Kids Natural Hair

  • How to do knotless Braids at Home With Video Tutorial

    Here’s how to do knotless Braids at Home!

    As a mom of three Black kids, I’ve always had the goal to learn to braid but always found it intimidating. When I first tried braiding my older daughter’s hair, she was two years old, and it looks so horrible that I took it out immediately even though it took me an hour and a half to do them. I haven’t given up on myself though, I’ve been pushing through, and quarantine presented me time and the opportunity to practice. My daughter asked last summer for pink and purple braids, and since I didn’t want to damage her hair by coloring it, I decided to try doing her braids with braiding hair. I wanted to ensure that I used a method that wouldn’t damage her hair, so I researched and learned that knotless braids are the healthiest option for her hair. I watched lots of videos to know how to do knotless braids and started trying it. It’s a lot simpler than I thought it would be, and she always loves the results when I do knotless braids at home.

    Why Knotless Braids?

    Traditionally, braids started with a knot to attach the braiding hair, but this method put lots of pressure on the hair follicles and the scalp. It was also usually done tightly, so the hair doesn’t slip out and looks neater. Knotless braids, as the name infers doesn’t start with a knot. Instead, you start by braiding the real hair and attach the braiding hair at a later point. This removes all of the issues that knot braids can cause, like hair loss, trauma to the scalp, hair breakage, and other issues. Plus, knotless braids are more comfortable for children.

    You will need:

    • Braiding Hair: You can choose between purchasing synthetic or human braiding hair. I use braiding hair that I buy from Amazon and soaked for one day in Apple Cider Vinegar to ensure my daughter doesn’t break out or find them itchy.
    • A fine-toothed comb: I struggle with parting my child’s hair in straight rows for box braids, so a fine-tooth comb aka rat tail comb, is a must-have for me, and I love this one with the metal tail as it gives a clean part. I purchased this packet of three from Amazon.
    • Edge Control Gel: Edge control gel is a must-have for me to ensure that hair looks neat and there are no flyaways. I’ve like the Cantu Edge Control and Carol’s Daughter because they give hold without leaving the white residue and crunchiness some other brands leave. I usually order them from Amazon or pick them up at Target.
    • Gel: I use the Let’s Jam gel to smooth my daughter’s hair when braiding it; it’s inexpensive and works well.
    • Butterfly clamps: I use these butterfly clamps to separate the hair into sections.
    • Edge Brush: This small edge brush is perfect for getting shorter hairs and baby hairs in place.
    • Blow dryer (optional): Sometimes, I use a blowdryer to stretch my daughter’s hair before doing knotless braids. I use this blow dryer.
    • Heat protectant (optional): If you decide to use a blow dryer, I would suggest also using a heat protectant to prevent heat damage. I like the Cantu Heat Protectant and have been using it for a few years now.
    • Styling foam: I use this Cantu styling foam while braiding her hair to seal it from frizz and for shine, and I also use it to refresh her braids daily.
    • Silk Bonnet, pillow, or scarf: This style will take you a few hours to complete, so be sure to protect the style with a satin or silk bonnet, pillow, or scarf when you sleep that will keep the braids looking fresh.
    • Small rubber bands: I add small rubber bands at the ends of all of the braids. Since we use braids with hot water settings, they tend to fall out when we dissolve or fall off after they’re set.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. Wash and deep condition hair: I usually do this the day before braiding her braids to break down the entire braiding process’s length time.
    2. Detangle hair with a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush (I love this one) and separate hair into sections with butterfly clips.
    3. Air dry or blow dry hair on low heat settings using a heat protectant product. Whichever option you choose, try to stretch the hair in preparation for braiding.
    4. Part hair into small equal box sections and divide braiding hair to match those sections’ size. You can purchase one of these braiding hair stands to ensure the hair separated hair doesn’t get tangled.
    5. I start braiding at the back of her head and work my way to the front.
    6. Part the hair into sections of the desired style, add edge control gel to the roots of real hair, then begin to braid hair; after about an inch, hold the last piece with one finger and then add the first piece of braiding hair.
    7. Continue braid until the braiding hair is attached, then add the second piece of braiding hair and continue braiding.
    8. Add more gel to natural hair as needed; the gel helps prevent flyaways and makes the braid look neat.
    9. When you’ve completed each braid, add a rubber band to the end to prevent it from unraveling.
    10. Move on to the next section and repeat.

