Fro-Babies

Thoughts on Curly Q's for Target on Day 3

2011-05-26T18:34:00.002-04:00

Day 3 hair is a little less controlled, but Day 3 regimen was a little different, too. No Mimosa Elixir. I'm starting to suspect that the Mimosa Elixir might be the key to both the bounce and shine--and the "dry" feeling. It's not that the hair is actually "dry," I can't really describe it, but I will say this, the online elixir contains beeswax, a perplexing choice for a moisturizing hair product in my opinion. I've used Moisture Max (Mega Moist) hair lotion for the very reason that it didn't contain beeswax, which does tend to weigh the hair down, coat the strand, and keep moisture out.

When I checked online, the Curly Q Custard contained beeswax also. The Curly Q's for Target products do not contain beeswax, but there is no in-store equivalent to the elixir in the Curly Q's line. think I may actually check to see if the Curls (adult products) for Target Elixir has beeswax. There is no in-store equivalent in the Curly Q's If not, I may replace the Mimosa Elixir with the store brand. I have to say G's hair is looking better using these products than it has in quite a while: shiny, bouncy, individual coils that last several days after the wash. All we've been doing is moisturizing at night with la la meringue with the elixir or alone and braiding. In the a.m., we refresh with the la la meringue and/or the red velvet curl cream or the elixir.

The a.m. refresh results are not as controlled when using the curl cream without the elixir, but it's still a very good result. The best thing is that all this shine and bounce is achieved without ANY greasy feel. The products go on a little slick (and yes, you'll need to wash hands afterwards), but they dry down to a nice, soft, healthy-looking shine. I hope these products will catch on so they'll be around a long time!

Sta-Sof-Fro Rub-on Hair Conditioner Results

2011-05-25T23:20:00.001-04:00

I couldn't leave out my littlest fro-baby! Yes, process is a little simpler: wet hair and rub on the Rub-on--but his hair still looks great! (If I do say so myself)! This product is really a dark horse in the hair product race. An oldie but a goodie, I'd suggest to Soft Sheen Carson that they re-package and re-market the stuff (just don't change the formula!!!) to the curly market.

Wet hair, no product

After applying the conditioner

After a long day at daycare

Even the back still looks good after car seat hair, high chair hair and naptime (no pun intended :D)

Curly Q's Review - 2nd Day Hair Pics

2011-05-25T23:09:00.001-04:00

Annnd, since it's for science, just wanted to show how G's hair did the next day without washing, only moisturizing with la la meringue curl moisturizer and mimosa elixir. Caution--these products do have a bit of build-up, unlike the online version which was practically weightless. On balance, though, I'd rather have the weight and control, than the weightlessness and frizzy poof after 4 hours. At the end of the second day, the hair felt a little dry, but I think this may be due to the increased hold in the red velvet curl cream, because the curls were still well-formed and shiny, and easy to detangle (with la la meringue)

Results Pics - Curly Q's for Target

2011-05-25T22:54:00.004-04:00

OK, so I will try to post these pics in order but since I'm a novice blogger, who knows how they will come up on the page??? One way to find out! I liked these products, but I do have some observations on follow-up. Right now, these are just the visuals:

Pic #1 - After Curlycakes shampoo--amazing shine!

Pic #2 - Deep Conditioning (keeping Cupcakes n' Cream conditioner w/ a little Mimosa Elixir on her head in a plastic cap for as long as she could stand (15 minutes, maybe???)

Pic #3 - After the conditioning treatment -- effortless detangling

Someone got tired of being a hair model:

Moisturized with la la meringue curl moisturizer and red velvet curl cream with Mimosa Elixir, Braids overnight, then in the a.m.--shrinkage!

Taking braids out

Finished product - refreshed with la la meringue and Mimosa Elixir
The next three pics are the end of the day hair--always an issue with the online Curly Q products. I snapped the first two right after school (meaning after naptime and what I call "car seat hair"), before we went to the playground, because well, you know how it is after a good romp in the park! But the last pic shows her hair after the park, and it held up pretty well through it all! What the pics can't show is that the curls were soft, separated and bouncy!

Now for Something New!

2011-05-23T18:31:00.004-04:00

Hot off the shelves, it's Curly Q's for Target, the newest edition from Curls.biz. Curls introduced their Curls for Target brand to the masses in 2010, to mixed reviews. I haven't tried those, but was quite happy to see the children's version, Curly Q's for Target in stores recently.

Much like the online products, different people get different results on varying hair types. I've been a fan of Curly Q's for my daughter due to the moisture regimen that seemed to result in pretty healthy hair and growth for my fro-baby, even if it couldn't keep the frizzies at bay for more than a few hours.

