Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Tips for Combing and Detangling

What could be simpler? Start and the root and tug, right? Wrong! In fro-baby world, up is down and right is left. Fro-babies' hair is more likely to snap from the stresses of combing generally and due to the curly pattern of the hair, more likely to tangle or knot. The best way I've heard to unsnarl these "naps" as we call them down south is with gentle tlc, not an iron fist. Traditionally, the approach has been to "bust those naps" and yes, it sounds as brutal--and for those "tenderheaded" fro-babies (like yours truly) as painful--as it sounds.

First and formost, detangling for fro-babies should involve one key component: lubrication! There is nothing worse than trying to comb dry, tangled, knotted hair--and nothing more damaging! Once Georgia got to be about 3 months or so, a lot of that natural oil in her hair from when she was born started to dry up and her hair became frizzy and began to knot. The Angel Baby Oil I used to eradicate her cradle cap found a new beginning as a daily hair conditioning oil. Not only does the oil help lubricate for easier combing, it also combats the frizzies, so it helps to keep the hair from re-knotting as the day goes by. If your fro-baby's hair is a little finer, you may want to try Noodle and Boo Polishing and Conditioning Mist. This also works well for Georgia for detangling purposes, but she often needs the extra moisture from the oil throught the day. Not all fro-babies do.

Now, on to combing. A while back (a long while back) there was a product for African-American hair sold by a supermodel named Wanakee, whose hair was all the way down her back. One of her tips for helping to preserve length was to start detangling at the ends, not the roots. This is the most effective and least traumatic way I've found to effectively remove knots and tangles.

I usually separate a small area of hair to start and gently comb the ends. If the ends have no tangles I move up about a quarter centimeter up from the ends and continue this way all the way to the roots. If I hit a snag, the best way to untangle is not to yank the comb through the hair, but rather tap the area gently with the teeth of the comb. This loosens the tangle and dislodges some of the hairs from the snarl. It's surprising how many tangles will come out using this method.

If there is a stubborn tangle or an out and out knot, conventional wisdom would chalk that knot up as a loss and go ahead and break it--and the hair off. Lots of knots can actually be pulled apart using your fingers. The best method I've found is to put the knot between your thumb and forefinger and gently pull hairs leading into the knot with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand, continuing to hold the knot. Start with a few strands at a time, always holding the knot. Eventually--in most cases, you can pull the knot completely aloose (is that a word? it is in NC where I grew up :D). Sometimes, there will be a small amount of hair that cannot be unknotted...alas...just means you need to come the hair more often! :D

Hopefully this technique will save thousands of hairs of fro-babies everywhere!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Thou Shalt Do Thy Fro Baby's 'Do

OK, I may get into a little trouble on this one, but I since I'm on a mission to spread information and share experiences, I feel compelled to say a word or two on this subject. I am a big proponent of multiculturalism and this new trend of crossing and erasing racial lines. Every day I see biracial families, both married couples and people who have decided to adopt children of different races, and I feel this is definitely a step in the right direction. What I hate to see, however, is parents of fro-babies and fro-kids who seem to simply "give up" on their child's hair and leave it unkempt, unruly, and unhealthy. Rarely, if ever, do I see parents of non-fro-babies allowing their children's hair to stick out every which way, uncombed, and uncared for. More to the point, the parents of these fro-babies in question comb and groom their own hair! So what gives???

Now, don't get me wrong, I am all for celebrating the beauty and freedom of the curls of the world: tightly coiled, loosely waving, and everything in between. When we let fro-babies' hair do what comes naturally, we see these adorable little angel faces surronded by something akin to a halo, or the sun. And obviously, true fro-babies (which I would term under 1 year) are very much prone to having crazy hair days about which there is little you can do. But the basics for fro-babies are these: Cleanliness, Conditioning, and Combing. For fro-kids, it may involve Cutting (for boys--or girls, depending) and Cultivating--meaning neat braids, ponytails, twists, or something that allows the child to look groomed. If you want your fro-kid's fro to fly free--get it evened up, or cut into a "style" that can look neat.

