Multicultural Hair Care for Adoptive Families: 5 Tools You Can’t Live Without

Cultural Competence  |    |  Diedre Anthony

Multicultural Hair Care for Adoptive Families: 5 Tools You Can’t Live Without

Cultural Competence  |    |  Diedre Anthony

Diedre Anthony is here to talk all things multicultural haircare for adoptive families!

5 Tools That No Curly Haired Person Should Live Without

Determining your curl type can help you learn how to care for your curls. Different curls have different needs. Thicker, tighter curls tend to need products that are pudding like and thicker in consistency. Wavy, loose curls tend to fair better with less,  lightweight products like hair milk.

However, a few basic tools are essential for curl success. Here are a few tools that give curls life:
Wide Tooth Comb or Detangling Brush
If you have straight hair, it can be a challenge to style curly hair. Curly hair operates under a totally different set of rules! Using a wide tooth comb or detangling brush (while the hair is wet) will allow the product and the styling tool to do the work for you. Attempting to style curly hair with a comb with little teeth can be very painful.
Spray Bottle
The best way to style curly hair is while the hair is soaking wet, or damp. Attempting to detangle or style when dry will not be pleasant. Keeping a spray bottle on hand allows you to control the amount of water you need.
Curling Cream/Detangler
Finding the right products for your curls can make them go from frizzy and lifeless to defined and popping! Curl Creams/Detanglers (when applied after a shower or bath) keep the hair from getting tangled and set the stage for styling.

Gel

A good gel provides definition, anti-frizz for humid days and lasting power. Gel has gotten a bad rap over the years because cheap thick gels often leave the hair hard and that awful white residue.

The best way to apply it to curls is while the hair is soaking wet, generally after you have washed and detangled.  Scrunch and rake through the hair in small sections, especially if your hair is thick.

Resist the temptation to play with your curls while they are still wet. Allow the product to work its magic while your hair dries. After it dries, spritz with a small amount of water, fluff & shake. Watch those curls pop!!

Deep Conditioner
It can be overwhelming to walk into the curly hair care aisle and see all of the conditioners.

How do you know which conditioner to choose??

My favorite conditioners are thick and contain natural products (free from parabens & sulfates). If a particular line of products works for you, then try using all the products in that line.
The key is not to get discouraged. If you are having trouble finding products for your curl type, find someone with a similar curl type to help. Also, utilize online tools like YouTube. There are so many great vloggers that provide easy to follow tutorials.
For more curly hair tips, head over to www.arethoseyourkids.com
Written By
Diedre Anthony

Diedre Anthony is a full-time school counselor, mother, and wife.  In her blog Are Those Your Kids? , she focuses on her experiences of raising her biracial girls in an interracial marriage.  Her posts are filled with helpful tips about raising children, diversity, curly hair as well as entertaining stories, and anecdotes.  She has been published by the Huffington Post, Babble & Red Tricycle. You can follow Diedre on Facebook and Instagram.