Q: My nephew is 18 months old. He is biracial — his mom is white with very thick, coarse, curly hair, and his dad is black with coarse very, very curly hair. My nephew has the craziest hair, and I’d like to help my sister tame it. She ends up having to chop it all off because it gets too out of control. Any suggestions?
Cozy: Don’t worry! At 18 months, a baby’s hair is still changing. Often, the combination of baby hair and the new texture that is growing in is what makes the hair so “crazy.” It’s best to keep it short at this age to keep him more comfortable. Once he starts to get a little older, a great alcohol-free gel will be extremely helpful in managing his hair.
Q: How do you keep a child still while you’re working on a hairstyle? Mine is so squirmy! She’s 3 and a live wire. I don’t even try elaborate styles — only puffs and twists. Is there a trick to getting children to sit for long periods of time? I want to try cute braided styles.
Cozy: Distraction, distraction, distraction! You can’t expect a squirmy child to sit still for anything unless they are focused on something fun. Prepare your ammunition — try styling in front of her favorite DVD, have a book (or two”> on hand, some bubbles for her to blow, a musical instrument, crayons ot whatever else may hold her attention. Don’t be too ambitious at first. Continue with the simple styles until you become more successful with your styling sessions, and then gradually start with the braids. Eventually she may really look forward to it!
Q: I’m expecting a baby girl in one week. Any suggestions on what to wash/condition her hair. I’m assuming it will be curly eventually, and don’t want to start drying it out with Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. Any advice would be great!
Cozy: It’s never too early to plan, although your baby may not even have any hair at first! When it is time to start shampooing, keep in mind that it is not necessary to shampoo daily. Once or twice a week is fine. You can always rinse baby’s head if you feel she needs a cleansing. When you do shampoo, be certain to use a tear free baby shampoo that is paraben-free. Parabens are synthetic preservatives that have been linked to cancer.
Q: My 13-month-old curly boy was lucky enough to be blessed with an abundance of hair. In my family, we don’t cut the hair until children are 1 so he’s got hair to his shoulders when wet and not even stretched. He’s got a curly afro when dry. Problem: I have to fight to comb his hair. I cornrow it from time to time, and it takes an hour for five or six measly braids. I let him wear the ‘fro, which my husband adores. But then it takes forever to detangle, and he cries and cries. I’m at my wit’s end! How much should a boy have to go through just to have his hair done?
Cozy: You are blessed; his hair sounds amazing! The best way to handle those tangles is to keep up with it daily. Start with So Cozy Lucky Lime Pre-Detangling Treatment while in the tub. After shampooing, apply a generous amount (use more in the really tangled parts”> and then easily comb through knots with a wide-toothed comb. Start at the ends, combing one inch at a time, working your way up the hair strand toward the scalp. Be sure to hold the top of the hair strand with the other hand so you don’t tug on the hair. Continue to work your way around the head. This process will help a lot. When there’s no time for the tub, use So Cozy Fruity Delight Detangler & Leave-In Conditioner. You can use this on wet or dry hair and will help comb through those tangles in between baths.
Q: I have a 7-year-old daughter who refuses to take a bath more than twice a week. She has 3a curls, midway down her back, and I’m trying to find a strategy for keeping it looking good all week long. The first day or two, she can wear it down because the curls look really defined, but then it gets puffier and puffier.
Cozy: Sounds like you need something in between baths to reactivate those curls. You can use So Cozy Fruity Delight Detangler & Leave-In Conditioner. Not only will it reactivate the curls, but it will condition and replenish the moisture in her hair. An extra added benefit is that it will help deal with snarls too! You can use on wet or dry hair.
For more information about buying So Cozy products, visit CurlMart.
