Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls + A Giveaway!

I get a lot of questions about Fern’s hair and how I get it to curl the way it does. The short answer is: genetics. She just lucked out with some pretty adorable curls.

Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do

That said, her curls definitely require a bit of taming and over time I’ve acquired a little arsenal of favorites for keeping them looking cute. So let’s start out with products…

Curly Little Girlies // @ The Little Things We Do

>>>Our Favorite Products<<<

1) Honest Shampoo + Body Wash

I love a good multi-tasking product and this stuff is great and the smell is subtle and not overpowering.

2) Mixed Chicks Kids Leave-In Conditioner

This stuff is magic. I used to have to use a touch of mousse to tame Fern’s curls post-bath, but ever since we switched to this leave-in conditioner I don’t have to use product anymore (or at least rarely). I was worried it would be too heavy since it’s made for mixed hair, but that’s actually what makes it so great. It’s not as thick or greasy as some of the products on the market strictly for black hair. I cannot say enough good things about this. It’s also free of nasty chemicals, which is a must.

3) Babo Botanicals Detangler

I don’t always use this, but it’s great for in-between washings (I only wash Fern’s hair 2-3 times a week) to get those gnarly tangles out of which we get many…sometimes I’ll even find little dreadlocks at the nape of her neck!

4) Spray Bottle

A spray bottle filled with water is by far my most favorite trick for styling curly hair. We do baths at night and after sleeping on her curls all night, Fern wakes up with some pretty crazy bed head. I just spray her hair with a little water to reactivate the curls, brush them out and then scrunch them up with my hands. Good as new! I also use it to help hairstyles like pigtails, braids and top knots stay in a little better.

5 ) Brush

Having her hair brushed isn’t always Fern’s favorite, but ever since I let her pick out her very own brush with cute, little fruit motif, she’s been excited to brush her hair. I may end up getting one of those Wet Brushes for detangling when her hair gets a little longer though. I’ll be sure to let her pick out her favorite color though.

6) Cute Hair Clips

We could not live without hair clips to keep curls out of Fern’s face. With curly hair, bangs aren’t really an option (OK, they are an option, but not a very good one. Believe me…I speak from experience. Way too much effort to style and ain’t nobody got time for that!). I consider myself quite the connoisseur of cute and quality hair accessories and I have to say that my favorites are the vintage plastic Goody ones (I found mine on Etsy) and the classic metal hair clips. These clips from Hello Shiso have the classic metal clip base and they have so many adorable options! (P.S. I’m hosting a giveaway for a $50 credit to Hello Shiso’s shop over on my Instagram, so head over to enter!)

Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do

Now that you know about our favorite products, here are a few simple curly hair styles Fern rocks most often.

1) Straight up curly

I’ll admit that sometimes this do can be a little Kate Gosselin-esque with all the crazy in back, but this is the quickest and easiest way to keep her hair under control and curls out of her face.

Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do

 {metallic cork hairclip: c/o Hello Shiso}

2) Curly with a twist

If I want to change up Fern’s usual curly-with-a-clip style, I opt to twist back her bangs or sometimes braid them if she’s feeling extra patient.

Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do

{sunburst hair clip: c/o Hello Shiso}

3) “Miss Elaina Pigtails”

Fern dubbed this style “Miss Elaina” hair, because that’s how Miss Elaina wears her hair on Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. It’s perfect for shorter hair like Fern’s that’s still a bit tricky for other styles. I simply spray her hair with water first and them brush it out. I’ll often add a quick spritz of hair spray to get it to stay as well. I forgot to mention that these tiny, clear ponytail holders are our favorites.

Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do

{foxy hair clip: c/o Hello Shiso}

3) “Anna braids”

Braids aren’t my favorite, because they require a lot of extra patience with shorter hair, but sometimes if I’m feeling fancy I’ll give them a whirl. Calling them Anna braids (a’la Anna from Frozen) is a great way to get her to buy-in to sitting still.

Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do

4) “Ballet bun”

I love a good top knot, so we like to rock this from time to time. She doesn’t tolerate it for long though, because she says it’s “too hurty”. Hopefully when her hair is longer and I don’t have to make it as tight, she’ll like it more. Super cute with a headband too!

Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do

Hope that was helpful for you all of you with curly-haired little ladies, and don’t forget to head over to my Instagram to enter the $50 Hello Shiso giveaway!

 

Love and curls,

Lauren (& Fern!)

Comments

  1. My two yr old has super curly hair as well. I’ve tried lots of different products, but the ones that have worked best for her curly locks is the Shea Moisture Shampoo and also their Leave-In Stylig Creme. I use Carols Daughter Refreshing Milk spray in the mornings to freshen up her curls again! I have tried Mixed Chicks in the past, but didn’t love it. Felt like it didn’t provide enough moisture.

    • @Danielle – I could see that. Fern’s hair isn’t very dry, so she doesn’t need quite as much moisture, which is probably why it works for us. I actually tried the Shea Moisture leave-in styling creme for myself and Fern and it was a bit too heavy for us, but I did love the smell and I really like the Shea Moisture product line in general. I’ll have to check out this Carol’s Daughter spray you mentioned…I wonder if it would be too heavy. What type of curls does your little one have? I think Fern’s hair is a 3A…or maybe a 2C.

  2. OH my gosh. THE CUTEST! I hope if I ever have a girl someday she gets John’s waves/curls. So cute!

  3. My almost 2 year old has some major curls! I’ll have to try some of these products. I’ve heard great things about Mixed Chicks!

  4. I love her little curls! My 2 y/o has the same type of curly hair, I was curious if you’ve cut her hair at all? I have been letting my daughters grow and didn’t think i would cut it until recently, it seems she’s had a growth spurt in the back and the top/front is still shorter (i just haven’t decided yet).thanks for all of your tips!

    • @Nicole – No hair cuts yet! It’s definitely a little longer in back, but doesn’t look weird at the moment, so I’m just gonna go with it for now :).

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  1. […] Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls + A Giveaway! – The Little … http://laurenhartmann.com/I get a lot of questions about Fern's hair and how I get it to curl the way it does. The short answer is: genetics. She just lucked out with some pretty adorable curls. Curly Hair Tips For Little Girls // @ The Little Things We Do. […]

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