Adventures in Hair Care!!

We have been having great adventures...in hair care! Taiger's hair is SO different! It is neither straight or very curly...it has patches of both! It is both "coarse" and fine, depending where on his head you look. Sometimes, it has amazing coily curls, and other times it is nothing short of a pure "Afro"!

Taiger's usual 'do, before coconut oil. Rather frizzy, uncombed because it was always so tangled and matted because it was so dry. Even when I picked it twice a day, it always looked matted and tangled.

The biggest issue we have faced is how DRY his hair is! Dry, dry, DRY! His skin has also been very dry. I lotion him all the time, and so I thought his skin was "okay", but I notice sometimes it looks "ashy".

For years (not exaggerating) I have wanted to get SOMETHING that I KNEW would be good for his hair and skin. I have always known not to use hair products (shampoo, conditioner, etc.) made for "white" people, but since I am white, that is what I have at the house! I don't have a lot of extra money, so I never bought anything special for him. My friend, Jeremy, actually spoiled us and bought us some "Mane And Tail" last year, which I have LOOOOVED! It has helped SO much...but I still felt like he needed a leave-in conditioner.

SO...I emailed a friend of mine who recently adopted a little girl from Ghana. This child's hair is always SO cute! She does her little girl's hair in the cutest styles, and she always look SO nice! So, I emailed her with tons of questions, and she was kind enough to offer TONS advice!

I knew Shea butter was good for African skin and hair, but I didn't know where to get it, what kind, etc. This friend of mine suggested I try coconut oil.

So, I bought PURE coconut oil and started rubbing it all over Taiger's hair and skin.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MADE! His skin is no longer ashy!!!!!! At night, I put it in his hair and then wrap his head in a satin cloth, as my friend does with her daughter, and by morning his hair is so soft, manageable and looks SO NICE!!!!

Taiger getting ready for bed. At night, I slather him in coconut oil from head to toe! Then, put on his pijamas and wrap his head. (Before he turns 7, I am photoshoping the pictures of him with this head wrap and making this headwrap have super heros all over it... and I better make it look more masculine while I am at it...maybe shape it into a Speed Racer helmet! LOL!)

Taiger writing in his journal before bed.

Taiger's hair first thing in morning, even before combing it, after the coconut oil has been on it over night! What a difference, eh?

So, I decided to take things a step further. I decided to try doing twists in his hair! I have tried it before but they never looked good. So, over Sunday and Monday I spent a good 7-8 hours doing twists on his hair. After the first three or four house, I check my email and my friend had written to me advising me NOT to do the twists without gel! By then, I had already started, so I finished them without gel.

Taiger taking a break from having his hair twisted. It is about half done here. Yes, I let him go outside with his hair half twisted and half "Afroed"! LOL! Twists in Taiger's hair

Because I didn't use gel, they turned "frizzy" or "puffy" after only a few days, but I left them in anyway, and I think they looked cute.

Yesterday, I undid the twists, which made his hair go curly and accentuated the coily curls he already had!

Don't you just LOVE the one sticking out in the side?! :D SO CUTE!!

Here is how his hair looked yesterday!




That is the story of our first adventure in changing his hair and skin care! I am sure this will be an on-going theme, and you can all give your opinions and advice as we continue on this adventure! :)