Taking Care of Your Child’s Hair

Children often dislike having their hair washed because water and shampoo can get into their eyes. Their hair is also thinner than adult hair and more prone to breakages or becoming tangled, meaning brushing and combing can be a stressful experience for both you and your little one.

Looking after your child’s hair doesn’t have to be traumatic, though. Here’s how to keep your child’s haircare tear-free.

Shampoo

If your child is a toddler, you can wash their hair three times a week, or as needed. Once your child has started school it may need washing more regularly, especially after swimming.

If your child’s hair is especially knotty, brush or comb it before washing to prevent the tangles worsening once the hair is wet.

Chose a gentle shampoo that has been especially formulated for children’s hair and skin. Thoroughly wet your child’s hair and massage a small amount of shampoo into their scalp before rinsing away using warm water. If you are anxious about getting shampoo in their eyes or they struggle to keep their eyes shut try asking them to hold a clean flannel over their eyes or look for a shampoo that does not irritate the eyes, such as our Sensitive Kids Shampoo.

Detangle

Before combing, gently squeeze the excess moisture out of your child’s hair, using a towel. Comb the hair while it is still wet using a wide toothed comb or a detangling brush. Distracting your child with a film or book while you comb their hair can be a good idea.

Start by combing the end of the hair and work your way up to the scalp, comb the area around the nape of the neck first as this area tends to get most tangled.

Before combing, apply a detangling conditioner or spray, our Sensitive Kids Magic Spray is specially formulated to make combing easy.

Dry

Ideally your child’s hair should be left to dry naturally, as the heat from a hair dryer can damage their hair and scalp. If you do blow-dry use a low heat setting and hold the hair dryer 15cm away from their head.

You can see our full range of Sensitive Kids hair and skincare products here.