I thought I had mixed hair care figured out long before I became a mom of biracial kids. But, boy was I wrong and I’m sure I’m alone. I’m here to debunk six curly biracial hair myths.
Curly Biracial Hair: 6 Common Myths Debunked
Curly biracial hair means you have good hair
First of all, all hair is good hair. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t always feel that way. Kinky curly hair like mine wasn’t always been embraced by society. I didn’t see a lot of natural hair girls in magazine, movies and TV shows growing up.
But when I did, the women were mixed with curls like Sage Steele from ESPN. The buck didn’t stop there when it came to celebrating curly biracial hair.
I used to hear people talking about cute mixed kids and what they would do if they had their luscious ringlets. “If I had hair like that, I wouldn’t need a relaxer,” some would say (including me). But, you don’t need a relaxer because every texture is beautiful. All you need are the right products to fit your hair type, and you’re good to go.
Curly biracial hair is easy to take care of
Sat what? Just because my kids are mixed doesn’t make combing their hair easier than other textures. My daughter has a mixed curl pattern with waves in the front. Her hair becomes more curly at the crown and the back of her head.
Her little brother’s curls a tighter and tends to get frizzy sometimes. Keep in mind that each curly head has different challenges.
One would think that my daughter’s hair is easier to comb, but that’s not necessarily the case. I often find myself working through knots, while her brother rarely gets tangles.
You can use just about any hair styling tools and products on curly biracial hair
If that were the case, I’d save a lot of money on tools and products. Even though some companies cater to mixed hair, it doesn’t necessarily mean it works on all mixed hair types. Some haircare lines are a bit too heavy on my daughter’s hair.
My son, on the other hand, has tight curls. There are a bunch of gels and other products on the market that enhance curls, but it doesn’t always work on his ringlets. They either make his hair too frizzy or too hard.
When it comes to styling tools, some say brushes are a curly head’s best friend. I personally don’t use brushes on my children’s curly hair because it’s a bit harsh, and it can cause breakage. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not implying that brushes should never used on curly hair. It’s just my personal preference.
If I do decide to use a brush, it would be one with soft bristles. Hair should also be wet and fully detangled too.
Curly biracial hair grows faster
But the truth is everybody’s hair grows an average of a half an inch every month. But most mixed girls I knew growing up had hair down their backs, so I assumed that mixed hair grew faster. I quickly learned that’s not the case.
The reality check came when I became a mom, and began researching natural hair care after ditching my relaxer. My kids’ didn’t begin growing hair until after their first birthday.
Curly biracial hair doesn’t damage
Mixed hair can become damaged, no matter the texture. While some curls are less prone to breakage, it really all boils down to how you care for the hair.
Like all other hair types, it’s about low manipulation, conditioning and trimming hair when needed.
You should only trim curly biracial hair when it’s straight
This is probably the most common myth I’ve heard. Most people go to the hair salon and blow dry their hair prior to trimming. But, remember that most people have multiple curl patterns.
As I mentioned, my daughter has waves in the front with a curlier pattern at the crown and back. When hair is trimmed straight, it may look uneven once it’s back to its curly state. Fortunately there are some salons that specialize in trimming naturally curly hair.
What curly biracial hair myths have you heard?