Are you having trouble taking care of your biracial hair?  Are you a mother who is frustrated by trying to take care of your little girl's biracial hair?  If so, this guide is for you.  I wrote this guide based on my extensive experience with African-American and biracial hair care.  The guide will give you techniques for making your hair or your child's hair look as amazing as nature intended it to be.  After reading the guide you will have more confidence in your ability to care for biracial hair.

We've been in business since 2002. These tips you are about to read address some of the questions we get most frequently from clients.  They have been selected based on thousands of questions over the years.  The tips will give you enough information to develop your own unique hair care regimen.  We'll start off with a short introduction and then we'll go into a series of questions and answers.  If you want to immediately reach a particular section, click on the links below to be whisked right to that section.

Introduction to Biracial Hair Care
What should I expect from biracial hair?
What tools will I need to take care of biracial hair?
How do I comb kinkly or coily or curly hair?
How often should I wash biracial hair?  How do I wash biracial hair?  How about drying biracial hair?
How do I condition biracial hair?
How do I go about deep conditioning biracial hair?
How should I moisturize my biracial hair? How often should I moisturize it?
What about oil?  Some people say I should use it.  Some say I shouldn't.  What do I do?
What are some biracial hair styles?
I love my natural ringlets.  How do I keep my biracial hair looking wet?
How do I control this frizzy, curly hair?
Should I straighten my biracial hair with a perm or relaxer?
Ponytail tips
What do I do with my hair while I sleep?
I've heard I should trim my ends.  Should I?  Why?
What about hair growth supplements?
Summary

We often receive emails from mothers who have adopted African-American or biracial children.  We also hear from White mothers who have biracial children and are having their first experience with kinky/curly/frizzy hair.  We know that for many of you this is a pretty confusing time and you want to know exactly what to do.  I'd like to be able to cookbook style guide that would tell  you exactly what products to apply on which days.  Unfortunately, that's not really possible.  Every person's hair is slightly different and will have different needs.  Genetics plays a major role.  But, other factors like environment and your personal activity will make a difference in how often your hair needs to be moisturized or washed.  Proper hair maintenance is more of an art than it is a science.  It's something you're going to have to famliarize yourself with and adjust as you go along. While I can't tell you exactly what to do, I can give you some very good guildelines that will help you begin to work out your own routine.  I've been working on my older daughter's hair for 14 years now and on my own much longer than that.  I am continually adjusting what I do. 

As you are working through this, keep in mind that every single person has hair that is just a little bit different.  Because of those differences, it should be treated differently.  I have two daughters born three years apart to the same father and mother.  But, they have different hair types and I don't treat their hair exactly the same.  While my own children are not biracial, I do have nine biracial nieces and nephews and have consulted with many biracial clients.  Figuring out how to deal with biracial hair can actually be more difficult than learning to maintain African hair.  Most African-Americans are multi-ethnic even though we refer to ourselves as Black.  However, most of us have hair that is more similar than a person who we choose to call biracial.  Occasionally, we'll get an email or a phone call from a Caucasian mother disappointed that her daughter's hair turned out more like the father's than like hers.  And, we've gotten a few call from men asking us to explain to their wives how their daughters' hair is different from hers.  When two people with very dissimilar hair have a child, there is no way to determine how that child's hair will turn out.  Again, brothers and sisters in the same family might have completely different hair types.

Expectations for Biracial Hair

We think more important than any "to do" tip we can give you, is conveying to you how important it is to have reasonable expectations about your biracial hair or your daughter's biracial hair.  Over the years we've been consulting with people on their hair and just in our day-to-day lives, we've come to realize that almost no one is happy with their hair.  People with thin hair want thick hair.  People with thick hair want thin hair.  People with curly hair want it straight and vice versa.  Many Black people want "good hair".  And on and on it goes. 

By far the biggest complaint we get about Black hair is that it appears to be dry or that it lacks shine.  We hear the same thing about biracial hair.  Right after that is people being unhappy with the "frizzyness" of their hair.   We believe this is based on the societal standard that we've been taught that healthy hair is shiny and smooth.  That isn't necessarily so.  For decades, we African-Americans have been putting pomades and "grease" on our hair to give it a sheen it simply doesn't normally have.  There's really nothing wrong with that, to a point.  We'd like to suggest before you do too much to try to make your hair shine, you have the right perspective on just how shiny it should be. 

