. From here, i will simply brush my sons hair and proceed to style my daughters hair adding more grease and/or oil as i go depending on the dryness. PLEASE dont over use the oil... before you know it your child will look like they are sporting the Jehri Curl!
When I braid (and yes I HAD to teach myself how to braid/plait!) or style her hair, i tend to do it while it is damp because it will cut down on the frizziness and the style will last longer n look better. I usually style her hair either in a variety of cornrow based designs, or ponytails in two-strand twists or kinky twists. I love the Kinky twists especially when styled damp, let dry for a day, and the next day taking them out... the ponytails are in set spirals that WON'T frizz! HALLELULAH! Another tip... WRAP the hair at night with a silk cap, du rag, scarf, or even a t-shirt.... The style will last a few days longer. Mind you being biracial, the style only last 3-4 days at most....even in braids! A big help when i was "trying to find my own way through these hair jungles" was the Braids, Beads, and Beyond blog. Of course i had to pick and choose to accomodate my childs hair routine, but the styles and simple tips have helped SOOO much! Thank the Lord I dont have two girls!!! I would NEVER have time for anything else but hair!
I hope my input has or will help someone else "trying to find their own way through the hair jungle"...

Denise - posted on 03/18/2013

Have you tried pure coconut oil. My sons are black and have very dry hair and skin, we use coconut oil.

Autumn - posted on 03/17/2013

My daughters hair isn't super curly but it's fine, wavy/curly, frizzy, and gets very tangled. My favourite products I've used on her hair is the "mixed chicks" children's (or adult) hair care...(shampoo, conditioner, detangler, leave I'm conditioner) and I also put some "morrocanoil" through her hair. (You can get these only from salons or beauty supply outlets) if you can't find morrocanoil (blue bottle) then check for Marakesh oil by earthly body.

My daughter is 7 so Every now and then I'll also treat her hair with a homemade olive oil mask...you can find lots of different recipes online... I usually just use pure olive oil and let it sit for 15-20 minutes then wash it out.

Be careful as well not to over wash it which will cause dryness...Also, Getting hair trimmed regularly is also good to keep hair from getting dry at the ends

My daughter has been getting braids since she was pretty young...my daughter gets flyways from braids usually after a while ...to avoid them have her sleep in a nylon cap or you can use a satin pillow...also keeping them moisturized is very important...you can buy braid spray at salons usually and they work well.

F - posted on 08/29/2012

I'm biracial myself. Mum's english (white), dads jamaican (west indian) and I have very curly hair. I can say i've tried literally everything out there. I really don't like to use 'grease' per say because it really weighs mye hair down. What I find that works wonders for me is, Pure Coconut oil (you can buy it in the baking aisle in your local grocer..i got mine at kroger for 6 bucks and so far has lasted about 3 months with barely half gone!), extra virgin olive oil (also available at the grocery store), moroccan argan oil (found a cheapie @ walgreens on sale for $2.97!), infusium 23 Leave in and aveda smooth infusion. Normally after I wash (burts bees mango shampoo...sulfate free) and condition (organix morrocan argan oil conditioner) I comb mye hair lightly, then put about a quarter size of conditioner all throughout. Normally, i would apply each product separately, but to cut back on steps i put just a small amout (adjustable with the length and thickness of your hair) of the olive oil, argan oil, coconut oil, leave-in, and the smooth infusion into a small spray bottle and spray all over mye hair, then scrunch a little and WA-LA. I've always had trouble keeping mye hair moist, but this works wonders! Not to mention, it defines mye curls and keeps them soft. (i hate hard hair from gels or mousse.) Mye best friend is white with 2 biracial (blk/white) children, and it helped her with her daughters hair, so hopefully it'll help yous guys!

Marie - posted on 08/20/2012

when you are braiding it constantly spray it with water mixed with 2 drops of conditioner to keep it wet and put a nickle size portion of 'hair food' in your hand and spread it threw her hair before braiding. Don't wash it more than twice a week. Try 'Just For Me' products

MICHELLE - posted on 08/15/2012

My children are biracial & I use a deep moisturizing conditioner & a leave-in conditioner that I purchase at Sally's called "Mixed Silk". It is wonderful.

Jessica - posted on 05/01/2012

go to sallys i use hawaiann silky for my daughter.,,,,its $4 a bottle; its great they may be able to direct you towards something else as well

Toni - posted on 04/27/2012

Keep it simple and cheap: Use Herbal Essences Hello Hydration (the blue bottles) shampoo and conditioner, then their new leave in called split end protector daily and your good! Don't waste your money on costly oils and such, hair is so much easier to care for if you keep it simple and clean.