Don't know how? Ask! Who? Other moms of fro-babies, moms who were fro-babies themselves! Read this blog (I will be putting up some tips for combing and grooming soon)! You would be surprised how many moms (or older sisters, or aunts, or grandmas) of fro-babies are willing to share their secrets. Yes, fro-babies and fro-kids put up fights when you try to do their hair (some do, some don't actually--I sure did), and yes, it's work. But remember that our babies and kids are forming their self-image and their self-esteem in these years, and differences between the hair of fro-babies and non-fro-babies are one of the first things they notice. Teach them to take pride in and therfore take care of their hair, instead of treating it like a big ol' mess. Love your fro-baby or your fro-kid, and do their 'do!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

"It's a Curl!"

I mentioned a line of products earlier called Curly Q's, a product line for kids with curly hair (and by curly, they mean nappy, frizzy, wavy, kinky--you know, fro-kids). Well it turns out the company actually makes an organic line of baby hair care products--shampoo, conditioner and leave-in called "It's a Curl!" for fro-babies! Isn't that the cutest? I am curious about this product line, only because as Georgia gets older, her hair is getting curlier (is that a word?) and drier, and I'm not sure that the non-fro-baby products are going to be as useful in the coming months as they were when she was a newborn. So far so good, but the hair is changing...

The "It's a Curl!" products appear to be aloe vera based and contain certified organic ingredients. I'm not certain the entire product is certified organic...or even how that works. I know that a product cannot be called "organic" unless it has been certified by the USDA, but if it contains organic ingredients, it can say so. The product uses natural oils like jojoba and sunflower seed oil, both said to be good for the hair of most people. It also uses a derivative from coconut oil, also good for fro-babies.


I can't say for certain that the "It's a Curl" product line doesn't contain phthalates, since "fragrance" is listed among the ingredients. There are, however, phthalate-free products out there that are fragranced, so unless those other companies are lying, it's possible the fragrance could be a non-phthalate fragrance. I should check to see.

If anyoone tries this product out, I'd love to get a review. We're currently testing out another organic product--which I'll be reviewing shortly.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Holy Phthalates, Batman!

Gee, thanks for the warning, baby product safety guys! About 36 years too late, I’d say! So after all this wonderful field research, I’m reading that a lot of these products could actually contain ingredients that are not just irritating, but HARMFUL! Now, to be fair, I am a bit of an old schooler with the whole “my-mom-used-it-on-me-and-I-never-grew-a-second-head-or-an-11th-toe” mindset, but one can only read so many reports and warnings before it gets a little scary. I've never really been "all about organics" before the baby, but I'm slowly but surely becoming a convert. Why all the crap in the products and food, man? Anyway, being the information junkie that I am, I have to do the research (granted, it’s Elizabeth Hasselbeck-style internet research) and I think it’s only fair I address the issue. If you’re not familiar with phthalates, here’s some newsworthy info:

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL45600320080204

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ReproductiveHealth/Story?id=4230408&page=1

In the end, only you can decide what’s best for your baby. It’s important to note that most articles state that virtually any time you see “fragrance” it means “phthalates.” Since I blog a lot about these products, it’s only fair that I give a rundown to be a useful as possible.

Here is a list of products I’ve mentioned on this site, categorized by: confirmed as or claiming to be phthalate-free, products that are fragrance-free and therefore may be phthalate-free, and products with fragrance (phthalate content unknown) and products that are confirmed as containing phthalates. Where possible, I have included a link to what the respective companies may have said about phthalates.

Pthalate Free – According to manufacturer, contains NO phthalates
Noodle and Boo – all products (even thought they do contain fragrance)
http://www.noodleandboo.com/chatterbox/2008/01/29/noodle-boo-products-are-100-phthalate-free/
Earth Mama Angel Baby – all products http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/ (read left side panel)
California Baby – all products http://www.californiababy.com/ingredients.html
Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Soap - http://www.drbronner.com/drb_press_story1.html


Fragrance Free – Phthalate content unknown (probably does not contain phthalates)
Aquaphor Baby Gentle Wash
Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream
Aveeno Advanced Care (formerly Aveeno Eczema Care)
Mustela Stelatopia Products

Contains Fragrance – Phthalate content unknown
Burberry Baby Touch Products
Mustela Hydra Bebe and 2-in-1 Bodywash - It’s unclear if they use phthalates or not. You be the judge: http://www.mustelausa.com/faqs.php

Definitely Contains Phthalates
Johnson’s Baby Products - most or all http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/phthalatesStudy.do

Other Unknowns
In one post I mention Curly Q’s. Unsure of fragrance or phthalate content. The company’s baby hair care line, “It’s a Curl” is advertised as “organic,” leading me to believe it is phthalate-free, but this is not confirmed.

