That Time of Year Again! Recitals, Weddings, Formals, Proms....(With Bun Video Tutorial)

It is about that time again for this season and school-end events (recitals, weddings, proms, formals) for many of our children.  For me, it is my daughter's dance recital.  She has been dancing for 4 years now and absolutely loves it.  This year, she will be in four different dance routines during the recital in June.  This week, was their professional photo shoot and that meant her hair had to be styled into a mandatory bun.

Each year, the requirement is to have the child's hair in a bun (for girls).   For some parents, it may be a challenge to do this depending on the hair the child has. There are many tools that cater to buns.  Such as the donut foam, sock bun, and other hair bun making tools.  Not everything works for every one and here are some reasons why:  short hair, fine hair, thin hair, thick hair, long hair.  Depending on the hair, you need to have something to accommodate what needs to be achieved.  From talking to several parents of all races that bring their to the same dance schools, many face various challenges: coarse hair, short/thick hair, long/thick hair, layered hair, long/thin hair, short/thin hair, curly hair....so many!

MadiMel has thick, coarse and dense hair.  Her hair is mostly coily and a small area where it is a little loose with small waves.  Straightening her hair could have been an option, but I choose and chose not to do that.  From the years since she has been dancing and received the hair style requirement, I have never used heat but opted for another option.  Going heatless.

If she already had a style on her hair such as cornrows and/or twists, I simply take her hair down (after each twist and cornrow), finger detangle and then use a Denman brush to make the hair more manageable.  Considering that her hair was previously styled, her hair would be more likely be stretched out.  Less work but just detangling that would consume my time.

If I shampooed or cowashed, towel dry as much as I can, put her hair into 4 jumbo twists/plaits or loose french braids to let it airdry after moisturizing it.  That also helps to stretch the hair (other ways: conrows, twists, banding, african threading).

Once her hair is dried, I take her hair down.  Her hair is a bit more stretched where it becomes manageable and takes so much less time to style.  And again, I also make sure her ends are well moisturized since that part of the hair, the ends, are the oldest and vulnerable to dryness.

If heat is a plan for you to straighten the hair:

*Be sure that you use a heat protector
*Do not flat iron the hair while wet
*Using too much product(s) and flat ironing may burn the hair and cause damage
*Use the lowest heat setting possible that will just do the job for your child's hair
*To avoid going over the hair several times with the flat iron, use a comb with it to help keep the hair aligned
*Moisturize the hair well - this will restore the dryness the heat caused

Here is a video on the bun I do on her hair for her recital (and other times).
The video was recorded back in Spring 2012.  Since it is the time for various events, several people had asked me for a video like this.  I thank you!



We'll chat soon and have a blessed and wonderful weekend!

-Sdestra

Growing My Son's Hair Out...

Faux Hawk

So let us begin with my hair journey and my daughter's hair journey!  We both started at the end of 2007...well, I started both of ours at the end of 2007.  I currently have bra strap length (BSL) relaxed hair and her natural hair is near waist length (WL) for her current height (she just turned 7).

My son was born January of last year and is currently eighteen and a half months old.  When he was born, his hair was so straight!  Of course I knew that his true hair texture would grow in soon and it was a matter of time.  Interesting to point out, my son has 3 hair swirls (hair whorl) on his head.  One towards the back of his head, which is where it usually is on most people and two right at the hairline in the front.  His hair is not dense like my daughter's, but like mine.  But his hair is as coarse as hers.  



A week old

I suggested to my husband one day that he get a hair cut which he responded to it by saying,"Well, why don't we grow his hair out for a while?"  I looked at our son and said to myself, Yes it would be cute to grow his hair long...but what about all of the hair I already have to deal with?!



Shrinkage & Stretched Out Hair

But without too much thought, I decided to go for it.  I am curious to find out how well his hair responds to my care.  I started my daughter's hair journey when she was about two and a half years old.  We'll see where this journey takes us.  I also would compare it to her hair journey because I am starting his a bit early than when I started hers.

*I have been cowashing his hair with VO5 Conditioner mixing it with EVCO.
*I moisturize his hair every day with a Shea Butter mixture that contains EVCO and Castor Oil.
*I shampoo his hair when needed and then condition with VO5.
*I gently use a wide tooth comb and Denman Brush (which he tries to use himself too...lol)

His hair gets dry very easily and screams for moisture.  Otherwise, it is growing well so far and I will continue with his simple regimen.

Feel free to check out the tab labeled, "My Children's Hair Regimen".  It will have their regimens and a link to their hair photos as the journey continues.
(*still needs updating- they will be added to my Facebook Fan Page). 

I don't know when we'll decide to cut his hair, but for now he is on an UNOFFICIAL hair journey!

God bless!