We're Ba-a-a-ack!

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

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!

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.

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!

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

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

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!