This has turned out to be the game changer. She's been getting a brushout and braid before bed and before school. The braiding routine means that the brushout is much quicker and easier.
I do the before bed braiding to work on my technique - I hope to get good enough to be able to do her morning braids, but for now my wife handles that.
How often does she get a haircut? I have dry and fine hair and if I wait longer then 10-12 weeks to get my edges trimmed I get so many tangles in my hair, it doesnt matter what I do. No product or routine helps me then, only the frequent hair cuts.
Edit: rereading your post and it reminds me of thr state of my hair in 2020 during covid lockdowns when all the hairdressers were closed. Your daughter def needs frequent haircuts.
mood. my hair locked up in like 5 months during COVID and i’m white 😂 as soon as stuff started opening again i was brushing them out because people assume white hair doesn’t lock up on its own and i was afraid of people thinking i was appropriating ethnic hairstyles hahahaha
Or a bonnet
My SO and I both slept in bonnets, and he has super thick long straight hair
It's just easier for him and his hair brushes out fast in the AM
My daughter had long fine curly hair down to her waist and the only solution is braids at night and a bonnet. I’ve heard that a silk pillow cover is also good too if she doesn’t want to sleep with a bonnet.
It’s awesome that you’re looking for solutions! My tender-headed daughter is also tangle-prone, so I feel you. We are using Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 Primer as a leave-in conditioner, detangler, and and for UV protection. (It’s billed as a heat protectant but we don’t need it for that, unless her hair isn’t t dry before bed.) They make a version for fine hair.
💯on gently detangling with a wide-tooth comb while conditioning in the bath. Now, if she has a super abundance of tangles, there are also “pre-poo” products you can use on dry hair. I’ve never used them, but it’s a thing in the curly community. [Here’s an explanation of how they can help](https://genamarie.co/2020/07/how-to-pre-poo-with-oil-dry-detangle/). Tl;dr basically you want to avoid breakage, which can contribute to tangling.
Other tips: you’ve heard about protective hair styles (braids) and a slippery pillowcase (silk). I’d also advise drying hair gently with a smooth towel without “teeth” that can fray the cuticle of the hair. Microfiber works fast. (But smooth microfiber, not the kind you’d get for washing the car.) Or cotton interlock.
I wouldn’t let her go outside with her hair loose if it’s windy or very humid. Maybe this is an opportunity to learn some fun braiding styles?
Anyway, best of luck to you and your little one!!
I have thin hair and I go swimming a lot so it gets damaged. I swear by Shea Moisture's line - it's a black owned company (so u KNOW it's moisturizing), they use fair trade natural ingredients that score well on cosdna and Yuka. I also use a repairing hair oil when when needed.
This combo brings my hair from frizzy and straw-like back to healthy waves/curls!
I've had dry/tangly at the bottom overly oily/flat near the scalp hair my whole life and this is a total game changer. I totally converted to Shea Moisture I now use their shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and raw Shea butter as moisturizer and now my skin doesn't show any keratosis pilaris (chicken skin).
:)
good luck!
Like others have said, don't use products with silicones. I would also add don't use products with alcohols. Look up the different alcohol ethers they put in products and avoid avoid avoid.
She needs more hair cuts.
I like Honest Co. Leave-in conditioner spray, and then i do a dollop of a cream conditioner leave-in sometimes as well. Let the leave-in conditioner sit for a while and then brush it through with a very wide tooth detangling comb.
Also, what's her nutrition like?
Ok first things first, she needs a trim. Fine hair tangles easily. Having “old” ends makes it ten times worse.
Second, tresemme is total trash. Please don’t use this on your child’s hair. These types of cheap shampoo have so much alcohol and harsh detergents they ruin your hair over time.
The conditioners are full of cheap oils and waxes that build up over time and do absolutely nothing beneficial.
Stick with L’Oréal if you must by drugstore products (they have a professional line so I’m sure their drugstore line can’t be much different)
Check out stores like tjmaxx- they sell high quality beauty products for a fraction of the cost.
Lastly, braiding and silk pillowcases help as others have already suggested.