With the advent of Curly Q's for Target, I think I may have found a new regimen for my original Fro-baby! She's now 3 years old--all three years of it, and has the attitude and preferences to go with it! My "little princess" likes wearing her hair "tall" which means "up in a curly ponytail." No side pony puffs, or braids for this young lady. Every now and then, I can get her to sit still for "princess twists," but that's a good one-hour affair! So, these products really needed to stand up to not only slicking back all the "sunshine" (broken hairs around the front caused primarily by hair elastics) and making a pretty, high ponytail, but also the inevitable wash and goes that we'll need to do this summer to counteract the ponytail damage.

So, the first two products to be reviewed are the La Meringue Curl Moisturizer (in-store version of Moist Curls) and the Red Velvet Curl Cream (something altogether different from the custard and the milkshake). OK. I like these products. I liked the online versions, but the price point is a little high, and with shipping handling, I was looking for a convenient, lower cost alternative. The Target products seem to be heavier than the online versions, but that's ok with me.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that while the online product lines seem more geared toward the biracial, looser curl types, the Target version's got just a little more weight for more of those 4-range curl types. If this makes no sense to you, I'd love to provide you with a link on curl typing, but this can take you down a rabbit hole of being more confused, as there's no uniform system or definition for the multitude of hair types/textures that exist in the known universe.

Just know that most "afro" type hair is in the 4 category. G's hair, for frame of reference is a Type 3c/4a mix for those who care to type. You can see her pics two posts down to determine if her hair is comparable to your fro-babies. My son's hair will be shown in future pics, so you can see a true Type 4 with the smallest curl pattern 4(c).

Back to the review. Now that G is older, she can start giving you her own feedback, so here goes. When I sprayed her dry hair with the La Meringue, she commented about how soft her hair felt. This product feels a little more moisturizing than the moist curls, and gives a little more slip, so detangling was not a problem. It said to follow with a "dollop" of red velvet curl cream--which was a mistake on my part. This product is THICK! And a little sticky. Not in a problematic way, but you have to know how to "work it!" So, after applying way too much to the crown of her head, I was able to work it through the rest of her hair--with some effort.

Lesson learned, emulsify in hands first, then spread through hair. And a little goes a long way! I have to say, the results were beautiful. The hair that was pulled back looked so pretty. It retained a little wave as aopposed to the straight slick look. The curls were perfect, although you could see where I missed a spot here and there. A quick spritz of the la meringue and the dry spots were history! When she caught a glimpse of her rreflection, she oohed and ahhed over her hair. Something I can honestly say she's never really done before.

The next day, we barely needed either product. Her hair was soft, moisturized and only needed a light application of moist curls and a sheen of the Red Velvet Curl Cream. As a daily moisture regimen, these products worked great for my little one. It got too late to try out the shampoo and conditioner (Curly Cakes Shampoo and Cupcakes n' Cream Conditioner) the night before, so stay tuned for the review of the full product line and regimen! (and pics!)

Something Old, Something New

2011-05-23T16:00:00.008-04:00

Sorry for the long hiatus! Having two 'fro's to maintain keeps a mom busy! But we're back! Today I'm reviewing two products/product lines, one for each of my fro-babies. So we'll start with the "Something Old."

As I've mentioned before, the littlest fro-baby has a different head of hair than the "princess." He is also now 1 year old. I pled for clemency for his hair, and my request was granted, so he gets to rock the 'fro a little longer (literally and figuratively). His fro, however, was getting drier and drier by the day. While the little 3c baby ringlets are still on the ends of his hair, the rest of his hair is coming in as a solid 4c 'fro: well-defined tiny little coils--extra cute! But also extra dry!

So (cue Scooby Doo-style flashback)...I thought back to the baby hair advice of old regarding using curl activator...yes curl activator once the baby outgrows that "baby hair." While not ready to go there just yet, it did trigger another memory about a product from the 80's that still lurks in drugstores today: "Soft Sheen Sta-Soft-Fro Rub On Hair and scalp Conditioner - Extra Dry." This product also comes in a spray version that I believe is just for "dry" hair (which I have not tried).

Now before you laugh ("you may already be reciting the 1980's commercial with the little girls jumping rope "Sta Sof Fro has a soft, soft shine, Sta Sof Fro is right on time! For curls, for braids, for natural hair, from the people who know your hair and care!"), this product is awesome! Not only have they toned down the "Manly afro scent" to something quite light and not at all offensive, this glycerine-based leave-in conditioner brought a softness to my boy's fro that has not been matched by any number of "curly hair" products.

His 'fro is--well, soft! And the curls are very well-defined. I will work on getting pics, it's just tough because when I see him in the a.m., his hair is still wet and the curls are not in yet. Then, when he comes home from daycare, let's just say his hair has been "through some things." But usually even at the end of the day, both the softness and curl are maintained--without greasiness or oiliness.

So whether this was your older brother/uncle/dad's doo rag cream or your hair braider's moisturizer of choice before she threaded the beads on your cornrows, this product deserves a second look! If you've never tried it and are looking for a non-greasy, effective moisturizer for very dry hair, you may not know what you're missing. Don't be embarassed! Reach down to the bottom shelf of that 3-foot wide "ethnic product section" of your local drug store and pick up some Sta-Sof-Fro! It may be the best $2.79 you've ever spent!