Hope this was helpful!

A Side Note on Eczema

Another issue we’ve been dealing with that is fairly common among parents of fro-babies is eczema. For whatever reason, there are a lot of babies prone to this skin condition. Georgia has had it since she was only a few weeks old, and had it pretty persistently ever since. Here is a brief summary of what we tried, what worked and what didn’t.

Rx
Our first stop was the doctor, since Georgia was only about a month old when the problem arose. Her first recommendation was .5 % hydrocortisone. We might as well have just put Crisco on her, for all the good it did.

Next: Rx strength 2.5% hydrocortisone. Noticed a slight improvement, but too slight to give it any credit.

After that: Something called “locoid” in the cream form (although the initial scrip was written for ointment). Looks like it is at least “related” to hydrocortisone. I think the actual name is “hydrocortisone butyrate.” We had good results with this by using it in conjunction with Aveeno Eczema Care (Now Aveeno Advanced Care). Unfortunately, we were out of town when we tried this out, so there’s no telling if the change in environment was the real reason. It has not worked so “miraculously” since then.

OTC

.5% hydrocortisone is OTC. I mention it under Rx, only because it was the pediatrician’s recommendation. Didn’t work for us, but might work for you.

Aquaphor – This stuff really appears to be souped-up Vaseline. It basically did nothing and it has mineral oil, which can be irritating. Seemed to make it a little worse. Some people hail it as a miracle cure, though, especially for babies with more melanin in the skin. Anecdotally, I’ve heard that continued use reverses the hyperpigmentation some babies experience after an outbreak. Georgia has the opposite issue, however, as her eczema patches cause pigment loss, so this was not for us.

Aveeno Advanced Care (formerly Aveeno Eczema Care) – this is not to be confused with Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream. (To distinguish: Aveeno Baby has a dark blue top, while this one, Advanced care has a light blue one). This one is not specifically for babies but does say it is safe for baby. We had miraculous results initially, but over time, it’s just been a good thick moisturizer. Lukewarm on this one. Keeps the patches from drying out and flaking, but they never actually go away.

Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream – another false start. Seemed to be working at first, but not “miraculously” so. Contains aloe, which some babies and adults are allergic to. Would work well as a lighter alternative moisturizer to Advanced Care, especially in the summertime.

Gentle Naturals Eczema Care – Ugh! Made it worse! Our cousin in Canada swears by it though, and buys loads of it when she comes here, so you be the judge.

Mustela Stelatopia – Part of the dermopediatrics line. This could work as a basic moisturizer, but I basically noted no change in Georgia’s skin, it was just greasier—more Crisco.

Stelatopia Milky Bath Oil – This is soothing when the baby has new, red, irritated patches. It doesn’t make them go away, but it does clean the baby, reduce redness, and keep the skin from getting irritated further.

Baby Soaps and Washes

Johnson’s Head-to-Toe – Doesn’t irritate too much, but can irritate if patches are already red.
Aquaphor Baby Gentle Wash – Seems to keep irritation at bay, good stuff
Cetaphil Skin Cleanser – Just made it worse, no idea why
Mustela Stelatopia Skin Cleanser – Basically no change, but gentle.
Mustela Hair and Body Wash – slightly irritating, didn’t help. Weird smell.
Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Castile Soap – Used by a lot of children and adults with eczema. No fragrance but good “clean smell” Irritated Georgia’s skin as a brand newborn, but well-tolerated after 6 months.