I find that many "black hair" products cause buildup, itching, and damage due to the crappy ingredients like mineral oil and alcohols (it's no wonder so many of us black girls have trouble growing long, healthy hair....hmmm....CONSPIRACY!!! LOL!!!)



But seriously, keep it cheap and simple, hair is just dead protein after all :)

Patricia - posted on 04/27/2012

I have 3 mixed little girls and all 3 have a different hair texture. I have tried a lot of different stuff and nothing worked. Some stuff I used that had oil in it made there hair oily, frizzy, and hard to comb. Other stuff like regular conditioner looked great until it dried. But now I have find a very great DEEP CONDITIONER that works great on all 3 hair textures:) @ Sally's I use Mixed Silk by Silk Elements (Nourishing deep conditioner) Stray water and used Mixed Silk.

Shamekia - posted on 04/23/2012

Hey Angie. If you use a hot comb you may find that her curls do not return. Use a heat protectant and blow dry her hair as straight as you can first. Then add a little more heat protectant and flat iron. Try using less than 3 passes.

Angie - posted on 04/22/2012

what are the best procedures to follow when straightening my lil girls hair? it is very dry,corse,curly and kinky. i have a flat iron but should i buy a hot comb to use? always what products should i use?

Shamekia - posted on 11/09/2010

I'm biracial and my daughter is multi-racial and we both have this problem. I'm currently in the process of finding a good conditioner too for everyday use. Right now I use a 1/4 tea tree oil, 3/4 water spray on her hair to keep it moisturized. On my hair I use that as well as some extra virgin olive oil. Also you should look in the blog BeadsBraidsBeyond: http://beadsbraidsbeyond.blogspot.com/ She is a mother of an interracial child and shows many hair care routines that have worked for her child and other moms.

Sherri - posted on 11/08/2010

Ambien offers Pretty Pink - a line of hair products for children. Great conditioner.

Lavet - posted on 09/22/2010

Carol's Daughter works Great! You can go to their website to see what store is near you. I use it for my son and have recommended it to friends. They loved it. Hair Milk sounds like it will work for your daughter. There is also a company called mixed chick. I have a few friends whom used it. I personally haven't. And the Carol's daughter is all Natural with no Petroleum.

Amy - posted on 09/22/2010

i use mixed chicks leave in conditioner on my daughters hair and its very good,also i always braid her hair when it wet,then used braid spray,its seems to hold well

Malina - posted on 09/21/2010

avoid products with alcohol and use products with olive oil. daily moisturizers are a must! make sure it isnt too heavy though

Christina - posted on 09/20/2010

i use this stuff called jam. we have a pink oil spray too. but there is a yellow and black bottle uses for braids too. make sure u dont wash her hair too much. and every 3-4 months put a perm or straightner in it. make sure u or someone knows wat they are doing.

Lea - posted on 09/17/2010

i use black products on my daughters hair but it makes it greasy

Stephanie - posted on 06/18/2010

I have two mixed children my 5 yr old has more of my husbands hair (black) then mine (white). I have also tried everything and the best thing i have come across is called morocca oil. you can get it at sally's or a beauty supply store, runs about $8.99 for 3.4 fl oz bottle but it works!! You apply it to wet hair. It helps with the fizziness and the dryness and it's not oily like some products leave the hair. Good luck hope the advice helps.

Xylina - posted on 06/17/2010

I am bi-racial myself and I know Black hair many mixed kids may not some what look like it but usually have dry hair. most likely u should use black products in your childs hair condition her scalp with blue magic hair grease her hair should be more manageble. And hair lusters pink lotion. Many bi-racial kids hair should be treated like black hair not white hair.