Since this post is a little long, I'll review the next product, Curly Q's for Target, in a separate review...coming right up!

As Requested

2011-02-11T20:59:00.007-05:00

So, I noticed in the comments that someone wanted before and after photos. Of COURSE! What is a hair blog with no pics??? So I had to do some wrangling (of a two year old) but these are some pics for points of reference.

This is G's hair at the end of a day, taken out of braids, no products:

Here is G's hair in it's most natural state (all day out, no products)

This is G's hair (freshly done) using Curly Q's Moist Curls and Curly Custard overnight in braids, refreshed with Curly Milkshake in the a.m. for Picture Day!

Here is G's hair in double-strand twists using jane carter solution revitalizing leave-in conditioner and hair nourishing creme

And finally, here is an "after" picture with G's new "toy" (Mommy's new toy) the Tangle Teezer. What a great find! Smooth detangling in half the time. This pic was taken the same day as the free-flying "before" pic. Yes, it looks and feels like a dog brush, but it is a great brush that detangling quickly and painlessly--even Ty gets his hair brushed without a whimper these days. I'll post my review right after this:

So, that's a pretty good cross-section of her regimens. I also have a old review (with before and after pics) of the "It's a Curl" products on longhaircareforum.com from when G was about 1 year old at

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/childrens-hair-care/390066-review-its-curl-babies-curls-pics-inside.html

Hope this helps!

Different Baby, Different 'Fro

2011-01-04T21:31:00.004-05:00

So far, this blog has focused on my little girl, who is almost three. But, she has a brother who is 8 months, and until we reach that magic one year mark, yes, we are dealing with hair--and he has a LOT of it! Two reasons it's tougher with the boy: #1 different hair. Thought I could just do what I did with baby #1 and it would be the same. Not so. The boy's hair is much curlier and more prone to dryness. #2 He's tender-headed! And he comes by that honestly, thanks to dear old mom. It would be great if you could just let the hair be, but sadly, when it gets as long as his, you have to do something so your child doesn't look like Baby Buckwheat.

Given that his hair is more tightly curled and dry, it might be first nature to think "heavier products." Nope. It's still baby hair, which means it is fine, and more to the point, still sparse in some areas, so heavy products only serve to clump the little fine strands together and make your fro-baby look like he or she has more bald spots! So, we stick to the lighter products in the "It's a Curl" line.

Now, I've always said that the Peek-a-Boo shampoo seemed a bit drying (perhaps due to its tear-free formula, that's my unscientific guess), but the conditioner always made up for it with G's hair. Can't say that here. The shampoo is a little too drying for his hair. We only use it for extreme situations (throw-up in his hair--happening less often these days, food in his hair--happens all the time) but for day to day, we may just give it a good water rinse or conditioner wash his hair. For those unfamiliar with the term (and yes, most are self-explanatory) conditioner washing is using conditioner only to wash the hair, using the properties of the conditioner that allow it to adhere to the hair as well as to rinse out to adhere to and rinse out the dirt. This works well for the boy (but did not work for the girl, or for me, either).

He's outgrown cradle cap, but for the few times I noticed flakes, with a good oiling with the coconut oil and a good wash with the Peek-a-Boo shampoo (and a screaming bout with combing with a fine-tooth comb), he has stayed pretty flake free. It's also good to do a little coconut oil pre-treating before you shampoo or conditioner wash from time to time.

After shampooing, we also use the Itsy Bitsy Spirals moisturizer and the Ring Around the Curlies leave-in on his wet hair. Now, a note on the tender-headedness: Combing is not an option. The boy just cries and cries in a way his sister never did. What does work really great (to my great surprise) is a Denman brush. I'd bought this for my daughter to help smooth and define her curls. It can also detangle without the use of a comb, which is a great time saver. Denman is actually the name of the company and they have several brushes. The one I am referring to is the "Classic Styling Brush." I use a small 5-row brush on the fro-babies, but adults and people with longer hair can use the larger sizes. For some reason, I just get minimal whimpering when I use this brush (as opposed to the long and loud wails from combing). So, if your angel is tender-headed, this might be something to try.

Detangling with a Denman is a little different from detangling with a comb. Number one, it's faster. Five rows of "teeth" as opposed to one. The bristles of a Denman are plastic and resemble comb teeth more than bristles. Because of this it's important that you don't "rake through the hair," as you will likely cause damage--if it's even possible to get the brush through the hair this way. With a Denman, it is even more important to start at the bottom. Take the section of hair and hold it close to the end. Start with a Denman-sized (width) of hair and and tap it a few times with the Denman to loosen tangles. Then pull the brush through. It should glide through leaving the hair very smooth. If it catches, repeat the tapping and pull through again. Repeat this process all the way up to the scalp in small sections. It sounds tedious but it goes very fast. It also seems to be less painful, at least according to my son.