Natural Black or African hair will not be as shiny as permed hair or Caucasian hair.  That is the physics of how light is reflected off of the hair. A major part of what makes hair shiny is the structure of the hair.  How muc light your hair will reflect is not determined simply by the amount of oil or moisture it contains.  The outer structure of the hair is called the cuticles, which are like scales on a fish.  If the cuticles lay flat (smooth hair), the hair will reflect light (therefore it will appear shiny). If the cuticles are raised, the hair will absorb light (therefore it will appear more dull).   African-American hair, because of the structure of the cuticles and the twistiness of the hair shaft will tend to have raised cuticles and will not reflect light as well.  This doesn't apply to permed or relaxed hair which will appear shinier.   If you slather on the grease to try to make your natural African-American (or biracial) hair shine, you could end up harming the health of your hair and scalp. 

As I said, the number two complaint about biracial hair is that it is too frizzy.  Sometimes people will describe it as too curly.  There are a few things you can do to control the frizz and/or curls in biracial hair.  But, most of these are temporary unless you want to get into relaxers.  Before we help someone with this issue, particularly, if they're trying to get rid of their natural curls, we always advise to first try to embrace your hair in its natural state.  There are people who would kill for those curls.  We ask mothers to not expect their daughter's hair to be just like theirs.  And, most importantly, don't express that disappointment in front of them.  We have always found it important to get our daughters to accept their bodies, including their hair, the way they were made. 

When handling your daughter's hair (or your own), you should think of it as being like its made of fine material like silk.  You should treat it as gently as you would wash a nice silk blouse.  Keep in mind that the better it's treated, the easier it will be for it to grow out and to be manageable.  If your daughter is African-American or biracial and you are Caucasian, know that her hair will require more time and effort to maintain.  You should be aware that African hair and biracial hair is usually more dry than Caucasian hair. The structure of Black hair makes it more difficult for the natural sebum (oil produced by the scalp) to travel from the scalp aong the length of the hair shaft.  Because textured hair is kinky it will get more tangles. Pulling through those tangles vigorously will break the hair.  By looking at it, you might think that Black hair would be more sturdy than Caucasian hair.  But, the opposite can be true.  If it lacks moisture, it will lack elasticity so that the kinks that are snagged while styling or combing can actually snap the hair. A question I got at one time was whether I thought natural hair was meant to be combed.  After thinking about it, I said "Probably not."   I don’t think our hair's structure is conducive to having a comb pulled through it.

How to Comb Kinky Biracial Hair

For people who have not worked with kinky hair, this will be a very important section.  My advice is to never comb out kinky hair while it is dry.  I always use a moisturizer before combing out to help keep the elasticity in the hair and to reduce the friction between the comb and the hair.  I suggest looking for a "detangling" comb to use.  Definitely be sure to have a wide tooth comb. The kinkier and thicker your hair, the wider you'll want the space between the teeth to be.  I have a Kakakiki KombBrush (see above for a link which will take you to where you can buy one).  The Kakakiki is a combination comb and brush in one device. It’s shaped like a brush, but has round teeth- more like a comb. Try to be patient and gentle.  It's never a good idea to try to comb kinky hair when you're in a rush.  It'll be frustrating for you and for your daughter.  I work in sections.  I start by parting the hair and tying off the part I'm not currently combing.  Then I gently grasp the hair near the scalp with my free hand.  When I pull, by holding the hair near the base, I'm not pulling on the scalp.  But, the comb is pulling the hair against my hand.  This keeps from damaging the follicles and hurting my daughter.  Comb gently starting at the root and moving up along the hair shaft until tangle-free.  Then, tie off that section and move to the next.

How to Wash Biracial Hair

One of the most difficult and important decisions you'll have to make will be how often to wash biracial hair.  A good rule of thumb is to start out with once a week and adjust up or down from there.  In the winter this might stretch out a little longer. In the summer, when kids are playing or swimming, you'll need to wash more often.  One of the most common errors made by African parents of Biracial or African children make is washing the hair too often.  Some parents of biracial children we have heard washing their child's hair daily.  Rarely will a biracial child need to have her hair washed every day.  Many of my Caucasian friends wash their own hair every day because the natural oils weigh down their fine hair and they have to be removed.  This is almost never the case with biracial hair.  Overwashing can lead to dullness and dryness, especially when done with the wrong shampoo which almost always seems to be the case when people are washing this often.  For biracial hair care, you may want to consider washing a little more often than once a week. But, you will rarely want to wash more than a couple of times a week. I like to use different shampoos  (some of my favorites are listed here) to eliminate the possibility of build-up from a particular shampoo. I alternate between:

Between Washings- If your child swims often or sweats from her scalp, you may be tempted to wash too often. What we do to prevent this is to rinse with warm water and condition several times a week and continue to use shampoo on our weekly rotation.