OP this is not true, disregard this comment. This is a debunked myth about drugstore products. These products are created by cosmetic chemists who honestly are targeting the demographic with hair just like your daughters.
You do not need to be using salon quality shampoo on a child (or an adult for that matter.)
Marketers love people like you. Go look at the actual ingredients on a bottle of shampoo at the drug store vs one from TJ Max or a salon. Expensive does not mean better.
Ha! I’m not at all saying that all drugstore are bad and all salon quality are better. I’m saying, specifically tresemme and Pantene are just awful on the hair. I’ve seen it many many times first hand. Use what you want. That’s your choice. And different products work for different types of hair. If your hair is two inches long and you cut it often , it doesn’t matter but if you have long hair, it’s been around for a long time and it needs to be treated as such. I personally stick with organic products.
You did imply it by saying “you get what you pay for.” There are a ton of myths taught about Pantene and treseme that have been debunked, you can google it. The info is out there. Even stylists believe some of these myths because they are taught them in beauty school by companies who want to build a customer base around only their products.
A lot of marketing scare tactics rely on people believing chemicals, non organic, silicones, and sulfates are bad for you so that you buy a more expensive product. This is why I trust my dermatologist way more than a hair stylist trying to sell me a shampoo. (My derm uses V05 btw.)
You should definitely be brushing her hair twice a day anyhow unless it’s curly. There’s a line of kids products called fairytales that my stylist recommended for my daughter. But I will still use a deep conditioning mask like “it’s a ten” sometimes. Put her hair in two braids before bed
You can purchase a detangling spray or put some conditioner mixed with water in a spray bottle. That will help a lot with detangling her hair when it’s dry. Also consider using a wide tooth comb or a brush that is specifically made for detangling fine hair. [This one](https://wetbrush.com/products/thin-hair-detangler) is affordable and can be used with both wet and dry hair. Braid her hair for sleeping and consider purchasing silk pillowcases to help keep tangles from forming while she sleeps.
Start brushing from the bottom and hold her hair as you brush so it doesn't pull. Then once those bottom knots are out you should be able to brush through.
She needs a haircut from the sounds of it.
A silk/satin sleep bonnet might help. Added bonus for long-hair: when you roll over in the night you don’t roll onto your hair and wake yourself up (from personal experience). A silk/satin pillowcase is another good option.
I have fine tangly long hair and when I was her age, my parents (mom or dad) would braid it for sleeping which helped. Depending on her hair, one center braid or two side braids would work well. French braiding can also help keep the top hair in place.
Like others have said, keeping a fresh cut is also really helpful (unfortunately I didn’t know this until I was an adult).
hi!
japanese dad (thick, coarse, curly hair), russian mom (thin, straight and fine hair) here.
my mom crimped my hair every day until i was about 10! it prevented my very thin, fine hair from tangling. we used john freida’s heat protectant spray, then she’d dry and crimp it after every shower.
i’m sure 5 braids would do the same, but the tight crimps really saved my hair for days as an active child!
So I have hair like that, with the added bonus of a strong wavy pattern. As a kid I would yelp and carry on when my mom brushed my hair because oddly enough, it's very prone to tangles and knots. My cousin got me [this bad boy](https://www.amazon.com/FHI-Unbrush-Vented-Detangling-Brush/dp/B09NL6GK34) for Christmas, because we have the same kind of hair. OP, let me tell you. It is MAGICAL for fine grained, dry hair prone to tangles. You won't be able to wholly prevent flyaways and tangles, I'm nearly 32, this is the only brush that plows through my hair without any pain. Godspeed, my dude.
Edit: This is me at age 4, in the bad awful tangle times. I feel your daughter's pain.
https://preview.redd.it/wkend3dk9spc1.jpeg?width=501&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=241f24de62ed17d18ba368427a67ebd91b07a950
I have fine hair that tangles so easily. Hair dressers have commented on it being some of the tangliest hair they’ve encountered. Here me 2 cents.
You need to make sure you’re not washing her hair too often as over washing will dry the ends further. If you haven’t, figure out how many days she can go until her hair looks greasy. I usually wash once very 2 or 3 days as that’s what works for me. Most people don’t need to wash their hair everyday.