Karissa - posted on 06/16/2010

My oldest is 5 and is my step child and she is black and latina, so she has some pretty ok hair. I have always heard to only wash their hair once a week and wet down with water to style during the week. That is what we have been dong for 5 years now and it has been working. We use a hair lotion after her bath and comb it all the way through. Her hair tangles so badly so we also always make sure it is in briads or a pony tail before bed. When her hair is wet she has soft loose curls but once it drys and she has played for a day its all over the place and dry. So everyday we re-wet and if need be apply more lotion. This is rare that we have to re-apply the lotion. Some days when its very dry out we will use a leave in conditioner when we are styling. We maybe blow dry 2 times a year just when I feel like playing with her hair. We dont do it often cause it seems to dry it out even worse! My youngest is 15 months and is white and black and her hair is the strangest! She has curls in the back and flat straight long hair in the front and sides. It does tangle and I do the same method with her as her older sister. I did just recently hear of a new product line called Mixed Chicks and It looks like it works wonders. Just on the spendy side so i have not tried it yet. www.mixedchicks.net it was formulated and ran by two "mixed chicks" one has a white mother and the other a black mother and have had different issues with their hair through their lives. Check out the site and the video they have on there and that may help as well! Good luck I have also heard that their hair type can change sooo much as the age.

Chrystyna - posted on 06/15/2010

i have 2 mixed kids and the best thing to use is lusters pink hair lotion it is for black womens hair but works great, and for the frizz try spritz

Heather - posted on 06/14/2010

Best advice I can give is that u need to find a product that penatrates and is absorbed by the hair.

Whitney - posted on 06/13/2010

I'm half and half. I tend to use luster's pink lotion and hair mayonaise. For the braids i'd try let's jame. Its a type of gel that is also a moisturizer. And its for kids.

Gina - posted on 06/13/2010

When my son was younger I used Baby Love on his hair. It didn't leave all the build up that some hair products do. Good Luck.

Gwyn - posted on 06/12/2010

Go to the website mixed chicks.com in the mean time use pantene texturize shampoo, pantene moisture renewal hydration quotidienne conditioner and last but not least texturize leave in conditioner. And for daily use Softsheen carefree curl activator there is a clear kind but I use the white creamy. That works for my daughter I also keep her hair braided shampoo and condion once or twice weekly. i hope this works for you

Brittany - posted on 06/12/2010

'Just for me' or 'motions' oil moisturizers work best i've found for my daughter. And the only way to keep the hair from sticking out is the tie her hair up when she sleeps, and she probably won't let you do that!

sorry.

I do hair, so i know this for sure!

You also can't wash her hair that often. Like once a week. My daughter's hair is really thick and curly, and she hates getting her hair detangled. so we wash every other week.

Rachel - posted on 06/12/2010

i suggest.... u could do her hair while she is asleep, thats how i had to do my kids hair braids, wait til they asleep and do it. it worked for me since my kids cant sit still for even a mintue.

Rachel - posted on 06/12/2010

ok ur daughter's hair is really dry which it needs tree oil type of hair grease and try pink luster hair lotioning too. plus u might need to change her shampoo too. when doing braids, you need to get the bottle that is for braids it keeps it where it needs to be its a gel and spray for it plus helps with the itching too

Carol - posted on 06/11/2010

A leave in conditioner works for my daughter. Try it please

Amanda - posted on 06/10/2010

I use Hawaiian Silky or motions hair lotion for my daughters, u can buy it at Sallys beauty

Erica - posted on 06/10/2010

My daughter is mixed, white and black and her hair can be very dry...I used to wash it every day or every other day but I quickly learned that was a no no...now I wash it once, maybe twice a week...once a week I use an olive oil deep conditioner which I get at walmart...I put in her hair, massage it through, put a cap on her head and let it sit for about 45 minutes..it's made it a lot easier to manage...I like olive oil products, they make her hair soft and shiny without weighing it down. I am going to try a couple of the products I read on here, cause as much easier as her hair is to manage, it's still not great. A lot of what I learned is trial and error....somethings that work for one child doesn't always work for another...Pink Moisturizer doesn't do a lot for my daughters hair. Good luck!!

Leah - posted on 06/09/2010

Oh by the way, I am biracial myself and my hair HAS to be washed everyday! I use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Biolage every day and I don't have dry hair issues unless I don't use the conditioner. My hair is virgin to any hair products. To straighten out my hair I use the new InStyler that does wonders for me. In my experience and my sister who also is biracial, wetting the hair is a must. You cant brush it while it's dry and expect it to look good no matter what product you put in it. Hope this helps

Leah - posted on 06/09/2010

Well, I use Sammy's Big Curls. I buy it at Ulta and I LOVE IT!!! It holds my curls without the crunch! There are others if you need to know, but that one has worked the best for me. I comes in a yellow bottle that opens from the bottom! Best product ever used on my hair!