Washing an infant's hair

Infants cannot keep their eyes closed or their heads tilted back when you're washing their hair.  So, it's almost inevitable that you are going to get soap in their eyes.  Until they are of age, you should use a shampoo that is formulated to be gentle on the eyes. Some even contain agents that keep the eyes from stinging.  But, most of them are particularly drying.  Our shampoo for babies and young children is Kayshay Kids Baby Shampoo, which is a mild, moisturizing shampoo excellent for babies. If you use someone else's baby shampoo,  transition to a nice mild shampoo as soon as possible.

Drying biracial hair

When washing, wash the hair gently.  But, thoroughly massage the scalp. When you dry, use a towel and blot the hair instead of rubbing it vigorously.  You should blot the hair dry and then allow to air dry as much as possible before using heat.  You might need to use heat.  Use as little as possible.

Tips for Conditioning Biracial Hair

Conditioning the hair is almost as important as washing it.  Conditioning the hair softens it, restores elasticity and gets those cuticles to lay more flat (making it shinier).  Immediately after washing I recommend conditioning with one of these products:

Deep Conditioning Biracial Hair

To add moisture and increase elasticity, you should deep condition the hair at least once a month.  Do this after the normal shampooing. I use one of a couple of products:

After washing, apply a deep conditioning product.  Use a heat cap, either a portable microwaveable one or a plug-in cap. These can be purchased on this website.  Leave the cap in place for at least 30 minutes.  The gentle moist heat from the cap will allow the cuticles of the hair to open so that the conditioner can penetrate the hair shaft. You might also opt to do a hot oils treatment instead.

Tips for Moisturizing Biracial Hair

This is the most often overlooked aspect of caring for biracial hair.  The key to healthy biracial or African-American hair is keeping the right amount of moisture available to the hair.  There is some dispute as to whether oil is necessary or advisable to put on hair.  But, there is no doubt that moisture is important.  Keeping the body well hydrated by drinking plenty of water is the best start. Dry hair will not have elasticity and therefore will break more easily than hair that is hydrated.  Moisturize with good products and be generous with the number of times you moisturize.  Just as you put lotion on your skin when it's dry, it's important to put a moisturizer on your hair.   Moisturizing is not necessarily the same as oiling.  Some oils are natural emollients (softeners) and  humectants (water-attracting).  They will help the hair draw in moisture from the surrounding air. And oiling is definitely not the same as putting on "grease" (see below).  Just the word "grease" makes me cringe as I think of the thick, greasy, anything-but-natural stuff that is still sold in drug stores and beauty supply stores.  After the Deep Conditioning or Conditioning I moisturize.  I recommend moisturizing at least twice a week.  Every time I style, I moisturizer.  And, often in between stylings, I'll moisturize.  I believe this is the key reason why my daughters' and my hair is so healthy.   I use one of these products:

Should I put oil on biracial hair?

This has become somewhat controversial over the last several years with "experts" taking up both sides of the debate.  You will have to decide for your self whether you think it is is best to oil or not.  I can tell you that my personal experience is most biracial or African-American people can benefit from some amount of additional, natural oil put on their hair occasionally.  I think maybe some of the reason for the debate is too much oil and/or the wrong type of oil can do more harm than good.  In our Treasured Locks products, we use only all natural oils, mostly plant oils.  We do not use mineral oil or any petroleum based products.  The exception to the rule about plant oils is emu oil, which is the major component in our H2G Hair Growth Serum.  Emu oil is obtained from a large bird.  It is phenomenal when it comes to promoting hair and skin health.  It softens and lubricates and it has essential fatty acids that are great for the scalp.  It is an anti-inflammatory that soothes the scalp, improving circulation and promoting hair growth.    

How to oil your hair is one of those things you'll have to experiment.   My biracial nieces have different needs. They are sisters.  But, one has very fine, smooth hair and needs no additional oil at all. The other can use a light oil which really helps control the frizziness.

