It’s time for another Snapaholics update!

All new products are in and have been added to the website. We have new barrettes, new hair beads, handmade soaps, and a multitude of fun things on the clips and ballies page. We also have 2 new kinds of mini purses, including a darling one with “Princess” on the front, and a beaded handle!

For anyone new to caring for kinky curly hair, it can seem like an overwhelming task! Many people don’t realize how different it can be from the care of straight hair. There is no “wash n’ go” and leave it to just do what it wants, in the realm of Black Hair! When I was going through the adoption process for my Haitian daughter, I was lucky enough to find the Adoption Hair & Skin Care Yahoo group, which was so incredibly informative, that I at least felt somewhat prepared as to what to do and what products I would need. (P.S. you don’t need to be adopting to join!)

The first thing you must understand about nappy/kinky/highly textured hair is that the scalp produces very little oil, relative to that of Caucasian scalps. Therefore, you must actually ADD oil and moisture to the scalp and hair. This can be done daily via spritzes or just by rubbing some hair oil into the palms of the hands and rubbing it gently into the hair. Spritzes can be easily made by mixing hair oil or even olive oil and water in a spray bottle. A good leave-in moisturizer like Jamaican Mango & Lime Cactus Leave-In Moisturizer or Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier can also be applied daily. I like to do all this while my daughter is eating breakfast. Most people of African descent also apply something they call “grease” to the scalp as they are braiding or cornrowing their hair. When you part the hair to braid, twist, or cornrow it, take a fingertip of “grease” (hair cholesterol, or you can use oils or even things like shea butter or coconut oil) and spread it in the part, right on the scalp. When you get done with a style, your child’s scalp should glisten in the sun with the oil/grease that you have added during styling.

The next thing you need to know is that you do NOT need to shampoo the hair as often as Caucasian hair. In fact, you SHOULDN’T! I only shampoo maybe once every few weeks unless my daughter’s hair gets especially dirty for some reason. Otherwise, I take out the style and just gently scrub her hair and scalp with a good moisturize (this is called a No Poo….”No Shampoo” wash). It gets out debris, makes it smell nice, and adds needed moisture. You should ALWAYS do a No Poo after swimming in chlorinated water. The chlorine is murder on their dry hair and dry skin. Don’t freak out that you are not shampooing their hair like we do. Trust me, a No Poo GETS IT CLEAN! The detergent in the shampoo products is what you want to avoid overusing.

It is necessary to make the time to coat the hair with a deep conditioning treatment or warm oil, then put a plastic cap over the head to let it sit for awhile. It was recommended to me to do this EVERY TIME I do a No Poo or even a Shampoo wash. I put a lot of nice product on G’s hair, but was informed that it is still dry and NEEDS deep conditioning. The easiest thing for children’s hair is to microwave a damp washcloth (make sure it’s not too hot!), lay it on their heads with the conditioner all worked into the hair, put on a plain plastic shower cap, then put a snug fabric swim cap on top of that (you might need to gather all the excess plastic from the shower cap into an elastic at the back) and let it sit on there for as long as you can, as long as the washcloth stays warm.

For skin care, you will notice a grayish, dusty tone to the skin, called “ash.” This simply is the appearance of brown/African skin that needs moisture. You will need to moisturize the skin often. Thick body butters or pure raw shea butter or coconut oil is good for the skin. I have also been told that the Jamaican Mango & Lime Cactus Oil is excellent for extremely dry skin and eczema…on anyone!

The great thing about the intensity of care that your child of African descent’s hair and skin requires, is that it is a GREAT time for bonding! Putting pretties in the hair is also a time for enhancing self-esteem, and rubbing on body butters is a great opportunity for you to tell her how lovely and yummy her skin is.

We at Snapaholics are happy to assist you with any hair care questions you may have. Please look for our next blog update next week!

Snappily yours,

Stephanie & Gyrlande
“Mama Snap & Lil’ Snap”