Cosmetic Lotions

Johnson’s Moisture Care Baby Cream – Nice, thick body cream, with classic Johnson’s Baby Lotion scent. Did not seem to irritate, but probably too much for every day use. Every now and then, it seems to be o.k.

Noodle and Boo Supersoft Lotion – Did pretty well on her skin. Started seeing some improvement in dryness and reduction (basically no new occurrence) of new patches, but again, no real disappearance of the existing patches. Has a really unique and pleasant smell, although some might find it too strong or sweet. Expensive!

Mustela Hydra Bebe – Suspect it to be mildly irritating, but not terribly so. Smells great on baby, but probably not for sensitive babies.

Hard to find but worth mentioning:

When we took Georgia down south to visit my parents and to have her baby dedication, and we used Burberry Baby Touch foaming wash and baby balm on her because it was a "special occasion." I bought and used these products as an adult because I loved the smell, but they really were for baby. Georgia’s skin began clearing up immediately. We were also using Locoid and Aveeno on the affected areas, so I may have wrongly attributed the improvements to the Locoid cream and Aveeno Eczema (now Advanced) Care, but it’s so hard to tell. It could have been the Burberry.

Even though it has fragrance, I’m guessing it has special ingredients because it’s definitely touted as a baby product. I don't want to hype it up too much, though, since the line is no longer in wide distribution (and the products cost an arm and a leg when it was). It may even been discontinued. A shame, too. Everyone commented on how good she smelled whenever they held her, and her skin felt great! Maybe it didn’t clear her skin, but it certainly didn’t irritate it! I should mention too, that it’s priced and in some places marketed as an adult fragrance. We only used it once, so, not sure how well it would work.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Daily Conditioning

This topic is by far one of the most difficult to tackle (or should we say detangle), only because with babies, you have to be so careful that what you use is gentle enough for a baby. Of course, when you have a fro-baby, the other concern is whether what works for non-fro babies could work for fro-babies too!

The answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no. Don't get me wrong (before you go calling ACS), I don't use my child as a human guinea pig! No really! :D I simply don’t believe in continuing to use the same thing if it’s not working. If it doesn’t work—try something else! That said, we were relatively fortunate to find some products early on that work great for her hair. Below I will list my current faves, as well as product recommendations from friends and family.

Earth Mama Angel Baby Angel Baby Oil - Light oil, sold as massage/skincare oil, primarily comprised of grape seed and jojoba oils, both of which are good for the hair. Gives definition to baby-fro curls and completely prevents and eliminates dryness. Pump bottle makes for minimal mess. (Side note: I also use it on my own hair for dryness and the occasional “hot oil” treatment. It’s great!)

Rave: I really like this one because you can apply just a drop if baby’s hair is not too dry, and not have to worry about baby’s hair being too oily, or you can apply a whole squirt if baby’s hair is really dry, and it moisturizes it right away and smoothes out any frizzies or knots. It helps give fro-baby curls definition and sheen and makes the hair look really healthy. Although it is all-natural and has a “natural oil” scent to it, it is not fragranced and the scent is very light.

Noodle and Boo Conditioning and Polishing Mist: Surprise, surprise! A good leave-in for fro-babies! I will never forget the excitement the day my mother bought “Johnson’s No More Tangles” and the disappointment when I found out that the tangles had survived. It just wasn’t enough to tame the savage beast that was my Chaka Khan fro. Back to Noodle and Boo. I was skeptical, but curious, because I’d heard good things about the product line. Apparently the product was developed by a mom of babies (from the picture on the front of the bottle I’m assuming they are not fro-babies) with very sensitive skin, so it is supposed to be good for babies like Georgia who can’t use just “anything.” It has a wonderfully sweet smell, too, which if you’ve been reading closely, you know I’m a sucker for.

Rave: Releases tangles in Georgia’s hair instantly. This smoothes out her hair enough to make parts (Gotta love the parted baby-fro), tame it enough if I want to clip it (which I never do) or just let her fro fly free without being dry, frizzy, or tangled. The nice fresh scent is an added bonus, and does not conflict with the above-mentioned hair oil.