The added benefit is that after using the Denman, the curls are better defined and less frizzy and "all over the place." This is true for both of my fro-babies. I have to say, that for a while, I was not doing a great job conditioning the boys hair. Because of this, his hair was consistently dry, very hard to comb, and rough. When I finally realized this was due to my poor hair care (yes, my gender bias is showing) I began moisturizing his hair on a regular basis. What a difference! Yes, his curl pattern is much tighter than my daughters, but it's HIS curl pattern and it only emerged after I started taking better care of his hair. Now my littlest fro-baby is a little curly fro-baby.

A Second Look: Jane Carter Solution

2010-12-20T21:52:00.003-05:00

Recently, Ricky's had a sale on curly hair products, so I decided to try something new. I didn't know exactly what I was going to get, but after reading a few product reviews and websites, I decided on Jane Carter Solution. The three products I got were the Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner, Hair Nourishing Creme, and Nourish and Shine.

OK first things first. The price tag: OUCH! Yes, beautiful hair for fro-babies is not cheap. Or easy. But well worth it.

I looked on the Jane Carter Solution website for some insight on how they might work on children's hair. She has a blog on the website that actually addresses this in one post. It suggests detangling with the leave-in and moisturizing with the hair nourishing creme and twisting the hair into double-strand twists. It doesn't talk about nourish and shine, although many many people on children's websites swear by it. I used it to refresh and shine and for crunchy ends. The result? Well, see for yourself:

For the un-indoctrinated (:D) Double-strand twists are exactly what they say they are. Small sections of hair, divided into two pieces and twisted around each other. I actually ended up doing this by accident, because detangling her hair was such a massive job. I decided to section off the hair and detangle it in micro-sections, that I ended up twisting together. G was willing to sit there for an hour (I could have done a better job, but that might have been oh, an hour and a half--I didn't' want to press my luck!

Her hair felt very soft and silky and the shine was great. More importantly she loved her "princess twists" and how bouncy her hair was after we did the twists. So, I'd definitely recommend giving this a try.

How Quickly Things Change!

2010-11-15T22:24:00.003-05:00

I was just reading over my old posts, and realized that so much has changed since I started this blog! Number one, there are a LOT more products catering to our fro-babies' fros than either I realized or there were back then! Number two, there are still tons of people trying to figure out how to "do the fro-babies' 'do's!" It is an ever changing game, as the kids get older, the hair changes! Again and again! Hey, I'm living proof! In any event, I thought it would be a good time to run down the different products and product lines I have come across in my research for the benefit of anyone just joining us. Some are new, and some are ones I've reviewed here before. This is just a summary (in no particular order):

Kids Organics Hair Lotion - a.k.a "KOHL" on websites and blogs, decent lotion-like detangler, does not provide much in the way of moisture, but will help with comb-out and fro-taming.

Taliah Waajid Easy Herbal Combout - Similar product to KOHL, more moisturizing and better at detangling. Goes on heavy, dries fairly light. Haven't tried the other products in the line, but this one is pretty good.

Curly Q's - This is children's version of the CURLS brand. There are numerous products in the line. We use Curly Q's Custard, Mimosa Elixir, and Moist Curls moisturizer. The lighter product is the Curly Q Milkshake, which is good for short-term moisturizing. Also the Curl Gel-les-c for light hold is a good product, but will only keep the fro at bay for so long! Tried the shampoo and conditioner (just so-so on G's hair) but we actually use the It's A Curl line (below) because it's tear-free.

It's a Curl - Great product line for baby hair (also from CURLS). Light, great scent, tear-free, and did not cause skin reaction in either child's sensitive skin. By about age 1, need a little heavier products, but can go up to about 2 y.o., great conditioner!

Bee Mine - haven't tried it, and I don't think it's especially for kids, but safe for kids, and have heard good things about it. If anyone has tried it, would love to hear from you!

Carol's Daughter - No idea how these products work, but they are Princess Tiana-themed, which may eventually earn them a space on our product shelf just on principle! LOL We have tried hair milk for adults, but it seems to do better on my husband's fro than my daughter's!

Noodle and Boo - Love the shampoo and the shining and conditioning polish. The shampoo is gentle, tear-free and smells great. Conditioning polish is a good detangler, not too moisturizing but just enough to smooth out the hair and soften.

Jane Carter Solution, Nourish and Shine - Expensive! But a good oil/light pomade for fro-kids. Great grapefruit smell and gives a nice control and sheen...but did I mention? Expensive!!! (other products in the line are not as expensive, but haven't proven to be all that effective either). Not geared towards children but natural and kid safe.

I'd love to add to the list, but I can't try them all (by myself!) I actually don't use the drugstore brands such as "Just for Me" or "PCJ." These products pretty much mimic adult products and seem to be geared toward little girls with kiddie perms, which we are dead set against. Fro-baby hair is just too fragile to subject to chemical alteration--my two cents.