    Knotless Braids Video Tutorial

    Still, a little bit intimidated about doing knotless braids at home? or need some further guidance? Check out this video tutorial to see how I do my daughter’s hair. I’ve personally found video tutorials to be most helpful in learning how to do knotless braids.

    I recorded the entire braiding process in this video, so I hope it’s helpful to you if you’re new to knotless braids. My daughter loves wearing knotless braids, and this style makes life easier for me as I don’t have to do her hair daily. I’ve notices that her hair has gotten much thicker since we started doing knotless braids.

    Also, save this video on how to refresh knotless braids, this method has allowed me the stretch out her braids to last longer while looking neat.

    Leave any of your questions below!

    If you like this post, you may also like:

    Everything You Need to do Two Cornrows with Braiding Hair at Home

  • Everything You Need to do Two Cornrows with Braiding Hair at Home

    If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I’ve been experimenting with my hairstyles a lot more lately. My hair is in that in-between stage as it grows back, and I decided I should have fun with it instead of obsessing about its length. Plus, I have time during quarantine to improve my braiding skills (did you see the unicorn box braids I did in my daughter’s hair?) For the last few weeks, I’ve been rocking two cornrows with braiding hair, and it’s becoming my favorite style even though I want to move on and try Popsmoke braids next. I’ve gotten a few DMs about this hairstyle, and while I am not a professional and I try to make it look as natural as possible, I wanted to share everything you need to do two cornrows with braiding hair at home so you can rock this style too. 

    Everything You Need to do Two Cornrows with Braiding Hair at Home

    Braiding Hair

    You can choose to use human or synthetic hair, depending on your preference. I purchased this pre-stretched Kanekalaon braiding hair from Amazon. There are many options on Amazon, so be sure to read all of the reviews, so you don’t waste your money. I like this hair because it didn’t tangle easily. I use one packet per braid depending on the thickness of your hair; you may use more or less. 

    Edge Control Gel

    This style wouldn’t work without a good edge control gel! While it’s necessary for my edges, it’s also great to blend the braiding hair with my natural hair, parting my hair, and give this look a polished finish. One issue I always have with edge control gel is that it flakes, and the only one I’ve tried so far that doesn’t flake is Cantu Edge Control gel. It also doesn’t get so hard that it damages or dries out your hair. That means you may have a few flyaways, but that’s fine with me to ensure my hair’s health, especially along my hairline. 

    Everything You Need to do Two Cornrows with Braiding Hair at Home

    Styling Gel

    In addition to edge control gel, I use a styling gel to braid my hair. This is important to smooth my hair and get rid of any frizz, especially since I do not blow dry my hair to stretch it.

    Edge Brush

    I mentioned in this post that I was going to move on from using a toothbrush and purchasing edge brushes. I’m so glad I did because this edge brush comes in so handy for this style. 

    Denman Brush

    If you’ve been around here long enough you know that I am a diehard fan of the powers of a Denman brush, it can be used to make just about any style work on thick natural hair. 

    Hair Jewelry

    This is optional, but if you want to have fun, add some hair jewelry to your braids. I prefer to add them to the synthetic hair to avoid tangles in my real hair; I purchased this variety box from Amazon. 

    That’s everything I use to do two cornrows with braiding hair at home. Let me know if you plan to try this style. 

    Also check out this mini tutorial video on Instagram or TikTok!

    @rattlesandheels

    How I do chic two cornrow summer braids with extensions. ##naturalhairstyles ##braidedhairtutorial ##braidstutorial ##braidedhairstyle ##twobraids ##fyp

    ♬ Dream Girl – Ir Sais
  • You Need These 7 Tools For Your Natural and Curly Hair

    You Need These 7 Tools For Your Natural and Curly Hair!

    This post includes affiliate links.

    If you wear your hair natural, you know that there are a few products that you often use to style and care for your hair. I recently posted a video tutorial on Instagram, and based on the comments, I realized that we need to talk more about the natural hair tools because they make all the difference in how our hair looks. I’ve been natural now for ten years, and these are the hair tools I use regularly.

