Summer Haircare Facts vs. Myths

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Your whole life you wanted curly hair and now you have it—on your kid. That’s the good news. The bad news is that you have no idea how to manage it. The frizz! The tangles and knots! The bushy, brittle battles with the brush! This is not what you had in mind. AT. ALL. No worries. Curly hair isn’t hard to manage when you have the right tools and info. We got this. Let’s start right at the root of the issue: what causes curly hair? It has to do with shape of the hair follicle and the fibers in the individual hair. Straight hair grows out of a round follicle, but curly hair grows from a flatter, asymmetrical follicle. The flatter the follicle, the curlier the hair. It’s similar to curly ribbon—when you pull it through a flat, pressed surface, it curls right up! Now let’s tackle the most important do’s and don’ts for curly hair with some tips.

TIP #1: Stop Over-Washing

That’s right, put the shampoo down and step away slowly. This is true of all hair, but I find that curly hair suffers the most, because over-washing dries out hair, strips it of the natural oils and causes dryness and frizz. Parents of curly headed kids often think that daily washing will keep tangles and frizz under control, but it does just the opposite. The hair never has a chance to help itself. Leave at least 2-3 days between washes to allow those natural oils to coat and nourish the hair. And don’t worry about those tangles—we’ll get to that.

TIP #2: Use the Right Kids Shampoo and Shampoo the Right Way

SoCozy Curl Shampoo is specially formulated to gently wash curly hair and fortify it with plum seed oil, hydrolyzed keratin, and olive oil to prevent breakage and improve the elasticity that gives curly hair it’s wonderful bounce. Depending on the thickness of hair, use a dime-size to quarter-size (that’s right, not much!) of shampoo to gently massage through hair and scalp with fingertips. Don’t scrunch or bunch the hair together—this unsettles the cuticle and leads to breakage.

TIP #3: Use the Right Conditioner

Using the right conditioner the right way gives hair that softness and bounce that you’re looking for. After rinsing hair of shampoo, work a dime-size or quarter-size of SoCozy Curl Conditioner into hair, starting with the tips and working your way to the scalp. Use your fingers to comb tangles out, starting at the tips and working your way up. (If you start at the root, you’ll cause a traffic jam of tangles along the hair.) Add more conditioner as needed until hair is lightly coated and soaking in all the super-hydrating mango butter, soybean oil and papaya extract. If necessary, use a wide-toothed comb to help remove tangles and distribute the conditioner evenly. Allow hair to sit for several minutes before rinsing. And—here’s my best bath time tip—leave a little conditioner in the hair when you rinse. This makes all the difference!

TIP #4: Choose Fingers Over Combs and Brushes

You’ll see more shiny, defined curls and less frizz if you toss out your combs and brushes in favor of your fingertips. While hair is still wet, gently finger-comb the hair from root to tip. (This should be very easy since you’ve left a little conditioner in.) Use a towel to gently scoop and scrunch handfuls of hair to remove excess water. You’ll start to see those beautiful curls come to life, but we’re not done yet…

TIP #5: Add Curl Gel Cream to Define and Shine

You’ve brought the curls to life and now it’s time give them staying power with SoCozy Curl Gel-Cream. This wonder product is the perfect balance of control without stiff, crunchy curls and moisture without weighing hair down. While hair is still damp, section it and work a small dab of cream first into your palms and fingers and then into the hair, gently scrunching hair and lifting at the root. You’re telling the hair what to do as you lift and curl and this product will help it remember to stay that way. Repeat with each section and then allow hair to air dry for gorgeous, soft curls that last.

TIP #6: Once Hair is Dry, Leave it Alone!

No more combing, brushing or fussing with curly hair once it has dried. That’s the fast-track to Frizzville! The only thing you’ll need to manage curly hair once it has dried is your finger tips to gently comb or lift curls. The more you leave curly hair alone, the more it will behave itself. Trust me.

TIP #7: Add Curl Gel Cream to Dry Hair in Between Washes

Okay, back to the beginning. You might be wondering how this curly head of hair is going to look on Day 2 or Day 3 without washing. Sleeping can cause some frizz and flatness, but again, resist the urge to wash and style all over again. Give hair a chance to “wake up” by using your fingers to gently re-shape and lift the curl. Work a dab of SoCozy Curl Gel-Cream into any frizzy areas to smooth the hair and give it support. You’ll be amazed at how just a little bit of product and finger-combing can bring curly bed-head back to life. And the more you resist over-washing and over-combing curly hair, the better it will look and behave over time. See? It’s not so hard at all. Pretty soon, people will be stopping you on the street or in the grocery story asking how you get your kid’s curls to look so great. And you’ll know just what to say! XO, Cozy

The Flip Tail Pony is one of our all-time favorite hairstyles. And while it looks complicated—and like you need two sets of hands—trust us, it’s a cinch to master. Four fast steps, five minutes tops. Check out the how-to from Cozy’s best-selling book: Cozy’s Complete Guide To Girl’s Hair.

To recreate these hairstyles don’t forget a comb or a brush and hair tie.

First, starting with dry hair, comb or brush the hair to smooth and detangle it.

Then, gather the hair into a low ponytail at the nape of the neck and secure it with a hair tie. Then push the elastic down slightly to leave 2 or 3 inches of hair above it.

Next, using your pointer and middle fingers, make a “hole” in the middle of the hair above the hair tie. With your other hand, flip the end of the pony under and up through the hole.

Finally, slowly pull the pony through. If the ponytail sticks out from the head too much, gently pull the hair tie down farther to relax the style. Brush the ends of the flip tail smooth.

There you have it. Four easy steps to mastering a cute ponytail style that is natural, fun and fuss-free.

After trying to detangle a child’s hair, most parents are ready to pull out their own. By far, my most frequent question about children’s hair care is, “How do I comb the knots and tangles out?” The keys are TOOLS and TECHNIQUE. Once you learn this ouchless hair detangling method, nobody will be crying when the comb comes out, you or your kids!

First, the tools:

• Wide-toothed comb with rounded tips
• Hair clips to section the hair
• Detangler or spray leave-in conditioner
• Toy, video, or book to keep your kid occupied

How to Detangle Hair:

Step 1
Make sure your child is distracted and comfortable; this is half the battle! Start by parting the hair (dry or wet) horizontally from ear to ear and clipping the upper section of hair onto the top of the head to keep it out of the way.

Step 2
Spray the lower (unclipped) section with a detangler or leave-in conditioner.

Step 3
Once you’ve sprayed the section with detangler, separate a chunk of hair (1 or 2 inches) and hold it firmly near the hair ends. The key is to start combing near the end of the hair, not at the root. Think of the tangles and knots like traffic congestion—you have to clear the jam from the front of the line, not the end of it. So start at the ends and work your way, little by little, to the root. Always hold the hair just above the snag you’re working on to prevent tugging at the scalp when you comb. (That’s what hurts!)

Step 4
Once you’ve finished the entire bottom section, unclip the rest of the hair and work the top section the same way until you’ve detangled around the whole head.

HOW TO PREVENT TANGLED HAIR

Now that you know how to tackle tangles, but you can also prevent them! Use these tips to keep otherwise knotty hair in line:

• During bath time, apply a liberal amount of moisturizing conditioner and comb through hair using the same technique with a wide-toothed comb.
• Girls with long hair should sleep with loose braids or a ponytail.
• Always wear hair in a ponytail or braid during sports or physical activities.

Go forth and detangle!