So, that's the rundown for now. Will follow up with the latest regimen next time!

We're Ba-a-a-ack!

2010-08-14T00:39:00.002-04:00

I know, smack my hand, BAD BLOGGER. It's so hard to keep up with everything, between the two kids, the job, and the HAIR! I actually hadn't seen all the comments to my previous posts, so apologies, folks! Well, there's a new fro-baby in town, G's little brother Ty. Ty's hair is similar to G's but not the same, so I get to review products all over again on a different texture of hair--what fun!

Now, to answer some questions that have come up: As far as food-grade coconut oil brands, we use 360 from Whole Foods. I bought it about 6 months ago, and we STILL have it. (BTW, it makes great brownies...and it makes the hair look great). I used it for my son's cradle cap treatments along with the It's A Curl Peekaboo Tearless Shampoo. My son had cradle cap for about a week, and then it was gone. So I definitely recommend this combo. We primarily use it as a pre-shampoo treatment for G, or as a daily styling aid to add some sheen to her hair. The great thing about coconut oil is it adds sheen without feeling oily or greasy, so it really is ideal for babies and young children.

I do have more pics of G's hair on Long Hair Care Forum. Here's a link (she was 16 m.o. in these pics--her hair is much longer now--and I was reviewing "It's A Curl" by CURLS in this thread):
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=390066

So what's new? Well, more products of course! It's amazing how the needs of the hair keep changing. I also have been circling back to old products I used before. First, and update on what we're using now:

On Ty (3 months): It's a Curl Peekaboo Shampoo, Patty Cake Conditioner (sometimes) and Itsy Bitsy Spirals Moisturizer. Ty's hair has not moved into "fro" territory just yet, so this is sufficient. For daily moisturizing we either use Itsy Bitsy Spirals or Noodle and Boo Conditioning Polish. Both are very light, but keep his hair from drying out. I typically use Itsy Bitsy Spirals when his hair is on the drier side, and Noodle and Boo when it looks fuzzy.

On Georgia (2 yrs. 3 Months) - It's a Curl Shampoo (she still needs tearless shampoo) or California Baby (shampoo and conditioner) if she gets in the pool. For regular conditioning, Curly Q's Coconut Dream Conditioner, Moist Curls moisturizer (spray) for daily conditioning, and Curly Q milkshake for styling on special occasions. The picture at the top is a picture of her on a special occasion (her birthday) using these products.

It seems as G gets older, her hair is getting thicker and frizzier, so I decided to try a heavier product on her hair from the Curly Q's line. It's called Curly Q's Custard for medium to kinky hair. I also got the Mimosa Hair elixir, which in combination with the custard is supposed to cut down on some of the fro-ing we experienced later that day (in the picture). Despite the "poofiness" in the picture (it poofed even more as the day wore on) her hair was still well-moisturized, and easily rehabbed the next day. Stay tuned for a review of the new products.

Just depending on the day and the level of dryness of G's hair, we may use still the Noodle and Boo Conditioning Polish (since we have it for Ty anyway) on her hair for detangling. The key with this spray detangler is to spray a fairly generous amount on the hair and let it "sink in." My husband actually discovered this after I thought the product wasn't working for us anymore. Sometimes, we spritz her hair with water first before the detangler, just to speed up the process, but in the winter months, to avoid your child going out with a wet head, it's better to just use the detangler, since it either sinks in or evaporates much faster than water. Moist Curls (by Curly Q's) is also a spray detangler, but is is a little thicker and has more a glaze-like consistency, so it's a bit heavier. Some days we need that, some days we don't. It just depends on whether her hair is just a little dry and in need of some taming (Noodle and Boo) or if it's really getting it's 'fro on and needs more in the way of curl definition (Moist Curls). Usually, by the end of the day both products have "worn off" so to speak but these days, G's hair is so long it's usually just in ponytails anyway.

Note; It's a Curl and Curly Q's are both product lines in the CURLS brand of haircare. I have to give a big shout out to Mahisha Dellinger, the founder and creator, as her website is also an interactive forum where you can ask her directly what type of hair your child has (she'll need to see pics) and which one of her concoctions is recommended for your hair type. All of this before you buy--plus she gives free samples with every purchase--you have to love that! If you decide to buy, tell 'em I sent ya', by entering this referral code: REF-HYJJDI6A

Happy Fro'ing!

Our New Best Friend: Virgin Coconut Oil

2010-03-27T07:48:00.006-04:00

So, after a long hiatus, G and I are back with our latest discovery--coconut oil! I attended a natural hair care workshop sponsored by a children's organization I'm in, and the facilitator stressed that natural oils are best on children's hair. Now, I've been using everything but, and really had no issues, so I wasn't convinced that this was necessary, and just kind of took her comments with a grain of salt. In researching some products for my own hair, I discovered that there are only a few oils whose oil molecules are small enough to enter the hair shaft, among them palm oil, and coconut. This made me reconsider the use of natural oils on baby hair. I should point out that my "baby" is going to be two this week, but she has a little brother on the way, so I am still very much in the baby hair care game!