    Wide-tooth Comb for Detangling

    Before my hair was natural, I used the opposite, fine-tooth combs to style my straight hair, but since going natural, I’ve found wide-tooth combs to be the best option for detangling my hair. I always section my hair and start detangling at the ends, then work my way up to the roots as the hair detangles.

    Sectioning Clips

    Whether you’re doing a braid-out, twist-out, or cornrows. You will need to section your hair. These alligator clips are great for sectioning your styling hair, and these butterfly clips are perfect for the same as well as detangling.

    Denman Brush

    A Denman brush is my go-to tool for smooth bouncing curls. It was one of the first products I purchased when I first went natural, and it’s lived up to the hype. Look at this video to see how I use my Denman Brush. Also, keep in mind that other brands make similar style brushes but I stick to the Demnan Brand.

    7 Tools For Your Natural and Curly Hair

    Diffuser or Diffuser Attachment

    A Diffuser hairdryer is another product that I’ve been using since I first went natural a decade ago and still use it regularly. A diffuser dryer allows me to dry my natural wash and go without ruining my style or drying out my hair. This is the Diffuser I currently use, and it’s so much better than the one I used for eight years, drying my hair in half the time. It’s also very inexpensive at less than $25. You can also buy a diffuser attachment for a blowdryer you already own, just ensure it’s compatible.

    Satin Pillowcase

    This is another must-have not just for your hair but also for your skin. A satin pillowcase is great because your hair doesn’t dry out at night, it doesn’t pull your strands out the way that a regular pillowcase would. This is my go-to for myself and my children. None of us use hair bonnets or scarves (the girls can’t keep those on) but before I got to this stage I did a combination of scarf and satin pillowcase.

    Fine-tooth Comb

    You’re still going to need a fine-tooth comb to part your hair, especially for cornrows just be sure to not use it to detangle your hair because it would damage your hair.

    Edges Brush

    After buying toothbrushes for years to slick down our edges, there are now Edges Brushes that we can purchase. I’ve been holding on tight to my toothbrush, but I’ll order one for the sake of review. I found this one on Amazon, and it’s only $7.

    Bonnet Hair Dryer

    So I can’t remember a time while growing up or as an adult that I didn’t have a bonnet hair dryer besides now. I used one for the first five years that I wore my hair natural for deep conditioning as well as drying my hair. It’s a great product to have on hand, but it’s also bulky, and I had nowhere to store it in my NYC apartment, so I got rid of it.

    Afro Pick Comb

    Natural hair shrinks and flattens quickly whether you sit or lay for a while, so an afro pick comb is a must-have to shape and tease your hair to make it full and beautiful again.

    That’s all friends! I hope this post is helpful. Let me know your must-have hair tools for natural hair below. Make sure you’re following me on Instagram and TikTok for more natural hair tutorials.

  • Afro-textured Haircut | Kids Deva Cut Before and After

    Are you thinking about taking your kid for a Deva Cut? If so I wanted to share my daughter’s experience and her Deva Cut before and after pictures.

    I’ve meant to take my older daughter for a professional haircut for a few years, and I kept putting it off. There was uncertainty mixed with not knowing how comfortable she would be. Last fall I went to Devachan salon in SoHo for my first Deva Cut, and my hair shape turned out so fabulous that I decided to take my seven-year-old daughter in for one as well.

    devacut before and after

    Who was her stylist and how did I select her?

    My stylist was fantastic, but she wasn’t available on the weekend I wanted to take my daughter, so I went with Melody who was suggested.

    [Tweet “Thinking about taking your kid with afro-textured hair for a haircut? Here’s my daughter’s Deva Cut before and after pictures and salon experience. #naturalhair “]

    Melody was very professional and laid back. I completely forgot that I needed to bring her in with her hair prepped for her hair cut free of any product. Total mom brain moment so she decided that to ensure that my daughter keeps most of her length she would wash her hair first and then cut it after.

    kids devacut before and after

    What did they do?

    Those of you who follow my Instagram stories saw the fancy sinks at Devachan salon. That’s one of the things that I love about the experience at their salon. We all know that tightly coiled hair needs a ton of love and attention and you can truly relax while laying down to style your hair.

