Every person’s hair is different and as a parent you need to spend some time to work out what is the best way to manage your child’s hair.

For some parents of mixed-race children, doing their child’s hair can be a nightmare for both parent and child. Not all mixed-race children have hair that is difficult for their parents to manage but if you do, then here are some helpful tips to make it easier for you and your child.

Doing somebody else’s hair is not something most of us think about, we spend a great part of our lives getting to know our own hair and no matter how easy it may look to others many people find that it takes them a while to find a style and way of managing their hair that they feel comfortable with. When you have a child you have to go through the whole process again and for most parents their children’s hair will not be like their own.

 

 

It is essential to your children’s sense of identity and self-esteem that they are given the opportunity to look like they are well-cared for and groomed; this is particularly true for mixed-race families, already subjected to unusual social scrutiny by others. How your children look can shape the conclusions outsiders draw. Children notice others’ assessments and often interpret them as evidence of their own inadequacy. Young children are very concrete. They need to feel beautiful and handsome to contribute to a sense of pride in who they are. If their hair is a source of frustration and unhappiness, not just for them but for you, they may begin to develop low self-esteem.

How often should you wash your child’s hair?
Every person’s hair is different and as a parent you need to spend some time to work out what is the best way to manage your child’s hair. If your child’s hair is straight and of European texture then it is a matter of ensuring that the hair is kept regularly washed and conditioned. A regular trim will ensure a good growth rate. If your child’s hair is not of a regular European texture then it will need to be treated differently and you will need to find more specialised hair products.

The first thing to work out is if the hair is naturally dry or greasy, most afro type hair is naturally dry and if this is the case with your child’s hair you have to be very careful about keeping enough moisture and oil in their hair. Water is a drying agent, too frequent washing may dry out the hair, preventing the natural oils to moisturize. Washing once or twice a week should be enough but it is not uncommon to wash it once a fortnight.

How often should you comb or brush and style your child’s hair?
At least daily, unless your child’s hair is kept plaited and then it can be left longer. Children may be tender-headed and may dislike this process, but if you don’t do it consistently, their hair will begin to matt, making combing impossible.

Very often, parents feel bad because their children cry while having their hair combed, but many children cry at first when having their hair done, even when they have same-race parents. Nonetheless, they are still entitled to look and feel good about themselves. And with daily (or more frequent) brushing, the hair will have fewer mats and thus hurt less with time. Natural-bristle brushes are often softer and easier to use than synthetic brushes. If your child’s hair is very dry then you may need to use a moisturiser to make brushing easier. If your child has a lot of hair then try doing small sections at a time, this will make it easier to manage. If your child has the type of hair that gets tangled easily, then putting it in plaits before bed will make it easier to manage in the morning..

Should you use the same products on your child’s hair as your own?
Probably not. There are special products designed specifically for your child’s type of hair. Do not assume that because your child has afro type hair that all black hair products will be good for your child’s hair. Most mixed-race children that have afro texture hair, have hair that is in between European and black hair. Some black hair products will be too heavy or greasy for your child’s hair and some European products will be too drying. You will have to experiment to a certain degree.

There are now some hairdressers that specialise in mixed-race afro hair but these are rare. If you know mixed-race adults ask them how they care for their hair, just like you they would have had to experiment to find what works best for their hair and most would be only to happy to offer advice.

What is a relaxer? Should you press or straighten your child’s hair?
Relaxers are chemicals, which straighten hair. These should not be tried without professional consultation, and they are rarely suggested for children under 6 years old. To press hair means to heat it, making it straighten. Again, very young children do not usually have the patience for this kind of procedure, which should be taught by a professional the first time. Using chemicals is not recommended, it destroys the hair and more importantly it sends a message to your child that their hair is not beautiful as it is. Most individuals relax and straighten their hair because they feel that they cannot manage it as it is. As a parent it is important that you help your child learn to manage their hair without having to resort to the use of chemicals and heat treatments.

Should I take my child to a professional salon or do it at home?
Finding a good hairdresser is hard for anyone and mixed-race individuals with afro type hair find it even more difficult. For boys a visit to a barber shop can be a good experience. If their hair is kept short then most barber shops even the one in the high street will be able to manage it. If their hair is left long however then you will experience problems finding a hairdresser that knows how to manage your child’s hair. If there is a black hairdresser in your area then it is worth a visit to see if they have a stylist who is experienced with mixed-race afro hair. They will certainly have experience of braiding and caring for dreadlocks. The best policy is to learn how to manage your child’s hair yourself, ask other parents and mixed-race individuals for advice. Corn rowing also known as French plaiting is now a popular style for European hair. Most hairdressers know how to do it. Ask if you can watch someone having their hair done and practice on your friends or your own hair until you feel confident doing your child’s hair. Plaiting is a good way to keep your child’s hair neat and easy to manage. If you can’t manage to plait your child’s hair yourself find someone who can and ask them if they would do it for you. You may have to pay them a small fee but it will be worth it for you and your child.

