Share your hair secrets
Oct. 14th | Posted by Nicky
16 comments
One of the most intimidating things I found about being a prospective adoptive parent (fondly known as PAPs,) was a hair and skin regime for my kids. How do you know what to pick? Especially when their skin and hair are so different from yours…
Well, everybody has their favourites, and I hope you parents out there will leave a comment and share the products that you like for your kids! I personally go by two rules of thumb:
1. Read the ingredients. Just cause it says it’s natural or has extract of somethin-er-other doesn’t mean it doesn’t have copious amounts of other weird stuff in it. I steer clear of alcohol and petroleum, personally.
2. Trial and error. I brought some stuff for african kids’ hair to Ethiopia, and gave it away a week later. Instead, I experimented with some of my Lush products and found a match. So what do you know!
Ok, so once every week or two I put about 5 tablespoons of olive oil in my girls’ hair and let it sit for 5-10 minutes while they play in the bath. Some people like jojoba but I prefer olive oil.
And once a week I shampoo their hair with some beer shampoo, (Lush Cynthia Sylvia Stout) just to get any product build-up out.
The girls have a bath every second day, and I always put lots of (Lush American Cream) conditioner in, let it sit for 5 minutes, then pick it out. If their hair is in braids, I make a little cream rinse by mixing the conditioner in a cup of water and gently pour it over the braids instead.
Then when I braid their hair I’ve started using some pure shea butter (and I mean no other ingredient! you can find it in healthfood stores) as a “gel” substitute. It lets me get a better hold on the braids and really conditions while it’s in there. I notice a big difference in hair quality now when I take the braids out.
And for the body – well, there are a few body butters from the Body Shop that have a good ingredients list (but they are not all created equal, so read – the least fav is their kids one!) but the girls like the Body Shop Shea Butter the best, after extended smell tests.
For their face, I wanted something really mild, so I use Burts Bees Buttermilk Baby Bee Lotion. And I (or Daddy) apply both of these lotions post-bath.
So what is your kids’ beauty regime? Any tips and tricks, products or preferences?
For Sylvie’s hair (she is Chinese), I found I was washing her hair too often and her scalp was getting dried out (was washing every day). But I love the smell of freshly washed hair! So instead on days where I don’t wash her hair I spray a bit of leave in conditioner mixed with water, sort of like you do.
I usually apply lotion to her face and body each day, but her face needs to be reapplied. Do you have any suggestions for a facial cream?
I haven’t tried the all-natural products yet, but you have inspired my to check them out at least. Maybe we might have to go on a shopping field trip together?
Nicky, thanks for sharing your hair and skin care regime. We use similar products. I’ve used a mixture of pure shea butter and aloe gel (heated so it’s easy to mix and spread) for braiding. I also use some of Shuruba’s hair gel products for braiding. For shampoo we use Blended Cutie or Indigo detangling shampoo. Conditioner is Neutrogena Triple Moisture. I wash and condition her hair every 2-3 weeks depending on her style and then spray a moisturizer (olive oil and water) every day. I use an apple cider vinegar/water rinse between shampoos in the bath. For her face, I use Nezza Naturals (made on Galiano Island) shea butter souffle. A small jar has lasted us a year. And for her body I use Planet Bee Honey Farm moisturizers (local to Vernon) or Alba Kukui Nut body oil (scrumptious!), which I’ve also used in her hair and bath. I finally found a natural bubble bath at Nezza Naturals (she loves bubbles), which has a great scent for kids to relax. Her skin is sensitive and has reacted to olive oil (in bath water and directly applied to her skin) so I’m reluctant to use it in pure form. Now if I treated myself to all this I’d be a pampered Mom!
I look forward to reading what others are doing. I enjoy trying new things!
I don’t have any tidbits yet as we’re still waiting for our referral!! Just wanted to thank you for sharing this as I will file it away for future reference.
Steph
Hi,
I prefer Almond Oil to the olive oil – I used olive oil for awhile with my boys but the smell eventually got to me! I usually put the almond oil in the bath once/week. Afterwards I use organic shea butter from our local health food store but you can also find it at: http://www.africanfairtradesociety.com . I use the unscented version on the boys, but it doesn’t smell great. My daughter likes the vanilla&orange or pear blossom scented lotion (whic is much easier to apply but not as rich).