    What products did they use?

    Detangling my daughter’s hair took some time, but they were very patient and gentle with her strands. They used the Deva Curl No Poo Decadence to cleanse her hair and scalp and deep conditioned with Heaven in Hair (my favorite DevaCurl product).

    How did they dry her hair?

    Next, she sat under the dryer for about 30 minutes. I was impressed by her patience through this process, but she was enjoying the pampering.

    Once her hair was dry, Melody went through curl by curl and cut her hair.

     

    How is the results?

    The shape is lovely, and my daughter told me that she loves her hair this short. I love that she loves her hair so much and with the haircut wash day has been much more comfortable at home too, I wish I had done it much earlier.

    Would you go back?

    I’m not sure if I’m going to maintain this shape by taking her for a haircut biannually or annually. Deva Chan doesn’t have a children’s rate for haircuts which I wish they did (I would take my son too). That said, I’ve paid much more at places that weren’t as nice and was disappointed with how my hair turned out, so I’m going to stick with them for now.

    You can go to my Instagram stories and watch video clips of the entire experience under “Natural Hair” highlights.

    Deva Chan Salon Kid Before Deva Cut
    This was her hair before her hair cut.

     

    deva cut before and after
    This was her hair after her hair cut.

    kids devacut before and after

    Do you take your kids for professional haircuts? If so, how often?

     

     

  • Our Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Experience

    My family was invited and hosted by Walt Disney World Resorts. As usual, all opinions expressed are my own. 

    Listen, I’ve been bursting with anticipation to share all of the details our Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience, it was even more fantastic than I imagined. If you aren’t familiar Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique it is an “enchanted beauty salon” for kids ages 3 to 12.  The stylists who are affectionately nicknamed Fairy Godmothers-in-training did an exceptional job with both of my kids, The Princess Fairy and The Super Knight. In this post, I wanted to share all of the details from Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience from our arrival to our departure.

    Our first step was to select our services, for my daughter, we purchased a dress (Elsa’s summer dress) as decided she would do her hair, makeup, and get a manicure. For my son, we went with hair styling. There was only one option for boys costumes, a shirt that wasn’t really his style so we skipped it since he was really excited about getting a sword and shield like a real knight. I’ve never heard anyone mention services for boys at Bibiddi Bobbidi Boutique so I was surprised that they had a package to make him feel special too. Next, the kids Fairy Godmothers-in-training came out to introduce themselves.

    They then led them to a magical dressing room with a talking mirror with a special message for them. This really got the kids excited about their makeovers.

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Boys

    My son’s stylist was also from our area so she was happy to have him in her chair. She kept calling him her little neighbor which was sweet. One of my fears as a mom of kids with naturally kinky curly hair is having products used in their hair that could possibly dry or damage their hair but they used a brand that I love and trust, Giovanni gel and conditioner. She then molded my son’s natural curls and they look really shiny. Next, she used her magical wand to sprinkle pixie dust on him, bringing his power as The Super Knight to life.

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Boys

    Meanwhile, my daughter was getting her hair done by two talented ladies, they were incredible and aI shared a few video clips of them working on her hair my Instagram stories and many of you commented that you were also impressed by how well my daughter’s natural 4C hair texture was handled. I even joked with my husband that they did it much better than me.

     

    bibbidi bobbed boutique 4c hair

     

    Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique African American

     

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Natural Hair

    Once her gorgeous bun was done, they applied her makeup and gave her a manicure. She was excited to have the chance to wear makeup since she always ask us for permission and the answer is always no.  They used a kiddie makeup palette with nude and subtle shades.  Her manicure was princess perfect, silver glitter which her dad and I found to be age appropriate.

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Natural Hair

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Natural Hair

    Once it was all done, her Fairy Godmother-in-training spun around her chair so she could face the mirror and that’s when the magic occurred, she saw herself as a pretty princess. Her Fairy Godmother-in-training then sprinkled her with pixie dust to activate her royalty.

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Rattles and Heels

    What I loved about this salon was that everything you could possibly think of to make the occasion special was available. My little princess and knight were then whisked off to take photos into a studio at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. They posed in front of a carriage for photos to create memories of their visit that I know they would never forget.

