Mixed Race Children and Coping with their Hair

Hi All, 

My two children Sebastian (5) and Ruby (2) are both mixed race, their father is English and I am black British of Jamaican descent. Being of mixed descent means that there hair is different from ours and different from each others as well.

Sebastians hair is drier than Ruby's and as such I opted to keep it short. In the last few weeks however, Sebastian, soon to turn 6, has decided he would like to grow his hair like his predominantly 'white' classmates. The other mixed race children at his school do also grow their longer. 

Ruby at two has just reached the stage where her baby ends have had to be clipped. These baby hairs at the end of the hair can cause a lot of tangling and it is a good idea to trim these as soon as possible as the baby hair is a different texture to the new hair that has grown in. Ruby's has also experienced quite a bit of growth in the last three months and her hair is now mid back length. A cut may be in order soon unless Ruby gets a bit taller so that she can accommodate this length of hair.

Due to both children growing their hair, their regimes have changed. They both have their hair washed twice to three times a week. Sebastian's requires less washing due to thickness and dry nature, it is washed less than Ruby's. Once the hair is washed with Mixed Chicks Shampoo and Conditioner for kids. It is lightly towel dried and Mixed Chicks leave in applied. A very small amount of grapeseed oil is applied to Ruby's hair as too much makes it appear very greasy. A hair dryer is then used on the cool setting to remove excess water so that the children do not go to bed with wet hair. Sebastian's hair requires more grapeseed oil as it just absorbs it. Very little drying is required for his hair but this may change the longer it gets.

Grapeseed oil is a light oil which can be used to seal in the moisture. Due to the texture of both kids hair we have opted to use this lighter oil. Sebastian's hair as he gets older may require a thicker oil and we may try Coconut Oil next.

As Sebastian is an avid swimmer we are currently in the hunt for a decent swimming shampoo for kids. Currently eyeing up California Baby Kids swimmers shampoo.

Embrace Your InnerAfroDeity
Leilu