Hair Raising Guest Post Tola Okogwu

A girl’s hair is her crowning glory.  At The Hair Helper we believe that every little girl should feel this way about the head of hair she is adorned with.  Of course, only having one hair type in our home, makes it tricky to talk about various tips and tricks for looking after all the different types of hair that you will find.  So, we’ve enlisted the help of some lovely ladies whom we’ve met through social media.

Read below from our guest blogger Tola Okogwu who is equally passionate about little girls feeling good about their hair…so much so she’s written two children’s books, with another on the way!

Tell us about yourself

My name is Tola and I’m a yummy mummy to two gorgeous little girls.  By day I work in admin but by night I write and publish children’s books and blog about afro haircare.

How old is your daughter?

Elizabeth is three going on thirteen and Rebekah my youngest is 8 months old.

How would you describe your daughter’s hair?

Both my daughters have dark brown very curly afro textured hair. Elizabeth’s is almost mid back in length and Rebekah is ear length, though she has a cute Friar Tuck situation going on in the back. Elizabeth has tight zig-zag curls compared to Rebekah who’s curls are looser and spiral shaped.

What products do you use, and find work on your daughter’s hair?

Afro textured hair tends to be on the dry side so I use very moisturising products and natural oils to lock in the moisture. I love the Mielle Organics and Camille Rose Natural brands. My favourite products at the moment are the Mielle Organics Babasu Oil Shampoo, Camille Rose Naturals Moroccan Pear Detangling Conditioner and Coconut Water Leave-in Treatment and Brown Butter Melt.

How often do you wash your daughter’s hair?

I currently wash and deep condition Eizabeth’s hair every two weeks and I keep her hair in protective style most of the time. With Rebekah, as her hair is so short and free flowing, I wash and condition every week. Unlike Caucasian hair, oils are good for afro hair, so washing too frequently strips these oils away and can cause dryness and breakage.

How often do you cut your daughter’s hair?

Because Elizabeth’s hair is rarely free flowing there isn’t much damage or split ends so a trim every 3-6 months works well for us. I don’t believe in trimming for the sake of it.

What hairstyles do you find work best in your daughter’s hair?

My go to is two-strand twists, they are easy to do and take down and they can last up to two weeks. They are also really versatile as I can still switch things up and put her hair up into a ponytail for activities like gymnastics. Elizabeth has very delicate hair, which thrives best when left alone. I’ve also just started putting Rebekah’s hair into twists.

Hints or tips for people with the same afro hair type?

  Never shampoo curly hair that has not been detangled and always detangle curly hair when damp. When detangling, separate the hair into sections then starting from the tips, comb gently upwards. Try and use your fingers as much as possible to reduce breakage.

Be prepared to stop and start styling as needed. Children have zero chill and a short attention span. With my daughter, I sometimes have to break it up into two 20-40 min sessions, depending on the style.

Don’t over wash curly hair as it can strip the hair of its natural oils and cause breakage. Also try to avoid using shampoos, which contain harsh surfactants like sulphates. Deep condition regularly, especially in colder months to keep hair moisturised and prevent dryness and breakage.

Use a silk/satin bonnet or pillowcase to help protect delicate baby hair from drying out at night.

You can protect your child’s hair during messy or sand play with a swim or plastic shower cap.