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Rattles and Heels

     

    Bobbidi Biddidi Boutique

    On her way out, The Princess Fairy was given a cute baby pink and gold backpack with goodies to maintain her makeover. It included product samples, a comb, brush, nail polish, decals, and aftercare instructions.

    Princess Makeover at Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

    We visited the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Disney Springs but there are also locations at the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland.

    Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Experience Rattles and Heels

    We had a really wonderful Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience and I’m looking forward to going back again when our new baby is big enough.

    Have you ever taken your kids to Disney’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique?

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    If you enjoyed this post, you would love this post on things to do with preschoolers at all Walt Disney World parks and Disney Springs. Read it here!

    Walt Disney World with Preschoolers Epcot

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  • The Princess Fairy OOTD + Kidizoom Smartwatch DX GIVEAWAY (Closed)

    This product has been provided by VTech; however all opinions expressed are my own.

    The Princess Fairy is growing up y’all! If you follow me on social media, I’ve been bragging about her and her success in Kindergarten. She’s currently the student of the month and we are happy and proud to see how much she is thriving. My daughter has also developed her own style! She lets me know when my outfit choices for her doesn’t meet her taste and would make suggestions to change it up. I think it’s cute and I usually allow her to lead since I believe style is an expression of who we are.

    Affliate Links Disclosure

    curlformersnaturalkids

    Her hairstyle is a Curlformers set that we did on Saturday. I shared how I do the Curlformers style a few years ago.

    fallkidootd

     

    This outfit is all her and her love for soft pastel colors. I’m happy that this fall, pastel colors are trending and this Target sweater is perfectly soft and warm. She loves the pretty stones along the neckline that gives the impression of a necklace. I couldn’t find the exact sweater but here’s a similar one.

    vtechsmartwatch

    One of her favorite accessories is the Kidizoom Smartwatch DX which is wearable technology for my little techie girl. She’s loves making videos and playing all the games especially working on her math skills.

    vtech

    I love that the Kidizoom Smartwatch DX shows kids how to tell time in various different ways. It can really be customized to your child. This watch would make a great holiday gift and you get it at reduced price until November 23rd, 2015. The Princess Fairy is obsessed with calendars (that may be my fault) and she loves that the Kidizoom Smartwatch DX has calendar and calculator features. My son loves this watch, but he’s going to have to wait to get his own since the recommended age group is 4-9 year olds.

    theprincessfairy

    She’s also rocking the Dr. Martens Delaney’s which is her favorite boots this fall. They  are super cute and trendy. She loved the color and I love the edginess and how versatile they are. The Dr. Marten’s Delaney’s  look great with skirts and pants.

    vtechkidizoomYou can learn more about the Kidizoom Smartwatch DX on their website or follow them on Twitter and Facebook! Make sure to enter to win a Kidizoom Smartwatch DX below. (US Residents only)

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

     

  • Kids Natural Hairstyle: Wash and Go on Coily Type 4 Hair

    This weekend was fabulous! A good friend of mine got married on Saturday and of course we were happy to be part of their special day. When I was growing up, attending weddings was definitely the type of occasion  that my mom would have my hair styled fabulously for. So, I wanted to The Princess Fairy to rock a gorgeous hair style. One of my goals is to raise her aware of the versatility and fabulousness of her natural hair. We’re both have type 4 natural hair, mine more of 4a while hers is more of a 4 B/C. My hair have thrived doing only wash and go styles, but I wasn’t sure how it work of her hair which is very fine and then to tangle much easier. She loves wearing her hair down so I knew this style would make her very happy. I was really happy that  it turned out fabulous and she ended up receiving tons of compliments. It was so cool to see how beautiful she felt and her little face glowing with confidence when she looked in the mirror. Anyway, I wanted to share how I achieved this wash and go on coily type 4 hair:

    Affliate Links Disclosure

    washandgooncoilynaturalhair

    1. First, I added Organic Coconut Oil to her hair and put a shower cap on her head for 15 minutes while she played with her dolls.
    2. She washes her hair herself these days, so she got into the bathroom next to wash it. She’s quite independent and when we made the mutual decision that she would do it herself when she complain too many times about soap in her eyes and asked to do it herself with my supervision. I’m seriously amazed that she does such a good job at 4 years old. Anyway, she washed her hair with Pantene Pro-V Truly Natural Hair Co-Wash Conditioner.

