Help me with curly baby hair

Nikison

DD has curly hair. Not ringlets, or tight curls, but curls. Originally and admittedly until recently, I've just been using the body wash in her hair too. Then brushing and drying if it's cold out.

Well, after many a knot and frizzy spots, we tried Johnson and Johnson Extra Conditioning Shampoo for curls. I think her hair is too fine for it. 1) It leaves her hair feeling greasy, and 2) (I know we should comb and not brush) after brushing it and letting it air dry she looked like a cotton ball. 

Give me your best advice/product suggestions. Please, for DD's sake so she doesn't get called Cotton Ball forever.

s-a-r-a-h

We use this stuff in DD's hair. We used to spray it directly on her curls but it would make her hair super oily so now I just spray one spritz on her comb and comb through her hair. Her hair stays tangle-free for days!

Sinafey

I'm not completely satisfied with our routine, but here's the best that I've figured out so far.  DD's hair is extremely dry.

I only use shampoo in her hair once a week, and nothing that strips the hair with SLS.  Right now that means the foaming Yes to Baby Carrots shampoo.  I use Nature's Baby Organics Conditioner (you want to avoid anything with 'cone in the ingredient's list if you're not using SLS) in the bath and then a little bit as a leave-in/detangler.  I also add a bit to her extra frizzy and dry stuff in the back when it's looking particularly rat's nesty.

I comb it out with a wide tooth comb right after her bath and then try to avoid touching it when it's dry, but in reality I end up having to use a brush after nap.  That's when it gets frizzy and crazy.

Mrs.Froggianna

I was talking to my stylist about a friend's DD who has curly hair and this is what he suggested--use a light leave-in conditioner then scrunch it with an old tshirt. Apparently terry cloth and similsr towels are like Velcro to curls. Since I'm sure you bathe her at night you could probably just re-wet it and then scrunch it in the morning.

Taytee

hopefully m_and_m will see this and respond but here's what I know -

Don't even comb it. Everytime you touch curls it destroys the structure. J&J is pretty much crap no matter what kind it is (sorry, my humble opinion, it's not child abuse if you use it). If you have to dry it somehow, yes to the above suggestion - something soft like an old t-shirt.

M - where are you!?

Nessia

Yup, you don't want to shampoo very often and when you do it should be free of 'cones and other junk that I'm sure m_m will explain. You defintely want to condition and just finger comb her hair while you condition her hair. Rinse and apply what ever product you decide to use before you dry it all. Then scrunch her hair to get dry it using an old t-shirt or micro-fiber towel. Then just let it air dry. A comb or brush after its dry will definitely make it poof up. If you need to calm it down I would just wet it a little. 

fjaril

Original Sprouts makes a great line for kids including some great curl calmer and a detangler and a light leave in conditioner. You can buy it locally, but you'll have to look on the website for where

I know I can't finger comb my hair, so I use a wide tooth comb. If I'm washing at night, I just braid it at bed.

I use a towel that came in a kit from deva curl (which might be safe for kids, it's got not 'cones' and doesn't suds, but I'm not sure).

 

Nikison

fjaril:

Original Sprouts makes a great line for kids including some great curl calmer and a detangler and a light leave in conditioner. You can buy it locally, but you'll have to look on the website for where

I know I can't finger comb my hair, so I use a wide tooth comb. If I'm washing at night, I just braid it at bed.

I use a towel that came in a kit from deva curl (which might be safe for kids, it's got not 'cones' and doesn't suds, but I'm not sure).

 

Fjaril - I had a few FB friends recommend Original Sprouts also, I guess I'll be stalking Peoples RX this morning until the open. 

Taytee - I agree J&J is crap, this is our first encounter with it, and it will be our last. 

We only wash her hair every other, to every third day, depending on how stinky it gets.

On todays to-do list: buy wide tooth comb, cut up one of DH's old shirts when he isn't looking, purchase products, oh and make it to work in time 

Thanks ladies for all your input!