Kristin - posted on 06/09/2010

My daughter is biracial and I use Carol's Daughter products on her hair. It's great stuff because it's natural and water soluble as opposed to oils. I've tried a lot of the products but I really like the black vanilla leave in conditioner and the healthy hair butter. I also use the mimosa hair honey to help tame the frizzies.

Loletia - posted on 06/07/2010

I am a black woman and my kids are mixed. Theri father is white. My daughters hair is only dry in the middle back of her hair. I use Lusters Pink Oil Moisterizer in her hair and thats all she needs. I dont know if you wash her hair everyday or not but I dont, I wash it every other day. My son hair stays in tight curls and I use the dame thing on him. As far as braids go, I think that everybody who have braids experience the hair sticking out. Get you some braid spray.. As for my daughter, if her hair gets braided, its only going to look good for about 23 days then it has to come out b/c the hair is really sticking out a lot and the braid spray may not help.

Camille - posted on 06/07/2010

Also it helps to not wash her hair daily. We wash our oldest girls hair once a week unless there is a sand incident at school (baby powder gets sand right out!) We try to avoid products that contain a lot of alcohol. Unless you go completly natural or organic there will be alcohol in the product. But if you read the label you can find products that have less alcohol than others. Good luck, I am mixed, myself, and I am still looking for the perfect product. So far Pantene Relaxed and Natural seems to be pretty good for me. A little heavy for a 4 y/o though.

Camille - posted on 06/07/2010

I am not sure about the braids. My little girl has the soft texture hair (her daddy is white), but it gets very dry and has "wispies" (flyaway short hairs). I use Just For Me on her. It's a children's daily moisturizing cream. I think it is by Softsheen Carson (the same company as Dark and Lovely Products). It doesn't weigh her hair down and make it oily, but makes it moist and manageable. I have also used Sunsilk Curl Control daily moisturizing cream. It comes in a little green squeeze bottle, but I found that this wears off. Her hair is dry and fly away by the end of the day. Your best bet is to try someplace like Sally's Beauty supply. They have a great selection of ethnic hair products. It takes trial and error to find out what actually works for your little one. Believe me, I am still searching for that "perfect" product. Just make sure that you are using the kids products. Those are generally lighter and have less chemicals than the adult products.

Andrea - posted on 06/07/2010

I see a lot of you use Kinky Curly products. I have never heard of it before now. I would like to try it out. Does anyone here live in va beach and know where I can buy it? Is it in regluar hair places?

Judy - posted on 06/07/2010

OMG! I didn't realize this was such a problem. I have a bi-racial daughter whose hair is very curly and soft, but does look like it is a bit unkept. I always put a headband on her (which she actually likes to wear) so that her hair it out of her eyes. I can't get her to sit still for me to even try to pull it back in a ponytail. She is not even 2 yet, so I'm not going to be too concerned about it looking perfect every day.

I always wash her hair with Johnsons (for curly hair) and use the Johnson detangler conditioner. I tried Suave but that seemed to make it dryer.

Shawn - posted on 06/07/2010

Hi I have found that Carol's Daughter products work great for my daughter and sons hair. All of my kids have different hair texture and I have found that her products have been great in addressing that. Website is Carol's Daugher.com I also use Miss Jessies baby buttercream, it's expensive but so worth it, it helps to moiturize curls and smells great. Miss Jessie.com. Target stores have also started selling the Miss Jessie products. Hope that Helps.

Donnita - posted on 06/07/2010

If you want her hair to be natural without pressing it, I would suggest Kinky Curly products. I get mine at whole foods but you can order from their site. I like it because it is organic and it works well on my hair. I am black with mixed grade hair. My son is bi-racial and my husband is white. I think you will like them because they are not too harsh.

Andrea - posted on 06/06/2010

I have 3 girls AND 3 boys that are all biracial. Its different thing and product you can use. Pink moisterizer is good. When they just get there hair washed while it is wet put vasaline in it and then braid it. It will keep her hair soft, you won't have to worry about it being dry, or the loose hair. I hope that helped

Dawn - posted on 06/06/2010

You've gotten some great feedback so far! I have 2 little girls (5 and 22 months) and both have completely different hair textures & colors. The oldest has thick, dark brown, tight curls and the youngest has softer, light brown curls. I went through the same thing with crazy, frizzy, out of control, dry hair with the oldest for the longest time. First, I discovered that I was washing too much (3 times a week), so now I wash only once a week, but condition it twice a week. I didn't like the products that left her hair greasy/oily, nor did I like the ones that didn't smell very nice. I tried pretty much everything you can find in the local stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, etc.) I finally discovered a product online while doing research.... www.curls.biz

I have been using their "Curly Q" line for 2 years now and love it!! The best thing is that you can order a sample kit to start so that you are not buying giant tubs of stuff that you end up not liking. Also, you can order samples of other stuff when you place an order. They use a point system so that you can end up getting free stuff later too! I use the Shampoo, Conditioner & "Milk Shake" for my oldest and I use their "It's a Curl" Shampoo & Conditioner for the 22 month old.