To apply oil, I put a small amount in the palm of my hand.  If I'm using something like Shea Butter or our Herbal Hair Balm (both solids), and melt it. I then rub it on the hair and gently massage the oil into the scalp. I will not use anything that doesn’t melt at body temperature. I'm not a huge fan of beeswax because it melts at something way above body temperature.  If I happen to use something with a little beeswax (which has a relatively high melting point), I make sure the combination still melts at body temperature so that it doesn’t build up. I often mix a couple of the products.  I actually prefer products that are liqid at room temperature.  Some of my favorite oils are:

Over the course of the last few years, all of my favorites oils (except castor oil) have greatly increased in price.  As a result, you'll find many manufacturers have cut way back on how much they put into their products.  At Treasured Locks, we want to give you more of the good stuff.  So, you'll find our products are still loaded with the most beneficial oils, in spite of the cost to us to make them that way.

You can choose from the following products (from heaviest to lightest in order)

Repetition

 
How often you wash, condition, moisturize, deep condition and oil is of a great importance. The above will give yous some guidelines you can begin with and then adjust to more often or less often, as needed.  Too often and you might experience build-up. Or if you wash too often with a drying shampoo, you'll actually dry the hair out.   Not often enough and you'll experience dry and/or brittle hair.

Styling Tips for Biracial Hair

For the most part, I style without the use of styling products like mousses, gels, etc.  Since my daughters are young, I have them in ponytails, plaits or braids most of the time.  I am intentional about not having them weard their hair in the exact same style too often.  Styles that pull the hair in the same way day after day (for example always pulling the hair up in a tight ponytail), can damage the follicles and lead to a certain type of hair loss called traction alopecia.  Over time, this can even lead to permanently damage. If you decide to use styling products, be cautious about using products with ethyl or methyl alcohol which are drying to hair and scalp.  Also, avoid products that lead to build up.  Watch for the hair starting to look dull or for flakes There are a few aids I use for certain hair styles to give extra hold or some straightening:

How to Maintain Natural Ringlets in Biracial Hair. How to Keep Biracial Hair Looking Wet

We have had several biracial customers contact us saying that they love the look they have when their hair it wet and they want to know how to keep those ringlets when the hair has dried.  One of our clients shared the technique she and her sister use. Caution:  This will not work on all hair types.  You have to begin with soft, natural springy curls which will be a function of your natural hair texture.

For those with softer, natural curls who want more definition, this is a great technique. This hair style is well suited to bi-racial hair types.

1. Wash the hair once a week.  On the other days you can rinse and skip washing.
2. Every day detangle the hair
   
3. On a daily basis, apply a leave in conditioner.  Treasured Locks Shea Butter Nourishing Leave In Conditioner is wonderful for this step.
4. Wet hair thoroughly with something like Black Earth Protective Mist Bodifier.  A liquid spray moisturizer.
   
5. Apply Treasured Locks Locks of Curls Curl Defining Pomade & Gel or another styling gel
   
6. Follow up with a just a slight amount of hair oil- Treasured Locks African Argan Oil Elixir would be useful.
   
7. If possible, allow to air dry.  Pulling it back in a loose pony tail will help stretch out the curls. 
   
8. If you don't have time to allow the hair to air dry,  use a blow dryer on the lowest temperature setting.  Stretch the hair gently as you are drying it.

Controlling Frizzyness & Curliness in Biracial Hair

I know I stated this pretty strongly before.  But, I feel it bears repeating.   Expectations are important when it comes to hair. When people ask us about eliminating frizziness, they are often actually talking about natural curls.  Most of the time biracial children's hair will have more texture- curliness and frizziness than Caucasian or Asian hair.   To completely get rid of all frizziness or curliness will be difficult, at best.  It also may send the message to your child (if you're trying to do this for your daughter) that her natural hair is not desirable.

