How to Cut Your Kid's Hair At Home

IS YOUR LITTLE LOVE BUG living with knots, tangles, breakage, and non-stop "bad hair days?" Time to try a trim!

Healthy hair depends on trimming and it is the key to retaining length.

You may be asking...

• Why do I have to trim my child’s hair?

• How often should I trim my child’s hair?

• I don't want my baby to lose length... do trims ACTUALLY help with growth?

I know that haircuts are not cheap. But it is possible to trim your baby's hair on your own!

If you want to make sure your child's hair stays healthy and grows long, then you need to read these handy tips.

It's totally natural to start having split ends after a trim. In fact, it happens every few months. What can cause a major problem is not stopping it before it gets too bad! Split ends that aren't repaired keep splitting all the way up the hair shaft. It causes the entire strand of hair to break instead of just the end.

Split ends can also lead to single strand knots. The two together can make wash day a nightmare because it makes it easier for hair to tangle! This leads to even more breakage, especially if you don't detangle with care or use the wrong tools.

Make sure to take care of split ends because they can make your child's hair look super frizzy and unhealthy.

You'll want to take your kiddo in for a trim at least once every 3-4 months but it can also depend on the health of their hair. If you're really taking care of it, you may even be able to hold out for 6-8 months.

Most parents don’t trim their children’s hair as often as they should for two reasons.

1. Trimming their child’s hair feels like losing length.

2. We’re just lazy. It's the truth.

Making sure your child gets regular trims takes time and money. That’s why Mommies and Curls wants to show you how to do it yourself!

Get instant access to our guide on how to trim your child's hair.

How to Choose Products Based on Your Child's Hair Type

So, you want to learn more about hair density.

Your child's hair has many unique characteristics. Some are obvious and others less so. Everything is their own, from their curl pattern and hair length to their porosity, thickness, and density. It makes natural hair so special!

Let's take a look at how to determine hair density, and what products to use for your child's hair.

Hair density is simply how much hair you have on your head, or how densely packed hair follicles are on your scalp. Density is critical to the volume and shape of your child’s hair as a whole. It affects what products you should use and how best to style their hair. Your child may have the same curl pattern or porosity as a friend's child, but if your child's hair is denser then you’ll need to use different products to get the same look.

How to determine your child’s hair density

NaturAll Club shared this easy to follow way of figuring out your child's hair density.

Theoretically, the most accurate way to measure hair density is to count all the hair follicles in a square inch of your scalp. But no, we do NOT suggest taking the time to do this. (You’ll be dealing with roughly 2,200 hairs in that square inch.)

A much easier way to measure density is to smooth or stretch your hair as much as possible, and then tie it into a tight ponytail. Use a tape measure to measure the circumference of your ponytail. If the circumference is less than 2 inches, you have low density hair. If you measure 2-3 inches you have medium density hair, and if you measure 4 or more inches you have high density hair.

Don’t have a tape measure? Instead, you can attempt to see your scalp through your hair. Don’t part your hair, but let it hang loose and look in the mirror.  If you can clearly see your scalp, you have low density hair. If you need to move your hair to see your scalp, you have medium density. If your scalp is really hard to see, even moving your hair, your hair is high density.

Now that you've figured out your child's hair density, let's talk product. Here are recommendations on what products to use based on density.

Low-density hair

Your child’s hair has less volume relative to others. You'll want to avoid heavy products that weigh down the hair and further limit volume. Reduce the amount of product you use, and make sure to keep the scalp clean and free from product buildup.

You may also want to try "volume-enhancers," like mousse or leave-in conditioner. There are different ways to give your child big curls! Picking or fluffing them out, encouraging frizz, or stretching the hair can all help. Try Mommies and Curls Whipped Deep Conditioner to keep the hair moisturized without weighing it down.

Medium-density hair

With this type, your child’s hair likely responds well to a range of products. You can build volume with light leave-ins and sprays, or reduce volume with hair butters. Compared to other densities, it's easy to achieve a variety of styles on medium density hair! Use any combination of hair butters and oils to deep condition as needed.

High-density hair

High-density hair is fun to work with! Use thicker or heavier products to encourage your child's curls to clump together. This will help to reduce volume and frizz. Or you can embrace their volume with full-bodied styles. Try different gels, creams, and butters until you find what works best for your child.

High-density hair requires a little extra TLC. Be sure to watch out for tangled curls. Detangle with care and use a lot of conditioner! Try my whipped butter cream and a light liquid oil to add moisture to the hair and prevent tangles. Oils and butters soften and moisturize the hair to keep it from getting dry, brittle, or breaking off.

If you've noticed, the Mommies and Curls whipped butter is perfect for children's hair regimens. Just use the amount that's right for the density of your child’s hair.

7 Tips for Styling Your Child's 4c Hair

For those of you that follow the numbers and letters rule of hair, let me give you some Monday Mid-Day Tips.

4c hair has the tightest curls of all hair patterns with hairs forming tight S's, Z's, or coils. 4c hair shares many of the other characteristics of type 4 hair and, of course, individuals with 4c hair can have different hair densities and porosity. These differences can change how your child's hair behaves.

These are some of the defining qualities of 4c hair:

• Your child's hair dries out quickly or struggles to maintain moisture more than other curl patterns

• Your child's hair can experience extreme shrinkage, sometimes up to 75%!

• Your child's hair is prone to tangles and matting if not properly cared for and regularly detangled

• Your child's hair is fragile and prone to breakage

So how do you address the unique challenges (and enjoy the unique beauty!) that come with 4c hair? The trick is a natural hair regimen that keeps your hair healthy.

For more details and to see 7 tips regarding your child's 4c hair, join the exclusive subscribers page!