Hair

[ailbhe]

I must remember that I was eight years old before anyone could brush my hair in less than half an hour. I must remember that I was eight years old before anyone could brush my hair in less than half an hour. I must remember that I was eight years old before anyone could brush my hair in less than half an hour. I must remember that I was eight years old before anyone could brush my hair in less than half an hour. I must remember that I was eight years old before anyone could brush my hair in less than half an hour. I must remember that I was eight years old before anyone could brush my hair in less than half an hour. I must remember that I was eight years old before anyone could brush my hair in less than half an hour.

And I must not scalp the children.

Comments

[serene]

Aww, poor dear. *hugs*

:(

[aphrodite]

I have taken to adding some of my own hair conditioner (heavily moisturising, "for dry and/or dyed hair") to the back of the Tiny Tyrant's wetted head - where he accumulates dreadlocks - and then working the dry tangles out by hand later. He will not allow me to brush his hair, but will not sit still for cutting (so I attempt to trim in the bath when he is distracted and use this method). It seems to go okay.

[kateaw]

Aaaaannnnnd breathe.

A couple of years ago, after threatening to do it for months, we cut Beth's hair short. She loved it, I loved, all her friends loved it. But then strangers thought she was a boy, which is a big deal when you're three and a half. So we've grown it again. Its just long enough to put into two little plaits for school. But every morning my heart sinks when its time for the brushing.

I swear by Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave in Conditioner.

[ailbhe]

I comb normal should-rinse-out conditioner through Emer's dry hair every few days, which helps an awful lot. But not enough to stop it dreading and matting overnight.

Still, if she can watch lolcats while I do it, it's not too bad. Really. Usually. A bit.

And Linnea has started figuring out that it's faster if she stands still rather than fighting.

And they are both adamantly opposed to getting it cut.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

get one of those silicone based detanglers? i've used biosilk and it's pretty good.

[ailbhe]

I shall have to investigate. I currently use an eco-hippie conditioner which DOES do ok for everyone's hair except Emer's. I've been considering oil, too.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Oil is brilliant. I use it on mine when it seems beyond hope.

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Hair's a big deal to little girls. One of the big childhood traumas for me was getting my hair cut short (without knowing it was getting cut short) at age 8. It didn't look good at all, and my sense of my looks plummeted from cute to awkward.

[snorkel-maiden.livejournal.com]

Would they sleep with plaits in? I used to do that when my hair was long, otherwise it would attempt to throttle me. But I suppose plaits could easily turn into pre-knotted dreads.

[ailbhe]

When it's a little longer, but at the moment some hair escapes the top of the plaits and makes a little mat... it works better loose. For now.

Electrolysis and wigs. It's the only way.

[mrs-redboots.livejournal.com]

I know what transformed all our lives was the invention of conditioning spray when my sister was about Emer's age - absolute magic, as the tangles just fell out instead of carefully having to be worked out. I always used it with my own girl.

[ailbhe]

Oh, is that the silicon stuff hitchhiker mentioned above?

[mrs-redboots.livejournal.com]

I imagine so - I don't know; I do remember it was specially formulated for children, but of course, conditioners etc have come a long way since the 1960s!

If you ever go to the hairdresser to get yours done, it might be worth asking what they would recommend.

[allyphoe.livejournal.com]

I'd been going to suggest plaits, too, but I see that doesn't work.

Satin sleeping cap? I personally haven't had success with that (it doesn't stay on), but I know others have.

We switched from shampoo washes to conditioner-only washes, and that helped. I leave quite a bit of conditioner on her hair at the end, too. I use coconut oil (the extra-virgin stuff that still smells and tastes of coconut) in between washings, although I find I have to keep it away from her scalp or she gets really greasy. On the length, it just disappears.

[ailbhe]

I have never heard of a satin sleeping cap. I shall see if I can get coconut oil; I think we used to have a jar of solid white fat for toast which was coconut oil? that is, it wasn't fluid? Tasted fab.

[allyphoe.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's it. The brand we use is this one: http://www.nutiva.com/products/10_coconut.php It melts at body temp, so putting it on by hand is easy enough.

Some people say the coconut oil makes their hair feel "crunchy," but we haven't noticed a problem with that. I like the results better if I put it on slightly damp hair, or work in enough that the dry ends are completely saturated-feeling.

Satin pillowcases are also supposed to be less tangly. Mine doesn't stick to the pillow when she sleeps, which is why I tried the cap, but no luck there.

[mrs-redboots.livejournal.com]

You can get coconut oil in Sainsbury's in their World Foods section, usually; failing that, most Caribbean supermarkets have it (I use a lot making soap, as it makes fabulous lather when saponified); it's the kind of stuff that you can always tell when it's winter as it solidifies in the cupboard, but is liquid most of the summer!