Now, back to oil: I use Ojon on my own hair, which is a highly-marketed, heavily scented palm oil that frankly costs too much and smells like burnt coffee grinds. So, I dug in the back of our junk closet, and found some extra virgin coconut oil samples my husband and I brought back from our honeymoon in Fiji. The coconut oils we have are all scented (which I would not use on a newborn or small infant) but since G is almost 2 and hasn't reacted to the fragrance in many products, I felt it would be o.k. to try on her hair.

Well, I have to say, I was more than pleasantly surprised. Georgia's hair had been getting a little more fro-ish and a little less "ringlet-ish." It wasn't so much the texture as it was the dryness. We had been using a combination of the Curly Q's products (which are good) and the It's a Curl products (both from Curlz.biz), but were finding that by the end of a day, G's hair was still a little dry. Overnight, it would dry out even more and morning comb-out was a challenge. The first time I used the coconut oil on G's hair, we used it as a pre-shampoo treatment. We are still using It's a Curl Peekaboo shampoo because the Curly Q's shampoo is not tearless and my poor little Georgia still doesn't "get" that she needs to tilt her head back to keep the soap from getting in her eyes. As I said in my review however, the shampoo is a little drying, so it's good to have a pre-shampoo treatment now that her hair has less natural oil. I noticed a difference in her hair right away in terms of being less dry and more manageable. After the wash, we (her dad does her hair sometimes) put the oil in her wet hair and braided it up overnight (no elastics). The next day, G's hair was soft and silky, and not the least bit greasy.

We still use other products on her hair, but whenever her hair feels a little dry we use a little (or a lot of) coconut oil on the ends of her hair and on her scalp. I really think this treatment is "saving" her hair. It stays soft, and her curls are better defined and there is much less frizz factor.

Now, the oils we use are still our samples from Fiji, but you don't need to go that far to find "virgin coconut oil." Several retailers (Vitamin Shoppe, Amazon) carry various brands of coconut oil at varying prices. Just make sure whatever product you get is 100% coconut oil, and not just "coconut-flavored" or just "contain coconut oil" since a lot of products containing coconut oil junk it up with things like petrolatum and mineral oil. From what I can see, there is not difference between coconut oil used for cooking and cosmetics. It does appear that oils marketed as cosmetics cost a lot more, without appearing to be markedly different. Coconut oil often has no scent if extracted with a chemical technique. The more natural oils retain that "coconut smell." As far as using "virgin coconut oil," it doesn't appear that (non-virgin oil) is bad or harmful. Apparently, the difference between "virgin coconut oil" and regular coconut oil has to do with the extraction process and whether it is chemically extracted or expressed by some other mechanic or natural means. For the use on the hair, I'm not sure how much difference it makes, since at the end of the day, the properties are the same.

Our oil was unscented to begin with, and then the fragrance was added. When I have to buy some more, I would probably get an unscented version, especially for use on the newborn on the way. The other thing to know is: this stuff lasts forever. Coconut oil tends to solidify at lower temperatures--which can be as high as 70 some odd degress. It liquifies immediately with the slightest amount of body heat and is completely clear, but untouched is basically a white solid. A little goes a very long way, but it is still very light, so it doesn't weigh down the hair or gunk it up.

So, I must say, in terms of the use of natural oil on children's hair: I stand corrected! I strongly recommend the use of coconut oil to combat dryness and frizzies on your fro-baby! Happy fro-ing!

Congratulations! It's A Curl!

2009-08-12T07:10:00.005-04:00

So finally at long last, I broke down and ordered the "It's A Curl" products from curls.biz. Initially, I saw the Curly Q's line in Ricky's and picked it up. But I felt hesitant to use the products on the baby due to her age (16 months) and the relatively fine texture her hair still has. It's a lot of hair, but it's still baby hair. Now at 9 - 10 dollars a pop, the It's A Curl products are not cheap. You will not, however, be using enough of this product at one time to be concerned about ordering it very often.

I was pleasantly surprised by the result of these products. They are gentle, non-irritating and incredibly light in comparison to other products I have tested. Ever since Georgia's hair got to be a little too "much" for Noodle and Boo Conditioning Polish, I've been searching for something that will tame the frizzies and help to define her natural baby curls. Noodle and Boo will still do this to some degree, but we have to use more product and let it sort of "sit" in her hair to penetrate before combing (and who has time for that?) In addition, Georgia has needed an upgrade on the detangling action as the fro has gotten harder to maintain the longer it gets. We tried L'oreal Tangle Tamer, but the product was a little too heavy for baby hair and G's dad didn't like the "burst of fresh pear" smell. I always felt the need to wash her hair after a few days due to the build-up.