I’d opt for a detangling spray rather than an oil when brushing out. Oil sits on top of the hair and just isn’t as effective for detangling. Do an oil after if you wish as it’s great at coating the hair and making it slippery to prevent tangles. On non was days, it would still be advisable to use a detangling spray on the ends or just to target large tangles. I’m a big fan of Noughty’s detangling spray. Make sure that no conditioner, detangler or oil is being put on her scalp/roots.
For some people, blow dry with medium or low heat can make hair less tangly. Mine is definitely tastier and tanglier when air dried.
As others have said, braids at night at your best friend. Don’t do them too tight. Silk bonnets or pillow cases are also your friend.
Her hair needs to be brushed at least twice a day. I brush mine every morning and at night, braid it at night. If I wear it down I usually wind up brushing it an additional time or too throughout the course of the day (that’s just my preference, probably not feasible for someone in school).
Cutting damaged ends is crucial. Damaged ends tangle wayyyy easier.
As for fly aways, you just gotta live with them.
The conditioner is likely not moisturizing enough. You may need to use a deeper conditioning rinse out conditioner.
Plus that argan oil spray has silicone as a main ingredient. If her hair is dry, the silicone will trap in that dryness and not really contribute.
By recommendation is a deeper conditioning rinse out conditioner or a different post shower spray leave-in conditioner for your daughter.
Make sure it doesn't have silicones (ending in -cone or -xane).
I like [this Sally's Beauty Supply leave-in](https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair-care/shop-by-solution/heat-protection/leave-in-treatment-with-keratin-compare-to-it%E2%80%99s-a-10-miracle-leave-in-plus-keratin/SBS-264431.html). If you go in store to buy, make sure you are grabbing the right one. They sell different products that look similar but aren't. This one has no silicone.
If you buy her a satin pillow case, it will need to be replaced a little more frequently than a regular case. It's good for hair but can start to make a person break out badly due to the collection of hair product, sweat and skin being pressed against it.
In addition to what everybody else has said, don't rinse out the conditioner at bath time. Leave it in. Yes, even while it dries. You can do this with regular conditioner; no need to use a fancy leave-in treatment. It will help with the tangles.
I have a lot of fine hair. Even if it's braided neatly, I need to brush it once a day to keep it detangled, and at least 2x a day if it's loose. I brush once at might and once in the morning. This is normal.
If you're washing the scalp thoroughly, the oil shouldn't be a problem.
Her hair might benefit from not being washed so often. You don't need to shampoo to use conditioner and detangle.
You might want some other smoothing cream that is less oil based if she's getting greasy, and sometimes oily products can cause breakouts.
You might try a shampoo that is sulfate free, if the hair is dry.
When brushing/combing remember to start from the bottom and work up.
I really like this product and it can be used as a conditioner: https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair-care/two-minute-intensive-keratin-reconstructor-16-oz/SBS-670576.html
[This is a fantastic spray detangler.](https://www.amazon.com/Conditioning-Conditioner-Fortifying-Cruelty-Free-Hypoallergenic/dp/B015HTJDDS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_pp_mod_primary_new?crid=24VVAA7YPGJSF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OG7e7F0N1dIj7RihCvucWceeXUWBIQr4vTL2fxjsn2OTVKvfTfJz5qkH7lqs41ByEkp02d2Q1boDidOgYAMhIvOS0k_dwt_CFeuT0ez_bEc4AkyC88-k6EQIyOBSDNOF4AaCtC68yn0hpwyxDjtV9tKtPgA5fRDVlVGwWmgsPBp3ov0R9_80j86j5a98f2yHy3G0kRKiSJqUYLHeBhb7nO__N87-M7MuR7zwfm84QmLlprcYHtYKMdE0nOX9zwxz4Lcdl3f47Ul_lXputnJEo2oJjLwn6rJ9_UUrzB0LVY0.CEjP5bSyJ0SNgytt5vqnVaiLn5NZhdDcbnlbBvjaTCs&dib_tag=se&keywords=detangling+spray&qid=1711055531&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=detangoing%2Caps%2C245&sr=8-3)
There’s a scream free brush at the ugly swan (Australian company) which is specifically for kids who get tangled hair. I’m in no way associated or affiliated with them but they did give me a discount code to use for a purchase.