Other recommendations:

Since what we have going is working pretty well for us, these are not products I have tried, but I have heard good things about:

California Baby Calming Hair Detangler: Similar to Noodle and Boo, it is not a Fro-baby specific product, but seems to do well on curly fro-baby hair.

Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk: My husband actually uses this on his ‘fro, but one day when I was in the store going to buy it for him, I overheard a mom raving about how nothing else worked for her little toddler fro-baby except this product. Although we haven’t used it on Georgia *yet,* I’m familiar with the product because I used it myself and my husband uses it now. The product consistency is more liquid than cream or lotion (hence the name). It has a natural product “no fragrance” scent, but is pleasant. It’s a moisturizer, light holding agent and sheen product all in one. As Georgia gets older and her hair gets longer, this will definitely get a test-run.

Curly Q’s – Don’t know anyone who’s tried it, but it’s an entire hair product line designed specifically for fro-babies and fro-kids, so we gotta shout it out! If you use it/have tried it, I’d love to get a review!

Cradle Cap Care

See my "Hairwashing" post for a review of shampoos we used to try and treat Georgia's cradle cap. Here are some of the oils we tried to loosen the flakes before washing:

Oils:

Angel Baby Oil (Earth Mama Angel Baby): Pros – Success! Georgia Marie is cradle-cap free! All natural, organic, light oil, sold as massage/skincare oil. Primarily comprised of grapeseed and jojoba oils, both of which are good for the hair. Easily washes out with cleanser. A good pre-shampoo treatment if your baby’s hair tends to be dry after shampooing. Cons: It ain’t cheap! Only widely available via the internet. Fragrance free, but with a slight, non-perfume-y scent (I think it’s calendula) but it doesn’ t smell bad, and it dissipates over time. All natural oils don’t have preservatives, and may get rancid over time or if exposed to sunlight for too long.


Badger Baby Oil (Badger): Pros – organic, no chemicals, uses olive oil which is reportedly good for the skin and hair; Cons - It’s fragrance free but has a strong odor (read: not so great), it’s a little thick for use on cradle cap scalps with a lot of hair, and oh the flakes it makes! Expect to spend hours lifting off flakes and cleaning your fine toothed comb! I think Georgia, who has sensitive skin, reacted to it just a bit. If your baby’s hair is particularly dry or the curl pattern is very tight, this might be a good choice. The smell does dissipate eventually.

Cradle Cap Care (Gentle Naturals) – Pros – nongreasy, light, pleasant “baby” fragrance, does a decent job with the flakes; Cons – Contains cornstarch, ostensibly to absorb the excess oil, but feels powdery and weird on a fro-baby’s hair. If your baby’s hair is oily, or tends to be straighter, this might be a viable option.

Hair Washing

To shampoo daily, or not to shampoo daily: that is the question when you have a fro-baby, whose hair tends to be a little drier. And I’m not sure there’s a right answer. Some babies (especially as they get older) have oily hair and not washing it every day could be a bad thing both hygienically and aesthetically. Others may have drier hair that really needs the natural oils to stay healthy. Georgia had a mean case of cradle cap just a few days after coming home from the hospital (you know, just to complicate things), so I was on the case. To the internet!

I found that, although it looks like dry skin, cradle cap is actually the result of excess oil, which causes the flakes of skin that naturally shed as a part of the skin’s self-renewal process, to adhere to the scalp.

I was told in a baby care class for new moms to shampoo often and to use a fine-toothed comb to loosen the flakes. But despite all that straight hair Georgia had initially, I knew I had a fro-baby on my hands, and that her hair would eventually dry out if I shampooed as often as the flakes appeared (which was about every other day). I read on a few websites that it helps to apply oil (different varieties were recommended) to help loosen the flakes—yeah right. More like, unleash the hounds! It was crazy! I had to shampoo her hair three and four time to get out the flakes and the oil I put in! At any rate, this method finally worked. Here are some of my trial and error shampoos/hair washes, and my anecdotal results:

Shampoos/Hair and Body Washes:

Johnson’s Head to Toe Bodywash – This really is my favorite: Pros – Great, subtle, smell, washes out excess oil (from baby’s scalp) without drying out the hair itself. Widely available, not too costly. Cons – Not fragrance free, so may irritate some babies with sensitive skin (this is what they used on all the newborns in the hospital where she was born, so it’s probably more gentle than most of what’s out there). Will have varying effects on the appearance of the hair. Georgia’s hair is usually a little wild the day after we wash with this (probably due to the lack of oil—even though it does not feel “dry”) but the next day her hair looks great.