Original post:  Hair Need Not Be A Nightmare:mixed-race parenting:Intermix.org.uk.

 

 

The Ten Best Oils For Natural Hair « Thank God I’m Natural.

 

Nature’s Parlour was in full effect at the family event held by Hotep Leeds at Jamaica House in Chapeltown, Leeds.

Dr Llaila O Afrika and his wife Dr Melanie Stevenson came to give a talk on holistic solutions to cancer, diabetes, arthritis and heart problems.  There was a welcoming atmosphere and a mixture of young and old people with a genuine interest in their health.

Along with the headline speakers, there was a talk from Pauline Tomlin-Touray  about the fantastic benefits of aloe vera.  I also did a talk on natural hair, the ingredients that work for us, the ones that don’t and the low-down on how to grow natural afro hair long.

The talk was very well received and I look forward to talking again in Manchester and Birmingham in the not too distant future.

Manning the Nature's Parlour stall during the talk

In addition to Nature’s Parlour, Pauline Tomlin-Touray had a stall with Forever Living products, Faroma Oils were there selling the best incense sticks in the land, Candy Scent had their fragrant oils and soaps on offer and CathCraftz were there with their beautiful greeting cards.

Xina with Sai Murai, local poet

A local poet, Sai Murai (Simon Murray) was amongst us and I was lucky enough to get a photo taken with him after he’d bought some oil from us.

It was a fantastic event and we’re looking forward to the next talk we do.

If you’d like us to give a talk in your town, we cover the following topics:

One of the above topics would be covered at each event with the additional option of Peter’s talk on how black men can do the ultimate, bump free shave.

If you have any events which would be complimented by a Nature’s Parlour stall, please contact us at info@naturesparlour.co.uk

We came across this TV show called Afro-City!   Not much in the way of hair care, but we think it’s fun.  Check it out and let us know what you think.

 

[ http://www.youtube.com/embed/tXBabd4PedE ] 

Have you ever wondered how you can accessorize your hair with a beautiful scarf?

Well here are three simple ways:

How To Tie A Turband 3 Ways from LEAFtv on Vimeo.

 

This is a great way to decorate your hair whether you have locs, loose natural hair, transitioning or plaits!

How do you accessorize your hair?

Things may have seemed a bit quiet for a while with Nature’s Parlour but I can assure you that we’ve been very busy behind the scenes…with a new baby!

Elijah was born at home in a water birthing pool on 15th March weighing 7lb 3oz.  He’s a peaceful and happy baby and we feel very blessed to have him!

Those of you who know about my pregnancy and the birth (thank you for the best wishes!) have asked me what kind of skin/hair care regimine I have for him, well here it is:

We use coconut oil for his skin and hair after he has been top & tailed or bathed.  We use a bit of aloe vera gel in his hair before the coconut oil, for ph balance (stops his hair from getting dry and brittle.)

If we’re going to give him an extra long baby massage session and want to use something other than coconut oil, we use sesame oil after his night time bath.  We might add a couple drops of lavender essential oil to the sesame oil to promote relaxation and prepare him for bed.

If we’re receiving visitors or if we’re visiting people, we use Curly Qs Moist Curls Moisturiser in his hair followed by Curly Qs Gel-les’c and then brush his hair smooth.  We wash his hair with Curly Qs Cleansing Cream.

In honour of our new addition, we’ll shortly be selling baby bum-bum balm as we don’t like to use petrochemicals on Elijah’s skin and use a natural “no-petroleum jelly”.  We’d like to share it with you all, so watch this space!

by Terez Howard

If you think that natural hair is naturally dry, you’re wrong.

I didn’t always agree with my above statement.  I once visited a Brooklyn, NY, natural hair care salon, and I lamented over my dry hair.  I asked the stylist what I could do with my dry coils.  After she washed, detangled, trimmed and styled my hair (I tell you this because she got to know my hair personally after those four hours), she told me that my hair was not dry.  She advised I continue my same hair care regimen.

Not dry?!  I did not believe that for a second.