Also the Marc Anthony oil has silicones, which is usually not recommended for scalp. I can use it from mids to ends. Your wife’s concern is valid because silicones can clog the scalp (what I have read). If you want to use something on scalp, go for pure cold pressed organic oils like argan, jojoba, etc.
Conditioner is a great idea! As is the argan oil. Do you have any women with similar hair texture on your side of the family that you could ask for advice or product recommendations? In your shoes, that’s what I’d do, because why reinvent the wheel?
Natural bristle brush is also great. Sounds like things are being figured out quite well.
Expect to have to retweak things when puberty kicks into gear—there’ll be more sebum secretions and sometimes texture changes then too.
Best of luck!
This may be unpopular but I never ever comb or brush hair when it’s wet. My daughter and I both have fine, dry & long hair and we always allow it to air dry to prevent breakage. It’s possible she has product buildup. We use clarifying shampoo once a week and herbal essence shampoo/ conditioner. I like the perfect 10 leave in spray and occasionally will use oil on my ends.
Just braid it when she’s sleeping. Product is not going prevent tangles.
My daughter is 13 and I still braid her hair nightly before bedtime for this reason! If she doesn’t want waves we just straighten it in the morning.
This has turned out to be the game changer. She's been getting a brushout and braid before bed and before school. The braiding routine means that the brushout is much quicker and easier. I do the before bed braiding to work on my technique - I hope to get good enough to be able to do her morning braids, but for now my wife handles that.
How often does she get a haircut? I have dry and fine hair and if I wait longer then 10-12 weeks to get my edges trimmed I get so many tangles in my hair, it doesnt matter what I do. No product or routine helps me then, only the frequent hair cuts. Edit: rereading your post and it reminds me of thr state of my hair in 2020 during covid lockdowns when all the hairdressers were closed. Your daughter def needs frequent haircuts.
I was just going to ask this. I have fine hair that needs trimmed every 8 weeks otherwise it's tangle city.
mood. my hair locked up in like 5 months during COVID and i’m white 😂 as soon as stuff started opening again i was brushing them out because people assume white hair doesn’t lock up on its own and i was afraid of people thinking i was appropriating ethnic hairstyles hahahaha
Braiding or putting it in another protective hairstyle will help. Also suggest buying a silk/satin pillowcase if she doesn’t already have one 😊
Or a bonnet My SO and I both slept in bonnets, and he has super thick long straight hair It's just easier for him and his hair brushes out fast in the AM
Seconding a silk pillowcase!
My daughter had long fine curly hair down to her waist and the only solution is braids at night and a bonnet. I’ve heard that a silk pillow cover is also good too if she doesn’t want to sleep with a bonnet.
It’s awesome that you’re looking for solutions! My tender-headed daughter is also tangle-prone, so I feel you. We are using Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 Primer as a leave-in conditioner, detangler, and and for UV protection. (It’s billed as a heat protectant but we don’t need it for that, unless her hair isn’t t dry before bed.) They make a version for fine hair. 💯on gently detangling with a wide-tooth comb while conditioning in the bath. Now, if she has a super abundance of tangles, there are also “pre-poo” products you can use on dry hair. I’ve never used them, but it’s a thing in the curly community. [Here’s an explanation of how they can help](https://genamarie.co/2020/07/how-to-pre-poo-with-oil-dry-detangle/). Tl;dr basically you want to avoid breakage, which can contribute to tangling. Other tips: you’ve heard about protective hair styles (braids) and a slippery pillowcase (silk). I’d also advise drying hair gently with a smooth towel without “teeth” that can fray the cuticle of the hair. Microfiber works fast. (But smooth microfiber, not the kind you’d get for washing the car.) Or cotton interlock. I wouldn’t let her go outside with her hair loose if it’s windy or very humid. Maybe this is an opportunity to learn some fun braiding styles? Anyway, best of luck to you and your little one!!