The first thing you will notice about these products is the smell. It is practically identical to J&J's Bedtime bath product line. I didn't realize that at the time and was a little put off by the fragrance--I just like for my baby products to smell, well, baby-ish. It grew on me after a while, however. The product line has 4 products so I'll list them individually and give my opinion on each. Warning: Extreme cuteness ahead, the names of these products are marketing genius...

Peekaboo Tearless Shampoo - A true cleanser, not a moisturizing shampoo. I really wish I had not stalled buying these products when we were fighting the cradle cap battle. It left the hair a little rough, and is definitely not a detangling shampoo, but it was tearless, non-irritating, and my baby's hair was clean. I'm sure that we could have used this to remove flakes and oil from her scalp and hair. Live and learn.

Pattycake Conditioner - Smooth! As soon as I applied this conditioner, G's hair went soft and smooth. I was ready to declare the test-run a success right then and there, but there were still two more products to go. The conditioner rinses out clean, but leaves behind a good amount of moisture and slip. The only thing I forgot was to comb it through while it was in her hair (G was screaming this whole time, because she was in a strange bathtub at her grandma's house). Detangling after it was rinsed out was a breeze. We usually wash twice a week, but the company suggested a once a week shampoo and a conditioner wash with this product between shampoos. Based on the cleansing action of the shampoo, I'm inclined to agree and will try that regimen out.

Itsy Bitsy Spirals Moisturizer - Interesting product! Not at all what I expected. It is a glaze-like moisturizer that leaves hands a little sticky but leaves hair really soft. It can be used on wet or dry hair. I think I may have put a little too much of this on, but it really didn't matter when I did her hair. I haven't tried it on dry hair just yet, because we always spritz her hair with water before we comb, but when she gets back from "Camp Grandma" I'll have to report back. The company's customer service said this should be used prior to the leave-in conditioner and in between shampoos for "refreshing" the curls.

Ring Around the Curlies Leave-In Conditioner - This product is a keeper. A light cream/lotion product that gives a very soft hold to the curls and allows you to shape and style soft baby hair without weighing it down. Georgia looked like a kid in a magazine after her hair was done...and I think she knew it!

Overall, I have to give these products an "A." They address the specific needs of fro-babies hair without looking or performing like adult products. These are not adult products labeled with pictures of baby faces, they are gentle products made with organic ingredients that don't make the baby's hair sticky or greasy. And, while Georgia's curly girl style did not survive her afternoon nap, the condition of her hair was still great. My baby's hair was so soft, I could barely keep my hands out of it. Later that day, we had to pony-puff her, (afro puff her, if you prefer) - but with a little spritz of water you could still feel the moisture and slip of the products and getting through her hair and styling it was no trouble at all.

If you'd like to see pics, I also reviewed these products on the Long Hair Care Forum (w/ pics)

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=390066

And We're Back! L'oreal for Kids, Moisture Max, and more.

2009-07-30T02:47:00.004-04:00

After a long hiatus, we're back with more product reviews, tips, and tricks! It's been a busy summer for G and me as we've traveled, hit the beach, the kiddie pools and beyond. G's hair is still growing and my frobaby's fro is "gon' do what it do!" On our travels, we got some great product recs from moms of older fro-kids and on a great forum I'm so late on discovering: longhaircareforum.com. To say that I have found my hair care mecca would be dramatic, yet accurate. There is a whole discussion area devoted to children's hair care that highly recommend (of course, you may put my blog down altogether after reading it, but I'll take that chance!)

So onto the products:
Spray-on Detangler
As this blog is dedicated to the babies, I feel duty bound to give an updated report of G's baby hair care regimen, prior to us having to "step it up."

Noodle and Boo Shining and Conditioning Polish
What an excellent find. This is a great detangler, with a wonderful fresh scent and is a multi-use product. Tackles bedhead, cowlicks, snags and snarls with relative ease and leaves a nice, weightless shine behind. I really recommend this for newborns and small infants with finer hair. It definitely will work for fro-babies, but as the babies get older and the hair gets thicker, it can present new challenges.

You see, as G is becoming a "big girl" (yes we have a walker, a talker and an occasional pooper in the potty) it's becoming increasingly difficult to detangle and style her hair using "baby" products. Noodle and Boo Conditioning Polish still works, but it also takes us about 5 minutes just to detangle her hair (and we are working parents without that much time!) G's hair, when stretched is down to her mid-back, so that's a lot of hair!
A very nice lady whose daughter has a five year old with a head full of fro-baby spiral curls was having a rough time detangling at the beach without her handy dandy fave detangler, L'oreal for Kids Tangle Tamer. She described the bottle to me, and I went on what I thought was a wild goose chase to find it. Of course, after finding it online, I found it in about five drugstores, one of which was selling two for the price of one. As I had already ordered it, I didn't take them up on the offer--turns out I should have snatched it right up! L'oreal for Kids Tangle Tamer took G's tangles out in no time! I'm talking down to about 60 seconds to comb through. This is a spray that comes in a green bottle ( I think it's pear scented). By the time she get around to fussing, we're already done! I have to say, I was skeptical since L'oreal for Kids appears to be designed for kids who are not fro-kids, but once again, surprise, surprise. We've come a long way since J&J's original "no more tangles" formula.