I look forward to reading everyone’s tips!
Good tip with the Body Shop shea butter, I’ll have to try that out. Thanks!
you reminded me that I needed to order some shea butter, and I noticed on the website that many stores in your area carry the products…
We use the Renew Lotion from Melaleuca for the scalp and skin [all over!!]. It’s smell is fine and has the healing agent of Tea Tree Oil. I never see dry cracking skin anymore, or any little bumps on his face or scalp. Yay.
For his hair, I use Blended Cutie Pie products from Shuruba. I’ve tried many various ones [and spent a fortune doing it] but for him, they seem to be best. Of course, I haven’t had to do anything with braids yet so our little girl may change that!
I have a LOT to say on this as a curly haired person myself, so I wrote up a post on my blog. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions.
Some awesome ideas, guys!!!
And yes, Joyanne – I’d be game for shopping!
During the wait I made up a body butter with pure shea, cocoa butter, coconut oil and some cornstarch to cut the greasiness. It’s been really good for our kids – they get a head to toe after their tub, every other day and touch ups in between.
I’m looking for a good hair milk or lotion like the woman on the Happy Hair Blog. I may order the one she recommends – it’s in the states.
Great topic – I like reading everyone’s posts.
Michelle
I rub down our daughter every morning with pure coconut oil, then just put a little vitamin E on her face. Bath 2x/week but only wash our hair once. Her hair isn’t long enough yet for braiding so I have made a note of all the suggestions there! (Did my first set of corn rows on our older bio daughter last week. Thought I’d try on a willing participant first!)
For her hair every morning, it is the “Wonder 8 Oil” mixture or pure Almond oil, plus the Kids Organics Shea Butter conditioner from “Africa’s Best” – smells yummy!
Great post, by the way. Love to get new ideas on this front!
Hi [Nicky],
The girls are so adorable. I enjoyed reading about the products you have chosen for their hair. I don’t have a referral yet so I can’t share ideas about hair products but I will take this opportunity to promote a friends online business. My girlfriend Lisa started a business called lilouorganics.com. She carries all sorts of products for skin and hair (natural products) for adults and kids alike.
I have just introduced olive oil into my hair care routine. I am completely sold. My son still has son sometimes gets dry patches of skin on his scalp and olive oil works the best. I started using it on my own hair as a conditioning treatment and I love it.
Checkout cancersmart.ca for a list of what to avoid in skin care products. I know the BodyShop has some ingredients in some of their body butters that I wish weren’t in there.
Janice
This was an awesome post – I love hearing everyone’s ideas!
Hi Nicky, I have a question about olive oil. My daughter is only 3 and a half months old, and I was told at the african salon to put olive oil on her scalp each time I bath her. I am now only washing her hair (what little there is) once a week, but do you wash the olive oil out or do you leave it to soak in? And does it leave their hair really greasy or does it just get absorbed? It is really hard to get a straight answer. My baby has very little hair, but I am told that I have to moisturize her scalp in order to get her hair to grow. I loved this post. It was awesome!!! I am using Aleva organic lotion on her face and body. The girls look like they are doing really well and growing quickly. I am glad they have both settled in so well.
Robyn
Heya Robyn – I put the olive oil on the girls’ hair quite often – and did this for my own hair when I was taking meds that dried it out, too.
On my hair, I let it soak then washed it out. But on my kidlets – I just let it soak in, and then condition. No shampooing necessary – it’s never greasy.
Cheers
Nicky
i’m was looking for a new recipe for shea butter and stumbled upon ur site.
congrats on ur lil luvlees. i just wanted to say that shea butter is excellent for the skin and hair, very moisturizing, so great choice.
i also wanted to note that if they experience dry hair while in the braids, try a spritz, without alcohol of course.
i recommend juices and berries by oyinhandmade.com (delivery takes long but scent is nice) and growth by sweet nature by eddie (her customer service is swift). i just ordered her sample kit and luv it. i don’t think i’ll go back to oyin. http://www.sweetnaturebyeddie.com/Growth_Daily_Moisturizer/p81153_157708.aspx
the spritzing seems to be helping my babygurls dry tresses.
best wishes to u rowan family.
tiffany