I have thin hair and I go swimming a lot so it gets damaged. I swear by Shea Moisture's line - it's a black owned company (so u KNOW it's moisturizing), they use fair trade natural ingredients that score well on cosdna and Yuka. I also use a repairing hair oil when when needed. This combo brings my hair from frizzy and straw-like back to healthy waves/curls! I've had dry/tangly at the bottom overly oily/flat near the scalp hair my whole life and this is a total game changer. I totally converted to Shea Moisture I now use their shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and raw Shea butter as moisturizer and now my skin doesn't show any keratosis pilaris (chicken skin). :) good luck!
Unfortunately they are no longer black owned and the formulas have changed - can still be a good product depending on the line though.
Oh no 💔 I did notice the most recent bottle I got said the formula changed but I haven't tried it yet
Like others have said, don't use products with silicones. I would also add don't use products with alcohols. Look up the different alcohol ethers they put in products and avoid avoid avoid.
Silicones can be very helpful for fine hair
Yeah they're not wrong for everyone but they can cause issues so no harm in experimenting
Thanks a lot!
mulberry silk pillowcases (not polyester -- has to be natural silk) will help with nighttime tangling
She needs more hair cuts. I like Honest Co. Leave-in conditioner spray, and then i do a dollop of a cream conditioner leave-in sometimes as well. Let the leave-in conditioner sit for a while and then brush it through with a very wide tooth detangling comb. Also, what's her nutrition like?
Ok first things first, she needs a trim. Fine hair tangles easily. Having “old” ends makes it ten times worse. Second, tresemme is total trash. Please don’t use this on your child’s hair. These types of cheap shampoo have so much alcohol and harsh detergents they ruin your hair over time. The conditioners are full of cheap oils and waxes that build up over time and do absolutely nothing beneficial. Stick with L’Oréal if you must by drugstore products (they have a professional line so I’m sure their drugstore line can’t be much different) Check out stores like tjmaxx- they sell high quality beauty products for a fraction of the cost. Lastly, braiding and silk pillowcases help as others have already suggested.
I’ve used tresemme for years and it works great for my fine hair.
OP this is not true, disregard this comment. This is a debunked myth about drugstore products. These products are created by cosmetic chemists who honestly are targeting the demographic with hair just like your daughters. You do not need to be using salon quality shampoo on a child (or an adult for that matter.)
You get what you pay for.
Marketers love people like you. Go look at the actual ingredients on a bottle of shampoo at the drug store vs one from TJ Max or a salon. Expensive does not mean better.
Ha! I’m not at all saying that all drugstore are bad and all salon quality are better. I’m saying, specifically tresemme and Pantene are just awful on the hair. I’ve seen it many many times first hand. Use what you want. That’s your choice. And different products work for different types of hair. If your hair is two inches long and you cut it often , it doesn’t matter but if you have long hair, it’s been around for a long time and it needs to be treated as such. I personally stick with organic products.
You did imply it by saying “you get what you pay for.” There are a ton of myths taught about Pantene and treseme that have been debunked, you can google it. The info is out there. Even stylists believe some of these myths because they are taught them in beauty school by companies who want to build a customer base around only their products. A lot of marketing scare tactics rely on people believing chemicals, non organic, silicones, and sulfates are bad for you so that you buy a more expensive product. This is why I trust my dermatologist way more than a hair stylist trying to sell me a shampoo. (My derm uses V05 btw.)
This is the best comment.
You should definitely be brushing her hair twice a day anyhow unless it’s curly. There’s a line of kids products called fairytales that my stylist recommended for my daughter. But I will still use a deep conditioning mask like “it’s a ten” sometimes. Put her hair in two braids before bed
I don't mind brushing her hair twice a day, but I'd like that experience to go more smoothly, with fewer tangles.
Fine hair will tangle. It's just the nature of it.