As for the little pieces that stick out, I would love to hear the solution for that too!! I have found that plaits seem to stay longer than braids (at least in my daughter's hair). I don't have it done often as it is difficult to have a 5 yr old sit for 4 hours at a time!

Good luck with everything!

Della - posted on 06/06/2010

Try a good leave in conditioner; I use "Creme of Nature". I also use "Suave" shampoos and conditioners. When braiding hair smooth it as you go; basicly take your time. She may need a good hair cut.

Aicha - posted on 06/05/2010

I use olive oil on my daughters hair

Yolanda - posted on 06/05/2010

We use creme of nature leave in conditioner....coconut oil for the scalp ...Kiarah doesn't need a perm ....so we use the crecamic flat iron for days we want no curl.....Conditioner is the key and not over washing the hair.....it is also very important not to use products with heavy alcohol content......And have fun don't let yoiur baby think for a second hair is a pain .....i tell my daughter she is beautiful..we went through other kids picking on her....I had to point out those same kids buy hair like hers and braid or sew it in.....I showed her my pictures (I am african american) from child hood...I was picked on too and my hair was is beautifu l as is just like hers...

Brittany - posted on 06/05/2010

my baby gril is whit black and native american and she got some wild hair and i was putting pink on it and all that does is dry it out so i only found a few things that make her hair soft and not dry it is miss jessies baby buttercream and you can go online and order it it is not cheap it is like 45 dollars for a 8 ounce jar but this stuff works it never made my babys hair look so good and it is for mixed peoples hair and as long a you follow the directions it works and you use it everyday it is great but if you dont wanna spend that kind of money the have this stuff called motions it is in a spray bottle and it allso works great and it is like 3 dollars a bottle and my babys hair looks good after i use it on her and for the braid problem they have this stuff called pump it up and it is great for that you can get it at wall mart

Christine - posted on 06/05/2010

I suggest ask a black woman you trust to help you out. My daughter only has mildly dry hair and the others things I know instinctively and can't rightly explain this to you. I will say this I am glad you asked because it is sad to see a child with a mother who doesn't know how to do her hair and doesn't take the time. If her hair is really dry and taking her age into consideration she will probably want a relaxer. Get it done professionally. Ask a lot of questions as that requires a lot of upkeep as well. Also I can't attest to all products to use for her hair as everyone should be using different products, but don't wash her hair as much as you wash yours. Condition her scalp (You do this by parting straight lines across her hair and rubbing your choice of scalp conditioner on the scalp repeat the process very slowly and very thoroughly up the hair) and also use a leave in conditioner on her hair as well. Don't use Frizz ease if her hair is more black than white because that is made (unless noted otherwise) for white person's hair. If her hair is sticking out after being braided and it is at a length longer than a couple inches or so her hair is not being done correctly. If you figure out which product to use also take this into note. apply your products of choice Blow-dry her hair immediately after washing , especially if her hair is more black then white, and flat iron it. Black hair will stay flat ironed a lot longer than white hair. You must wrap her hair at night and tie it down as well for both braids and flat ironed hair. I can't tell you how to wrap you have to be shown that, but tying it done means, using a hair cloth of your choice, probably not cotton or silky feel, lots of static, and having her wear it over her head at night. Also take note for flat ironed hair you may need to do a touch up here and there. If it is summer , more so than not is she is active, Just touch up by apply chose product and flattening the parts that have become curly. This is the most common style for younger black women and why I suggest it because flat ironed hair can do almost any style that a white woman couldn’t dream of without a large can of hair spray. (such as the now popular among younger folks the bump with a hig pony tail) Black people’s hair is very versatile and can be styled any way you or she wants it. J

KIM - posted on 06/04/2010

Absolutely beeswax for the braids... i used to do my white daughters hair w/ it. she has very fine straight hair, the braids stayed in til she got tired of them! I think pantene makes a wax now.