Natural Hair Care for Kids – with Iris

NaHaZo is very excited to introduce our first teeny-weeny hair model of 2024 – Iris. Now onto the fun part.

Q & A session with Iris

Hair Type: 3 c
Hair Length: Waist length (un-stretched)

1. How old is your little pumpkin?

She is not so little anymore, lol.

7 years old, turning 8 in a month (which she always reminds me about).

2. What is her hair texture?

Her hair type is 3C hair type.

3. Your daughter is currently at waist length. How did you get her to this length?

Short answer – through a lot of protective styling, gentle detangling, and Mama’s hands (not Salon).

Story time: My daughter has always had a lot of hair on her head (my friends always say that she has enough hair for 3 people). For most of her hair journey, I have kept her hair in protective styling. I started off doing plaits with only her hair and then as she got older, I transitioned to braids and cornrows.

I also believe that what has contributed to her length is our takedown routine.

Unravelling her hair from protective styling takes hours and I usually let her watch TV, while I get to work. I have always been gentle with my detangling process and make an effort to set aside an afternoon or morning to get this done.

I also hardly use heat on her hair, at most applying it two times a year.

Which brings me to one of the main reasons why her hair has flourished. I exclusively did her hair for the first six years of her life, allowing me to see how it behaved and what it liked.

I do understand that some moms are busy, but in the early stages, it helps if you know how to handle your daughter’s hair and get to know how to care for it.

In a nutshell, lots of TLC, trial and error, and setting dedicated hair takedown time has brought us to healthy waist length.

4. Salon or Mama’s hands?

Both at the moment, but Mama’s hands to detangle and style.

5. What is your little one’s hair regime?

We have come a very long way with her hair regime. 

It is very simple, at the moment. I protective style for at least 2 months (X3 times a year), usually during school term. When her hair is in protective styling, I co-wash twice a month and shampoo as needed. Otherwise, I leave it to do its own thing.  

When in protective styling, I do not apply any oils and allow her natural scalp oils to moisturize her scalp. 

When she is out of protective styling, my go-to is aloe vera juice spritz (mixed with olive oil) to moisturize and flaxseed gel to style her curls. I occasionally use Amla oil on her hair and lock this in with some Aloe Juice spritz and a bit of Shea Butter (very little). Her hair does not like to be weighed down with products. 

6. What products do you use on her hair?

Before I used to use everything on the natural hair shelf, plus the stock room, lol. I was such a product junkie.

But now, I am all about the KISS routine – Keep It Simple Stupid.

My go-to products are:-

• ORS Conditioner (love the slip for detangling)
• Aloe Vera Juice and water concoction (this helps with unravelling knots)
• Amla oil
• DIY flaxseed gel for styling, as well as detangling her hair.

7. What is your go-to protective styling?

My go-to protective style, now that she is older, is braids.

I get her hair braided at one of the local salons (after washing and detangling at home) and then keep her hair in this style for at least 2 months. 

8. How do you get your little one to cooperate when doing her hair?

Netflix and deal.

I put on the TV, give her some snacks to distract her and get to work. There are less Aws, Ouches and all the fuss when she is distracted. 

9. What word of advice do you have for other mums out there?

Get to know your child’s hair first!

Become skilled in caring for it throughout the whole process – from braiding to styling and takedown. This allows you to know first-hand how her hair behaves and what products it responds to – before taking her to a hair salon.

Also, find a simple hair regime that you can stick to consistently. Get her interested in her own hair care by trying fun styles with beads and colourful ribbons.

Lastly, start her early.

One day she needs to know how to take care of her hair and what products work best for her. Begin with teaching her the benefits of the LOC or LCO method in caring for her afro-textured hair.

10. What is your natural hair advice to live by?

Keep your child’s hair regime as simple as possible.

Also, try be consistent with when you do her hair so that she knows what to expect and there are fewer tears. Plus, a lot of bribery goes a long way, lol. 

Well ladies, you have heard it from the mom of teeny-weeny babes and you have seen the fruit of her hands.

Need more teeny weeny afro motivation? Have a look at our post on Toddler Hair Care: A Simple Regime and catch up with another mom as she gives the 411 on her Natural Hair Care for Dede. 

What has your own experience been? Shout out to share your lessons learnt caring for your little one’s hair.