Shampoo and Conditioner
Noodle and Boo Shampoo
A nice alternative to typical baby shampoos, this on has N&B's signature scent and more moisture than garden variety baby shampoo. Only a so-so detangler and I wish they would make a conditioner, but the conditioning polish works well in conjunction. I would highly recommend these products for babies with looser curl patterns or newborns with straighter hair.

Another great find: California Baby Swimmer's Defense. Now, I can't tell you if all CB products are as good as these, but considering that they are mostly organic/natural and detangle like nobody's business, I had to shout them out. I originally got these because I thought we were putting G in swim lessons and no way was I letting chlorine ruin my fro-baby's locks this young! Well, turns out G is afraid of any and all bodies of water (her bathtub included), and here I have this product on my hands. And boy am I glad! Both shampoo and conditioner are very moisture laden and the conditioner works as a rinse out (which is what I was looking for) and a leave-in. Using these, you really don't need a spray-on detangler, and as a leave-in the conditioner made G's hair soft, defined her curls and even left her with a little movement.

Moisture Lotion
I l ike to travel light, so I really didn't pack G's product cavalcade on purpose on one of our trips. I decided to use Moisture Max Oil Moisturizer on her hair if it got dry--which, of course it did. Wow, was I impressed with this stuff on her hair. it works great on mine, and has no beeswax, which is a big factor for me in deciding what to use on G's hair, as she's still a baby and does not need anything that is going to weigh her hair down. It's not remotely all natural, and contains the dreaded mineral oil, but I have to say, baby's hair was shiny and moisturized and stood up to the beach wind, sun (it has a built-in sunscreen) and rain beautifully. As with adult usage of this product, a little goes a long, long way, and there is a little concern re: product build-up on the child's hair, but so far, I've had no issues washing anything I've used out of her hair or any build-up.

Honorable Mentions:
Having been on the longhaircareforum, I've seen all sorts of product recs and reviews, none of which I can vouch for, but some things on my buy/try list are: Kid's Organics Hair Lotion, Curly Q's (still haven't made it around to that one, and I believe we've officially outgrown "It's a curl by the same company) and Kinky-Curly. I think I will wait until G is a little older, but considering how time is flying in terms of her growing up, I should probably research where to buy, etc, and have my little ducks in a row!

Fro-baby powers...Activate!

2009-05-18T00:06:00.003-04:00

And We’re Back!

After a long hiatus, back to fro-babies. Georgia's fro has reached massive proportions, such that I have been forced to do ponytails, cornrows, and flat twists—far too early, in my opinion. The diva Miss G, however, has enough hair to cover about 5 baby heads, so I had to do something. However, before her hair got long enough for all this creativity, she reached a "tweener" stage, where her little baby fro wasn't quite the happy little halo from her early infancy.

My fro-baby’s ‘fro stopped looking cute at around 8 months--primarily because it was no longer a ‘fro: too long for a ‘fro and too short for ponytails. We had not yet even graduated to ‘fro-puff status (for the uninformed, afro-puffs—or fro-puffs—are ponytails made from fros. They do not stick out straight or hang like straight hair, they puff out like little mini afros) so I was completely at a loss, since my baby’s “Amadeus” hairstyle had quickly become a fro-ish Benjamin Franklin.

I had to poll my friends in cyberspace to find out some solutions to this conundrum. They key: curl activator! Oh yes, jheri curl juice. You see, it’s not just for jheri curls anymore! It actually can help better define and “shorten” afro curls so they are less “frizzy” and easier to manage.

As with any product—a little dab’ll do ya’! To be honest, I never put any on my fro-baby, but I had enough people say that one that I’d thought I’d pass it along. Organic babies may have a tough time for finding organic curl activator, but I'll keep my eye out!

Tips for Combing and Detangling

2008-11-25T11:39:00.003-05:00

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!

Thou Shalt Do Thy Fro Baby's 'Do

2008-11-22T12:02:00.006-05:00

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!

"It's a Curl!"

2008-11-18T23:59:00.003-05:00

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.

Holy Phthalates, Batman!

2008-11-14T21:07:00.001-05:00

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

2008-11-14T21:01:00.002-05:00

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.

Daily Conditioning

2008-10-03T07:29:00.001-04:00

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

2008-10-03T07:27:00.000-04:00

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

2008-10-03T07:25:00.000-04:00

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!

ABC: What are Fro-babies?

2008-10-02T07:19:00.000-04:00

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!