    3.  After rinsing out the co-wash, we added her deep conditioner Every Strand Argan Oil Hydrate Hair Masque. I have raved about this conditioner for years and really love how shiny and defined it makes our hair. We left it in for 5 minutes and then rinsed it out with cold water. We always rinse with cold water to close the hair cuticle which reduces frizz while defining the curl pattern and locks in moisture.

    4. Next,  I got her out of the bathroom and distracted in front of the TV with My Little Pony while I gently detangled her hair using a Wide tooth comb. I detangled her hair in sections and use  our favorite detangler Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner/Detangler  which works like magic melting away all tangles.

    5. Once her hair was completely detangled, I divided it into a few sections. Breaking each section into smaller sections using Butterfly Clamps.

    6. I opened each section and smoothed a grape size of EcoStyler Gel on her curls from root to tip. We were in a rush so I didn’t really get to work the sections as small as would have liked to create more definition. If you’re recreating this style, make sure to make the sections extremely small if you want the curls very defined if you want a big hair look skip getting too much definition.

    7. As I smoothed the gels through her curls, I shake the ends a bit as I pulled my fingers  through. This made the ends keep their natural curl. If you want to create a curl at the end you can also wrap the ends tightly around a fingers with a bit of gel just keep in mind that depending on the size of your curls and hair texture this may look “unnatural”.

    8. As I worked my way through her hair, I kept her hair damp by spritzing with cold water from a Spray Bottle. You want to ensure that the hair remains damn or it will be frizzy when you apply the gel.

    9. Once I worked the gel through all of her hair, I looked for curls that I missed and clumped curls together at the top by shingling them with my fingers.

    10. Now the most challenging part of this wash and go was drying my daughter’s hair. We didn’t have a lot of time and my daughter didn’t want to sit below the hair dryer. We struck a compromise where she sat under the dryer for 20 minutes and then I finished drying her hair with a diffuser.

    washandgoontype4hair

    Now, I wanted to share that before drying her hair, the mix of the leave-in conditioner and gel was a bit whitish and I low-key panicked that there would be residue when it dried. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case but if you get a bit heavy handed with the gel that’s a possibility so please go easy!

    We really loved the results! Her hair looked gorgeous and I love how her small springy curls framed her face. I’m so glad that she is embracing her curls and her natural beauty. It’s my goal to raise her with the understanding that her hair is filled with as many possibilities and beauty as her hair 🙂

    I plan to experiment with more wash and go styles in her hair using different products and I’ll be sure to share that journey here on Rattles and Heels and on our Instagram page. Also, make sure you’re following my Natural Kids Pinterest board for natural hair care tips and hairstyle inspiration for from all over the internet 🙂

    Rattles and Heels’s board Natural Hair: Kids on Pinterest.

     

     

    Ever styled your child’s natural hair in a wash and go?

  • Easy Kids Natural Hairstyle With Dove Quench Absolute

    kids-natural-hair-style-tutorial At 20 weeks pregnant with my first child, found out that I was pregnant with a girl and not a boy as I had convinced myself and my husband. The ultrasound technician asked me to take a guess when he showed us the baby’s genitals and I blurted out “A boy?” No, he laughed “It’s a girl!” In that moment, I laughed, cried and couldn’t help thinking about my little girl. As her mommy, I was going to be her biggest role model. Was I ready for that? At the time, I was 6 months into transitioning to wearing my hair in it’s naturally curly texture. I knew that the transition would take much longer than the four more months of my pregnancy so a few days later I walked into my bathroom and cut all my hair off. I wanted my baby girl to see herself in mommy. I wanted her to see a mommy who was comfortable in her skin and her hair and all the things that made mommy unique. I also had no idea how to style natural hair and I figured that it would help to be able to care for and style for my daughter’s hair. It did! Now, my daughter is 4 years old and she loves her curls. She loves that mommy and her grandmothers have curls. She proudly walks around with her little crown of curly glory.   natural-hair-style-for-kids   Like any girl, The Princess Fairy sometimes get bored with her hair. Now that the weather is changing and she’s wearing her sundresses she requested a new hairstyle. She loves to wear her braid-outs but it gets too hot to have hair on your shoulders in the summer. Since, she LOVES flowers and draw them all day long so we decided to do a style that incorporated flowers using Dove Quench Absolute for curly, course hair products.   To achieve this easy kids natural hair style:   dove-quench-absolute-review  

