There is something so adorable and princessy about little girls with long hair. Braids, ponytails, pigtails, buns, oh my! – they are as fun for girls as they are for their moms (and dads!). Alas, all that styling, curling, flat-ironing, all those elastics, pins, clips, and twisters, can really damage girls’ soft and thin hair. Growing long and beautiful hair is hard with split ends. Once they make their way in, there is not much you can do but to work the shears.
If you want to avoid tears, as well as to stop split ends from showing up, read through these steps and they might solve your problem.
“No-poo”? No problem!
Shampoos for adults contain aggressive chemicals like sulphates that clean the hair, but at the same time can be very drying. This is not an issue for adults since their scalp skin is oilier than kids’, which helps the hair rehydrate on its own. Dryness is the split ends’ best friend. So, stick to kids’ shampoos as long as possible. Better yet, join the latest “no-poo” trend from time to time. Shampooing more than twice a week is unnecessary. When you do shampoo, apply it only on the scalp and wash the ends ‘second-hand’ as you rinse out.
Condition the Ends
Always apply conditioner. We tend to skip this step unless the hair is really dry. The purpose of the conditioner is to prevent it from becoming dry. There are a lot of products in the market, so think carefully which one to choose. All natural leave-in conditioner will do much more for the strands than the one you rinse out and it is harmless for kids due to its organic ingredients.
Comb with Care
Tugging the brush down the hair in an attempt to detangle it is a sure way to knots. First, choose a wide-tooth comb or a paddle brush with flexible bristles that will glide through hair with ease. Always start at the ends, and once they are separated, slowly work up. Pull the comb or brush all the way from roots to ends only in the final stroke. Wet hair is particularly prone to breakage, so be extra careful with post-shower combing.
Style Smart
Curb heat styling tools. Avoid direct contact between a blow dryer and hair if it is not absolutely necessary. Concentrate on the roots, and let the ends air dry. Always use a brush to align the hairs before flat-ironing. Otherwise, the straightener might bend a hair and cause it to break instantly. Avoid certain hairstyles and elastics. Wearing the same ponytail all the time means always tugging at the same strands. Play with different styles of ponies or braids. At the same time, avoid elastics with metal pieces that easily get caught in the hair. Opt for soft cotton ties.
Trim
At some point, trimming the ends will become inevitable. However, with good care, you can stretch the period between two trims to weeks, even couple of months. If you notice one split end, grab a pair of scissors and snip it off before it spreads to the root, tangles up with the neighbouring hairs, and makes a complete mess. If you are trimming hair on your own, that is fine as long as you use sharp blades.
Although children generally need less hair care products than we do, the point is to teach your little one to get into a hair care routine from an early age. It is never too soon to start.