This post contains affiliate links.
As my oldest daughter entered toddlerhood, she developed a head of glorious adorable curls. Shortly after my eldest turned three, we had another daughter with completely a completely different hair type, hers even harder to handle. And so began the power struggle to brush and style the hair of a child who IS NOT HAVING IT. They both screamed and wriggled and ran flying from the room. I chased, bribed, and did just about everything I could to do wrangle them. Then I remembered that I have an online village of folks who have already gone through this, professionals who are eager to share their knowledge, and Amazon reviews to help me. So, I asked and posted and scrolled. These are the methods, products, and tools that work for us.
Satin pillowcases
Satin helps to minimize knots and mats from tossing and turning at night. They don’t absorb that well, so use a cotton one underneath the satin. These satin pillowcases are also great for minimizing hair loss. I’ve gone from finding clumps of hair to just strands, just from switching to satin.
The Wet Brush
If you child has straight or wavy hair, the Wet Brush is king. For curls or waves, go with the Denman brush. For curls, you may need to remove some bristles, but you can say goodbye to bushy hair.
Start with Wet Hair
Always brush wet/damp hair. Dollar store spray bottles are fine, but I tend to go through them quickly. This style from Flairsol is great, especially when you have a child with lots of hair.
Skip/minimize shampoo
We do a conditioner “wash” most days. My youngest gets shampoo every other wash, my oldest every third. Finger detangle after the shower with a good sulfate-free conditioner like this Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner.
Microfiber towels or an Old T-shirt
Instead of the classic towel turban, get some microfiber towels, or just use an old t-shirt. This lets the hair “breathe.” Just wrap and sit—no rubbing. The hair will be dry in no time.
Detangler spray
Detangler is your friend. You can buy it or make it yourself. Something with tea tree oil as a lice preventative like this all-natural spray from Ladibugs is always a good idea.
You can also make your own! I make my detangler myself because we go through so damn much of it. Water, a generous squirt your conditioner of choice, a few drops of tea tree oil, and a few drops of argan oil for curly/dry hair.
I’m happy to report that while my girls don’t LOVE doing their hair, I have successfully made our hair care routine as easy as possible. Fighting with children about hair care is exhausting, especially first thing in the morning. These tricks, tips, and products can help make the child hair care routine a little easier on everyone. More than anything, I offer my empathy to the parents dreading this part of the morning routine. Good luck!