The ABC's of Girls' Hair Care

I decided to re-post this for my cousin who is looking for ways to care for her daughters hair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When looking for information on a product I purchased a while back, I came across this article on a website called http://www.mmmproducts.com/. I preach these practices all the time on my blog, but I love the way this was written and formatted, so I decided to share.

These are such useful tips (they may throw some advertisement in there, which is understandable). This may be targeted to parents caring for young girls hair, but these tips are useful to all.


The ABC's of Girls' Hair Care
By Will Williams, M&M Products Director of Education

Always moisturize hair before combing. This reduces the chances of hair breakage due to dryness. Moisture aids in the flexibility of hair, allowing the teeth of the comb to pass through the hair without causing breakage.

Be careful when braiding hair. Hair that is braided too tightly, especially in the fragile temple and forehead regions, can easily come out due to traction damage.

Combing hair should be an exercise that does not yield breakage. By using the GroHealthy Method of combing, you will realize less – if any – breakage.

• Moisturize and run fingers through hair.
• Using a large tooth comb, start at the lower nape and part hair. When combing, start at the ends of the hair and work your way up to the crown.
• Employ the same method when combing the sides: Start at the temple and work your way up to the curve of the head.
• In the front top, start at the front hairline. Taking small partings, work your way back from the forehead to the crown.
• Once this initial combing has been completed, comb hair to style.

Don't be afraid to ask questions of your stylist, especially when chemical applications are concerned.
Each shampooing should be followed by deep conditioning.

Frequently shampoo and condition hair, at the very least once a week. Twice would be good, depending on hairstyle and texture.- I think once a week is just fine

Good ingredients are a sign of good products. Be sure to check the ingredient listing before purchasing a product. Stay away from mineral oils and petroleum – those ingredients clog the pores. Look for natural ingredients, such as cucumber, tea tree oil, shea butter and olive oil, for healthy daily maintenance.

Healthy hair requires a regimen. Put your child's hair and scalp on a schedule.

Information is at your fingertips with a phone call or by jumping on the information superhighway. You can always find tips and advice at www.mmproducts.com.

Just be sure to keep the scalp moisturized without weighing the hair down with heavy greases and oils.

Keep an ample supply of all the hair care products you use.

Leave the curling and flat irons in the drawer. Putting heat on your daughter's hair too frequently will cause it to become damaged and weak.

Make sure that you do a patch test if you are unsure of how your daughter might react to certain ingredients. I once had a client who had a problem with certain ingredients. She informed me of that during the consultation. I took some of that product and placed it on the inside fold of her elbow and I saw an adverse reaction. From then on I advised Moms to test whatever they are going to use on their children and themselves.

Nutrition is key to the overall health of the body. The benefits of nutrition are seen in skin, scalp and hair. A diet that consists of the major food groups and, when doctor recommends, supplements, will almost always yield luxurious hair with healthy color and texture.


Options like braids or weaves should be considered carefully if the hair shows signs of stress or the hairline is compromised in anyway.

Price of products is a consideration, but remember, you get what you pay for.

Quality wins out over quickness when it comes to your child's back-to-school hair care.

Rinse well whenever you shampoo or relax your child's hair. Insufficient rinsing can result in residue and scalp itching. It can also rob hair of its natural sheen, leaving it looking dull.

Shea butter is a healthy, natural ingredient for hair care products. Finding a good product with natural shea butter in it can help rejuvenate and soften the hair and help treat scalp problems.

Teach your daughter the basics first. For African-American girls, getting the opportunity to comb and style their own hair is a rite of passage. Start her off slow with basic ponytails. Once she masters that, let her try more intermediate styles.

Understand your child's hair type. Get to know what works well and what doesn't for her particular hair type.

Vary the time that you put braids in your child's hair. If you've had braids in for a week or two, once you take them down and wash her hair, give your child's scalp a chance to breathe by skipping the braids for a while.

Websites are a wonderful resource for ingredient information. Some Websites feature FAQs to address common questions. You can find great tips for hair care at www.mmproducts.com.

Xtra time should be allotted when visiting a stylist for the first time, so that consultation can take place.

Youth-oriented styles change in the blink of an eye. Stay on top of trends by thumbing through the hair books in the salon or at the local bookstore.

Zzzz's. Make sure that when your daughter is catching some z's she uses a satin scarf and pillowcase to protect her precious hair.


Aren't these such great tips? I feel like passing this on to all parents that have children with textured hair, but for now...my blog will do. :-)