Forget Me Not Mommy!! (Toddlers Natural Hair Care Regimen)

A Hair care Regimen is simply a system or routine carried out on our hair to promote or restore healthy hair. It is important that you develop a care regimen for your child’s hair.

There are certain things to consider before creating a regimen for your child.

1)Hair type– How fragile is your child’s hair? texture/type? length? This helps you to know what products you should put as basic and use more often. If your child has dry or harsh hair, you will need more moisturizing and deep conditioning, also if it has been heat damaged or if you apply heat(like hair straighteners) the hair would need oiling and heat protectants…

2)Time– You have to create a regimen that would work for you and that you can easily stick to. Check the time on your hands- after work hours, how much spare time do you have for the child’s hair? this is important, that way you would be able to be consistent, as consistency produces results!

3)Money– When you have figured out your child’s hair type/texture/length,and the time you have, you would be able to calculate how much products you would consume and need. If you use conditioners more frequently, you would need to buy them and thus, spend more bucks! Set aside a little money, every 2weeks or monthly that you’ll use to get the products. Make sure it fits in your budget & doesn’t strain it!

What you will need to create your child’s NHC regimen.

1)Shampoos– You have to make sure you have cleansing, clarifying shampoos, these are needed to help clear product-buildups on the scalp and Sulfate-free shampoos as sulfate rids your hair of its natural oils, making it frizzy.

Suggested shampoos–

Shea Moisture’s Mango & Carrot Kids Extra Nourishing Shampoo

Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shampoo

Beautiful Beginnings Dark & Lovely Shampoo For Kids

2)Co-wash– This is the product you should use often in place of shampoos, it retains moisture and prevents breakage and dryness.

Suggested Co-wash–

As I Am Coconut Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner

Pantene ‘Natural Hair’ Co-Wash

3)Conditioners, Deep Conditioners and Protein Treatments– Deep conditioning should be done once or Twice a month depends on how damaged the hair is. If you apply color, texturize, relax or heat the hair, you will need more protein for healthy hair!!You can make yours at home-with a mixture of avocados,olive/coconut oil or eggs, aloe vera juice etc or buy from the store.

Suggested Deep Conditioners/Treatments–

Beautiful Beginnings Dark & Lovely Deep Conditioner for Kids

Shea Moisture’s Mango & Carrot Kids Conditioner

4)Detanglers and Moisturizers- You should detangle with a lot of patience before washing your child’s hair, don’t be in a hurry!!!Detangle as often as possible, if your child has more knots in hair do it more often than normal. Do the LOC (Leave in,Oil and Cream)method, don’t forget to moisturize the ends of the hair!!!People often neglect that part forgetting that it is more prone to breakage…

Suggested Detanglers and Moisturizers–

Shea Moisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Kids Extra Moisturizing Detangler

Beautiful Beginnings Dark & Lovely Conditioning Oil Moisturizer

5)Satin/Silk Pillow case or hair cover– it helps prevent breakage while asleep as it is smoother. Don’t forget to dry with an old t-shirt instead of towels and Use water based gels or curl creams to perfect coils. Also massage the hair as often as possible for easy flow of blood through the scalp leading to better hair growth!!!

6)Revaluate/Review– Don’t forget to track the progress of the regimen you created to see if it’s working, that way you can add or substract some products or reduce/increase the number of time you apply them.

7)Protective Styles and Low manipulation styles– like braids, twist/braid outs helps prevent breakage.

Your Child’s NHC Regimen may look like this:

Saturday	Detangle	Shampoo	Deep Condition	Single strand Twist/Braid & Oil Scalp
Sunday	Moisturize	Apply Curling Cream &/or water based gel	Twist-Single or flat
Monday	LOC method	Twist/Braid out	Castor oil on scalp	Massage Scalp
Tuesday	Detangle (Coconut oil)/ Moistrize	Leave in	Protective style-Pineapple updo
Wednesday	Moisturize &seal	Castor oil		Massage Scalp
Thursday	Detangle (coconut oil)/PrePoo	Co-Wash, Dry with old Teeshirt	Massage &steam	Wash & go
Friday	Moisturize& Seal	Low Manipulative Styles
Protein Treatment 4-8 weeks Protective Styles Monthly