Flash forward four years later.  I read in Mireille Liong-A-Kong’s natural hair care book that our coily texture actually produces three times the amount of sebum than other hair textures.  That sebum is the oil the scalp produces to naturally lubricate hair.  So, why oh why do we feel the need to slather our heads in mineral oil-rich grease?

Because our curls and coils give that sebum a hard road to travel.  One reason that straight European hair shines brilliantly is because that sebum flows from root to tip effortlessly.  Sebum experiences a roller coaster of twists and turns on natural black hair.

Actually, your scalp is overflowing with natural hair oils.  It’s just that your strands, especially your ends, are thirsty.

Quenching the thirst with 3 basic moisturizers

How can you quench your hair’s thirst?

1. Water

You might have heard that too much water in black hair will cause breakage.  Just the opposite is true.  Think about it.  Plants can’t live without water.  Animals can’t live without water.  We cannot live without water, either.  Why would moisturizing our hair with a natural element we need for survival be detrimental?  It just doesn’t make sense.

Fill a spray bottle with purified water and mist your hair as often as needed.  You can add a few drops of essential oil to the bottle for some extra moisturizing power.

2. Base & Essential Oils

Essential oils are distilled liquids from the stems, leaves, bark, roots or flowers of a plant.  Although they are termed “oils,†they do not feel oily.  These highly-concentrated oils instead are easily absorbed in the hair and scalp.

Various essential oils carry different purposes.  For instance, rosemary oil stimulates hair growth.  Sage oil combats dandruff.  Lavender oil treats an itchy scalp and even head lice.

No matter which essential oil you choose, remember to always dilute this powerful substance in a base oil, milk or water.  An overabundance can cause itching and burning in your scalp.

3. Shea butter

Not everyone likes the smell or consistency of this unrefined butter.  But countless naturals don’t mind those unpleasantries when they experience soft, manageable hair.  Wet natural hair quickly absorbs shea butter applied in small amounts.  Keeping the pores open, shea butter not only moisturizes strands, but protects them from pollution and free radicals in the environment.

Its healing properties are five to 17 times higher than other seed oils, and those healing properties restructure dry, damaged hair.

You can melt shea butter and apply the warmed butter directly to damp sections of hair.  Use it sparingly to avoid flaking.

About the author

Terez Howard, who has been researching natural hair for 5 years, endeavors to help ladies learn more about their precious tresses by writing natural hair care articles.

Maintaining your hair’s health is tantamount to avoiding frizz and keeping curl control. But some people with curly/ mixed hair think that it is seemingly difficult to control or manage their hair.

The trick by using products that work best for your type of hair. You can try using hair shampoos, conditioners, and styling aids to give your hair luster and smoothness.

Nature’s Parlour has natural/organic hair products which compliment curly/mixed race hair types. Whether you have lush, natural curls or a slightly wavy texture, the good news is that you can wear them with confidence!

African American hair has descent unique in characteristic. Any woman who wishes their hair to look at its best will admit that they spend endless hours taking care of it. Women with afro hair will always find limited amount of styles that can be carried out with ease. With the help of afro hair products from Nature’s Parlour, they can opt for those styles that were once deemed an impossible.

Natural hair products which compliment afro hair- the most fragile hair type. Nature’s Parlour openly supports natural afro hair. Try using products from New Bein’, Organic Root Stimulator, Isoplus, Nubian Heritage and Shea Moisture.

Nature’s Parlour brings you the best selection of Afro products.

Conditioners are meant to protect hair from drying out and allow for easier combing. Women with coarse, curly hair must condition every time they shampoo as it  adds shine to the hair. But curly hair should not be washed every day because it will dehydrate hair and make it more frizzy and unmanageable.

Curl Quenching Conditioner by Blended Beauty is an intense, luxurious rinse-out hair conditioner is extra moisturizing and full of nutrients to keep hair healthy and growing. It is designed specifically for detangling and combing through unruly curls. Added chamomile and rosemary extract, grapeseed oil, silk proteins, and keratin, improve silkiness, bounce and promote growth.

Conditioner Ingredients: Aqua (enriched with/avec Aloe Barbadensis), Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Distillate, Capryl Isostearate, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Behenoyl PG-Trimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetyl Alcohol (and) Butylene Glycol, Perfume, Preservative [Phenoxyethanol and Caprylyl Glycol and Sorbic Acid], Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein (and) Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein (and) Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Silk Powder.

Directions: Apply to clean wet hair and smooth through completely. Leave on 2-3 minutes for daily use or longer for weekly use. Comb through hair in sections for less breakage, and rinse completely.