Treasured Locks does carry products that will help to control frizziness and curliness.  Natural-Laxer MIX works beautifully on biracial hair.  It's applies once a month or so. It's all natural, has  temporary effect and naturally loosens the curl pattern and tamps down frizziness.  It can be applied in the home and wears off after several weeks.  For those looking for a more permanent solution, a mild relaxer, texturizer or kiddie perm is something to think about.  Please read our precautions below though before making this major decision.  If you’re not familiar with them, please become familiar with all the considerations before making that decision.  Other products we offer that help when styling curly and/or frizzy hair include:

Perms and Relaxers for Biracial Hair Care

We get several calls from frustrated mothers asking about perms for young girls.  Unfortunately, often the questions come after the child has had a perm and the family is realizing the relaxer hasn't solved th problems they were having before.  People may think that by getting a relaxer because the biracial hair looks more like Caucasian hair it will be easier to maintain.  That is rarely the case.  In fact, often after perms the care for the hair is turned over to a daughter who is not ready to handle it yet and more problems are experienced.  Then, we get the call asking how people can go back.  If you decide to relaxer your or your daughter's hair, please konw that it is a long term decision.  There is no making that hair natural again.  Going back is a process of transitioning and waiting for completely new growth.  Given that hair grows at an average of one-half inch a month, it can take up to a year to replace six inches of hair that was permed.

Our rule of thumb is that we recommend against relaxers for girls who have not yet gone through puberty.  At that age, their hair and skin are still developing.  Also, there is the message that their natural hair isn't good enough.  Natural-Laxer MIX has been a God-send for many mothers who were considering relaxers, allowing the child to keep their natural hair while making it more manageable.  I use Natural-Laxer MIX on our older daughter. It has made her hair much more manageable and improved the texture.   Since beginining the use of Natural-Laxer MIX, I can comb her hair in about half the time it used to take.  Our daughters have their hair pressed and/of flat ironed once in a while and wear it "down" for a change.  We also let them get braids every once in a while.  By using these strategies, we have been able to avoid relaxing their hair throught their pre-adolescent years.  If you're still thinking about relaxing, please donsider the following before you start.

Ponytail Do’s and Don’ts

Bound hairstyles are fantastic hairstyles for little girls. Bound hairstyles keep the hair tame and keep it from tangling.  With braids, plaits or twists I can get several days to a week out of a hairstyle.  But, bound hairstyles can lead to serious hair problems including hair breakage or (in rare cases) permanent hair loss.  Here are some dos and don’ts you will want to be aware of:

Sleeping

Before sleeping, take down tight hair styles. Remove tight bands.  Use a satin pillowcase or a satin or nylon sleep cap to help keep moisture in the hair and reduce hair loss from friction with the pillow.

Trimming the Ends

Because hair grows from the scalp, not the end, the ends of the hair are the oldest part of the hair.  Hair can get worn out before the end of its lifecycle.  If the ends are neglected or abused, they can split.  That's bad enough.  But, those splits can travel down the hair shaft causing damage to the otherwise health hair.  It might go against your intuition.  But, trimming the ends regularly can actually lead to having longer hair.  Take special notice of the ends of the hair.  If you see they are dry, you'll want to adjust your routine (wash less often, condition more often, moisturize more often).  If you notice the hair tangling at the ends or looking frizzy at the ends, have them trimmed.  This is not something I did early on with my girls.  But, once I started, I noticed an immediate improvement in the manageability of their hair.  It was immediately easier to comb.

Hair Growth and Hair Health Supplements

I use both the Treasured Locks H2G Hair Growth Supplement and Treasured Locks H2G Hair Strength Supplement. Since starting these supplements I have noticed considerable improvement in the appearance of my hair and nails. Most customers that start on them report an improvement in their nails and skin within a couple of weeks and their hair in a month or so.   To have healthy hair, it's vital to have proper nutrition and hydration (drink water).  Supplements that are especially designe for hair health are beneficial.   Our supplements are not formulated for children under the age of 13.  The dosages are based on an adult's needs.  I do recommend the use of our Treasured Locks H2G Hair Growth Serum.  I use it for both myself and the girls.  It contains a proprietary blend of essential oils and emu oil help that work together to speed hair growth by stimulating circulation and by keeping the hair well oiled, moisturized and soft.

Summary

Wow. Did you actually read all of this?  ;-)  I hope you have found this useful. We'd like to give you a more specific recipe for your hair routine.  But, if you follow these general guidelines you can easily begin to improve the health of your hair. Start to be observant about your hair and learn how it responds. In a matter of days, weeks and months the proper products and techniques will bring about improvements that many people find amazing.If you have any questions after reading this, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’re glad to help. We’re available at http://www.treasuredlocks.com.

Peace,
Tywana