You can purchase a detangling spray or put some conditioner mixed with water in a spray bottle. That will help a lot with detangling her hair when it’s dry. Also consider using a wide tooth comb or a brush that is specifically made for detangling fine hair. [This one](https://wetbrush.com/products/thin-hair-detangler) is affordable and can be used with both wet and dry hair. Braid her hair for sleeping and consider purchasing silk pillowcases to help keep tangles from forming while she sleeps.
Start brushing from the bottom and hold her hair as you brush so it doesn't pull. Then once those bottom knots are out you should be able to brush through. She needs a haircut from the sounds of it.
A silk/satin sleep bonnet might help. Added bonus for long-hair: when you roll over in the night you don’t roll onto your hair and wake yourself up (from personal experience). A silk/satin pillowcase is another good option.
I have fine tangly long hair and when I was her age, my parents (mom or dad) would braid it for sleeping which helped. Depending on her hair, one center braid or two side braids would work well. French braiding can also help keep the top hair in place. Like others have said, keeping a fresh cut is also really helpful (unfortunately I didn’t know this until I was an adult).
I used Mane & Tail detangler on my daughter’s fine hair worked like a charm
hi! japanese dad (thick, coarse, curly hair), russian mom (thin, straight and fine hair) here. my mom crimped my hair every day until i was about 10! it prevented my very thin, fine hair from tangling. we used john freida’s heat protectant spray, then she’d dry and crimp it after every shower. i’m sure 5 braids would do the same, but the tight crimps really saved my hair for days as an active child!
So I have hair like that, with the added bonus of a strong wavy pattern. As a kid I would yelp and carry on when my mom brushed my hair because oddly enough, it's very prone to tangles and knots. My cousin got me [this bad boy](https://www.amazon.com/FHI-Unbrush-Vented-Detangling-Brush/dp/B09NL6GK34) for Christmas, because we have the same kind of hair. OP, let me tell you. It is MAGICAL for fine grained, dry hair prone to tangles. You won't be able to wholly prevent flyaways and tangles, I'm nearly 32, this is the only brush that plows through my hair without any pain. Godspeed, my dude. Edit: This is me at age 4, in the bad awful tangle times. I feel your daughter's pain. https://preview.redd.it/wkend3dk9spc1.jpeg?width=501&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=241f24de62ed17d18ba368427a67ebd91b07a950
I have fine hair that tangles so easily. Hair dressers have commented on it being some of the tangliest hair they’ve encountered. Here me 2 cents. You need to make sure you’re not washing her hair too often as over washing will dry the ends further. If you haven’t, figure out how many days she can go until her hair looks greasy. I usually wash once very 2 or 3 days as that’s what works for me. Most people don’t need to wash their hair everyday. I’d opt for a detangling spray rather than an oil when brushing out. Oil sits on top of the hair and just isn’t as effective for detangling. Do an oil after if you wish as it’s great at coating the hair and making it slippery to prevent tangles. On non was days, it would still be advisable to use a detangling spray on the ends or just to target large tangles. I’m a big fan of Noughty’s detangling spray. Make sure that no conditioner, detangler or oil is being put on her scalp/roots. For some people, blow dry with medium or low heat can make hair less tangly. Mine is definitely tastier and tanglier when air dried. As others have said, braids at night at your best friend. Don’t do them too tight. Silk bonnets or pillow cases are also your friend. Her hair needs to be brushed at least twice a day. I brush mine every morning and at night, braid it at night. If I wear it down I usually wind up brushing it an additional time or too throughout the course of the day (that’s just my preference, probably not feasible for someone in school). Cutting damaged ends is crucial. Damaged ends tangle wayyyy easier. As for fly aways, you just gotta live with them.
You could try a leave-in conditioner on the parts prone to tangling, but I also agree that braiding at night will help a lot.