     

        1. I washed and conditioned my daughter’s hair using Dove Quench Absolute shampoo and conditioner. The conditioner made her hair very shiny and manageable and I was happy that the shampoo didn’t strip her hair of its natural oils and make it dry. The formulas which are infused with protein, nutrients and Buriti Oil gave her hair a nourished finish.

     

     

     

      • Next I used the rich and creamy Quench Absolute Restoration Mask since my little lady’s hair thrives on moisture. We left it in for a for just minutes while she raced her brother around our home.

     

     

     

      • After rinsing out Quench Absolute Restoration Mask, I added the Quench Absolute Crème Serum and used an old t-shirt to dry her hair. I use t-shirts instead of towels since her hair tends to get tangled and frizzy when I use towels.

     

     

     

      • Once her hair was dry, I added a little more Dove Quench Absolute Crème Serum. This is a fast absorbing, light weight and creamy serum.

     

     

     

      • Next, I parted out a small section on the crown of her head. Separating her hair into two sections, a small one in the front and a bigger one in the back.

     

          styling-kids-natural-hair 6. I pulled the bigger section in the back into a pony tail, leaving the front section out. natural-hair-style-kids 7. I braided her ponytail and then pinned it up to make a braided knot. natural-kids-summer-hairstyle 8. I used the Quench Absolute Crème Serum to slick the sides down and added a little to the section left out in the front. 9. Next we added her flowers to her little braided knot in the back. 10. Voila! dove-quench-absolut-style   hairstyle-for-kids-with-natural-hair Besides, the new Quench Absolute hair products for curly hair, Dove has an amazing campaign Love Your Curls for moms like myself who want to encourage our daughters to love their hair. According to their studies, girls are more likely to feel beautiful and proud of their hair if people around them do. Sadly, only 4 in 10 little girls with curly hair think that their natural hair is beautiful. It breaks my heart to know that so many little girls dislike their hair. I watched the campaign’s very inspiring video with my little girl and she loved the song, we got up and danced together because we love our curls. If you haven’t seen the video before, it’s a must see. Check it out here. My favorite part of this campaign is the Love Your Curls book. Dove-love-your-curls-book The Love Your Curls book is a poetic tribute to curly hair inspired by thousands of stories from women with curly hair. It’s written by best-selling author, Taiye Selasi and illustrated by Annick Poirier. It is intended to represent and inspire curly girls of all ages. We had a really good time reading this book and loved the images of girls with different types of curls illustrated in the book. I also downloaded a free custom e-book for The Princess Fairy with a special dedication and her photo. custom-dove-love-your-curls-book   You can download your very own here to inspire the curly girls in your life. dove-love-your-hair I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.   Follow Rattles and Heels’s board Natural Hair: Kids on Pinterest.

  • Let Your Child Take The Lead In Natural Hair Care

    Dealing with kids natural hair
    One of the many things that I admire about my daughter is her strong leadership skills. She’s a natural leader. She’s the kid who organizes all the other kids at the playground within 5 minutes of arriving. Most times she’s the youngest. She’s fearless and I admire and encourage her. So when it comes to doing her hair, I’ve decided to allow her to her take the lead.

    Playground leader

    While she isn’t of the age to really care about how her hair is styled. She really cares about the accessories used. Sometimes she would request a bow, a headband or even roses. I’ve started to allow her to make that decision. I don’t always agree but I quietly remind myself that it’s not my hair. Most of us moms are bossy. We make plans and decisions for our children and never ask for their input. No, that was just me?