Aquaphor Hair and Body Wash – This is definitely #2: Pros – Fragrance free, gentle, no reactions. Works up a nice lather on the hair. Does not dry out hair at all. Cons –Well, it’s fragrance-free! It’s not an unpleasant smell, but… (I like a little “fresh” scent, I can’t help it). Doesn’t get out all the oil, but could be a plus if baby’s hair tends to be dry.

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo – Not for Fro-babies: Pros – Widely available, has that classic scent. Removes thick oils (see below) Cons: Removes ALL the oil. Dries out baby’s hair a LOT. Needed a few days to recover. She did smell great, though…

Aveeno Hair and Body Wash – Pass: This one is really marketed toward babies with sensitive skin, but Georgia reacted to this one! Pros: I actually just didn’t like this one, so I really can’t say. BUT in all fairness, I tried this because it was touted on many a website as a cure for infant acne and cradle cap. Turns out Georgia had infant eczema, so who knows, maybe it might work for you! Cons – Weird scent, didn’t smell like “baby” to me. Fairly gentle on the hair, but still a little too drying for my preferences.

Cetaphil Daily Cleansing Lotion – Missed the mark: Pros – Soft, lotiony texture, good for dry skin. Cleans without stripping or drying out. Cons – better as a skin cleanser than shampoo, even though it has some of the same surfactant (cleaning) ingredients as shampoo. Didn’t help Georgia’s eczema, which was why we bought it, and didn’t have great results on her hair.

Coming Soon…Noodle and Boo!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

ABC: What are Fro-babies?

On April 1, 2008, my beautiful daughter Georgia was born with shock of stick-straight silky hair. Of course, as with most babies of African descent, it wasn’t long before those silky strands started to curl…and curl…and curl…until she had developed an adorable little curly ‘fro. People are constantly telling me to put in bows, and ribbons, and headbands, but I have to say, my favorite ‘do is the one God gave her: her cute little “Baby ‘Fro.” Thus, she became my little “Fro-baby!”

Of course, in my day (or should I say “my mother’s day,”) hair care for babies consisted of three products: Vaseline (petroleum jelly), Vaseline Hair Tonic (fragranced mineral oil) or Baby oil (baby-fragranced mineral oil). Sadly, 36 years later, I found that not much has changed. There still seems to be a lack of both products and information about techniques to nurture the hair of babies of African descent. The two or three product lines targeted at African American children basically have the same ingredients as adult products, and are really for older kids, not babies. Which brings me to my next point:

By the time I was 7, I had a full blown Chaka Khan-style long ‘fro, that could only be contained in two braids in the back of my head (or two on the sides, or one up, one down). The curls in my fro were relegated to only being seen when wet (right after washing and right before they got braided up), or mercilessly pounded, twisted, and shaped around a broom handle into Shirley Temple curls using “Blue Magic” hair grease (blue petroleum jelly AND mineral oil) and water. Of course, in a few hours, I was mini-Chaka Khan once again! Caring for the hair of ‘fro-kids can be JUST as challenging!

Believe me, I know! As a teenager and now as an adult, I’ve weathered many hair-related trials and tribulations, a few flat out hairstyle mistakes, and some unfortunate product choices. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I want to make sure her hair is well cared-for from the very start. I want to make sure that we stay up on all the latest products and methods to keep her hair healthy, and to celebrate the beauty of her “baby ‘fro.” Therefore, I have made it my mission to explore new techniques, to seek out new products and new formulations: to boldly go where many moms have tried to go before.

These are the voyages of me and my little fro-baby, and anyone who has questions, comments, recommendations, or fun stories can come along for the ride! Feel free to share whatever insights you have

This blog is dedicated to all the ‘frobabies (both current and former) around the world, and across the universe!