Toddler Girl Hair Help Please

[Cinbride]

My daughter has fine thin hair and it looks nice all of the two seconds I wash, dry, and brush, then starts getting stringy looking.(its all long) I go out to the mall and see all these lil' girls with their hair done all cute. I don't get it. What am I not doing? I put it up and she has all the flyaway baby hairs. Do you actually put stuff in their hair?? I know they are lil' and I don't want to do her up like a beauty queen (even though she is one) just wondering if I am missing some tricks? Especially when we do pictures and special events. Thanks

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

Seeing a picture would be easier to tell, but my DD has fine, thin, blonde hair and it's very similar. I definitely think that having it freshly trimmed is a big help - hers is still kept below her shoulders, so I consider it long, and she's had 4 haircuts, but I think there are still some baby hairs that need to even up! I know some girls can do the super long look and still look healthy and cute, but IMO hair does NOT look good if it's long but uneven, it just looks unhealthy, and it's really hard to achieve with fine hair (I have the same issue!).

As for what we do with her hair, she always has something done with it. If I just left her hair alone, it would be all in her face and just look gross. I do pigtails (either all of it - which needs some extra clips to get rid of flyaways so we don't do that often, or half-pigtails with just the top sections of hair), I do a little braid (she has a left part, so I go from there with a small section to her right and braid down, just to keep it out of her face), I do a small ponytail to the side or a small ponytail with just the very front section. I also do barrettes (just on the right, the section to keep out of her face), and lately she's wanted to try headbands, so we do those, but they don't look as great and we have to redo it often throughout the day. DD says that she wants her hair "like Mommy's" (I just wear it down, but style it), but she needs something in there or it just looks icky. She also can't do a full ponytail yet (we try sometimes, and even with a headband in, flyaway hairs just find their way out!), or really even a half-ponytail (although I can make it work with extra clips if that's what she really wants).

They do make mousse for kid's hair - we have this stuff by Circle of Friends, I think it smells like mango. I used to use it when DD still had baby curls (she'd probably have more still if her hair was shorter)... I'd use it to emphasize the curls and keep them from going flat. I don't use it right now because we don't need it, but I guess if I was doing her hair for something special I probably would.

Oh, and I never really brush her hair. We wash it at night during her bath, and in the morning since it's dry I wet it again and then comb it the way I want and then do whatever style for the day, and sometimes I now blowdry it if we're heading out soon and it's cold out, but I don't really brush it ever... when I have, I find that it doesn't really help anything, so I just stick with what's working for now.

Anyway, I know I rambled a bunch... I'm a big fan now of doing my DD's hair (and DD2 will someday have enough for me to style hers, too ) and I am, too, always looking for new ways to make it cute! (but definitely NOT toddlers &tiaras... I do NOT think that look is cute)

 

[Cinbride]

She is 2. So getting her to sit still is hard, esp for pigtails and even then I have to deal with all the bumps. I find if I wash her hair and night and do something the next day it just looks blah! If I wet it, it looks all straggly looking even with pigtails. But boy is it hard getting me, her and our lil'est one ready in the morning. She hasn't had her hair cut but once and that was really just bangs. So, I probably will have to break down and at least get it trimmed. If I don't brush her hair when I wash it, I will never be able to comb it. She gets knots just like her momma. I know you're not suppose to brush wet hair but I do it when I put a dab of conditioner in and it goes right through. She does have some natural curls around her face. One of these days I want to pop some soft rollers in just to see what she looks like with curly hair. hehe. Its fun having girls but just imagine the ease of getting a boy ready. Pants, shirt, and shoes. Not you need leggings bec/ of skirt, or these shoes.(so we don't do a lot of dresses) I can barely get myself dressed anymore. Someday my dh will learn he has 3 girls in the house and leaving isn't ever going to be easy.

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

Oh I totally understand! I'm so thankful currently that DD2's hair is super easy for now . My first DD is almost 3, but we've (haha, I wrote that, but obviously I don't mean "we," I mean "I"... the few times my husband has tried it's ridiculous! ) been doing her hair since she was 14ish months and it started getting in her face (she doesn't have bangs). I definitely think a trim would help, and in terms of getting her to sit still, when I first started having her sit for getting her hair done, she got to watch a minute or two of TV so I could get it done. Now she's old enough to understand that she just needs to stand still for a minute to do it (or I used to have her sit in my lap) and then she's free the rest of the day. She also knows that she can't leave the house with her hair a mess - if she wants to go play with her friends or go to Target or WHATEVER, her hair needs to be done first. It's just part of her getting-dressed routine, so it's not a big deal. OH, and get some of that detangler spray! It makes knots totally go away - it's probably just leave-in conditioner, but it smells good and makes a huge difference when I comb DD's hair in the morning! Maybe just try the little alligator clips or the clips that bend (I don't know what they're called, but they're open and then the one part bends into the other when it closes), like next to her bangs? There's only so much you can do. And when she'll let you, definitely try the rollers for play... I've done DD's with my small curling iron and it's so sweet! Of course it doesn't last at all in her hair, but it looks precious for a few minutes.

