Kids hair products?

purplepatch

My 4yo DD has long hair which is very soft and I find it difficult to put it up so that it looks neat and tidy. It needs to be secure for school and often when I pick her up, it has fallen down, or is falling down.

Someone told me to use gel or hairspray on it, but that worries me slightly as she has quite sensitive skin and I don't want to irritate her scalp.

I was wondering if anyone can recommend any gentle styling products, as natural as possible, which won't break the bank. I've looked on boots website, but there are so many products to search through and I couldn't find anything specifically for kids.

So if anybody can recommend anything, or give me any tips for making her hair stay up, I'd be very grateful.

the_other_mce

When mine were this age I always did their hair in plaits - lasts all day and no chemicals.
They are now a bit older and insist on using gel and hairspray. They both have sensitive skin but it doesn't irritate them so I wouldn't worry if I were you. Only trouble is that they insist on certain brands now ( L'oreal gel and tresemme hairspray at the moment) which makes me laugh but can be expensive considering the amount they use.....:rolleyes:
Don't know any non-chemical things to use that work though... I'll keep my eyes on this thread in case anyone else does though....

purplepatch

the_other_mce wrote: »

When mine were this age I always did their hair in plaits - lasts all day and no chemicals.

Thanks.

I've tried plaits but get the same thing as with ponytail. Could be because I'm doing it as a ponytail first and then plaiting that. How did you do your plaits - I tried doing it low and it kind of worked, but I'm so hamfisted with it that it doesn't look particularly neat and also as it isn't quite all one length the shorter bits kind of worked their way out. Any tips?

amandada

I always did my daughter's hair in french pleats (you know, the kind where they start at the top of the head and the hair is pleated into it as it goes down the head) and I found this the best way to keep it tidy. When you first start doing french pleats you feel you need about 5 hands but if you have a friendly hairdresser, maybe he/she could show you how to do it?
If you're doing ordinary pleats, do what you did before and start them low-without putting it into a pony tail first, and if your daughter's amenable to it, just practice a lot!
By the way , I've yet to see a child who doesn't look like they've been dragged through a hedge backwards when they come out of school!

purplepatch

I used to do the french plaits on my own hair, but it's much harder doing it to someone else, especially as hers is so soft - its like I need to put some gunk on it to make it a bit greasier and easier to keep hold of ifkwim. We wash it every couple of days, perhaps I'm doing it too often and should allow a bit of natural oil to build up

Lol, you've reminded me of the other day when I actually said to her when she came out, "You look like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards." She looked at me in earnest and said, "No mummy, I haven't been!" Well, that's a relief then!

She isn't very amenable to me practicing - I've suggested it a few times but she always refuses and tells me that I hurt her :rolleyes:

Time to get tough I guess!

lil_me

You can get the likes of Organic Hair Spray which are very expensive but usually much kinder to sensitive skin.

Silvikrin do a sensitive range which I think Boots and Tesco sell http://www.silvikrin.co.uk/product_sensitive.jsp

sunshinegirl_3

Are you washing her hair every day? It could be that it's too clean to put up. Mine's the same, if it's clean you can do nothing with it but leave it a day and it's fine to work with. I'm not waying leave her hair dirty but if you wash it every day, change to every other day and see if it makes a difference.

purplepatch

sunshinegirl wrote: »

Are you washing her hair every day? It could be that it's too clean to put up. Mine's the same, if it's clean you can do nothing with it but leave it a day and it's fine to work with. I'm not waying leave her hair dirty but if you wash it every day, change to every other day and see if it makes a difference.

No, already doing it every other, perhaps I'll try longer. A hairdresser friend of mine has suggested a boots coconut leave in conditioner that she uses on her own daughter, so will maybe give that a go. Her daughter's hair is mega curly though and needs taming to avoid frizz, but she thinks it might add sufficient gunge to my DDs hair to help put it up, without having to resort to gels or sprays. The silvikrin sensitive one looks good though.

sunshinegirl_3

Hi

You might want to ask if you can try a little of her conditioner before you buy a whole bottle. My hair turns into unmanageable silk with even a little conditioner, I can brush it but other than that I have to wait days before I can tye it up!

Badger_Lady

My sister and I had very soft, long hair as children, so my Dad found one hairstyle that worked (let's see if I can describe it):

1) Scoop the top half of the hair into a highish ponytail (so it's half up, half down) - tied up with a well elasticated band.

2) Plait all the hair tightly at base of neck and tie off

This kept all the straggly bits back out of faces and kept the hair neat even after spending all day doing handstands on the grass!

My Mum had a variation on this, where she tied the front bits of hair in two medium-sized plaits, then tied them at the back of the head. Then you can leave the rest loose or tie it up - I think it looks quite pretty, and acts a bit like a headband that can't move or get lost!

chattycathy1674

Badger Lady's 'dos' are great!
I use similar on my DD.
Also we use Avon de tangler spray...it's kind of like a leave in conditioner too.
Seems to add a little something to DD's hair, making it easier to put up and stay up!

<!!;0)