My daughter, wearing her cuteheads Ellis Top while blowing bubbles and hunting lizards.

If you have a curly-haired little one like I do, then you understand that the struggle is real. Of course, there is much to celebrate, because — hello — it is absolutely adorable, but the tangles, the tears… they’re all too familiar. I have nightmares of my mom trying to brush my hair as a kid, and at some point, she just gave up because it was too painful and I was too miserable. At just 17 months, my daughter’s got my hair for sure, and even though I still have curly hair, I was still at a loss for how to deal with hers.

The other day, a well-meaning person mentioned her hair to me, followed by “I’m sure she’ll grow out of it.” I wanted to apologize facetiously to this well-meaning individual; my daughter’s hair is nothing she needs to grow out of. It’s perfect the way that it is, and she’ll be proud of it. But I still wondered what I could do to make bathtime easier for my husband and me.

So let me share with you a few of the products that are every curly girl’s best friend. I hope that by starting her routine young, she’ll learn how to appreciate and maintain her pretty brown ringlets.

1. Conditioner – I trust California Baby products. They’re not cheapest, but they’re chemical-free and smell great. Just shampoo is no longer an option for my daughter, she needs a softening product.

2. Hip Peas Curl Tamer – Most of the time, we let her curls do whatever they want to do, because honestly, I find it adorable. And also, she’s a baby and doesn’t need a bunch of stuff in her hair. But this product is free of parabems, sulfates, phthalates, and all kinds of other stuff you wouldn’t want in your kid’s hair product. It tames curls just enough, it’s not greasy at all, and it makes the curls defined without being crunchy.

3. A detangling brush – Regular brushes are a curly haired
person’s worst enemy. They do nothing for knots and they pull the hair mercilessly. I love the Knot Genie “Teeny Genie” for tiny people’s hair. Just be careful, as the bristles are a little rough. If your child has a really sensitive head, this may not be for him or her.

4. Goody Ouchless Polybands – These are far and away my favorite hair ties for baby. She doesn’t have enough hair yet for bigger hair ties, and these never pull her hair or hurt to take out. She’ll actually sit still for pigtails and ponytails if I give her a few to hold, which I often do since there are seemingly millions in a pack.

5. Johnson and Johnson No More Tangles – This spray takes the stress out of hair brushing. Just a little spritz, and it makes hair so much easier to brush and manage.

6. Toys – I usually her something to play with and hold while I’m trying to brush and style her hair. This week, she’s really into this purple hedgehog her aunt gave her. I can usually spend 20 seconds doing her hair while she’s playing with it.

What are your tips and tricks for curly hair?