And we have the dress-battle, too! DD HATES tights, but she tolerates leggings just so she can wear dresses that she loves (although last winter she hated them, too, so she was rarely in dresses - I think her love of them occurred over the summer when there was no tights/leggings requirement ). You're so right - boys would be way easier to dress!

 

[We_love_WDW]

If her hair is dry use a spray bottle and a very fine tooth comb to put it into pigtails or a pony tail (this makes it smooth with no bumps), then use a fly away cream (just a pea size) to smooth it down and spray with hair spray. I have a 4 year old with beautiful hair and it was not until this past summer that I thought myself to french braid, get rid of the bumps in her pony tails, and do many different looks (I actually looked on you tube for little girl hair styles) I am so proud of myself

 

[Cinbride]

I have a kids detangler and it still isn't fresh looking afterwards. Maybe I'll try holding off the haircut until Feb when we go to Disney. We use all kinds of clips and it works. Her hair is just so fine and thin that in 2 secs. it comes undone. I will try a little of the creme sometimes. Yes, I don't know what it is about tights. As soon as I try and put them on her she flips. She wears pants okay but tights?? My DH has put her hair up in the morning just to keep it off her face and I'm surprised it actually stays in. Now, it's not pretty but it works. He gets an A for effort. I can't even imagine when my littlest gets older and I have all of our hair to do. Talk about needing hours to get ready. I am just plain exhausted by time we leave and that is usually with DH home too. When its just me I start hours in advance. Then when they are all in the car, I collapse. See this is the only time I have to myself to just decompress. And this only last until the baby wakes up and want fed or lately my 2 yr old has been waking up screaming. The joys of motherhood. It's crazy and exhausting but I wouldn't trade it for anything. That has to be the reason why women have babies. Men could handle doing all the things we have to and then take care of us. HAHA

thanks all. I'm going to keep trying and play around. I think she would get a kick out of the foam rollers, maybe for Christmas. Speaking of which...I can't believe it's next week. Sooooooooooo not ready.

 

[scottish mum]

My dd is older now,5yrs. but she also had terrible thin flyaway hair. we used to try and put it up in a ponytail most days as it didn't look nice left down. One of my friends used to tell me to run a baby wipe over her hair once it was up as it helped to stop any flyaway bits. It really helped.
My dd has now got a chin length bob and it instantly made her hair look thicker and healthier. Also its so easy to keep and there are no morning battles over her hair now

 

[mjkacmom]

She hasn't had her hair cut but once and that was really just bangs. So, I probably will have to break down and at least get it trimmed.

As a mom of 3 girls, get it trimmed! Those baby hairs will never look good. Dd6 has doll hair, and the only time it looks good is if I blow it out (pictures only). She does get a trim every 6 weeks, which helps. Dd13 has thick, wavy hair (which, of course, she flat iron daily). Dd8's hair is finally getting thicker, and is super straight.

 

[holden]

One of the best tips I received from a hairdresser was to use regular shampoo instead of baby shampoo. DD2 showers with DD6 is and good about "looking at the ceiling" while I shampoo, rinse, condition and rinse. The regular shampoo (we use Garnier smoothing shampoo/cond) makes a huge difference in both DDs' hair. DD6 has the stringy hair (thick) and DD2 has thin/frizzy in the back hair.

 

[gandycat]

My dd is 6 and still has very fine hair. The only thing that really helps with hers is to keep it shoulder length. Even she admits that it's easier to take care of and she likes not having so many knots to get out. Good luck!

 

[Adrieske]

I have to blow dry my 19 mo's hair with a round brush, but since it is so fine, it only takes a few minutes. It makes a huge difference in how stringy it looks. Also, with my older dd, when I started getting her trims, her hair really started thickening up. I haven't with my youngest yet, but I'm holding out for a first haircut at Disney in January!

 

[princessmom29]

I went through this with DD. She has fine hair that would just look awful if something wasn't done with it. The best thing I was ever told by a hairdresser is never put any conditioner in that you are not washing out. Fine hair does not hold up well to conditioners and they can leave it looking stringy and limp, especially the leave in ones. We used a spray in, never a creme becuase it is too hard to fully rinse out, an rinsed after. Oh, and hairspray is your friend when pulling up fine hair. All of those little flyaways will never go away without some kind of product. DD's hair looked so much neater when I gave up the "no hair products" stance and started using a light spray of flexible hold spray followed by hand smoothing in the flyaways. I am bedtting the momos of all those cute haired little girls you keep seeing are using some kind of product on it as well.

 

[crl]

My dd is older now,5yrs. but she also had terrible thin flyaway hair. we used to try and put it up in a ponytail most days as it didn't look nice left down. One of my friends used to tell me to run a baby wipe over her hair once it was up as it helped to stop any flyaway bits. It really helped.
My dd has now got a chin length bob and it instantly made her hair look thicker and healthier. Also its so easy to keep and there are no morning battles over her hair now

My DD is 6 and we found that keeping it short is the only way it looks decent. If it gets too long, it starts looking nasty again, so we try to keep it short. Poor DD really wants her hair to be long and beautiful, but I can't figure out a way to make this happen.