    Natural Mother and daughter
    Over the past month and a half, my daughter started crying whenever I shampooed her hair. This behavior seemed to start out of nowhere but when I would ask her why she would just continue to cry. I always asked her in the moment and I guess she was too flustered to answer. So one day when I wasn’t doing her hair I asked her to share with me why she all of a sudden hated washing her hair so much. She told me that it’s because she doesn’t like her back to get wet (I wash her hair in the kitchen sink).  She made it clear that she didn’t like water on her back. So we talked about solutions and compromised on using two towels over her back instead of one. This small change has made washing her hair much easier. During the detangling process like most kids she cooperates better if she’s distracted so we put on a Disney movie for her.

    When she explained to me that she didn’t like the smell of a new product  that I started using in her hair. I stopped using it, I didn’t bother to argue that it worked really well for moisturizing her dry hair. I just respected her wishes.

    Conditioner Natural Hair Kids
    She started asking more about the products that I used in her hair. What exactly is shampoo and why am I using it? Why do you have to put conditioner in her hair? She wants to smell everything, mix the DIY treatments and to know everything about every step of the process. This led me to realize and that even at her age, she has a sense of ownership of herself, her hair and her identity. Since, I  stand proudly at the playground watching her organize the other kids then I must encourage her everytime she exhibits her leadership skills even if it means that I too need to follow her lead when it comes to her hair.

    MOther daughter natural hair
    I think a lot of us struggle with our kids hair because we don’t give them enough authority over their hair. We don’t make it something that they care about. Hair is just something that grows on their heads that we manage. I challenge you to allow them take ownership. You’ll be surprised that you’ll see a change in their attitude towards styling and caring for it.

    Your little one will be a happy leader.
    Natural Kids
    Do you allow your child take the lead or give input on their hair care and styling?

  • Kids Natural Hair Accessories Lookbook {VIDEO}

    Out with the old and in with the new. Spring is the perfect season to have fun with accessories in your daughter’s natural hair. This lookbook features some fun and cute accessories for children that’s accessible for you moms to pick up. Check out the video below featuring my daughter.

    Accessories featured in the video:

    Spring Bloom Flower Crown – Charlotte Russe
    Golden Flowers Crown – Charlotte Russe
    Heart Crown – Osh Kosh Kids
    Bunny Ears – Osh Kosh Kids
    Festive Bow – Esty
    Feather Cool – Macys

    Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored.

  • Kids Natural Hairstyle: Curlformers

    As my daughter grows older, I want to ensure she is her aware of the versatility of her natural hair. I want to teach her to embrace her hair the way it grows out of her scalp and to expose her to the different styles she can achieve. So this week, instead of her usual braid-out, I decided to switch things up and make use of a Curlformers Styling Kit  that I purchased 2 years ago.

    CURLFORMERS-FOR-NATURAL-KIDS

    Recently, she asked to wear her hair in the same style as one her dolls Maya and I knew that we could achieve that look (or similar enough to make her happy using Curlformers).

    curlformer 5

    How we did it:

    My daughter, Maya the doll and I trotted to the bathroom to get things started. Maya watched from the sidelines as I washed my daughter’s hair using Shea Moisture Mango & Carrot Kids Extra-Nourishing Shampoo  and conditioned using Shea Moisture Mango & Carrot Kids Extra-Nourishing Conditioner .  I then detangled her hair using Giovanni Direct Leave-in Conditioner. Before styling, I divided her hair into 6 sections and applied jojoba oil and Jane Carter Solution Wrap and Roll to each section (I found this product on sale at Whole Foods for $7 #winning). Next we installed the Curlformers, my little one enjoyed helping me by pulling the hook through the Curlformers. I was worried that it would of taken much longer to install but I was done within 20 minutes. She didn’t even get chance to get restless.

    curlformer 8

    My daughter then continued her day as normal while her hair air dried. She thought wearing the Curlformers were fun and didn’t seem to be bothered by them. It took her hair 4 hours to dry completely.

    Results:

    curlformer results toddler

    The results were shiny, soft and springy spiral curls. The Curlformers with too much hair seem to produce frizzy curls so next time I will doing only small sections. 

    curlformer on toddler hair

    I did like the texture that the frizz created and found this style to be age appropriate.  

    curlformer on toddler

    She loved it and couldn’t stop whipping her curls back and forth.

    Have you tried this style in your daughter’s hair?