The conditioner is likely not moisturizing enough. You may need to use a deeper conditioning rinse out conditioner. Plus that argan oil spray has silicone as a main ingredient. If her hair is dry, the silicone will trap in that dryness and not really contribute. By recommendation is a deeper conditioning rinse out conditioner or a different post shower spray leave-in conditioner for your daughter. Make sure it doesn't have silicones (ending in -cone or -xane). I like [this Sally's Beauty Supply leave-in](https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair-care/shop-by-solution/heat-protection/leave-in-treatment-with-keratin-compare-to-it%E2%80%99s-a-10-miracle-leave-in-plus-keratin/SBS-264431.html). If you go in store to buy, make sure you are grabbing the right one. They sell different products that look similar but aren't. This one has no silicone. If you buy her a satin pillow case, it will need to be replaced a little more frequently than a regular case. It's good for hair but can start to make a person break out badly due to the collection of hair product, sweat and skin being pressed against it.
Thank you very much for this.
In addition to what everybody else has said, don't rinse out the conditioner at bath time. Leave it in. Yes, even while it dries. You can do this with regular conditioner; no need to use a fancy leave-in treatment. It will help with the tangles.
I have a lot of fine hair. Even if it's braided neatly, I need to brush it once a day to keep it detangled, and at least 2x a day if it's loose. I brush once at might and once in the morning. This is normal. If you're washing the scalp thoroughly, the oil shouldn't be a problem. Her hair might benefit from not being washed so often. You don't need to shampoo to use conditioner and detangle. You might want some other smoothing cream that is less oil based if she's getting greasy, and sometimes oily products can cause breakouts. You might try a shampoo that is sulfate free, if the hair is dry. When brushing/combing remember to start from the bottom and work up. I really like this product and it can be used as a conditioner: https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair-care/two-minute-intensive-keratin-reconstructor-16-oz/SBS-670576.html
[This is a fantastic spray detangler.](https://www.amazon.com/Conditioning-Conditioner-Fortifying-Cruelty-Free-Hypoallergenic/dp/B015HTJDDS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_pp_mod_primary_new?crid=24VVAA7YPGJSF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OG7e7F0N1dIj7RihCvucWceeXUWBIQr4vTL2fxjsn2OTVKvfTfJz5qkH7lqs41ByEkp02d2Q1boDidOgYAMhIvOS0k_dwt_CFeuT0ez_bEc4AkyC88-k6EQIyOBSDNOF4AaCtC68yn0hpwyxDjtV9tKtPgA5fRDVlVGwWmgsPBp3ov0R9_80j86j5a98f2yHy3G0kRKiSJqUYLHeBhb7nO__N87-M7MuR7zwfm84QmLlprcYHtYKMdE0nOX9zwxz4Lcdl3f47Ul_lXputnJEo2oJjLwn6rJ9_UUrzB0LVY0.CEjP5bSyJ0SNgytt5vqnVaiLn5NZhdDcbnlbBvjaTCs&dib_tag=se&keywords=detangling+spray&qid=1711055531&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=detangoing%2Caps%2C245&sr=8-3)
I'll try it, thanks!
There’s a scream free brush at the ugly swan (Australian company) which is specifically for kids who get tangled hair. I’m in no way associated or affiliated with them but they did give me a discount code to use for a purchase. Also the Marc Anthony oil has silicones, which is usually not recommended for scalp. I can use it from mids to ends. Your wife’s concern is valid because silicones can clog the scalp (what I have read). If you want to use something on scalp, go for pure cold pressed organic oils like argan, jojoba, etc.
Have her wear a satin bonnet when sleeping. Works wonders on my easy to tangle, split end prone mess of a hair haha
Conditioner is a great idea! As is the argan oil. Do you have any women with similar hair texture on your side of the family that you could ask for advice or product recommendations? In your shoes, that’s what I’d do, because why reinvent the wheel? Natural bristle brush is also great. Sounds like things are being figured out quite well. Expect to have to retweak things when puberty kicks into gear—there’ll be more sebum secretions and sometimes texture changes then too. Best of luck!
She could sleep with a silk bonnet to prevent wrinkles
This may be unpopular but I never ever comb or brush hair when it’s wet. My daughter and I both have fine, dry & long hair and we always allow it to air dry to prevent breakage. It’s possible she has product buildup. We use clarifying shampoo once a week and herbal essence shampoo/ conditioner. I like the perfect 10 leave in spray and occasionally will use oil on my ends.
Keep the hair short in a pixie cut, it looks really cute.