 

[Kit'smommy]

Its fun having girls but just imagine the ease of getting a boy ready. Pants, shirt, and shoes.

This made me laugh! I have a DS, and he has my hair. It is fine and super thick just like mine and he has his daddy's cowlicks. The only way his hair does anything is if it is freshly washed, gelled in the front, parted and then combed back out of his face. Otherwise it manages to look stringy and stick out everywhere. It takes me all of 5 minutes to wash and fix it, but he looks awful without his hair gelled and combed and cutting it overly short just makes it stick out worse with the cowlicks.

Anyway, back to girls. I grew up with tons of very fine hair. I always wanted it long, but that just didn't work on my hair. The ends would just separate and look stringy (and they still do!) My mom kept it at just above shoulder length and trimmed the very bottom every 4 to 6 weeks. Also, I agree that leave in conditioners are not the answer. Any glossing cremes or leave in conditioners just made my hair stringly and flat. Try using a regular shampoo and just a touch (smaller than a dime) of rinse out conditioner to help you get the tangles out. Also, I swear by the spray gel in the herbal essence line. I use just a bit of DS and me and our hair stays the way it is fixed with no fly aways.

When I was growing up, my mom frequently did sponge roller sets on just shampooed but barely damp hair and they would stay for days, so if you want curls that is a better option that a curling iron.

 

[Cinbride]

oh yes, I'm sure there are boys that have hair issues also. there are good/bad to both. I really think I am going to hold out till Feb for Disney. How much is it for a haircut there? I soooo want to go out and buy some rollers. thanks

 

[tzolkin]

oh yes, I'm sure there are boys that have hair issues also. there are good/bad to both. I really think I am going to hold out till Feb for Disney. How much is it for a haircut there? I soooo want to go out and buy some rollers. thanks

Since your trip is so close, wait for the haircut at Disney. My kids loved getting their haircut there. That was on the top of their "must-do" list for our return trip this May. It's $14 which is about what you would pay for a haircut anywhere.


My son also has the most difficult hair and he's the one that always wants to have his hair done before we can leave the house.

My girls both have long hair (mid back). I've never used any styling products on them. I brush their hair and then use a comb to put it up/smooth it. If the hair is dry, I use a spray bottle to dampen it a bit which smoothes the flyaways in while putting it up. My older DD has extremely thick/coarse hair that is just a bit wavy. My younger DD has thin/fine/straight hair. They usually wear their hair in pigtails that are braided or twisted into little buns. If they want to wear their hair "down" I braid the front on both sides and then connect the two in the back.

 

[NotUrsula]

DD is 30 months. Aside from my taking the "point" off her bangs, her hair has never been cut. It's fine and blond, and has a loopy curl. It's just now beginning to brush her shoulders in the back, but ONLY in the back; it is barely covering her ears on the sides. The poor child has a natural mullet. I will probably keep the back trimmed to shoulder length until the sides catch up, but based on the growth pattern so far, it really could be years. (I was the same as a child, I only needed my hair trimmed once a year.)

I've decided to just go with the flyaways when I put it in tails; the little curls popping out all over look rather cute, and she's never going to be Miss Perfect anyway; she's not that kind of child. The tiny flat spring clips work well in multiples, but I do worry about the choke hazard, so I never let her out of a parent's sight with those in her hair at this age.

FYI for hair spray with really fine hair -- don't use your hand to smooth it, because it will look shellacked. The best way is with a piece of toilet paper about 18-24" long. Spray the hair, then hold the ends of the toilet paper in your hands and use the middle to gently smooth over the hair. I learned to do that with my hair decades ago, it makes a huge difference to the way that it looks.

 

[preschoolmom]

DD is 30 months. Aside from my taking the "point" off her bangs, her hair has never been cut. It's fine and blond, and has a loopy curl. It's just now beginning to brush her shoulders in the back, but ONLY in the back; it is barely covering her ears on the sides. The poor child has a natural mullet. I will probably keep the back trimmed to shoulder length until the sides catch up, but based on the growth pattern so far, it really could be years. (I was the same as a child, I only needed my hair trimmed once a year.)

LOL! My girls (twins, almost six), had mullets for YEARS. They just didn't grow any hair in the front/sides. I kept cutting it short until the sides finally grew in. Now, they have longish hair. It would look better cut in bobs (they have thin wavyish hair), but I was so traumatized by the mullets - I can't bring myself to cut it short!

 

[mbedwell]

my dd now 16 had the exact same problem, and my hairdresser said to continue having it trimmed, and it would thicken up. Boy was she right. my dd has such a thick head of hair that she cannot blow dry it. It just takes her too long (20 min at least.) She has beautiful thick hair now, but it was a definite mess when she was younger. So keep getting it trimmed and it will get better.

 

[QVCshopper]

These are all good tips, but I think some girls have fine hair and some have thick. Two of DDs friends have beautiful, thick, long hair. Most of the others have fine hair like my DD. It comes down to genetics...

But I may try regular shampoo and getting her hair cut into a bob on our next trip to Disney. She would like it!